Our trip to New Zealand was fantastic, thanks to The Road Trip team! We chose them because of their flexibility in creating itineraries and their option of a private driver guide, and they delivered on both! They planned an itinerary based on our interests and what we wanted to see and were very accommodating when we thought of changes as the trip approached. Once we arrived in New Zealand, our hotels all had great views and were very clean; several were exceptional. The historic Hulbert House in Queenstown, a gorgeously restored property, was notable, with a beautiful sweeping view of the city, attentive and friendly staff, and elegant cocktail hour and breakfast. However, it was our driver guide, Karl, who made the trip! In addition to being a great driver, Karl was fun, informative, accommodating, and flexible. Having him navigate the winding roads (while driving on the left side) allowed us to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. He provided interesting commentary and background on the places and sights we saw, and on the few occasions he didn’t have an answer for one of our many questions, he researched it and reported back. Whenever we had a little extra time in our schedule, he made suggestions and waited patiently for our decisions, which sometimes came at the last minute. Wherever we were going, Karl smoothed the way with directions, tickets, time schedules, and of course parking. He found us whatever we were looking for, whether souvenirs, views, sweaters, local foods (especially sweets!), hikes, wine—whatever we requested! For example, on our last night, he drove my husband outside the city so he could get a good view of the stars; it had been cloudy on the night of our star gazing excursion, and my husband had especially wanted to see the stars in the southern hemisphere. Karl is a genuinely kind individual, and we can’t say enough about his role in our exceptional experience. We highly recommend him as well as the entire Road Trip team!
We started planning a trip by car to New Zealand and had a list of the places and things we wanted to do on both the north and south islands.
We were having difficulties mapping the best route to see everything we wished.
I started to search the internet for a travel advisor to help us and came across the family owned company named The Road Trip . I contacted them online explained what we were trying to do. We had a number of calls where we discussed our expectations, what we wished and Alex then put together a plan. It was amazing. Alex made suggestions of places we had not included in the original plan.
Prior to leaving for New Zealand an app was sent to us with all the information – hotel , tours ,time to get there , flights, phone numbers and routes to take for each day. There was also a list of various places or activities we could add if we wished and the approximate time needed.
The choice of hotels was excellent. For many, they had personally stayed there and could give recommendations.
To save time it was suggested that we fly from the north island to the south island. They booked the flights for us and booked a car for us on each island.
As with most plans there were changes along the way. As soon as we contacted Road Trips they immediately returned our emails and made the changes required.
Their knowledge and organization on their app made it easy to travel through both islands and see and do everything we wished to in the time we had.
The Road Trips team gave us a wonderful vacation. It would not have been possible without their knowledge and expertise.
We just returned from a month long holiday in NZ. Our trip was organised by the NZ based company The Road Trip New Zealand. They provided us with a 5-Star service and made our experience memorable
WE recently returned from our month-long holiday in New Zealand which was arranged by The Road Trips NZ. They are one of the excellent tour companies we ever dealt with.
They provided us with outstanding holiday experience in NZ. Their hotel selections were great and located near good restaurants and attractions.
They booked us more than 20 excursions and day trips to suit our interests and hobbies. These included wine tasting tours, cultural shows, wildlife viewing, botanical gardens, whale watching, visiting volcanic parks and a trip to iconic Milford sound.
Communication was great from start to finish and their App based itinerary was very useful which provided info about points of interest, trails, car parking and restaurants etc. They provided us with a good SUV for the whole trip. There was no need to change the car while going from south to north island. We picked our rental car at Christchurch airport and returned at Auckland prior to our departure.
I have already recommended The Road Trip NZ to friends and family.
Hats off to Shani, Matt and Denise for providing us with a 5-star service and making our trip more memorable .
We had the most incredible experience with The Road Trip in New Zealand, and I truly cannot recommend them highly enough.
From the very beginning, the company was excellent to work with — responsive, thoughtful, and genuinely invested in creating the perfect experience for us. They helped build a completely custom tour that included everything I had hoped for, while also suggesting fantastic additional options that made the trip even more special than I imagined.
When a few things shifted on my end (including an unexpected issue with accommodations I had booked before the tour began), they went above and beyond to adjust plans and find solutions quickly and seamlessly. That level of care and flexibility made such a difference and immediately put us at ease.
And then there’s Karl — who was absolutely phenomenal.
Karl was incredibly kind, professional, and attentive throughout the entire tour. He made sure we were always on time to scheduled events, felt safe and comfortable, and had everything we needed each day. But beyond that, he truly went out of his way to make every day feel special. It never felt like a “standard” tour — it felt thoughtfully curated and personal.
He shared a wealth of history, local knowledge, and fascinating insights, all while being warm, friendly, and genuinely fun to spend time with. You can tell he cares deeply about what he does and about the people he’s guiding.
Our New Zealand trip was unforgettable, and The Road Trip and Karl were a huge part of why. If you’re considering booking with them — do it. You will be in exceptional hands.
Since our return, only 4 days ago, we have been asked by friends how our trip was. We honestly say that it was a great trip and everything worked as planned. The only negative was the airplane ride to get to New Zealand and return home. It’s a long time on a plane. But the road trip was great. We couldn’t say enough positive comments about how you planned out our complete trip while leaving us time to ourselves within it. Our drive went perfectly with the excursions you planned always ready and waiting as we arrived. We did things that we probably would not have even thought of or considered. And that’s a good thing. Your suggestions of additional sights to see was perfect while on the drive across your wonderful country. And just the self drive alone made us feel independent and yet with full knowledge that someone had planned it all and we not alone. We did talk with friends who were in New Zealand at the same time we were but on an ocean cruise. They made ports of call but only visited museums and such in the major cities. When they listened to our trip and what we did they said they should have done it like us. And that’s a testament to your business. You do it right. We actually saw, experienced your country. I’m sure there was so much more we should have done but at our age the plan you made for us was just right. So a big thank you to all your planners and schedulers who put this all together. They do know what they are doing.
The Road Trip made my time in New Zealand truly unforgettable. All I had to do was pick up the car and follow the itinerary — everything else was flawlessly planned. Some of the accommodations were absolutely magical (Milford Sound Lodge, The Hermitage and Conopy Camping Escapes), and I loved every second of the experience.
The pre-trip advice was expert and the practical information incredibly helpful, which made everything feel easy and stress-free. While I was on the road, the team was always supportive and quick to help whenever I wanted to change an activity or book something extra.
I honestly can’t recommend this enough. Thank you, Matt and Shani!
We saw alot of New Zealand and we left with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the country. Bruce and the entire Road Trip Team were invaluable in making that possible. We couldn’t have been happier with our experience and will recommend The Road Trip to friends who are contemplating visiting New Zealand. If we were to grade our trip, we would give it an A+ without hesitation.
I’ve dreamed of traveling to New Zealand since I was a little kid, so when my family agreed to go I looked for a tour company that would plan an adventure for “Lord of the Rings” geeks, foodies, and nature nerds alike. And boy, did The Road Trip deliver. Matt, Shani, and the whole RT team planned us an epic 3 weeks, packing in more than we ever thought possible and making sure it was smooth sailing the entire time.
The level of thoughtfulness was exceptional; everywhere we went we felt The Road Trip had chosen the best for us. Accommodations and food were quality, even during a busy time of year, and RT remained budget-conscious throughout the process. They never pushed an upgrade if the standard experience was already great, so we didn’t overspend on things that weren’t worth it. Bonus: we loved that they had us support so many local and family businesses rather than relying on convenient corporate tourism. Our guide, Constance, was on top of every aspect of our tour, always ready to do whatever we needed and sharing her favorite trivia and secret spots with us.
From the smallest details to the big picture, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. There’s clearly no better way to see New Zealand than through the window on a long, leisurely drive. So if you’re on the fence about booking your trip, hop right off and call The Road Trip right away.
My wife and I had a self drive plan organized and booked with The Road Trip. We decided to visit both the North and South Island for 30 days. While that does require a lot of driving at times we experienced some of the most amazing places. The beauty of the landscape is equally matched by the friendliest people we have experienced anywhere in the world with international travel.
The car that was booked for us was brand new and had all the functions needed to get us where we needed to be. If you have not driven on the other side of the road having a good co-pilot makes the transition smooth. Having your own car does add the element of freedom to move about on our own schedule, which we loved.
The places we stayed based on great communication related to our preferences was more than we could have hoped for.
Everything was as advertised and the support team was amazing. Shani was our go to on a couple of changes we wanted during our travels and she was awesome to work to work with.
Thank you so much for all the arrangement and efforts that you guys had put in that made our holiday a memorable and enjoyable one! The itinerary was well planned and all Hotels/Motels were excellent especially the locations that are near to the central areas. We are truly pleased that everything went on smoothly for the entire journey and quite a good coverage of the North & South Island.
There is one person, Bruce (our guide for the North Island) whom we need to mention about his exceptional service. We would like to express our gratitude for his best support and guidance even beyond his role as a guide. He is such a wonderful and warm person who is so kind to furnish us with all the necessary information that we might need during our self-drive in the south island. He took the extra miles service to check on our well being even after we continued our journey at the south island.
Nevertheless, our entire journey came with some disappointment too. Firstly, not all of us had made it to the Wai Ariki Hot Spring & Spa as few of our members were not feeling well that day. As a result, only two members had managed to check-in as guided by Bruce. Secondly, our skydive event at Queenstown was cancelled due to foul weather and of course we will be refunded accordingly. Lastly, it is the stargazing at Lake Tekapo that was also cancelled as we had travelled all the way just for this event. Anyway, we fully understand that these are rather common in NZ as the climate is simply unpredictable. Afterall, even with these hiccups, we still enjoyed our holiday pretty much and will not hesitate to recommend your services to family and friends.
My son and I have just returned home from a magical week in New Zealand’s south island, where we saw scenery that took the breath away. Our experience with Road Trip was first class from start to finish. Our guide, Taylor, was knowledgeable and friendly and we learned such a lot about New Zealand from her. Nothing was too much trouble – on days where I was having trouble walking she took me scenic driving while my son enjoyed his walks and other activities. We discovered cheese rolls, thyme honey, the delicious tasting menu at Rata in Queenstown and so much more, with Taylor making reservations for us every night when we asked. The accommodation was excellent all the way. It’s hard to pick a peak experience from the trip – they were all so well organised and wonderful. I would certainly use Road Trip again and am delighted to see that they now operate in Australia as well.
We had an amazing time in both Australia and New Zealand!
Positives–so many! Y’all planned everything to the detail–pick up, timing and length of activities, what to bring, car rentals, lodging locations, etc. You listened to our requests and planned a wonderful itinerary. Loved that we could access the app and Goggle Maps worked well.
AU–We loved the Sydney Opera House tour, Sounds of Silence & SEIT Patji in Uluru—traveling around with a traditional couple! Also loved Phillip Island and the highlight, the Penguin Parade!
NZ–Love, love, love the beauty of the South Island, especially Queenstown! Also enjoyed Te Pa Tu experience in Rotorua.
It was an awesome trip. Yeah too bad we couldn’t spot a whale, but there was a huge pod of Dusker dolphins. I like all the arrangements, wished I had stretched out my trip so that I could spend a day or so more at some of the places. I got to tick off a bucket list as well seeing the Milky Way at Lake Tekapo.
We are pleased with The Road Trip for planning our itinerary and getting our accommodation, breakfast and car settled. They had offloaded our travel planning burden significantly. We enjoyed the accommodation that they had booked for us as they had exceeded our expectations. Highly recommended to engage their services!
I’m happy to give you guys an outstanding review. You facilitated a great visit for us. So many highlights, it’s hard to include them all, but definitely wine tasting at Cox Vineyard (a suggestion from Neil), helicopter tour to see whales, Hobbiton, staying at Hulbert House and at Hapuku Lodge.
And speaking of Neil, he was a great guide. Personable, funny, knowledgeable, flexible and professional. He was especially helpful when things didn’t go as expected (such as when we hopped on the helicopter.) A great guy.
Also, the wine guide you arranged took us to Mora winery (outstanding food, nice wine), then at our request to a bespoke (but very casual and friendly) wine tasting experience at Cox Winery.
Your online itinerary was fantastic. We referred to it multiple times a day. A great tool! Very, very helpful. You should package this up and lease it to other tour operators.
Thank you so much for your help with our first New Zealand trip.
We had an extremely fun time and hit all of the schedules in the itinerary.
We added the Redwood Tree Walk in Rotorua, that was a great recommendation.
Also hit a few hikes and trails in Tongariro National Park.
Everything was smooth and we loved the experience.
We are looking forward to another trip in the future and will definitely be asking you folks to assist.
We had a great time and really enjoyed ourselves in New Zealand. Of course there is so much more to see and do. All of the hotels and booked excursions were ready and waiting and that made the trip that much more enjoyable.
Our trip to New Zealand was absolutely incredible, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience! The Road Trip organized everything perfectly, making the entire journey smooth and stress-free. From the very beginning, the team was exceptionally responsive, providing helpful guidance and ensuring that every detail was taken care of.
The itinerary was well thought out, with clear instructions and fantastic recommendations that truly enhanced our trip. We felt supported at every stage, and thanks to The Road Trip’s expertise, we were able to fully enjoy every moment without any worries. We highly recommend The Road Trip to anyone planning a trip to New Zealand! Their professionalism, attention to detail, and personalized approach made all the difference.
Kia Ora!
My sincere apologies for the delay in sending this—I’ve been catching up on work since returning from New Zealand.
While linguistics has never been my strong suit, I just wanted to say the trip was absolutely amazing, and the Road Trip Team was incredible. From the hotel selections to the restaurant recommendations and sightseeing tips, we couldn’t have asked for a better tour company. THANK YOU!
Please feel free to share this on Google! I’ll try to write a review there as well—just need to come up for air first!
Wishing you a wonderful rest of the year!
Many thanks to the Road Trip team for the fantastic Lord of the Rings North Island Small Group Tour! The reservations team always answered my questions promptly and fully. The accommodations and itinerary were fantastic and well-planned – I saw all of the LOTR sights that I was hoping to see (and more)! And, as a solo traveller, I couldn’t have asked for a better tour group – everyone was lovely! And a big thank-you to our wonderful tour guide – Bruce was so welcoming, kind, and knowledgeable! I’d love to return to New Zealand one day, and would definitely be interested in a LOTR South Island Small Group Tour if it’s offered in future! All the best, Rosie
Hi Road Trip Team,
This was our second adventure holiday booked with you, first being snowmobiles in winter and now jet skis in summer. Both experiences have exceeded expectations.
I am now in the process of planning another trip with Road Trip Reservations for our small group to Doubtful Sound in November.
Keep up the good work.
I wanted to thank you for the very good organisation and all the nice places that you booked for me.
The plans and direction sent me outside touristic zone and it was nice to see and discover your beautiful country !
You answer back all my question in a timely manner and it was very reassuring as i was travelling alone.
We did the Lord of the Rings Tour with the Road Trip, and we had a fantastic time. When we were researching the trip, it came down to a company that does small (10-20 people) tours on a bus, or the Road Trip, which customizes the tour and transportation to the size of your group. We’re so happy we chose the Road Trip for the four of us. The main selling point was flexibility, both in the creation of the itinerary (we started with the LOTR itinerary, and customized from there) as well as during the trip, where we could make substitutions or side trips to explore other interesting sites. That flexibility came into play when our Milford Sound trip got rained out – we were able to rebook for the next morning and skip some things the next day. That kind of flexibility probably wouldn’t exist on a larger tour.
The trip was amazing; jaw-dropping scenery, great weather, and excellent food and drink. The best part of our trip was our guide, Bruce. Not only did he know all of the LOTR info, but he also was fully versed in New Zealand history and culture. He was very good at reading our interests, and made sure to make stops that were of interest to us. So while the tour was LOTR-based, when he found out I was interested in wine and beer, we made stops at local pubs that had a lot of local beer selections. And when we were in Marlborough, he recommended the Wine Kitchen for dinner, and it was the culinary highlight of our trip. Bruce clearly loves sharing insights and info on his home country, and his presence made the trip one of the best we’ve ever taken.
Thanks to Bruce and all the staff at the Road Trip for putting together an amazing trip!