First of all and most importantly, we had an amazing trip! Some highlights for us included: epics hikes in Tongariro, Mt Cook, Queenstown, and Wanaka; kayaking in the Milford Sound; ziplining in Rotorua; and wine tasting in the Gibbston Valley. The incredible scenery, unique flora and fauna, great accessibility to all the sights, and the friendly people combined to make New Zealand one of our favorite trips.
On the kimkim side for booking and planning the trip, we had a pretty easy, good...
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First of all and most importantly, we had an amazing trip! Some highlights for us included: epics hikes in Tongariro, Mt Cook, Queenstown, and Wanaka; kayaking in the Milford Sound; ziplining in Rotorua; and wine tasting in the Gibbston Valley. The incredible scenery, unique flora and fauna, great accessibility to all the sights, and the friendly people combined to make New Zealand one of our favorite trips.
On the kimkim side for booking and planning the trip, we had a pretty easy, good experience overall, with just a couple points of feedback that we think could have made things better. One is that when we made changes to our itinerary and Uma sent us a new itinerary for review, it was not easily clear to us what all the differences were from the previous itinerary. Some activities had been removed, others added, and some changed from included to optional. Over a 19 day trip, this was difficult to keep track of, and we were surprised by a couple things after final approval that were actually different than we thought because we didn't realize they had changed from a previous itinerary. The second point is that it was not clear to us which activities cost money and how much they cost. We also had no idea how much accommodations cost. We weren't working with a strict budget, but there were certainly some things we would have not included or done differently if we had known more about the cost. We're aware that kimkim can't provide an itemized invoice, but we think something like a $-$$$$ ranking similar to Trip Advisor would be very helpful.
Our local specialist Uma was very responsive, helpful, and friendly throughout. I think we definitely had a positive experience there. There were a couple times that we weren't quite on the same page when forming the itinerary or adjusting an activity, and I think we were maybe expecting to discuss options or get her opinion on something before deciding how to proceed, while Uma took our question as more of a direct request and went ahead and made changes. But that didn't detract from our trip, and we really appreciated Uma's great responsiveness.
Hotel Reviews
Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier
Franz Josef Glacier
Comfortable, good location. Pretty generic hotel.
Comfortable room, good amenities on site, though it's a bit out of town.
Location
It's a bit out of town, so you have to drive to go anywhere
Staff
Very helpful in arranging a boxed breakfast and helping with our laundry
Distinction Te Anau Hotel And Villas
Te Anau
A fairly generic hotel with a medium quality breakfast
Location
Good enough for Te Anau
Scenic Suites Queenstown
Queenstown
Great view, good location, very comfortable. The breakfast is subpar, so we recommend just going to town.
Hermitage Hotel
Mount Cook Village
The room had a great view, but was small. The buffet for dinner and breakfast was mediocre for the price. The staff were very helpful when we were trying to reschedule our start gazing tour. Overall, we would have preferred to stay in the motel for less money.
Location
Best location for the Mt Cook area
Distinction Christchurch Hotel
Christchurch
Great location, clean and comfortable.
Authenticity & Character
Just a generic large hotel
Location
In the center of everything.
The Prince's Gate Hotel
Rotorua
The room was a bit old and let a lot of light in. The breakfast was only ok. The staff was a little bit difficult when we tried to verify the boxed breakfast that our travel agent had arranged for an early morning departure. We did enjoy the thermal baths on site.
Authenticity & Character
Definitely a feeling of character and old British charm.
Location
Just a couple blocks from the main street. It's a small town so everything is close.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The room and bed were a bit old and not the most comfortable. They were fine, though.
Clean and comfortable. Location is great. Staff was helpful - lending us an umbrella for the day when it was pouring rain. We didn't eat there, so can't comment on the restaurant/bar.
Authenticity & Character
It is kind of a generic big hotel, so nothing really stands out.
Activity Reviews
Cruising & Kayaking in Milford Sound
New Zealand
This was definitely one of our favorite activities. The scenery during the cruise was truly incredible. Then the underwater observatory was also really cool. We even got to see an octopus, which is pretty rare. Finally the kayaking was a perfect way to move around while spending more time in the Sound, paddling around surrounded by these massive cliffs.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Spectacular Tranz Alpine Scenic Train Journey
New Zealand
It's a great way to get across the country while soaking in the views. The audio guide was a nice touch.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Kayaking in Franz Josef
Franz Josef Glacier
This was a lovely and pleasant kayak trip on a rainy morning. Luckily it rained much less on the lake than at Franz Josef. It was nice to hear a lot from our guide about the local wildlife.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
TSS Earnslaw Cruise to Walter Peak, BBQ Dinner, Farm Tour
Queenstown (NZ)
The steam ship was very cool. We couldn't believe it's been operating the same way since 1912! The buffet dinner was out of this world good, especially the meats and desserts. And the farm show was thoroughly entertains, especially the sheep dog.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Onsen Hot Pools - The Outdoor Onsen
Queenstown (NZ)
This was pure luxury for us. A private hot tub overlooking a beautiful river valley with drinks and snacks included - it's an ideal way to end a day. Of course it's not an actual onsen, but we knew that going in.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Enjoy a Gondola Ride for Stunning Views of Queenstown
Queenstown (NZ)
The luge track is really fun!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Big Sky Stargazing
Aoraki / Mount Cook Village
Unfortunately the tour was cancelled both days we were at Mt Cook. They did offer a planetarium show instead, which was a nice consolation.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Te Pō Indigenous Experience
Rotorua
The buffet dinner was great and overlooked the geyser, which put on an impressive display. The cultural show was a lot of fun as well. Ending up with hot chocolate and a close up view of the geyser was really nice.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Glow Worm Kayaking in Rotorua
Rotorua
The guides were very nice and paddling around at night into little caves with the glowworms was pretty cool. Ultimately, we were hoping for a bit more in terms of size of caves or length of the trip.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
We did have to drive ourselves due to a staff shortage, but that worked out fine.
Zipline Canopy Tour Ultimate Experience
Rotorua
A great experience all around. The guides were super fun and engaging throughout. We really appreciated the conservation efforts that the tour was supporting.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Waiheke Island Vineyard Explorer
Auckland
It's a pretty good value and very easy logistically. One downside is that the bus can get full, in which case you have to wait for the next one, and the timing of the buses is pretty unpredictable. There was also a range of experiences at the wineries, from personable and attentive at Batch to corporate and efficient at Stonyridge.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Enjoy the panoramic view of Auckland from Sky Tower
Auckland
It's not worth the cost and queueing. But once you do get up there the view is nice.
Quality of Experience
Queues are too long
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Uma Natarajan
