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Michelle Srzich

Let me guide you with my local knowledge of how to make the most of your time in New Zealand. I am a local 'Kiwi' born here so Aotearoa New Zealand holds a special place in my heart and I am excited to share this beautiful country with you.
I like to get to know you, the traveler, and design an itinerary that incorporates your own interests and captures the essence of the New Zealand experience while adding my own unique suggestions that I know you will love. I am also here in the country when you are traveling to help out with some local travel tips.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I specialize in bespoke tailor-made self-drive tours and privately guided itineraries. I am a big supporter of sustainable travel and prefer to recommend and support smaller locally-owned suppliers of accommodation and day tours so that people visiting New Zealand can discover the uniqueness of our country and the warmth and friendliness of our Kiwi hospitality. My tours are built from experience and are respectful of the communities you are visiting.
For activities, I like to incorporate many different ones including hiking and cycling (with the option of e-bikes), food and wine, and wildlife activities, such as kiwi and native penguin spotting in their natural environment. I also like to offer scenic flights and cruises to give the traveler even more options to view our stunning natural scenery. "

How did you get involved in travel?

"A year as a Rotary Exchange Student in Illinois as a teenager first opened my eyes to the world of travel and after some more overseas travel after university, it was a natural progression to choose Tourism as a career.
I have extensive experience in outbound leisure travel and corporate travel and now I love working in Inbound New Zealand and South Pacific travel. I have traveled New Zealand and the world on working holidays as a backpacker, later with my own three children, and these days with the children grown up I prefer to travel with a little more luxury!
"

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"A helicopter ride to the Luxmore Hut on Fiordland's Kepler track followed by a hike with a local guide through the alpine landscape is one of New Zealand's best one day experiences. Even better if you can follow it up with an overnight cruise of Doubtful Sound - waking up in this pristine natural landscape is really magical. "

Michelle is part of the following groups: New Zealand Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Luxury itineraries
Road trip itineraries
Honeymoon itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Michelle

Our trip to New Zealand was incredible and unforgettable!
New Zealand | Nov 6 - Nov 20, 2024

Matt
Matt S.
Memphis, TN | Reviewed on Nov 27, 2024
Our trip was incredible! Our agent, Michelle, put together an excellent itinerary and each reservation went off without any issue. I enjoyed each activity, with only a couple being less than incredible when compared to the others. The glow worm cave/black water rafting at Black Labyrinth was perfect; the guides were very engaging and facilitated a great experience. Hobbiton was exactly what I wanted it to be. Rotorua Canopy Tours did an excellent job and that experience was perfect, as was... Read more

Our trip was incredible! Our agent, Michelle, put together an excellent itinerary and each reservation went off without any issue. I enjoyed each activity, with only a couple being less than incredible when compared to the others. The glow worm cave/black water rafting at Black Labyrinth was perfect; the guides were very engaging and facilitated a great experience. Hobbiton was exactly what I wanted it to be. Rotorua Canopy Tours did an excellent job and that experience was perfect, as was the Te Pa Tu - Mauri cultural experience. The Weta Workshop Experience in Wellington and the Edoras tour with Hassle Free Tours outside of Christchurch were fantastic and are not be missed as a Lord of the Rings fan. The Milford Sound Scenic Flights in Queenstown were breathtaking and provided a chance to see the beauty of the area from amazing perspectives. All in all, the trip was a 10/10 for my wife and I, and we are already counting down the days to be able to return to New Zealand.

Hotel Reviews
Sudima Auckland City
Auckland

Very well located in the city, allowing for short walks to nearby activities and areas. The accommodations were solid, as was the food. The rooftop bar area was also really cool.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Short walk to nearby activities
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Kelly Rd
Cambridge

The front desk person was very friendly and the accommodations were great. The area was quiet and was only a short drive/walk to the center of town.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Prince's Gate Hotel
Rotorua

The accommodations were great; the bed was a little uncomfortable.

Authenticity & Character
The decor was very unique and eclectic
Location
Close to plenty of restaurants
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Naumi Hotel Wellington
6141

The accommodations were great overall. The room was larger than the rest of the ones we had on our trip. Parking was somewhat difficult and driving to/from was a little stressful due to traffic.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Parking was a little difficult and limited capacity; we left the car parked the whole time so as not to have to deal with it again
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Christchurch City Hotel
Christchurch

The room accommodations were solid overall; parking was offsite and a short walk, but had a fee each time you left and came back.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Short walks to nearby attractions; parking can be difficult
Staff
The food was good and the restaurant was nice
Cleanliness & Comfort
Lake Tekapo Holiday Homes
Lake Tekapo

The room was cozy and had one of the larger bathrooms compared to other hotels on our trip. The location was fantastic, with a great restaurant right downstairs.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Able to walk to nearby stores and restaurants, as well as the lake itself.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Kamana Lakehouse
Queenstown

The room was excellent, as were the views from the restaurant overlooking the water and mountains. The breakfast provided was the best we had on our entire trip.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Great views with enough parking available; slightly too far away for an easy walk to Queenstown itself
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Weta Unleashed Auckland
Weta Unleashed Auckland
Auckland

This experience seemed great for those interested in aspects of movie making. However, the movies they use for the tour are 3 different "unreleased (made for this)" movies, which was a little disappointing. The tour itself was well done.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Able to walk from our hotel
Black Water Rafting - Black Labyrinth
Black Water Rafting - Black Labyrinth
Waitomo

I would consider this experience necessary for anyone that hasn't done it. It was incredible. The guides were excellent and personable, and enriched the experience further.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
New Zealand

Hobbiton was exactly what I hoped it would be; the views were beautiful, the tour was excellent, and it was surreal to get to explore and experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Te  Pā Tū  - Maori Cultural Experience
Te Pā Tū - Maori Cultural Experience
Rotorua

I thoroughly enjoyed this Maori cultural experience; the individuals leading each part of it did a great job of providing history and information about the culture.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The bus driver was quite funny and engaging
Zipline Canopy Tour
Zipline Canopy Tour
Rotorua

The staff was wonderful and the entire experience was amazing. Getting to see such a beautiful part of nature combined with the ziplines was awesome.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Wai-O-Tapu
Wai-O-Tapu
New Zealand

I loved getting to walk through and learn more about the geothermal areas; it was absolutely beautiful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Redwoods treewalk by night
Redwoods treewalk by night
Rotorua

The trees themselves were awesome to see up close and the set ups for the walkways and decorations were really cool.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Weta Workshop Wellington
Weta Workshop Wellington
Wellington

Fantastic! As a huge Lord of the Rings fan, this is a must. The store (Weta Cave) has awesome displays and a great selection of items to purchase. The staff were super helpful and the tour was perfect.

Quality of Experience
Exactly what I wanted from the experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The tour guide was very energetic and did an amazing job, while providing tons of cool facts about the movies Weta has worked on
Transport
Lord of the Rings Edoras Tour
Lord of the Rings Edoras Tour
Christchurch

I would consider this a "must-do" for any fan of The Lord of the Rings movies. The drive is a bit long (about 2 hours from Christchurch), but the scenery and the tour guide made it feel like nothing. The actual experience of seeing and getting to walk up Mt Sunday and be in the spots from The Two Towers was surreal.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our tour guide was fantastic; tons of interesting stories related to Lord of the Rings as well as the local area
Transport
Tekapo Springs - StarGazing
Tekapo Springs - StarGazing
Lake Tekapo

The experience itself is awesome; the guides provide you with information about the stars and planets, and have telescopes to view some of the celestial bodies, followed by time in the hot pool.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kayak Tasman Glacier Lake
Kayak Tasman Glacier Lake
New Zealand

The surrounding area and the lake/glaciers themselves are stunning. I highly recommend this activity.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Fly Cruise Fly – Queenstown to Milford Sound by scenic flight
Fly Cruise Fly – Queenstown to Milford Sound by scenic flight
Queenstown (NZ)

This is another activity I would consider a "must-do." The views from both the plane and the ship were incredible, providing a perspective of the area that just can't be experienced another way.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Soak in the Onsen Natural Outdoor Hot Tubs
Soak in the Onsen Natural Outdoor Hot Tubs
Queenstown (NZ)

The experience itself was relaxing; your party is provided with a private hot tub with an awesome backdrop of a field and hills/mountain. They provide a drink and small snack.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Skyline Gondola transport & optional Luge
Skyline Gondola transport & optional Luge
Queenstown (NZ)

This was a great way to see Queenstown from up high; the views were great.

Quality of Experience
Safari of the scenes Glenorchy (LOTR)
Safari of the scenes Glenorchy (LOTR)
Queenstown (NZ)

Compared to the other Lord of the Rings related experiences we did on our trip, this was the least exciting. Some of that was due to the weather, as it changed what our tour got to see, while the rest was the overall experience. The guides provided some information about the scenes and surrounding area, but not nearly as much as other tours on our trip.

Quality of Experience
More engagement for the participants (the main guide had a picture book, but our group was in a different vehicle that did not have that)
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The seating in the vehicle was not comfortable; there were 3 seats kinda crammed together in the back, one of which had the wheel well where my leg would rest. The guides had us rotate seats after each stop, but that doesn't solve the actual problem.
Local specialist: Michelle Srzich
Michelle
Michelle Srzich
Local specialist in Auckland, New Zealand | Replied on Nov 27, 2024

Hi Matt
Thank you so much for your review. I'm thrilled to hear that you had such a great experience in New Zealand and are planning to return again some day.
I really appreciate your recommendations and look forward to helping you or anyone you send my way in the future.
Many thanks,
Michelle

Our tour of New Zealand went beyond expectati...
New Zealand | Aug 24 - Sep 12, 2024

N
Nancy M.
Canada | Reviewed on Nov 18, 2024
Our tour of New Zealand went beyond expectations. Because we had activities and accommodations booked by the kimkim team, we were able to enjoy each day worry-free. When we weren't able to partake in something due to inclement weather, Michelle either found an alternative or organized a refund promptly. It was wonderful to know she and the team were there for backup if we ran into any issues.
Stand out experiences, in no particular order:
- tour of Mesopotamia Station with our guide...
Read more

Our tour of New Zealand went beyond expectations. Because we had activities and accommodations booked by the kimkim team, we were able to enjoy each day worry-free. When we weren't able to partake in something due to inclement weather, Michelle either found an alternative or organized a refund promptly. It was wonderful to know she and the team were there for backup if we ran into any issues.
Stand out experiences, in no particular order:
- tour of Mesopotamia Station with our guide Wayne -- so much beautiful landscape to take in, and so much interesting history, made even better by running into Malcolm, the present head of the Station
- art deco tour of Napier with lovely, informative Kaye
- 1/2 day wine tour led by the wonderful Jill -- so interesting and fun
- Te Pa Tu - Maori Cultural Experience -- incredible knowledge, passion, and skill demonstrated by the family members; the 15 year old young man's singing was exceptional
- Zealandia Night Tour in Wellington -- magical
- Milford Sound boat cruise -- just beautiful
- jetboat tour in Fiordland -- great fun, even in the rain
- Hobbiton -- the lushness, the details! So fun
- luge rides in Queenstown
Stand out accommodations:
- Hotel Britomart in Auckland -- very fine, exceptional attention to detail
- The Vicarage in Geraldine -- as above
- Azur Luxury Lodge in Queenstown -- incredible views and service
Hotels to consider removing from your roster:
- Museum Apartment Hotel in Wellington -- a bit gross, a bit disorganized in the lobby
- Peppers Bluewater Resort in Lake Tekapo -- down on its heel
- Limetree Lodge -- wifi didn't work, weird feeling there

Hotel Review
The Hotel Britomart
Auckland

Fantastic location. Top notch customer service. Beautiful space. Attention to detail. We would stay there again in a heartbeat.

Authenticity & Character
So funky, wonderful reuse and reno of an old building with character.
Location
Central, interesting views, walkable neighbourhood.
Staff
Very welcoming, helpful, and informative.
Cleanliness & Comfort
All the corners were clean and shiny. No dust buildup or fingerprints anywhere.
Activity Reviews
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
New Zealand
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Te Pā Tū Māori Feast & Performance
Te Pā Tū Māori Feast & Performance
Rotorua

The singing, the hakas, the fellowship, the history were all very moving.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Orakei Korako Tour
Orakei Korako Tour
New Zealand
Quality of Experience
Hawke's Bay Half Day Wine Tour
Hawke's Bay Half Day Wine Tour
Napier

Jill was our guide, and what a lovely person she is. We had laughs and learned a lot about New Zealand's fantastic wine offerings. The half day was plenty -- we had just the right amount of sampling. Favourite part: the sheep grazing in a vineyard.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Zealandia - Night Tour
Zealandia - Night Tour
Wellington

Walking in the quiet darkness with our red lights was such a feast for the senses. I loved the evening birdsong and glow worms.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The Road to Mesopotamia - High Country Station 4WD tour
The Road to Mesopotamia - High Country Station 4WD tour
Geraldine

This was one of those experiences that surpassed expectations. It was a full day, but I could have kept going. We learned about a whole other kind of life in New Zealand, the incredibly hard work running a sheep station. Mesopotamia has such unique historical significance. Our guide Wayne even had a book about it, which he kindly let us borrow for a night. What an incredible landscape, too.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Michelle Srzich
Michelle
Michelle Srzich
Local specialist in Auckland, New Zealand | Replied on Nov 19, 2024

Thank you so much Nancy your feedback, it is much appreciated. Michelle

NZ A to Z
New Zealand | Aug 24 - Sep 12, 2024

Scott
Scott K.
Canada | Reviewed on Oct 24, 2024
So many excellent experiences we were unlikely to have found on our own without Michelle’s insights and help. The Road to Mesopotamia tour in the lovely town of Geraldine is a prime example. Our tour guide for the day, Wayne, was charming and knowledgeable and our interactions with the farmer, Malcom, made for memories we’ll have for a lifetime. Read more

So many excellent experiences we were unlikely to have found on our own without Michelle’s insights and help. The Road to Mesopotamia tour in the lovely town of Geraldine is a prime example. Our tour guide for the day, Wayne, was charming and knowledgeable and our interactions with the farmer, Malcom, made for memories we’ll have for a lifetime.

Hotel Review
Fiordland Lodge
Te Anau

Stunning, quiet, very personalized experience.

Authenticity & Character
Location
It’s outside of te anu a ways, but beautiful view, excellent food, and a beautiful tranquil setting.
Staff
Staff were lovely. This is a thoughtful, family run lodge.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Te Pā Tū Māori Feast & Performance
Te Pā Tū Māori Feast & Performance
Rotorua

Fantastic opportunity for an evening of immersion in Māori culture. The experience is largely delivered by the younger members of a Māori family. Their pride and delight at sharing their culture is on display here. Supper is shared at the table with one of the family members followed by a delightful, full throated performance by these impressive young people.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
A short trip from the welcome centre to the site by bus includes narration from one of the elders. Hilarious and informative, complete with singalong on the return.
Transport
Local specialist: Michelle Srzich
Michelle
Michelle Srzich
Local specialist in Auckland, New Zealand | Replied on Oct 25, 2024

Hi Scott
Thank you so much for your review. It was a pleasure working with you on this trip. I'm thrilled to hear that you had such a great experience in New Zealand and that my local knowledge helped you to discover some hidden gems.
I really appreciate your recommendations and look forward to helping you or anyone you send my way in the future.
Many thanks,
Michelle

Amazing North Island trip
New Zealand | Sep 13 - Sep 20, 2024

M
Melissa K.
Australia | Reviewed on Sep 21, 2024
Our experience with Michelle arranging our Nth Island NZ trip was good from the beginning. It was easy to coordinate with her and we valued her insider knowledge as to what would be good for our family to see. Payment and finalising the itinerary was very easy using the kim kim site. Our trip was fantastic. The accommodation chosen by Michelle was great. In Auckland - the swiss bell suites were close to everything, clean and perfect for our needs. The Weta workshop was great for kids,... Read more

Our experience with Michelle arranging our Nth Island NZ trip was good from the beginning. It was easy to coordinate with her and we valued her insider knowledge as to what would be good for our family to see. Payment and finalising the itinerary was very easy using the kim kim site.

Our trip was fantastic. The accommodation chosen by Michelle was great. In Auckland - the swiss bell suites were close to everything, clean and perfect for our needs. The Weta workshop was great for kids, thankyou for this suggestion Michelle! Pick up and use of the rental car was easily done. In rotorua, we stayed in a lovely apartment part of a B&B which was also lovely with great hosts, in a nice quiet area. We would highly recommend the canopy tour, Te Puia experience and of course a visit to Hobbiton.

In Taupo, we stayed just outside in 2 mile and had an amazing family apartment which overlooked the lake, the only downside was that we were only there one night!

Everything in our holiday ran smoothly and Michelle had organised timing perfectly for our booked events.

Thankyou so much.

Hotel Reviews
Rotorua Views
Rotorua

Lovely hosts, quiet location, perfect for a family.

Authenticity & Character
Location
the location was picturesque, quiet and not far from anything that we wanted to do
Staff
Anne was excellent and gave us great advice on our time in Rotorua
Cleanliness & Comfort
Swiss-Belsuites Victoria Park Auckland
Auckland

Clean, perfect location, great for family.

Authenticity & Character
Location
so close to everything
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Anchorage Resort
Taupo

What a lovely lakeview apartment. Perfect location, lovely warm pool, great for families

Authenticity & Character
Location
beautiful view across the lake
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Novotel Auckland Airport
Auckland

makes transfer to the airport so incredibly easy. We had adjoining room for the kids.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Weta Unleashed Auckland
Weta Unleashed Auckland
Auckland

This was a great suggestion from michelle, our boys (aged 10 and 12) loved this workshop.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
easy to walk to from our apartment.
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
New Zealand

Great for a family, we loved going to Hobbiton. Tour guide was great, experience was amazing.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Te Puia  - Te Ra guided experience with Haka and lunch (Once Upon a Trip exclusive)
Te Puia - Te Ra guided experience with Haka and lunch (Once Upon a Trip exclusive)
Rotorua

We did the guided tour with Maori experience (definitely recommend adding this) along with the Hangi lunch. This was a perfect cultural tour for our family.

Quality of Experience
Food
our family really enjoyed the hangi lunch.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
very close to our accommodation in rotorua
Zipline Canopy Tour
Zipline Canopy Tour
Rotorua

Great experience, the guides were amazing, the whole family enjoyed this experience. Photos included in price, not an added extra which was such a nice change.

Quality of Experience
Fantastic experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Mitch and Steph were our guides - they were friendly, knowledgeable and reassuring. It was an amazing experience.
Transport
Not far from our accommodation in Rotorua
Luge Rides (incl. Gondola)
Luge Rides (incl. Gondola)
Rotorua

As a family, again we all enjoyed this experience

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
staff there were not a highlight in general.
Transport
not far from our accommodation
Wai-O-Tapu
Wai-O-Tapu
New Zealand

This really was a great experience. You are able to get up close to the geothermal areas, more so than Te Puia. We would recommend this, it wasn't too far from rotorua and we had time to do all of the walks.

Quality of Experience
we went first thing in the morning, barely anyone there so almost to ourselves.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
only 20mins out of rotorua so easy to get to.
Jetboat Huka Falls
Jetboat Huka Falls
Taupō

If you haven't been jet boating before, it is a great experience. was good to see huka falls from the river.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
guides were good.
Transport
Explore the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves
Explore the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves
New Zealand

We just saw the glow worm caves. It was a lovely experience and we had a great guide. might have been good to see another cave also whilst there as they do some good packages.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Michelle Srzich
Michelle
Michelle Srzich
Local specialist in Auckland, New Zealand | Replied on Sep 26, 2024

Hi Melissa
Thanks for your feedback, I had such fun creating a family-friendly trip for you and I am glad you loved your time in New Zealand. We look forward to welcoming you back for the South Island next time!
Michelle