Ruth Grau

Our trip included a portion supported by KimKim and 9 days organized through a different cycling company that we have travelled with previously. Overall, our trip was very good/excellent. Planning the trip with Ruth, in advance of leaving Canada was a very positive experience. Ruth was knowledgeable, flexible and understanding, very pleasant, responsive and helpful.

We were not as impressed with Southern World after arrival in New Zealand. We did not receive the package from them in our hotel room until the second day, although that might have been a hotel issue. Otherwise, all of the logistics worked according to plan, with one exception. All of the tour guides were very good and punctual.

Up until the point we left Canada, our itinerary included a sunset walk in the National Park at 7:-00 pm which was a minimum 1.5 hour drive from Taupo where we were staying (this was our first experience driving in NZ and thus it likely took us a little longer even than the predicted 1.5 hours). We were asked to call the day before (during business hours) to confirm the time of the sunset walk the following day. Unfortunately, although we were scheduled to arrive back from the rain forest the prior day by 4:00 pm, we did not get back to our hotel (where we had internet service) until 5:30 pm, so could not call; we were in areas with no service during the entire window provided to us to call to confirm. We had not noticed that the time in the booklet for this sunset walk had changed to 5:45 pm. However, even if we had noticed it, we would not have been able to make it in time for this rescheduled walk (and it would not really have been a sunset walk either!) - we did not arrive in Taupo until 12:30 pm, had lunch and took the cruise on Taupo Lake from 130 to 3:00 pm. We then had to go and check in to our hotel. So the earliest we could have left Taupo for the National Park would have been around 3:30 pm or so.

Even if we had seen the change, we had to drive to the park and would not have arrived prior to 5:00 pm at the earliest, but needed to grab a quick bite to eat for dinner, so this change in time could not have possibly worked for us.

We did not find the communication with Southern World very sympathetic to say the least. When we called the office, the timing was not acknowledged as being tight and we never received any sort of apology. I am not sure what the cost of this sunset walk was - we arrived at 6:45 pm, waited til 7:00 pm and contacted the office to learn it had been changed. Needless to say, we did not have the experience of the sunset walk in the national park and our only choice was to get back into the car and drive 1.5 hours back to Taupo. This was most unfortunate. The last communication on this matter that we had from Southern World was that the time had not changed - it was always 5:45 pm, which is categorically not correct.

On our final day in Queenstown, there was a pick up from our hotel which was not really necessary as he dropped us off a half block from our hotel! We arrived back at the end of the day from Doubtful Sound about 15 min early; we looked around for a taxi, as we didn't want him looking for us; we could not find one, so we just walked back to our hotel, which was our preference anyway - but we just thought you should know. We hoped that he had not arrived later looking for us - we did stay around for about 5 min.

Our only suggestion is that ground/local operators communicate via imessage/what's app as a rule of thumb since these are internet-based communication mechanisms. We had eSIM cards while in New Zealand and could do calls and messaging through What's App, messages through imessage, or via email - however, we did not have access to phone which was their default method for communicating. 

So, overall - a great experience doing the planning with Ruth; a generally good experience with all logistics on the ground in New Zealand, with one exception - which did colour our perspective a bit in regard to Southern World - not because it happened, but more the tone of the communications about the issue with their staff.

Activity Reviews

Full Day Whirinaki Forest Walk with Lunch

Rotorua

Excellent guide; punctual pick up; very knowledgeable Note that they did not ask about allergies and i could not eat the lunch as a result

Quality of Experience

Food

Ask about allergies

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Daily Scenic Cruise

Taupō

Enjoyable, pleasant staff; just the right amount of time; comfortable boat

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Famous Routeburn Trail

Queenstown (NZ)

Excellent guide; did this in torrential rain

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise (ex Queenstown)

Queenstown (NZ)

Beautiful scenery, guide on bus very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Should plan to make a stop on the two hour drive

Between myself and our specialist Ruth we had to pare down ideas to make a trip that would be feasible with respect to travel and having more than one night in each hotel. Having done that, Ruth was respectful of the flexibility we needed to visit with relatives in various places and of the fact that we were four seniors. The hotels and apartments Ruth chose for stays were wonderful. The car arrangement worked very well. We did feel overwhelmed by one of the long guided tours and opted out of it but enjoyed the others she had recommended. New Zealand is a wonderful country to explore one's personal interests. Our interests were in horticulture and I would certainly recommend New Plymouth for anyone interested in plants. The openness of the horticulture people we met at various sites was delightful. Bathing in the thermal pools in Taupo on our one rainy day was wonderful. We saw a variety of incredibly scenic places such as Punakaiki and the Pancake Rocks, Mt. Taranaki in all its glory, the road over Arthur's Pass and the drive to Akaroa. Altogether it was a very successful trip for all four of us.

Feedback Australia-Trip Annette and Michael Sereny

Breaking the long journey from Germany to Australia in Singapore (3 days/2 nights) to get used to the time difference was very helpful and extremely interesting.
Sydney offers the arriving traveller a wide range of sights and attractions to explore daily for more than a week if necessary.
After our one-week stay in Sydney (congress and on our own) our organised trip took us first by plane to Cairns, where we were already expected upon arrival. The arrival instructions in our travel description were helpful and accurate. The driver was extremely friendly and communicative and the drive to Port Douglas (1 hour) flew by, with the driver also making a short stop for some photos at our request. The car was spacious and clean and the driving style very pleasant.
We found the accommodation Villa San Michele very pleasant, the flat was clean and spacious and also very quiet at night. On arrival we were given very friendly and competent information. Due to the weather conditions, the receptionist also tried to reschedule our excursion to the Reef (a lot of wind, stormy sea) for another day, but this was not possible due to the travel time (holiday season Australia). There are many good restaurants and shops within walking distance.
The trip to the Reef was great and gave a lasting impression of the diversity and benefits of the Reef. However, with the stormy seas and lots of wind, the crossing was relatively long and sensitive people would probably be more comfortable with a shorter crossing from a port closer to the Reef (bus transfer).
The subsequent day of rest could easily be filled with sightseeing in and around the town on foot.
The small group excursion with "river drift snorkelling" and the guided tour through Mosman Gorge was also great and the guide was able to competently answer our every question and also give us an insight into the diversity and importance of the rainforest.
After another day of rest, we were again transferred on time and in an equally pleasant drive to the airport in Cairns for our onward flight to Brisbane. The pick-up at Brisbane airport also worked out very well and the driver took us to our hotel, the Crystalbrook Vincent. We were delighted with both the location and the design and facilities of the hotel room and could not imagine a more suitable one in Brisbane. We spent the day with rental bikes from the hotel on a tour along the river, which gave us a first, very good impression of this lively and interesting city. On the second day, we took public transport to the Koala Sanctuary, a slightly further but wonderful excursion, as well as more walking and sightseeing within the city.
Picking up the rental car at the Avis station in town was quite easy, the staff friendly and competent. However, the planned schedule: car pick-up, drive to Byron Bay and afternoon kayak tour, would not have been manageable, if only because of the time difference and the distance.
However, the communication with the organiser regarding the kayak tour turned out to be less than happy. The kayak tour was cancelled two days before it was due to take place due to the bad weather (waves/storm), which is completely okay, but we then received further emails with details about the tour, which were probably generated automatically and gave us the impression that the event was taking place after all. The organiser would have to improve his communication.
The accommodation in Byron Bay was well located and had the advantage of free parking in the underground car park. After the good accommodation in Port Douglas and the outstanding one in Brisbane, the flat in Byron Bay was much easier. It was clean and quiet, but there are other rooms there clearly affected by the kitchen smell of the pub below. The town of Byron Bay is very (too?) touristy; if we were to do another tour, we would personally prefer much smaller and more pleasant places on the coast. The Byron Bay Hinterland Tour was unfortunately cancelled at short notice due to cancellations of other participants, but our rental car gave us the opportunity to drive into the national park ourselves and do the hike to Minyon Falls on our own.
The accommodation in Coffs Harbour at the Pacific Bay Resort was okay, but clearly outside the town. If you are not playing golf, a smaller accommodation closer to the town would be more pleasant. Again, for a future trip or for other travellers with less need for tourist attractions, we would prefer smaller places in the area by the beach.
The Afternoon Giingan Cultural Walking Tour took place even though we were the only two participants, but this gave us an exclusive tour with a lot of information that was new to us and our excellent guide was able to answer all our questions competently. This also resulted in very interesting and further discussions.
The drive to the Hunter Valley, as we preferred roads close to the coast, was much longer than expected, but with beautiful views and wonderful stretches of road.
The accommodation at the Chateau Elan was fantastically located overlooking the golf course, clean, spacious, well-furnished and quiet. Unfortunately, however, the hotel's restaurant was closed for kitchen renovations and we had to settle for a rather mediocre bistro nearby. Breakfast, however, could be had on a very good scale.
The group tour to visit various wineries was very pleasant, entertaining, informative and also culinary. Our tour guide was able to accommodate our wine preferences for the tour at short notice in the morning, as we were the only guests with a full-day programme, the lunch package for midday was plentiful and delicious, and the afternoon part of the tour with other guests on board was also very worthwhile. We spent the second day cycling in the Hunter Valley. Unfortunately, the number of rental bikes at the hotel was limited, so we had to drive a short distance to the nearest bike rental. On the second evening, we were able to enjoy an excellent dinner in the restaurant of another, nearby hotel, but the final enjoyment of a local red wine we made in our hotel room due to the strict and reasonable alcohol restrictions when driving.
For the final drive back to Sydney and especially for the drop-off of the rental car, we would have wished for more detailed information from the car rental company (by email?). On the one hand, we did not realise that the car could only be dropped off until 4:30 p.m. (we had 5:00 p.m. on the schedule) and that the catastrophic traffic conditions in the one-way maze of Sydney, combined with the extremely poor signage of the Avis parking spaces to and in the car park, cost us so much time that we only found the Avis employee locking up the offices, but were able to hand in the keys and parking ticket at an adjacent hotel on his advice. Furthermore, it would have been very pleasant to be informed that there is no petrol station in the immediate vicinity of the drop-off point and that one should therefore fill up the tank in good time. We were therefore unable to return the car with a full tank. It was very positive that the car, a VW Tiguan, was almost new and that the road traffic in Australia is generally very pleasant and considerate. However, we have not yet received any feedback from the car rental company with the final invoice.
Overall, however, we did not regret spending the money for the trip. We saw and experienced a lot, which has a lasting and very positive impact on our image of Australia. It was clear to us that we could only travel part of Australia in the time available to us, and our progress so far has encouraged us to make further plans for Australia. The people are mostly friendly and sociable. However, we could not get used to the loudness in many pubs.
All we need now, as mentioned above, is the rental car bill, the refunds for the two cancelled activities (kayak tour and backcountry tour) have been advised in the meantime.

Ruth from KimKim/Spring Board and Nathan from Southern World we’re just amazing! I couldn’t have asked for a better pair of travel agents. Ruth listened to what I wanted and help me set up an amazing trip schedule and Nathan set up my accommodations, rental car and trip events. I had an amazing time in my number one bucket list location, New Zealand and I cannot thank Ruth and Nathan enough.

We had an amazing trip to Australia! This is a great way to go if you are unfamiliar with the area you are visiting. Ruth was so knowledgeable and was able to book us on some great tours that were tailored to our interests. She also set us up in apartment-type accommodations in central locations, which was so convenient for our family. Our itinerary was printed out and waiting for us at our first apartment, and it was so much less stressful having all our rides and tour details arranged and written out for us. We also appreciated the emergency numbers and local agents who could answer questions if needed. Thankfully everything went very smoothly. Would highly recommend!

Hotel Reviews

The York, by Swiss-Belhotel

Sydney

Great location. Tastefully decorated. Loved the large bathroom with laundry.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy walk to everything.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Gardens Hotel

Yulara

Updated rooms. Nice patio.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Southern Cross Atrium Apartments

Cairns

Great location. Pools were a bonus. Spacious rooms with nice balconies.

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to central station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Suites Gateway

Melbourne

Authenticity & Character

Location

View of water. Close to everything.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spacious rooms and comfortable beds

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Taste of Sydney Private Tour

Sydney

Great history lessons and tour of significant areas of the city. Thought it could have included more ethnic foods and more of how the history related to the foods we were tasting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sydney Guided Bike Tour - Shared Tour

Sydney

Great way to cover a lot of ground and learn about the city. A bit difficult in crowded areas with a large group, especially when some members were less skilled in biking than others.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Awesome to see the inner workings of the Opera House.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Blue Mountains Hike the World Heritage

Sydney

Something for everyone on this tour. Animals at the farm, hiking in the mountains, and exploring the botanical garden - we enjoyed it all.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Night at Field of Light

Uluru

Amazing Amazing Amazing! Cannot say enough about this experience. From the sunset appetizers to the elaborate dinner to the stars and moonlit walk through the lights. It was truly one of the best highlights of our 2 week Australian vacation.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Kata Tjuta Tour

Uluru

Beautiful views of the sunrise. Sylvia was fantastic! Enjoyed the hike into the Gorge and breakfast.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sylvia was so knowledgeable and really made the experience exceptional.

Transport

Afternoon Uluru Sunset

Uluru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Silverswift Cruise - Snorkel Great Barrier Reef

Australia

Rough waters getting to and from the reef but the snorkeling was amazing. Beautiful fish and knowledgeable staff all contributed to making this a highlight of our vacation.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Cairns!

Cairns

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Classic Kuranda

Australia

Loved the cable car ride and seeing the markets and learning more about the native people. Did not like having to ride a bus for an hour and half before we got to start our day (we were the first ones picked up and it took a long time to pick up people at 10+ stops). I would have like a smaller group pick-up (or have everyone meet in a central location?)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Not a fan of the bus ride to start the day. Cable car and train were great though.

Afternoon/Evening Adventure & Nocturnal Wildlife Tour

Australia

Loved seeing rare animals - platypus and various kangaroos and opossums. Dinner was great too. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate but even in the rain, it was a fun adventure.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Best of Melbourne by Bike

Melbourne

Paul was a great guide and he tailored the tour to what we wanted to see. Loved that we stopped for coffee and a snack!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tailored to us!

Transport

Afternoon Melbourne Foodie Discovery Tour

Melbourne

Great variety of food and loved that Monique related the history and architecture around us to the food we were tasting. Very fun and filling!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Monique did an exceptional job!

Transport

Phillip Island Full day tour Moonlit Sanctuary + Penguin Plus

Australia

Very cool to see the island and its inhabitants.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sarah was awesome! Knowledgeable and fun.

Transport

Long day with lots of driving but broken up with stops.

Depart Australia

Australia

Left our hotel earlier than necessary. I understand you wanting to make sure we get to our flights on time but more than 2 hours on domestic and more than 3 hours international still left us with lots of downtime at the airports.