Family-Friendly Trips to New Zealand

Aging, large hotel, with little character

Rooms were superb, with great views across the lake. Rooms well-appointed with super-comfortable beds. Excellent ala carte buffett.

Hotel situated across busy highway from lake. Rooms and other areas show some aging

Very nice updated rooms, helpful staff, great location.

Room was mere steps away from the lake. Staff was very helpful, even opened the kitchen early for our breakfast

Super-helpful staff, great rooms, great location, breakfast buffett excellent

It was a long day: driving to the ferry terminal, ferrying across the lake, then busing across the mountain pass before boarding the ferry on Doubtful Sound. The Sound was beautiful, and we saw dolphins and porpoises, but after all the other beautiful lakes and scenery we had seen before it was a bit anticlimactic given the difficulty of access. We had originally booked the overnight cruise, but it was cancelled due to mechanical issues. Kathryn jumped through hoops to help us rebook an overnight in Te Anai followed by the day cruise. I suspect the overnight cruise would have been a better experience.

Great for Hobbit/Lord of the Rings fans, too long and crowded for the rest. Feels like Univeral Studios. I guess you need to go to check it off the list, because everyone asks if you've been.

Another of our top trips. We were bused to a different location because the water level was low, but our travel companion Harry as well as the other guides were very amusing and the journey went quickly. The rapids were quite exciting to traverse, and the other swimming/jumping added to the fun.

One of our top experiences. We did have some issues, with a booking mixup between different tour companies, but it was all sorted in the end

Tram ride through the center of Christchurch, with a delicious dinner being served on the tram out of a tiny kitchen. We did find that the booking was for a party of 2, not 4, so we had to squeeze in and miss two of the appetizers.

The kayak trip to an island for dinner, then across the bay to the glow-work caves and back to the starting point in pitch darkness was one of our top experiences. The cascading heated mineral water baths were wonderful.

A walking tour visiting varying ponds and steaming geysers. Fascinating geological/historical venue.

Authentic Maori experience

One of the top activities on the trip, Island is idyllic, and the road passes several beaches where we swam, and some wineries. E-bikes were fun to ride.

I enjoyed bit it was a bit long and crowded

What a fun place.

Fabulous trip across the lake with a chance to lounge in the hot pools while the guide cooks you dinner. Then back across the lake to the glow worm cave and a slow paddle back to enjoy the starry night sky. What could be better.

Wonderful experience.

A beautiful place and amazing preservation work being done. Our guides were fabulous.

Fabulous view!