This trip was a trip of a lifetime! Ruth from Kim Kim was amazing at advising and planning the perfect adventure for us. All of our flights, rides to and from the airports, and hotels were great. So wonderful to have that all planned out for us and just showing up! In Australia we received our itinerary and brochures at the first hotel and that was great! Our itinerary was well used throughout our time in Australia. Thank you so much for that. It would have been nice to get one in New...
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This trip was a trip of a lifetime! Ruth from Kim Kim was amazing at advising and planning the perfect adventure for us. All of our flights, rides to and from the airports, and hotels were great. So wonderful to have that all planned out for us and just showing up! In Australia we received our itinerary and brochures at the first hotel and that was great! Our itinerary was well used throughout our time in Australia. Thank you so much for that. It would have been nice to get one in New Zealand as well. We did so many things and wanted to share how wonderful each was.
Melbourne area
From Melbourne we did the Phillip Island Go West Tour with guide, Chris R. He was funny and personable with plenty of information on the area and animals. Our favorites were the Moonlit Sanctuary, petting the koala was well worth it! Phillip Island was beautiful - the Nobbies were truly beautiful and the penguins, so so cute.
The Hidden Gems Arcades and Lanes tour was such fun! Fiona was a great guide, she knows so much about Melbourne that we learned a lot. It was also a great way to see parts of the city we might have missed if we hadn't done the tour. The chocolate was a nice treat along the way!
The Great Ocean Tour with Terry, from Go West. We enjoyed the stops along the way and the scenery was stunning. We actually saw a koala in the wild, but not where we thought we would. The evening at Twelve Apostles was beautiful, with a sunset view and a quick trip down to the beach, it was amazing.
Uluru
Sunset tour and BBQ with guide, Hayley was amazing. She was able to teach us about the Ananu people, and the stories they would share with us. The short walk to the watering hole was a highlight. Sunset vista was amazing. The BBQ was so nice, meeting people from all over the world. The food was great and plentiful.
Hike in Kata Tjuta also had stunning views. The pace was a little too fast for me, we just didn't have enough time to look around, but the it was worth doing.
Evening drone show was cancelled due to wind. But we did get a lovely wine and cheese basket and enjoyed a laser light show.
Early morning at the Field of Lights was spectacular! The glowing light of the rising sun, the beautiful lights stretching out in front of the amazing Uluru. Thoroughly enjoyed this tour.
Port Douglas
The Great Barrier Reef snorkeling adventure was an adventure! We had very choppy waters and it made for a rocky trip to and from the reef. The guides, especially Isaac, were accommodating and helpful. They knew I was not a strong swimmer, so they kept and eye on me and helped me out when I needed a boost. Seeing the reef was a highlight of the trip. Amazing to view it with my own eyes!
Mossman Gorge Adventure with the walk and river float was a tremendous experience. Francisco was a great guide - he was fun on the river float - highlighting the plants that are trying to kill us and the beauty of the forest. The spiders were something else - amazing to see and the rainforest was amazing. The smoke ceremony with Tim was educational and a great way to start the forest walk.
Wildlife Habitat private tour was lovely the way they made a natural habitat and the Lily was a great guide and made us very much feel like VIPs. It was wonderful to get a close up view of some of the beautiful birds, had another koala encounter (can't get enough of those), but also had encounters with a black cockatoo and a frogmouth.
Sydney area
Nice relaxing morning until we were off to Sydney next. Sydney was very much a bustling city and our first tour was Bondi Beach with James from the volunteer life savers group. Our beach day was windy and rainy so it was fun to hear about the history and just stroll along and see the sites. The "city art" along the beach was everything from fun to amazing.
That evening was our dinner and Harbor cruise - beautiful evening with great views of the city, Harbor bridge, and Opera house. This cruise in the harbor made for a very pleasant evening - service was great - Philip had a hard time staying at the table as the sites along the harbor were better outside.
Next up was our tour of the Blue Mountains with Steve. He commented on how the traffic in the city was pretty minimal that morning - maybe because everyone was already on the way to the Blue Mountains. It was a holiday and quite crowded which decreased our enthusiasm as the short hikes felt a bit more like being in a queue. Nevertheless, there were some lovely sites, but living with mountains very near, we could definitely see the appeal of hiking out into the park to better enjoy nature.
We had our formal Opera House tour next, and it was really a wonderful way to learn more about this extraordinary architectural achievement. It is easy to see why a tour of the Opera House is a "don't miss" experience as the thought that went into each space (including the restrooms) is clearly evident. We spent some of our free time after this walking along the harbor to the botanical garden and you can take classic photos of the Opera House along the way.
New Zealand
Flew to Auckland for our one night there - rainy day and night - we were supposed to have tickets for the Sky Tower - this was the only thing that didn't go as planned on our trip. It was Easter, but I think that the closing time for the Sky Tower had changed to "Autumn schedule" or something and it was closed when we went for our visit.
Hobbiton
As Lord of the Rings/Hobbit fans, this was a truly enjoyable way to spend some time on a rainy day. This day almost didn't start off well as there was some confusion about the pickup location but luckly one of the van drivers spotted us and caught us up with the correct van for the trip to Hobbiton. Lunch at the Green Dragon pavilion was delightful and then we transitioned to the next ride to Rotorua.
Rotorua area
The glow worm kayak tour was very fun and the glow worms were just amazing but mostly we were glad that we weren't the kayak that tipped over - the guide was great about helping everyone out and it was some considerable work.
The Whirinaki forest walk was up next - this was very much one of the most memorable and enjoyable parts of the entire trip. Our guide Tom was perfect for us - full of information and pointed out all kinds of great things along the trail. His 30 years in conservation introduced us to so many amazing things about the New Zealand rain forest and the challenges that New Zealand is facing on the conservation front - just a truly amazing day.
The Cultural center for dinner and a Maori experience was up next. We had listened to New Zealand history from the perspective of European-descendants and it was great to get some of this from the Maori perspective. Lots of food and an elaborate show after made for a great evening.
Mt Terawana crater hike was next - maybe almost half the fun what the wild ride in and out. The crater hike was amazing, terrific views, quite windy at the top and the path down to the crater bottom was unexpected but also quite fun. The guides here definitely patient with our group (we weren't the slow ones on this trip) and they informed us about the geology of the area and always gave us time to remove the "gravel" from our boots.
The contrast in the environments between the rain forest and the crater hikes was striking but we are so glad we did both. then it was off to Queenstown.
Queenstown area
First up was our Doubtful Sound day - what a day - again, one of the real highlights of the trip. The day started out overcast but by the time we got to the Sound it was beautiful and clear (apparently not the usual experience for a place that measure rainfall in the 10+ meter range/year). Again, we had very good guides from the driver (Chou) from Queenstown to the guide on the boat tour on the Sound. The scenery was truly amazing everywhere you looked!
Next was a short excursion on the Routeburn track. Dan was our guide and gave us the opportunity to experience just a hint of this Great Trail - it makes us think we really need to come back and do this trial! While this wasn't a Lord of the Rings tour - he pointed out some of the sites used for filming and explained how Queenstown has become a filmmakers - "go-to location". Wonderful tour and really funny conversation with Dan and Adrian - time as too short.
Next day was our Appellation Wine tour in the Otego valley - visited four wineries and tried some tasty varieties. John was our guide - he was friendly (what would you expect from a Canadian - also made for an interesting discussion of the Stanley Cup playoffs just underway), knowledgeable, and made sure we stopped for some great views.
Finished up the kimkim-arranged activities with a gondola ride at dusk and got to see the beautiful views as the sun set and stars came out.
Similar to the variety at Rotorua, these trips around Queenstown showed distinctive variety and were all very enjoyable.
Hotel Reviews
Sudima Lake Rotorua
Rotorua
The hotel could use some upgrading. The bed was comfortable, our view of the lake was nice. The amenities were fine, but you pay extra for everything.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown
Queenstown
Really nice, modern design with plenty of space to have breakfast, a drink or just relax in the lobby. The rooms were comfortable and had everything you need.
Authenticity & Character
very modern design
Location
Everything is pretty close in Queenstown.
Staff
Staff were great with recommendations and helpful holding luggage for us. They seemed like they wanted us to have a good time.
Batman's Hill On Collins
Melbourne, VIC
Good location for walking about Melbourne. Breakfast was varied and good! The rooms are small, but clean and comfortable beds.
Location
Close to river and lots of restaurants.
Nice rooms and comfortable beds. Great amenities like laundry to free! Convenient to the whole resort. Pool was on the chilly side.
Villa San Michele
Port Douglas
We loved having a place to cook a meal ourselves. The pools were nice and private. Laundry was convenient. Location in the middle of town was very convenient.
Staff
Only saw them once. They left the key in an envelope on the office door - we thought that was odd
Cleanliness & Comfort
apartment was clean and well equipped.
Furama Darling Harbour
Haymarket
Definitely gets you a feel of the city! It's right in the middle of Chinatown, a bustling area with lots of shops and restaurants, and ambience. Close to transportation options.
Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre
Auckland
We arrived late in the evening and the receptionist was helpful in directing us to restaurants nearby. The rooms are comfortable.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The shower doors are interesting...frosted glass visible to the room. Kinda cool.
Activity Reviews
Half Day Mt Tarawera Crater Walk Experience
Rotorua
Mt Terawana crater hike was a great experience - maybe almost half the fun what the wild ride in and out. The crater hike was amazing, terrific views, quite windy at the top and the path down to the crater bottom was unexpected but also quite fun. The guides here definitely patient with our group as some folks had a harder time, they informed us about the geology of the area, and always gave us time to remove the "gravel" from our boots.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise (ex Queenstown)
Queenstown (NZ)
What a day - one of the real highlights of the trip. The day started out overcast but by the time we got to the Sound it was beautiful and clear (apparently not the usual experience for a place that measure rainfall in the 10+ meter/year). Again, we had very good guides from the driver (Chou) from Queenstown to the guide on the boat tour on the Sound. The scenery was truly amazing everywhere you looked! We were able to see dolphins and seals in the Sound.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Half Day Routeburn Trail
Queenstown (NZ)
Dan was our guide and gave us the opportunity to experience just a hint of this Great Trail - it makes us think we really need to come back and do this whole trial! While this wasn't a Lord of the Rings tour - he pointed out some of the sites used for filming and explained how Queenstown has become a filmmakers - "go-to location". Wonderful tour and really funny conversation with Dan and Adrian - time as too short.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Boutique Wine Tour - Half Day
Queenstown (NZ)
Visited four wineries and tried some tasty varieties. John was our guide - he was friendly (what would you expect from a Canadian - also made for an interesting discussion of the Stanley Cup playoffs just underway), knowledgeable, and made sure we stopped for some great sites for photos.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Went above and beyond.
Skyline Gondola Ride
Queenstown (NZ)
We took the gondola ride at dusk and got to see the beautiful views as the sun set and stars came out - we also ended up signing up for the buffet as we were told it was the best buffet in town.
Private Wildlife Habitat Experience
Port Douglas
Wildlife Habitat private tour was lovely the way they made a natural habitat and the Lily was a great guide and made us very much feel like VIPs. It was wonderful to get a close up view of some of the beautiful birds, had another koala encounter (can't get enough of those), but also had encounters with a black cockatoo and a frogmouth.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Lily was great! It was her first tour and she was so sweet and knowledgeable.
Sydney Opera House Tour
Sydney
We had our formal Opera House tour next, and it was really a wonderful way to learn more about this extraordinary architectural achievement. Our guide was great. I can't remember the name, but he had recently won an employee photography contest. It is easy to see why a tour of the Opera House is a "don't miss" experience as the thought that went into each space (including the restrooms) is clearly evident. We spent some of our free time after this walking along the harbor to the botanical garden and you can take classic photos of the Opera House along the way.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Full Day Phillip Island Penguin Parade Ultimate Eco Tour
Melbourne
The Phillip Island Go West Tour with guide, Chris R. was fantastic! He was funny and personable with plenty of information on the area and animals. Our favorites were the Moonlit Sanctuary, petting the koala was well worth it! Phillip Island was beautiful - the Nobbies were truly beautiful and the penguins, so so cute. We hit it at molting season, so there weren't as many penguins coming in a night, but it was still amazing!
Quality of Experience
Great choices of stops along the way.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Chris was funny and knowledgeable - a great combination. We enjoyed his dad jokes and information.
Transport
Comfortable van.
Laneways & Arcades Discovery Walk
Melbourne
The Hidden Gems Arcades and Lanes tour was such fun! Fiona was a great guide, she knows so much about Melbourne that we learned a lot. It was also a great way to see parts of the city we might have missed if we hadn't done the tour. The chocolate was a nice treat along the way!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Fiona was great - we learned a lot that enhanced the rest of our stay in Melbourne
Full Day Outer Reef Mackay Coral Cay
Port Douglas
The Great Barrier Reef snorkeling adventure was an adventure! We had very choppy waters and it made for a rocky trip to and from the reef. The guides, especially Isaac, were accommodating and helpful. They knew I was not a strong swimmer, so they kept and eye on me and helped me out when I needed a boost. Seeing the reef was a highlight of the trip. Amazing to view it with my own eyes!
Quality of Experience
Although it was choppy, this was really the "full experience" and we loved it.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Thoughtful, and very competent.
Great Ocean Road Sunset Day Trip
Melbourne
The Great Ocean Tour with Terry, from Go West. We enjoyed the stops along the way and the scenery was stunning. We actually saw a koala in the wild, but not where we thought we would. The evening at Twelve Apostles was beautiful, with a sunset view and a quick trip down to the beach, it was amazing.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Terry was a fine guide, but it's a large bus and people pretty much stuck with those they came with and didn't interact much.
Transport
More time for dinner would've been nice.
Morning Discover Bondi Tour
Sydney
was Bondi Beach with James from the volunteer life savers group. Our beach day was windy and rainy so it was fun to hear about the history and just stroll along and see the sites. The weather was windy, so we didn't swim, but the walk was one fantastic view after another. The "city art" along the beach was everything from fun to amazing.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
James was a fun guide - we were the only people on the tour so he seemed to figure out the things we were interested in and catered to that.
Uluru Cultural & Sunset Visit with Barbecue Dinner
Uluru
Sunset tour and BBQ with guide, Hayley was amazing. She was able to teach us about the Ananu people, and the stories they would share with us. The short walk to the watering hole was a highlight. Sunset vista was amazing. The BBQ was so nice, meeting people from all over the world. The food was great and plentiful.
Food
Great food. Good variety. They knew I had a mushroom allergy and made sure I knew what dishes to avoid.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Hailey was our guide and taught us many things about the Anangu people. I loved this part.
Valley of the Winds (Shared Small Group Tour)
Uluru
Hike in Kata Tjuta also had stunning views and amazing conglomerate rock. We got great snacks to bring along and eat at the viewpoint. Our guide set the pace was a little too fast for me, we just didn't have enough time to look around, and really enjoy the views around us. There was a definite split in the group where the faster ones went ahead, waited for us, but then moved on as soon as we caught up. I'm not completely out of shape either. That made it a challenge, but the it was worth doing.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guide was pleasant and gave us information on the way in.
Full Day Mossman Gorge Adventure Day
Australia
Mossman Gorge Adventure with the walk and river float was a tremendous experience. Francisco was a great guide - he was fun on the river float - highlighting the plants that are trying to kill us and the beauty of the forest. The spiders were something else - amazing to see and the rainforest was amazing. The smoke ceremony with Tim was educational and a great way to start the forest walk.
We stopped for lunch in a cute little town with good food and parrots all around us! They provided some snacks along the way for the hike.
Quality of Experience
River float is just beautiful and relaxing - but it is some work to carry rafts.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Francisco was great and very personable.
Sunset Dinner Cruise with Window Seat
Sydney
The dinner and Harbor cruise - a beautiful evening with great views of the city, Harbor bridge, and Opera house. This cruise in the harbor made for a very pleasant evening - service was great - Philip had a hard time staying at the table as the sites along the harbor were better outside. Food was good. We did have to change this reservation so we didn't really have a window seat - part of the reason Philip kept going outside.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Twilight Visit to Uluru & Light Show
Uluru
The evening drone show was cancelled due to wind. But we did get a lovely wine and cheese basket and enjoyed a laser light show. The location is very nice and the staff gave great customer service.
Field of Light & Uluru Sunrise
Uluru
Early morning at the Field of Lights was spectacular! The glowing light of the rising sun, the beautiful lights stretching out in front of the amazing Uluru. Thoroughly enjoyed this tour. The guides were pleasant and provided coffee and treats as the sun came up.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Welcome to Port Douglas
Port Douglas
Drive from Cairns airport to Port Douglas was scenic. Driver was not super talkative, but that's fine.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Full Day Unchartered Blue Mountains
Sydney
Our tour of the Blue Mountains with Steve. He commented on how the traffic in the city was pretty minimal that morning - maybe because everyone was already on the way to the Blue Mountains. It was a holiday and quite crowded which decreased our enthusiasm as the short hikes felt a bit more like being in a queue. Nevertheless, there were some lovely sites, but living with mountains very near, we could definitely see the appeal of hiking out into the park to better enjoy nature.
Quality of Experience
So crowded, but there's nothing the tour guide or company can do about that.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Auckland to Rotorua visiting Hobbiton with lunch
Auckland
As Lord of the Rings/Hobbit fans, this was a truly enjoyable way to spend some time on a rainy day. This day almost didn't start off well as there was some confusion about the pickup location but luckily one of the van drivers spotted us and caught us up with the correct van for the trip to Hobbiton. Hobbiton was charming, even in pouring rain. The detail in the hobbit home that we could walk through. We could've spent a lot of time looking around.Lunch at the Green Dragon pavilion was delightful.
Food
Buffet was great - the apple crisp was delicious.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Damian was a great driver, entertaining and great stories.
Twilight Glow Worm Kayak Experience - 3 hour guided
Rotorua
The glow worm kayak tour was very fun and the glow worms were just amazing but mostly we were glad that we weren't the kayak that tipped over - the guide was great about helping everyone out and it was some considerable work
The glow worms should not be missed if you're in New Zealand.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Not the nicest vehicle, but it got us there and back!
Full Day Whirinaki Forest Walk with Lunch
Rotorua
The Whirinaki forest walk was up next - this was very much one of the most memorable and enjoyable parts of the entire trip. Our guide Tom was perfect for us - full of information and pointed out all kinds of great things along the trail. His 30 years in conservation introduced us to so many amazing things about the New Zealand rain forest and the challenges that New Zealand is facing on the conservation front - just a truly amazing day.
Food
Yummy sandwiches and fruit after a day walking the rainforest at a spot next to a beautiful waterfall
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tom is an amazing resource for all things New Zealand! We enjoyed his banter on the drive and all the information during the walk.
Mitai Cultural Experience & Dinner
Rotorua
The Cultural center for dinner and a Maori experience . We had listened to New Zealand history from the perspective of European-descendants and it was great to get some of this from the Maori perspective. Lots of food and an elaborate show after made for a great evening.
Quality of Experience
Getting a peek at Maori culture and this extended family was really interesting. Very hospitable people.
Food
The food was good, but not quite what we were expecting. The hangi meat was a little dry. There was plenty to eat, though.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Ruth Grau
