Kentucky

New Zealand has been calling me for sometime. I think it has never happened because the planning seems a little more "out-of-the-box" than European travel. So, I will greatly appreciate your help. It is time for me to make that journey - soon or never!

Has anyone worked with Air New Zealand Vacations tour agency? Is there a site or agency that rates tour agencies that may help individuals in choosing a professional and safe agency? What are the top rated New Zealand travel agencies? I would prefer to work with a NZ agency if possible.

Thanks!

longhorn55

Is there some reason you feel like you need to have an agency plan your vacation instead of doing it yourself?

With all the information available online and in guidebooks, it's not hard at all to plan and book a New Zealand vacation that is just what YOU want. And, very likely, it would cost you less than anything an agent would come up with. Also, since they speak English in New Zealand, there's no language barrier and you can always call folks directly there to ask about anything (accommodations, transportation, activities) you may want to book.

marg

Read some guide books, have a look at some of the tourist websites - some listed below. Decide what you want to see - lakes, mountains, cities, whatever, and make up your own itinerary. You can travel by train or bus but driving is easy. You'll find New Zealand is a friendly easy place to visit.
www.purenz.com
www.newzealand.com
www.tourism.net.nz

annhig

Kentucky, like many people here we didn't use an agent but simply booked our own flights, car hire and accommodation using the internet. What can be helpful in working out what is doable is to get hold of some brochures [eg Trainfinders, Discover the World] and use them to see where they take people and how long they stay there. though they probably move a bit faster than you may want to, they will give you an idea of routes and options.

then come here and ready some Trip reports, and start asking questions - there are some very knowledgeable and helpful, if not to say patient people who want you to have a good holiday.

things to start thinking about - what is it that draws you to NZ? How long have you got to spend there? What is your budget? what time of year are you going to visit? [there are probably some more but those are the ones that occur to me now].

andy7

We usually plan all our trips, but found ourselves extremely busy this fall, so we used a travel agency recommended by a friend, First Light Travel, in Auckland. We gave them our interests, likes and dislikes, accommodation preferences and budget and they planned a personal itinerary for us with the nature tours and train trips, etc., that we requested. They booked hotels, ferries, trains, and car rental. They made several adjustments and answered all our questions as we fine tuned the plans. We leave next week for a 3-week trip, so that's all I can review right now. However, our friends said their trip was great and the agency was very quick to rebook and help them mid-journey when a road closing disrupted their route. They give you a 24/7 emergency number for any help you need, plus lots of great advice. Hope this is helpful.

Bokhara2

Agree with the DIY fans above & if you look up Melnq8 & Songdoc's trip reports, there are some great ideas.

Just remember our seasons are the reverse of yours, so June- August will be quite cold.