I may be going on a New Zealand trip myself. I am willing to pay for a fully escorted tour because at this point I just don't have time to worry about arranging all the specifics. I'm wondering if anyone knows of any reputable companies where they meet you at the airport and get you to the hotels, pick you up in the AM for sightseeing, etc. Not the way I originally planned to do it, but this is now where I will be starting my planning from.

Also, with about 3 days in Sydney, Australia - is public transportation pretty easy, and where would you recommend staying (what part of the city should I look for hotels) in order to be able to get to the main tourist sights and the airport most easily? Again, not the way it was intended originally, but stuff happens!

Thanks for your input.

www.intrepidtravel.com good Oz operator for NZ

vacationstogo.com affordabletours.com for others

for SYD prefer Westin great deals for me betterbidding.com

Join www.spg.com for free suite club floor upgrades/perks

I can highly recommend Grand Pacific Tours in New Zealand - we recently had a three week tour with this company and found it to be excellent. Very efficient in all ways. They have a large number of tours on offer.

Sydney is VERY easy to get around using public transit, much preferable to driving. You didn't mention budget, but I would advise staying in the Rocks. It is a scenic and historic quarter. You can walk to many top tourist spots from here and it is close to the bus and ferry terminals. I have stayed in the Holiday Inn, Old Sydney at the Rocks several times. Prices are about AU$220 to AU$255 a night (booking through Wotif). There are cheaper as well as more expensive places to stay in this area. The Holiday Inn has comfortable rooms, an attractive lobby, great views from the rooftop pool. On past visits to Sydney I have also stayed at hotels in Darling Harbor and at Manly. These are both nice areas but not as convenient.

Try this link:
http://www.wotif.com/hotel/View?hotel=W2466&

I forgot to mention that the Rocks is also a safe area. You would feel very comfortable walking around here at night alone. There are many restaurants and bars in the Rocks.

Hi Pat,

I highly recommend AAT Kings - excellent company, and you won't have any trouble getting around Sydney.

Hope this is helpful!

Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist

Overseas Adventure Travel has a very comprehensive tour of New Zealand.

http://www.oattravel.com/Trips/2012/...karoa.aspx#top

We've traveled with OAT extensively, and in fact today booked their tour to Iceland. We find their tour leaders to be fantastic and their tours are great value for the money.

If you have any questions about traveling with OAT, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].