Two Week New Zealand Itineraries

Zicasso’s trip planner did an excellent job. Communication and the quality of the experiences were everything we'd expected and more, especially in New Zealand. The accommodations were first rate; the highlight was the lodge in Queenstown. The guides and drivers were professional and knowledgeable, especially those in Queenstown and Auckland. We loved the dedicated website for reference, as well as the detailed booklet and maps for both countries. 

For future itineraries, I would add another day in Queenstown and a full day in Christchurch. If days were limited, I would recommend one less day in Auckland and/or skipping the drive/train from Franz Josef. 

The only complication was the day we spent 10 hours going to and coming from Milford Sound.  I recommend doing Milford Sound by plane/helicopter from Queenstown, which would also permit seeing the glaciers/southern alps from the air. The only things we missed were the zoo in Auckland and the Blue Mountain day tour in Sydney. Next trip!

Zicasso’s tour planner created an amazing trip for us. He was quick to respond with initial planning and tailored the trip to our personal interests, thus creating a true customized experience. His expertise, advice, and recommendations were invaluable. 

Our itinerary allowed us to see and do so much during our trip, including museums, galleries, Māori cultural experiences, a lake-side day spa, geothermal park, Hobbiton, Mount Cook, a harbor tour, Milford Sound, a scenic railway trip through the Southern Alps, hiking, and dining, etc. 

We enjoyed each of the selected accommodations.  

The New Zealand touring app was an amazing resource and contained perfect details for each excursion and accommodation check-ins. Questions that arose during the trip were always answered in a timely manner over the app. Essentially, the stress of planning a two-week, multicity road trip was eliminated and all the hours I would have spent planning this itinerary myself were avoided. I would highly recommend the company.

Zicasso’s travel specialists were instrumental in helping us develop a honeymoon itinerary that would make the trip memorable and magical. From the recommended activities and accommodations to the broad knowledge of the South Island and how best to achieve our desired experience, they were so helpful to work with and extremely lovely people. We look forward to visiting again and would love to work with the travel company to plan the next adventure!

Overall, the trip went off without a hitch, besides a cyclone that hit the North Island in New Zealand. It ended up not being a factor for us as we flew in and out of Auckland on time.

There was a potential strike at Air Tahiti when we were supposed to fly to Bora Bora, but we managed to avoid that as well. The only excursion we didn't get to do was the jet boat tour, as high amounts of rain caused the river to get so high, they had to cancel.

We didn't get to do the helicopter flight from the cruise at Milford Sound because not enough folks signed up for it. We knew that going in though and weather wouldn't have allowed it anyway. We were able to schedule our own helicopter tour later that day and had an enjoyable time.

We had a great experience with Zicasso’s travel company. They connected us with first-rate activities and knowledgeable guides who shared so much about the wildlife, beauty, and history of New Zealand’s South Island.

We especially loved Abel Tasman, the overnight in Doubtful Sound, and traveling off the beaten path to Stewart Island.

The travel company was responsive to our needs for pacing our activities and accommodations.

A big shout-out to the travel specialist, who worked with us every step of the way and was even available in real time during our travels! The travel company helped make our journey a trip of a lifetime!

Our trip was amazing in spite of the lack of support and the switch and bait on the itinerary.

Lack of communication and knowledge of excursions booked caused anxiety and confusion for us as travelers.

Hotels promised were not honored. For traveling across the South Island, the rental car booked was cheap/uncomfortable, and we had to have the vehicle serviced on our time.