New Zealand Touring Reviews & feedback
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Fine Tours New Zealand Reviews

Review over 350 testimonials

The reviews and feedback found below are unedited. We pride ourselves on this feedback and hope that you will trust us to make your New Zealand dream a reality.

Testimonial list
Cheryl Curtis and Linda Liebers, Your New Zealand Adventure!, Travelled on 11 Feb 2024

We asked Fine Tours to create a customized 30-day itinerary for us, starting with South Island. It was a breeze! They took care of everything based on our preferences for lodging, interests, activities and timing. We had hotels, rental cars, ferries, activities and transfers all pre-arranged. Everything went off without a hitch! And they provided us with an app with our daily itineraries and lodging available all the time without internet. This was so helpful. Our specialist, Sabina, made sure that we were all set before we left and kept tabs on us throughout. Highly recommend Fine Tours for travel throughout New Zealand.

Donald Dymer & Sandra Divito, Pure Discoveries 14 Day Mount Cook Lily Tour, Travelled on 1 Mar 2024

We had the most wonderful time in the small group environment. Our guide Peter Monroe was probably the best guide driver that I have ever trouble with the whole trip was absolutely what we needed what we expected and more. I would recommend Pure Discoveries to anyone.

Christine & Roy Thuestad, 22 Day Ultimate Discover New Zealand Tour, Travelled on 15 Feb 2024

I had been trying to plan a trip to New Zealand for a very long time, but I was overwhelmed by all the possibilities and wasn't sure how to come up with an itinerary, let alone make all the arrangements. That changed when I talked to Tia at New Zealand Fine Touring. She listened to all my comments and developed a well-designed tour for us. She made reservations for all of our hotels, our rental car, our flight, and many tour packages. She even booked tee times for us on a few fabulous golf courses. While we were there, NZFT kept in contact with us to make sure we knew about traffic delays, changes in flight times, etc. It was the trip of a lifetime. I would highly recommend using the services of NZFT to plan a wonderful vacation.

Dileep & Latha Nair, 12 Day Inspiring Journeys - The Southern Drift 2023, Travelled on 3 Mar 2024

It was a great tour, well organised and curated. We saw the best of South Island and left with a good impression of wanting to return in the not too distant future.

Diane & Don Silberstein, A Return to New Zealand, Travelled on 17 Feb 2024

Dear Christina, I was just putting a note together for you when yours came in. Like minds! Don and I want to thank you for all you did to make our New Zealand 2.0 trip so enjoyable. You even did a pretty good job on the weather! Your selection of activities and lodging was excellent. All transfers and rental car arrangements were flawless. We really appreciated that. Additionally, the upgrade to the Capitan’s Cabin for the whale watch was a big surprise. They treated us like royalty and the cabin/viewing deck is incredibly spacious. You should definitely encourage your clients to take this upgrade. Likewise with the overnight cruise in Milford Sound—one of the highlights of our trip. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with you over the past five years. We regret that we weren’t able to meet you in person in Wanaka. You and your team have been extremely responsive, especially in the chaos of our first trip in March 2020. Fortunately, NZ 2.0 was an incredible adventure with no real hiccups. Feel free to use us as a reference should any prospective client want to hear our comments directly. Thanks again and warmest regards, Diane & Don Silberstein

Tom & Linda Haefliger, New Zealand's National Parks, Travelled on 16 Feb 2024

Harriett, Thank you so much for designing a trip for us that met all of our wants and desires. Here are a few of our thoughts: 1) Auckland Britomart was well located with good food and service; 2) The Best of Both Worlds tour was well done and seemed to give us a thorough overview of the city and surrounds; 3) On The Point was a fabulous resort with a room with an incredible view; great service, delicious dinner; 4) The glow worm tour was excellent, our guide, Stephen, was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the worms as well as other flora and fauna; 5) We ended up going to the Waimangu Volcanic Valley, which provided a good walk and boat ride which explained volcanism in NZ; 6) We enjoyed our hikes in Tongariro NP, seeing numerous waterfalls; we had a good dinner at The Cypress Tree in Ohakune; 7) QT Wellington was well located (across from Te Papa which was amazing!); 8) both WETA Studio and Zealandia were excellent picks; 9) You might want to keep a cautious eye on hotel in Nelson--it felt neglected and deteriorating, but we enjoyed being in Nelson and it was fine being in Nelson instead of the park; we found the Urban Eatery restaurant, which provided excellent food and service; the Abel Tasman tour was good for us, having a good mix of hiking and boat time; 10) The Punakaiki accommodation was a beautiful location, however there were guests in all rooms and the walls seemed thin, therefore not as isolated as one might expect; the Pancake Rocks were spectacular!; 11) Loved stopping in Hokitika, a fun little town where we found several gifts; 12) Te Waonui was a lovely property, again well located for our heli-hike; the food was well prepared and plentiful; we lucked out as the heli-hike was able to be run that day after 4 days of bad weather!; 13) the drive to Queenstown was beautiful, stopping at a number of waterfalls; note that the bridge to the Blue Pools is out indefinitely, so we were not able to see them; 14) The Central in Queenstown was well located and the staff very accommodating; we enjoyed Arrowtown; the trip on the TSS Earnslaw was a highlight--great food at the farm, beautiful gardens and fun demonstrations; we went up the gondola and rode the luge; we strolled through the botanic gardens on the peninsula, which was quite enjoyable; the Milford tour was another highlight, the smaller van ride over and the plane flight back was a perfect combination; plus the weather cooperated and we had a spectacular sunny day and were able to get up close to several waterfalls. Our surprise and joy was interacting with the lovely people of New Zealand--everyone seemed to have a smile and a helpful attitude!! Thanks again, Harriet, for creating this wonderful trip for us!! We would highly recommend New Zealand and will recommend your company in the future. Plus your app was very helpful in our daily planning. Tom and Linda Haefliger

Michael & Josephine Fitzsimons, Northern Explorer, Travelled on 6 Feb 2024

Hi Chelsea, Sorry it has taken us so long to get back to you. We just want to say that we had a lovely time on the North Island. The itinerary you planned for us was exactly what we wanted, with very few one night stays and a few two and three night stays. This meant that we weren’t rushed at all and we didn’t try and do or see too much. The accommodation options were all very acceptable with an interesting mix of styles. The suggested activities that we chose were very enjoyable and in most cases we only had to tell them our name and the booking was there. All the towns we stayed in had their own unique atmosphere and we especially loved Paihia. The only minor hiccup we had was with the rental car trying to give us a vehicle without GPS, however, this was eventually sorted out. The reviews online for the Auckland city branch were almost entirely extremely negative so this came as no surprise. All in all, we would give Fine Tours New Zealand a ten out of ten for your organising and implementation of our itinerary. Many thanks once again and we would not hesitate to recommend your organisation to anyone we know us traveling to New Zealand. Regards, Mike and Josie Fitzsimons

Caroline & Martin Gill, Northbound Explorer Christchurch to Auckland, Travelled on 3 Jan 2024

Wow wow wow! We looked for NZFT tours on a recommendation. So glad we did. Harriet called us and got a sense of what we wanted and didn't want, ie bungy jumping 🤪 then constructed us a tour lasting 55 days. Our tour was flexible and included time for us to visit family on both of New Zealand's islands. We got to see and experience so many things. When people have asked us what our favorite part is we can only answer that everything was our fav as it was all so different. Harriet had everything organised to perfection, even contacting us when a road was closed due to stormy weather and concerns re land slips. We did take the opportunity to meet Harriet when we visited Wanaka it was so nice to put a face to the name. Many people have asked us about our trip and we have without hesitation recommended New Zealand Fine Tours and Harriet. If/ when we visit Australia and NZ again we'll be in touch. Thank you Harriet. Best wishes Caroline and Martin Gill.

Jacqueline & Thomas Kluver, Waitomo, Rotorua and Hobbiton & Bay of Islands - V3, Travelled on 26 Feb 2024

Kayla - thank you so much for all of the assistance you provided us in planning our once in a lifetime trip to the North Island. You so easily put together a trip that got us to the sites that we wanted to see without having to drive. Even when the third party did not pick us up for our tour to Hobbiton, you contacted another third party to get us to our tour on time. The accommodation locations and hotels were excellent in Rotorua and Auckland. I really appreciated the app to keep me on track for each day so that I didn't miss anything. We also enjoyed the additional tours added to fill in our trip. It was a wonderful last night celebrating at the Orbit 360. We will definitely recommend you and Fine Tours New Zealand if we hear of someone else traveling to this beautiful country. Thank you!

Patricia Krackov, Your Central Natural Highlights, Travelled on 23 Feb 2024

Excellent 10-day self-driving tour!! Sites enjoyed thoroughly & lodging all top notch. Most of all, I was so impressed by the excellent customer service provided by Petra Obrovska, all along the way. She was infinitely patient and good humored. The trip exceeded my expectations. The online portal used by the company was very user-friendly & handy too. I will recommend Fine Tours New Zealand to others who are considering a trip there.

Veronica Welland & Lynne Land, Best of the North, Travelled on 26 Feb 2024

Excellent tour organised by Harriet from Fine Tours. It all ran smoothly from start to finish. All drivers on tours and general transport (intercity) professional, informative and helpful. The tours were varied and interesting and very well chosen for what we required. The drivers were so enthusiastic and passionate about what they did (Elite Tours, Fullers Great Journeys boat and coach and flexitours). The young Maori team put on a great concert at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The guide was very informative too. Even the driver that took us to the airport was so professional, it was like having a chauffeur. A varied selection of hotels picked from standard (Auckland) to comfortable, homey, friendly, beautiful view and amazing breakfast (Paihia, Kingsgate) right through to so luxurious I can't believe it only had 4 stars (Rotorua, Novotel). Harriet also organised the gondola ride and buffet dinner at Rotorua. This is an experience not to be missed. Harriet listened to all the things I wanted to do and worked hard to fit it all in and picked really good tours to incorporate everything. I think she did an amazing job and gave me a massive break from trying to book it all myself. It gets really wearing and tedious looking at a computer screen for hours, trying to juggle things around so they all link up but she did it in a day.....very efficient service. Many thanks Harriet and to all at Fine Tours!!!

Brian & Wanda Skelham, New Zealand Ultimate Explorer, Travelled on 27 Jan 2024

New Zealand Fine Tours provided us with exceptional service, and we were lucky enough to have been put in touch with Harriet, with whom we had regular contact when building our itinerary. We just wanted to say a very big “Thank you” to Harriet and team for putting together all of the elements of our dream holiday. Fine Tours organised it all so well that we were literally able to drive from one beautiful place to the next with clear and precise satnav instructions, making the most of the stunning views, as well as a variety of highlights along the way. We were also made very welcome at each hotel/motel that we stayed in, all of which were of a very high standard. The activities that Harriet arranged for us were - without exception - exactly, or even better than we had hoped for, and the people who looked after us were amongst the nicest people we would ever be likely to meet. It is difficult to express how grateful we are that we could rely on Harriet for all the advice and help that we needed. Without the engagement offered by New Zealand Fine Tours, we would never have been able to enjoy our dream holiday as much as we did.

Richard Berger & Shelley Kick with Nancy Broerman and Joyce Rolfes, Auckland to Christchurch 18 Day Highlights, Travelled on 20 Feb 2024

I worked with Chelsea Lodge. First and foremost, she listened. I told her the places we wanted to see and the activities we wanted to do and then asked her to add places she felt that we would like based on our discussion. I also mentioned the quality of hotels we enjoy staying in. Chelsea put together a marvelous trip that met our expectations and more. The process used by New Zealand Fine Touring is smooth and easy. They are a sustainable company, and everything is done digitally, including a fine phone app. I priced several travel agencies and NZFT was very competitive. And finally, any issues we had during the trip, such as weather-cancelled activities, she worked with us to secure a refund. I highly recommend Chelsea and New Zealand Fine Touring.

Carmen Tseng & Jeff Clark, 17 Day Auckland to Queenstown Iconic Tour, Travelled on 6 Feb 2024

We had a fabulous time in New Zealand! Our three-week self-driving tour from North to South Island was a whirlwind and we saw beautiful scenery throughout. We were very lucky with the weather, even getting sunshine in Milford Sound. The itinerary Petra helped us arrange gave us a good balance of activities with the driving time. Everything went very smoothly. Petra was exceptionally responsive and helpful throughout the planning process, with email responses often within hours. She even helped us with a last minute tour change while we were in New Zealand. The app provided by Fine Tours New Zealand was super helpful during our trip. We highly recommend Petra and Fine Tours New Zealand!

Malka & Noah Stromer, A Taste of the North Island, Travelled on 19 Feb 2024

Christina, Thank you so much! Noah and I had a wonderful time in New Zealand, and will definitely be back to do the south island one day! We loved all of the excursions, and we were so happy to stay in Hamilton after the caves in order to experience the magnificent Hamilton gardens prior to heading to the airport. We also had a chance to stop by the Otorohanga Kiwi House to spot the elusive Kiwi bird. The accommodations were also great. We were a little disappointed with the Hotel in Rotorua due to the smell -- that permeated throughout the hotel and in our room. Although the location was great, just being off the lake a bit, or in another part of the lake would have been better as it seemed the sulphur smell was absent or very mild everywhere else around town. Additionally, the driver from the Auckland airport dropped us off at the wrong hotel. Luckily I realized that pretty quick, and was able to grab him and get us back in the van to the M Social. All-in-all we were so pleased, and would highly recommend you (we actually did on our travels in-country already!), and will definitely reach out when we have an opportunity to return to your fabulous country! Thank you! Malka

Terri Hebert & Ron Nerland, Essential South Island, Travelled on 2 Feb 2024

The moment we decided to travel to the South Island of New Zealand we reached out to Fine Tours New Zealand through their website. We heard back almost immediately from Harriet. She made planning the trip easy. She worked with our budget and responded to all our requests while leveraging her vast knowledge and expertise. Even with a tremendous time zone gap between us, her responses were timely and informative. Her recommendations were spot on. The trip had so many highlights it's impossible to choose our favourite part. We did love dining at The Muttonbird in Wanaka - again, one of Harriet's recommendations. We've just returned from three glorious weeks away with nothing but good things to say about the experience. Thanks, Harriet. We won't hesitate to recommend you and Fine Tours New Zealand!

Kathy & William Hegeman, Charles & Diane Henderson, Anthony & Christine Kalish, Thomas & Sandra Merten, Judith Ackerman, A Natural New Zealand Explorer, Travelled on 23 Jan 2024

We just completed our 4-week trip to New Zealand. I have been working with Christina in planning this trip for over 2 years because of Covid restrictions. We want to thank her for all of her work, kindness, and patience for coordinating 9 people for this trip. Everything was beyond our expectations. The people, scenery, itinerary, lodging, and food were all wonderful. We couldn't have done it without her. The only issue we had was the trip to Stewart Island and transferring to Ulva Island. There was confusion at the dock since there was an unexpected cruise ship arrival that required the use of all the taxis and boats over to Ulva Island. Christina immediately took care of it and had us on a private boat. Upon return to Stewart Island, taxis ignored our request to transfer us back to town even though they were empty. They were transporting people from town to the dock. It was pouring rain and some of our people had a hard time climbing the hill to get back to town. I would suggest having a taxi hired for the trips from town to dock and return. The hotel in Mt Cook was ideal since the Hermitage Lodge was very crowded with Chinese New Year and parking was difficult with the large van. Our room location was great, more isolated with our own parking area. Working with Christina was a wonderful experience and would recommend her to anyone interested in visiting your country. Thank you again, Kathy and Bill Hegeman.

Susan and Ken Kidd, 21 day Natural New Zealand Wonders, Travelled on 10 Jan 2023

Chelsea Lodge and her colleague Shelly at Fine Tours New Zealand did a fine job matching a detailed itinerary with our goals and preferences for our 3 week trip to New Zealand. To emphasize their remarkable service, we were stranded in an eventual 6 hour back up from an auto accident on a rural 2 lane road with no possible bypass. About 3 hours into the wait, Chelsea contacted us(we had not notified them at all) to offer suggestions and support in case we needed to adjust our itinerary. We had been pleased with their response to questions before the trip, but this was a step above expected. My best day was the Milford Track/Milford Sound tour. My wife’s favorite day was the Tiritiri Matangi Island tour. That said, the Maori cultural events, Queen Charlotte Track tramp, and Wilderness Lodge stay were all pretty special.

Emma Nichols & Reid Pinkham, Emma's New Zealand Hiking adventure, Travelled on 26 Dec 2023

We had a great trip and really enjoyed everything. Lydia did a great job customizing our itinerary and making recommendations. The only minor hiccup was an issue with the voucher for the rental car that wasn't properly in the system, but this was resolved within an hour. The team was quick to respond to flight delays and subsequent changes. It was such a relief to pass off a lot of the planning - I would book this trip again in a heartbeat! I would definitely recommend NZ Fine Tours to anyone planning a NZ trip.

Kimberly, Richard, Benjamin & Luke Osborne, Kiwi Christmas Adventure!, Travelled on 19 Dec 2023

It was a pleasure working with New Zealand Fine Tours. We could not have planned such an amazing and memorable trip without them. Very responsive, knowledgeable, and kind. I have already recommended them to two families.