All Reviews
Relaxing Journeys

With excellent tour guide and driver, Dennis and Chris, we were well looked after and informed as we travelled. Hotels were all 4 star as stated however there were differences. The best for service and food was the James Cook in Wellington. We were moved to a lesser hotel in Paihia which was adequate but not what was expected. The hotel in Rotorua needs some care and attention. A/C unit not working and as it was the weekend they could get no one to fix it. Out of everyone’s control was the weather. Standing at Cape Reinga in the wind and rain I could have been standing at the north end of Scotland (ha ha). Same at the Bay of Islands with rain reducing visibility to about 1km. So it looks like I will have to come back again in the future! As always in New Zealand the staff in hotels were friendly and helpful at all times. I shall return!

We debated between using a tour company to organize our trip or to organize it ourself. In the end we chose using a tour company and were pleased that we did. Mani altered the trip to match our criteria but also ensured that we did not talk ourselves out of any New Zealand’s highlights. He chose motels in great locatons and seemed to know what time to book excursions. We were given a great map book to help choose routes but he also suggested things we might like to see on the travel days. When we arrived at our hotel in Christchurch we realized that due to construction it would not be a good idea to return to this hotel for our last night given we would have a long drive that day and then need to be at the airport at 3:30am the next morning. We called Relaxing Journeys and they were able to book us a room at the hotel 2 minutes from the airport. It took the stress out of an early morning flight. It also allowed us to return the car in the evening and avoid the extra time required to return the car in the morning. We really enjoyed our trip but in retrospect think we tried to squeeze too much into three weeks. We should have either just done the South Island or added a fourth week.

This self drive trip and all the places my 83 year old mom visited in New Zealand exceeded our expectations. With a very late request from me for this trip, Mani helped us organize our 16 + day driving tour of the North and South Islands in early January. Not all the original places on this tour were available but we were very happy with the alternates. Each motel or hotel was different but all were spacious and included kitchen facilities. We added some optional tours during the trip and Mani helped us with that. He and another Relaxing Tours representative also helped us with up to date travel info when the road washed out just south of Franz Josef Glacier. The Kruz GPS worked well and helped keep the trip interesting with history, cultural, and other info. I look forward to a return visit with my husband.

We had a wonderful trip. Everything well organized thank you so much. Beautiful scenery. We were not too sure about getting up before 5 am in Queenstown to get to the lunchtime cruise on Milford Sound, but it was well worth it!!! Fortunate our dates were between two cyclones…so only minor holdups on west coast roads. How did you manage that?!!!! Magic trip. thank you for your help in making it so perfect.

Words are insufficient to describe how beautiful and exciting a country New Zealand is, as we concluded after our first trip there with Relaxing Journeys. The organisation from Toni and colleagues was second to none, everything ran very smoothly, which was so important after arriving bleary eyed from a 30+ hour journey from UK. The itinerary was busy but the amount we managed to cram in was amazing. The highlight has to be the flight back from Milford Sound to Queenstown, our Christmas present to each other, with Tommo the pilot pointing out all the sights. Other highlights were the Hooker Valley trail at Mount Cook, the climb up Ben Lomond at Queenstown, the constant changing views, the glow-worms, oh, and the views (did I mention the views?). Accommodation was generally of an excellent standard. The Hermitage at Mt Cook in particular, where I think we had the best views in the house, and the Princes Gate Hotel in Rotorua, splendid fading Colonial glory, with the best waitress ever. High Peaks in Fox Glacier was more basic, but to be fair, I don’t think there’s a lot of choice round there, and its very handy for the Lake Matheson walk (with THAT view of Mount Cook!), and the Lake Matheson cafe, not to be missed for the best dinner you’ll probably have in the trip. The only downside about the holiday was having to come home … there was a tearful moment when we tore the last voucher out of the book in Auckland … hopefully we’ll be back and hopefully with Relaxing Journeys sorting it out for us.

The Custom New Zealand Drive & Fly was fantastic for myself and my wife – everything went like clockwork. The itinerary was great and exceeded all our expectations (we did the reverse option – North Island first, then the South). Toni provided an exceptional service – great with suggestions and timely feedbacks which certainly took a lot of the guess work away. Overall, a very nice and stress free holiday – just what we wanted. Thanks Toni!!

Our trip to your country was truly wonderful and one that we will remember forever. Marianne and I both enjoyed the great hospitality of your fellow New Zealanders, travelling over 3500 km to enjoy the magnificent scenery and ever changing vistas, the itinerary of activities that we chose to participate in so as to learn about your country and the daily experience of being a part of New Zealand for the past month. The organization and attention to detail demonstrated by you and your company gave us the opportunity to make our experience in New Zealand the memorable adventure that it was. The pick up by shuttle services, accommodation reservations, use of vouchers for specific activities or services and car rental arrangements was seamless. It was like everyone was waiting for us to show up. It is without hesitation that I would recommend the services of Relaxing Journeys to anyone travelling to New Zealand.

My husband and I traveled from the US to vacation in New Zealand for a month. During our 2800 kilometer journey of the South Island, we took the advice of friends and we booked a 2-night cruise on the Fiordland Navigator into Doubtful Sound. It turned out to be the highlight of our trip. Besides being stunned by the sheer beauty of the sound, we saw an albatross, seals, dolphins, a Fiordland Penguin and numerous water birds. We thoroughly enjoyed our outing along the shore of the sound in sea kayaks. The staff were well organized, safety conscious and courteous. Our on board naturalist did talks about history, geology and the animals of the sound while the on board chef and his staff created delicious meals. We couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable interlude in our travels and we both highly recommend this tour to everyone traveling in Fiordland National Park.

Please read carefully, this is advertised as a two day trip on the website, when in fact you get on at 4.30 and off again at 9.00 the following morning, you only have 17 hours on the boat. This costs you a days holiday in Te Anau. You could drive from Queenstown, and be there on time. The food was good although breakfast was rushed and cold. The staff were excellent and pleasantly helpful. We enjoyed the trip but felt it could be done in the day unless you wanted a night on a boat.

Very well organised, the driver was excellent and gave an informative commentary throughout the trip. The tour manager was very helpful with all the different resorts and hotels we stayed in. It was a very full tour and met my expectations.

A very enjoyable tour with a great tour guide and excellent and knowledgeable drivers. The effort of our tour consultant Mani was excellent.

It would have been nice to cruise the Sound on the first evening, too. This way we felt kind of parked in the Bay. Rooms and shower were great.