New Zealand Self Drive Tour Reviews

I chose FirstLight Travel after they were recommended multiple times in a NZ travel Facebook group I joined. From my very first conversation with Bernadette (who has since moved on from her position), I knew I had made the right choice. Katarina, who took over for Bernadette, only confirmed it. The whole impetus for the trip was to visit Hobbiton for my birthday, everything else would be a bonus. And what incredible bonuses they were! From a bird sanctuary island to kayaking in glow worm caves to amazing cultural performances - we never lacked for new things to discover. My cousin and I loved every new place we got to explore and every new adventure we got to experience. We definitely left a little bit of our hearts in New Zealand by the end of our two weeks and we cannot wait to go back for round two!

We received excellent service from First Light from initial contact through booking and during the trip. The itinerary was very well curated and everything went according to plan. Highly recommend this company.

Working with First Light was effortless and excellent. They clearly know what they are doing and how best to tailor a trip to their clients. We had friends in Auckland we wanted to visit, and our agent Gina did a great job integrating their visit into our itinerary. Gina also really talked to, listened to, and planned with us what kinds of activities were important and desirable. It was our 30th wedding anniversary trip, and Gina helped make it one of the best trips we have ever taken!

I can't recommend First Light Travel enough! Anna truly listened and put together an amazing family vacation for us over Christmas and New Year. Every detail was well thought out and the communication and preparation was 10/10!
The "Lord of the Rungs" via ferrata excursion and the heli-hike on the Franz Joseph glacier were two highlights - both not on our radar until Anna Suggested them.
If you want an amazing trip with every detail planned, First Light Travel is for you!

Feb 3, 2025 - Thank you Anna for orchestrating an incredible vacation to New Zealand. On a scale of 1 to 10 you are a 12.
Your attention to detail and professionalism led to a flawless and most enjoyable trip. Every stop we made, the hotel, rental car agency or sightseeing vendor was aware of our booking, and this made the trip seamless. What a wonderful way of traveling. There was not one issue or uncomfortable situation.

The self-guided trip allowed us to be ourselves and travel at the pace we wanted. We got the opportunity to see what both the North and South Islands have to offer. On the North Island in Auckland the All-Blacks Experience gave us our first glimpse into the Maori culture; the haka for both the men's and women's teams were definitely a highlight. Thank you to Flynn for navigating us through this. Hobbiton was next. A magical stop that brought us to another place and time - middle earth. Ellie made our tour memorable. She is a delight. She provided us with many details regarding the filming and the numerous homes of the Shire including the construction of Bag End. Being able to walk into the many rooms of Samwise Gamgees house was very special. The detail of the construction and furniture makes this a must see. In Rotorua the walk amongst the redwoods was very special for us. The hanging walkways was amazing. A beautiful way to experience them. A big thank you to Marcelo for his leading us through the mountain biking tour in the Whakarewarewa Forest and Jacob for his patience and guidance in leading us onto one of the Rotorua Lakes at dusk to view the glow worms in the nearby caves. A truly unforgettable experience. With no light pollution the glow worms in the caves were like looking into the night sky and seeing hundreds of stars. Truly magical.

On the South Island our adventures continued in Christchurch punting down the Avon. Our guide was very knowledgeable and provided us with lots of pertinent information. Queenstown is an outdoors persons paradise. Whitewater rafting with Mark on the Shotover River was unbelievable - in a good way. The ride to the launch point on Skipper's Canyon Road was half the adventure. Glad I didn't have to go back on that old dirt road again. The Oxenbridge Tunnel was a rush. Milford Sound was the highlight of the trip for me. Kia Ora. Seeing this natural wonder of the world was awe inspiring. We were glad to be on Makayla's maiden trip to the Sound from Queenstown. A stop for a hand pie at Miles Better Pies is a must. The Eco Adventure to Lake Wanaka and Mou Waho island holds a special place in our hearts. Our guides led a hike to the top of the lookout on Mou Waho where there was a pond/pool. One of the guides had a sapling and led our group of a dozen or so to an area to plant it. I helped plant the tree. It felt like giving back in some small way...a forever connection to New Zealand. A big thank you to Rosie for leading us on a hike near Lake Mapourika. The last of our adventures on the South Island was the scenic train from Greymouth back to Christchurch and the end of our trip.

Thank you, Anna, for everything you did for us. I am convinced our trip would not have gone as smoothly or as pleasurably as it did, if it were not for your assistance and attention to detail. Kia Ora.

P.S. We will be in touch again. I will need to check on the progress of the sapling on Mou Waho Island.

Danielle at First Light Travel made my trip to New Zealand with my sister absolutely perfect! She was very patient with us as we requested changes to the itinerary until it was exactly what we wanted and more. The activities were thrilling (Hobbiton, multiple LOTR day and half-day tours, Milford Sound, Waimangu Volcanic Valley, etc.) and the accommodations were all so nice. It the trip of a lifetime and the trip of my dreams! 11/10!

We used First Light for a trip to the North island in January 2025. They put together an amazing itinerary, found great lodging and interesting activities that I don’t think would have been easy to organize in our own. They were very useful and helpfulfor our trip!

First Light Travel planned an unforgettable 16 day trip to Fiji and New Zealand to celebrate our 15 year wedding anniversary. I can attest that this one of our all time favorite trips. We experienced so many unforgettable experiences such as paragliding, jet boating, swimming with wild dolphins, and Hobbiton. Our travel planner, Gina O'Neill, was exceptionally detailed and thoughtfully took all of our feedback to craft our dream vacation. She made our trip seamless and completely stress free. Can't say enough good things about First Light Travel! Highly recommend this service!

First light travel (Taylor) organized our 8-day trip to the South Island of New Zealand, and she did a great job of organizing our itinerary, accommodations, and activities to make our trip comfortable and enjoyable. Next time I want to travel to the North Island of New Zealand, I will definitely book with them again.

Nicole did a great job learning our interests, matching our interests with activities, and making the arrangements. The Sydney Bridge Climb was fun and memorable. The Sydney Aquarium was excellent. We surprised how wonderful it was. We appreciated the unscheduled time that allowed us to wander and discover this gem. We loved the Lord of the Rings venues--WETA and Hobbiton. We are grateful that Nicole mentioned the Hobbiton Evening Banquet possibility early enough for Nicole to make reservations. All other activities suggested were terrific and enjoyable. The Maori events (Te Puia/Te Ra and the Te Po Indigenous Evening Experience were much appreciated. In Aukland we totally enjoyed the SkyCity Orbit 360 dining experience, and the Waiheke Island experience, as suggested, was a great way to end our once-in-a-lifetime vacation. Thank you, thank you!

If we had tried to plan this trip on our own, it would never have been as memorable as was. Nicole at FirstLight took the time to discuss our interests, get to know us, and plan activities that exceeded our expectations. Nicole was responsive to our preferences and made every activity one we enjoyed. Having a detailed and complete itinerary relieved us of the pressure of figuring out almost all of the details, yet allowed us enough unscheduled time to explore.