New Zealand Self Drive Tour Reviews

I'm so glad I used First Light Travel to help plan our trip to the North Island of New Zealand. Everything was thoughtfully arranged, which made traveling here for the first time easy. The tours were excellent, and hiking the Tongariro Crossing was an experience I’ll always remember. I highly recommend First Light Travel to anyone planning a trip to New Zealand.

First Light Travel created more than a holiday for us - it was a carefully curated experience. They found small, welcoming, characterful hotels and B&Bs that totally met our brief. We asked for a lot and we got it. All pick-ups, transfers and changes of mode of transport worked seamlessly. We'll be back, and First Light Travel will be our first port of call. Some activities that we loved included whale watching, sailing in the Bay of Islands (and walking back!), Christchurch tram ride, Bay of Islands boat out to the hole in the rock and all wine tasting trips (Marlborough and Queenstown).

Our trip to NZ was one of, if not, the best holiday my wife and I have ever had and we are seasoned travellers. The planned detail of our trip and its execution was something we could not have replicated personally. We are so pleased to have used First Light Travel and will heartily recommend your services to our other friends. In fact we partially travelled around NZ with friends who were so impressed with our proposed itinerary they booked their trip with you also. You have provided us with a fantastic experience and great new memories. Thank you again FLT and in particular Heidi for helping make our dreams come true!!
 

The experience we had with First Light Travel really did elevate our trip. We had an absolute dream vacation and it went smoothly in every aspect. Our representative helped us to choose activities that were in line with our interests and set a fantastic agenda for us. We loved Waitomo Glow Worm Caves, Hobbiton, the Franz Josef helicopter tour and Chris Jolly Fly Fishing in Rotorua, just to name a few. We couldn't have come up with a better way to see all the variety and wonders of New Zealand than what First Light Travel provided for us.

Extremely happy with First Light Travel from planning to execution. Nicole gave excellent recommendations and helped planned out our itinerary according to our travel pace. The route, accommodations and activities proposed were well rounded and a unique experience in all the different locations. We enjoyed all the activities recommended. A highlight was the Helicopter Ride at Franz Josef and Tasman Glacier Boat Trip. Information received after confirming the trip was timely and well executed. A note of thanks to Jeff as well for giving me confidence and assurance that travelers safety was important and how we would be taken care of in the event of any unforeseen circumstances. Overall me and my family had a wonderful trip.

First Light Travel delivered an exceptionally well-planned and memorable New Zealand itinerary, with outstanding accommodations, experiences, and pacing throughout. Communication during the planning phase was clear and responsive, and their on-the-ground support was excellent — particularly when adjusting our Wānaka schedule mid-trip and handling a weather-related cancellation with ease and professionalism. Nearly every element exceeded expectations, with several truly standout experiences. Our favorite experience of the trip was the helicopter flight onto the glacier, which was genuinely unforgettable. We would happily recommend First Light Travel and would work with them again without hesitation.

Our New Zealand trip was so much fun. Everything was easy and well organised. Nichole created the perfect itinerary for us and was friendly, informative, so helpful and easy to deal with. We had such a wonderful family holiday! Activities we loved: Waitomo Glow Worm Caves, Wellington Cable Car, Te Puia in Rotorua, Auckland Dolphin and Whale Safari and Auckland Sky Tower.
 

First Light Travel provides first-class service! The four of us traveling to New Zealand thoroughly enjoyed our once-in-a-lifetime, 19-day self-drive vacation. I would absolutely use First Light Travel again! Our Travel Designer Marcella was fabulous: helpful, friendly, and responsive to our needs. She took care of all the details when designing a custom itinerary for us based on our interests. She booked wonderful accommodations and recommended several fun tours/activities that we really enjoyed. The Milford Sound Day Tour with Cruise Milford was fabulous! When we had to adjust our travel dates due to airline reservation availability, Marcella quickly made changes to meet our new schedule. She maintained good communication from the time we started our planning until our trip was complete. 

Thank you, Nicole, for making our trip so stress-free and enjoyable. You and First Light made sure that we got to visit all the beautiful places that we wanted to see, and your on-the-ground knowledge meant that we avoided the crowds and really had the opportunity to see New Zealand at its most beautiful. We'll be back! Highview Apartments in Queenstown was fantastic. Located just out of central Queenstown, it gave us the perfect view across the lake. We even had the perfect view of the aurora from the balcony there.
 

Every day was perfect. The whole trip was wonderful including where I stayed, the time I spent at each stop, and the planned excursions. Highlights included Whitianga and nearby Cathedral Cove, Queenstown, Milford Sound scenic flight and the TSS Earnslaw cruise to a sheep ranch with an amazing gourmet meal. First Light Travel were very helpful in working around some stops I had already planned and when last minute changes in my itinerary were necessary due to my initial flight being cancelled. They were also very proactive in warning me about possible traffic issues during my trip.