Three 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!

The itinerary was awesome! We had a few snafus with hotel reservations, but they were quickly resolved. The tours were perfect and all private, with excellent guides. The pace made good use of the time we had and maximized seeing the most locations in our time frame. The hotels were beautiful (especially the one in Queenstown, WOW!) and the rooms were perfect for our needs (kitchens and laundry). It was so great having everything pre-booked and guided, as it allowed us to relax and enjoy the trip and not worry about logistics. It was a trip of a lifetime.

I would highly recommend this Zicasso travel agency! When traveling so far away, it made such a difference to have everything coordinated by a professional. I have had many people ask how we managed to do so much with the time we had. Now, I don't think I can travel any other way.

We just got back from a most enjoyable trip to New Zealand, planned by Zicasso's travel agent and her company. She understood what we were trying to cover during this trip and planned the excursions/activities, hotels, and transportation very well.

We started in Queensland and, after Milford Sound, worked our way north through Mount Cook, Christchurch, Rotorua, and Auckland. The company planned each day, with the travel times and activities woven well with appropriate meal times and rest breaks. The guides and pick-ups at each location were prompt and well-informed, and we always knew what to expect at each step of our trip.

We had a couple of issues, one with a day trip for wine tasting and another with the quality of one of the hotels, but our agent responded quickly with a solution.

It was a memorable trip; a fun, enjoyable, and educational introduction to New Zealand, and we would heartily recommend them to anyone planning a trip to New Zealand.

Overall, we had a great time on our six-plus-week trip. Zicasso's travel agent put together a great itinerary. Except for a few glitches, the trip went very smoothly.

A couple of minor complaints:

Although our Auckland hotel was nice and the staff were excellent, the room was very small, it was too far from the pier (two miles), and the breakfasts were too cumbersome. We had to schedule them and the menu never deviated.

I was confused by the multiple layers of companies I dealt with. First, Zicasso, then the travel agency. So far OK, but then I was supposed to deal with two different individuals at another partner. The Australia contact seemed to be a bit more on top of things than the New Zealand agent. At one point, when our tour guide was a no show, one of the partners told me I had to file an insurance claim. What?!? I called my travel agent and he gave me the correct answer.

Along those same lines, I thought I would hear from either of our agents at some point during the trip, perhaps at the beginning. Instead, I got handed off to their partner, whom I had never dealt with. It was rather confusing and impersonal considering the cost of the trip. Three layers of agents seemed excessive.

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.