Luxury New Zealand Vacation Review: Queenstown, Kaikoura, Routeburn, Nelson Lakes National Park Hilking, Fox Glacier Helihike

Our trip was fabulous. Karen at this New Zealand travel company obviously listened to us closely via e-mail and phone exchanges because our itinerary couldn't have been customized any better given the limited time (2 weeks) we had to cover both NZ islands. We had the right mix of self guided/self directed and guide led activities and the transportation mix (planes, trains and automobiles) also broke up the trip nicely. We had a little trepidation about driving given the left side and the winding/narrow roads, but our fears were unfounded as we were pleasantly surprised by the lack of traffic on most highways and the condition of the roads. We enjoyed all the destinations, particularly Nelson, Kaikoura and Queenstown, and the accommodations were top notch. We really loved the B&Bs in Nelson and Queenstown (Shelbourne Villa and Browns Boutique Hotel). Of course, we were not disappointed by the scenery everywhere from the South Pacific to the mountains to the lakes to the lush forests. The hiking in Nelson Lakes National Park (Whisky Falls), Matheson Lake (Fox Glacier) and the Routeburn was peaceful, stunning while challenging at times and inspiring. The helihike on the Fox Glacier may have been our highlight. It's really hard to find anything worthy of criticism given the many arrangements required. All guides/drivers were on time, all reservations were made, the restaurant recommendations were solid and the country lived up to its reputation for friendliness and beauty. We would strongly recommend using this company for your Australasia vacation.