Pure New Zealand (2012)

It was a pure delight. This was my first tour since I took one in college in 1965, though I was also once a chaperon on a HS tour to Spain. On both tours there were glitches and some disappointments so I have not been a fan of tours overall.
I have traveled with my husband extensively and those trips were wonderful. Unfortunately, he could not get away for this trip so I went with a friend. We had a marvelous time.
I thought the tour guide, Alan, was amazingly patient and thoughtful...to say nothing of knowledgeable and organized. Each individual tour leader was charming and invested in the area they were guiding us through. Even our bus drivers were caring guides.
Our hotels were terrific and the food overall was wonderful. Our first taste of golden kiwi and NZ chocolate on the bus after we landed in Auckland set a high bar to follow!
We had almost perfect weather, but even a rainy day in Wellington was a delight.
The people on the tour could not have been more congenial.
I am eager to do another OAT tour with my husband. He is not a "tour" person, but has been so impressed with my reviews of this one, he is looking forward to booking one for us as soon as we can make the time to get away together.

Traveler: Maryjane Fromm from Lenox, MA traveled on March 22, 2012

This was not an OAT but a GCT trip. It was not active enough, with a lot of half-day activities, and too few included meals.

There were no hikes, just some walks. It would have been simple to include some optional, more strenuous activities, such as kayaking and walking on the glacier.

Traveler: Andrew Kertesz from Evanston, IL traveled on March 08, 2012

Our guide was terrifc, with a real passion for his subject. His knowlege of the country--flora, fauna, history, society, politics, culture--is extensive. He was always there for us, helpful, and a lot of fun to be with.

The country is beautiful, almost a slice heaven. People are wonderful, and it's safe to go anywhere, anytime. It's an expensive trip, but well worth it.

Traveler: Thomas Fields from Washington, DC traveled on February 10, 2012

My wife and I and two friends returned from the Pure New Zealand trip at the end of February. We took the pre-trip to the Bay of Islands as well. Mavis Sager was our tour guide and she was excellent. [We have only had excellent tour leaders on all of our five OAT trips.] Not only did she show us a great deal of the uniqueness of the country, but she had fun with us when we kicked back and relaxed.

We loved the whole New Zealand experience. The Bay of Islands was well worth the extra time and expense. The cruise and the trailing, jumping dolphins, the island stops, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds were great. A real highlight was the visit to the Native Bird Recovery Center.

Throughout the pre-extension and the trip itself, Mavis combined a spontaneity of experience (e.g., when the bus was held up at a construction stop, she brought the flagman onto the bus to describe that career niche, when we saw a protest in from of the Auckland Court House she encouraged us interview the protestors as well as the police handling security) with some special planned stops. Thoughout the trip when anyone expressed curiosity about something, she'd find a way to bring that information to us.

Another neat feature was the combining walks through woods or to beaches with a picnic. With the group and Mavis contributing a little cheese, crackers, fruit (as well as a little wine), we often had a restful interruption of our walks.

The trip to NZ offered some of the best home hosted experiences we have had in our travels with OAT. It was clear that one highly interesting stop was at the corrogated homefarm of a friend (as so not likely available with other leaders). The school visit was also special. The latter have always been very informative but this one exposed us to a system of education that middle schools in the USA should strive to emulate.

The other thing we loved on this trip was the way Mavis handled shopping. There were definitely plenty of opportunities to shop but we never were forced to watch a lengthy sales pitch as a group. For example, at a jade shop, we were left to shop and could go back into the "factory" portion if we wished for a demonstration.

Like OAT trips in the past, the little side tripsstops were well worth it. Most were designed to teach a bit about a part of New Zealand life but some were just whimsical and a delight (e.g., the Hunterwasser public toilet).

The trip to the Gloriavale Community was an amazing opportunity to get exposed to a group that (while they could exist and be controversial anywhere) we would likely never get to see and get to know. It was an option that all who went found fascinating and the topic for discussion for several days to following.

I really enjoyed the exposure to the Maori culture. We had several Maori guides and were encouraged to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of New Zealand's attempts to blend the two cultures. The museum features added to our knowledge as well.

We expected the scenery to be fantastic and it was. Rotorua was neater than I expected but Milford Sound was rainy and made you wonder what it would have like on a sunny day. The Franz Josepf glazier was a excellent experience. At both Rotorua and the glazier we had great guides. We also had a wonderful guide at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The scenery in the South Island is certainly more spectacular but be prepared for an abundance of rain on the west coast. Fortunately, however, enough blue peaked through the clouds often enough to get some great pictures.

The Dart River jet boat ride was a option not to be missed. It was a highpoint even for those in the group who were prone to seasickness.

Overall, the good and bad of New Zealand is that it is not as exotic as some of our travels. At the same time, the familiarity of the language, the monetary system and the English roots made the time we spent without the group easy to negotiate. New Zealanders are extremely friendly and have the same bullish enthusiasm for life we found in Australia. We did not combine the two trips because we wanted to an intensive experience in both NZ and Australia. The OAT trip to Australia was comprehensive and excellent in itself. Although the whole country of NZ is only the size of Colorado, it has more than enough features to make the individual long flight well worth it.

Traveler: Robert Deysach from Columbia, SC traveled on February 07, 2012

“Haven’t you been there before?” friends asked when I mentioned I was traveling to New Zealand.

“No, only Australia,” I replied.

And I am definitely grateful I took both OAT trips: Ultimate Australia and Pure New Zealand. Yes, the flights to get down under are long, but each adventure was worth the time it took to get there.

Our tour leader, Wayne Robertson, was very experienced. On the pre-trip to the Bay of Islands, there were only four in our group. This added flexibility to try several things not on the itinerary—a nature walk in Paihia, a visit to the local market where we bought delicious strawberries to share, and a stop to see the glowworms. And Wayne still found special extras for us after the rest of our group arrived in Auckland, including having dinner together at one of his family’s favorite places to eat. And even our bus driver added a special stop in a small town where his in-laws had lived.

Wayne is expert in sharing the history and culture of his country, and his unexpected sense of humor when presenting information always kept us on our “listening” toes. That’s right: there is no shamel (a cross between a sheep and a camel)!

Wayne shepherded us most graciously even when we might have been on our own. As a single traveler, I appreciated his special kindness in this regard.

The only disappointing thing was the weather that prevented our taking a helicopter ride to see Mt. Cook. But the next tour group had a perfect view of it! Even in New Zealand, one can’t count on the weather.

Traveler: Jayne Hanlin from Saint Louis, MO traveled on November 21, 2011

This was such a great trip! Adrian our guide was full of enthusiasm and it was clear how much he loved his native New Zealand. And the fellow travelers in our group were all fun and we shared many OAT adventures. It's from fellow travelers that I get the best recommendations for future trips.

I live at 8500 feet in Colorado and have beautiful views every day. I wondered how they would compare to New Zealand.

In New Zealand you can travel a very short distance and be at the sea, the mountains, and the tropical forests in a few hours. And the color and beauty of the lakes is spectacular! And there are so many of them!

We went on all the optional tours and really recommend them all. The helicopter ride up to the Fox Glacier--amazing!

The jet-boat ride up the Dart River -- total fun!

Food was great, accommodations fine, transportation comfortable. Once again OAT has done a great job--so good that I am off to Machu Picchu next month!

Traveler: Maria Martin from Buena Vista, CO traveled on December 25, 2011

Just returned from NZ on 1612. What an awesome trip! The country is so beautiful.

Our guide, Alan, was absolutely the best I have had in all my years of traveling around the world. He was informative, funny, and accessible. If there was something you wanted to do or buy, he did everything possible to make it happen for you.

Please don't miss the helicopter ride over Mount Cook. They set the helicopter down in a place that makes you feel like you are on top of the world, getting your picture taken by the pilot to boot!

The Dart River jet-boat ride was great fun, and the Te Puia Maori Cultural Center (wdinner) was so informative and a great value.

And the visit to a sheep station was fun also, watching the dogs herd the sheep from one paddock to another. You are right out there with them, so watch your step!

As for clothes you should plan to layer, layer, layer. One minute it was warm, and the next it was cold. It only rained one day, when we went to Milford Sound, but considering they get up to 30 FEET of rain a year in that area, that was to be expected. They say that in that area if it doesn't rain for 9 days, they consider themselves to be in a drought!

NZ is the first country I have traveled to which doesn't accept American dollars, so you have to exchange money. I found that the first day we were there, we had a lot of little bits of money required here and there, so if you don't exchange money before you leave, get some at the airport (normally not the best exchange rate). Maybe it was just the things our guide planned for right at first, but exchanging $100 right away was a good thing to do until you could get to a bank.

The couple of days of long bus rides were broken up by opportunities for hiking in forests or along the coastline.

Queenstown is your opportunity to do some more adventurous things. One of the couples did the canyon swing, and we got to see the video taken of that. They were VERY brave.

You will love the three-day stay at Millbrook Resort, which is on a golf course. The accommodations were so wonderful. Quite a lovely place for peace and quiet.

Traveler: Nadine Sheppard from Sanger, CA traveled on December 22, 2011

I am just back from OAT trip to New Zealand. It was one of my best trips with OAT out of 8 so far. We did many exciting things such as a helicopter ride landing on a glacier, several hikes, visit to geothermal area and sheep station, visit with Maori community and more. Our guide Sue Walke was fabulous. My companion and I both loved this trip. Carole Rogentine, Bethesda, Md.

Traveler: Carole Rogentine from Bethesda, MD traveled on August 23, 2011

Wow! What a country. We’ve all seen a beautiful lake, waterfall, mountain or river, but New Zealand is filled with this beauty from the north island to the south island from the Tasman Sea to the Pacific Ocean. We couldn’t stop taking pictures; even trying through the bus window going 50mph!

Our guide Neil is a well-traveled man with extensive knowledge about the culture, landscape, history and flora of New Zealand. He kept our days busy, but well-paced and well organized. He suggested great places to eat or things to see during our “free time”. Neil even spent one evening with us in a local pub in Arrowtown explaining every play of a Rugby game so we could understand what we were watching.

Due to the Christchurch earthquake, our itinerary was changed just days before our trip. We all trusted that OAT would make the necessary changes to keep our trip on track and they didn’t disappoint. Our last 3 days were in Wellington and Neil had plenty of things for us to see and do. I’m sure Christchurch is a wonderful city, but we’re really happy to have seen Wellington.

Bring great walking shoes and even a walking stick if you think you need one, because you’ll be doing plenty of walking either in the city or on the beautiful and bountiful nature trails. The terrain is quite hilly, so lots of uphill walking.

OAT didn’t provide bottled water on this trip like they have on others, so you might want to bring a water bottle from home and fill it up before you leave the hotel in the morning and continue to fill it up throughout the day.

We were lucky to have perfect weather, but the landscape is so alive that if we had rain, it would have made the waterfalls that much more beautiful!

Traveler: Julie Crandall from Buffalo, NY traveled on March 12, 2011

I chose New Zealand because I thought that I needed a break from the roads less traveled where there are sometimes no roads. I expected a relaxing if relatively unexciting trip but my expectations were far surpassed!

All the members of my group were wonderful travel companions and David Hill, our tour guide, provided an outstanding level of knowledge and personal attention to each one of us. While discovering New Zealand I also had a lot of fun.

After an introductory walk through Auckland we enjoyed a welcome dinner overlooking one of Auckland's two harbors. If you enjoy sailing you will get your opportunity to do so in this "city of sails." The following morning we visited the Auckland Museum for our introduction to Maori culture which I found very interesting throughout the trip.

The drive to Rotura was pleasant because we visited the Hamilton Botanic Gardens as well as a charming organic dairy farm along the way. The dairy farm is where we had our excellent home hosted lunch.

It is true that the Regal Geyserland Hotel is clearly not regal, but it is adequate and I found overlooking a geothermal reserve to be extremely regal!

Hiking in the dormant volcanic crater of Mt. Tarawera is also a great experience. Be sure to bring good hiking shoes if you elect to do this as the descent is sandy and shifting.

The Te Puia Thermal Reserve with its associated Maori cultural experience is definitely something I would not have wanted to miss. Food for our afternoon tea was cooked in a boiling geothermal cauldron and Pohutu, the New Zealand equivalent of Old Faithful, erupted faithfully for us. We then attended a Maori hangi concert before dinner.

After leaving Rotura we arrived at Millbrook Resort, a beautifully unique and luxurious place to stay. You will need to arrange shuttle buses to visit Queenstown, but I did not find this to be a problem.

The scenic drive to Te Anau and Milford Sound rivaled the Milford Sound Cruise itself, particularly the "mirror lakes," reflecting the neighboring mountains in their still waters with a white- headed New Zealand Paradise Duck floating on the surface to complete the picture.

Most people did enjoy the jet boat ride in to the Dart River wilderness, but you have many options in Queenstown. For instance, one of our group members arranged for an 11 mile hike in the surrounding area instead.

We continued along the coast of the South Island stopping to appreciate the beautiful scenery and for a short hike through the New Zealand "bush" where we found the amazing ancient Kahi Katea Tree, otherwise known as a dinosaur tree.

Franz Josef Glacier, a glacier that is still very much on the move, is another spectacular sight. The weather conditions were good, but not good enough for the helicopter ride. For myself, I chose the extra time in the actual glacier area itself over the helicopter option.

From Greymouth we traveled to Cape Foulwind for a cliff top walk to the seal colony in Tauranga Bay. This was probably my favorite hike. It was a clear, sunny day and the views overlooking the Tasman Sea were unbelievable. I only wish it could have lasted longer!

Traveling to Christchurch through the Southern Alps we stopped to observe the native Kea, a very gregarious and mischievous parrot. One of our group members actually managed to engage a few keas in some "conversation" which was pretty hilarious. Continuing on our next stop was Flock Hill Station in the high country where we learned a few things about merino sheep farming and enjoyed a great lunch.

What I remember most about Christchurch is Cathedral Square, so called for its century old neo gothic church in the center (but also an excellent place to enjoy a glass of wine with your fellow travelers!), the lovely Botanical Gardens, and the Arts Center with its gothic revival buildings.

From Christchurch we took the short trip to Akaroa Harbor, once an active volcano, for a cruise among the sea caves and volcanic cliffs. During part of our cruise we were accompanied by Hector's Dolphins. I felt like jumping overboard and swimming with them! There is actually a better way. Swimming with the dolphins is offered at Akaroa Harbor with a 50% chance of success if you try.

I would also recommend the post trip. Snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef is thrilling. I saw beautiful corals, many colorful fish, and even a barracuda.

In Sydney I attended the opera. While the inside of the famous opera house is not as stunning as the outside, the accoustics are fine, and intermission overlooking the Sydney Harbor at night is quite an experience. If you do decide to attend the opera or the symphony it is probably better to get your tickets on line before your trip.

I love the outdoors, so these are most of the activities that I chose to describe, but my list is by no means exhaustive. If you decide to take this trip, I feel certain that you will not be disappointed!

Traveler: Janet Omer from Chicago, IL traveled on February 09, 2010

WOW! This was a spectacular trip! We started out by taking the option of staying overnight in Los Angeles before the long flight to Aukland. The Hilton Hotel at LAX was very comfortable, and we didn't have to check out till 8:00 p.m. on the night of our flight which left LA at 11:30 p.m. We had the day to explore and chose to take a trolly from the front of the hotel out to Manhattan Beach where we strolled the boardwalk, had a relaxing lunch, and went out on the pier.

On arrival in Aukland we were met by our fabulous guide, Adrian Oldfield, who was with us thoughout the trip and also in Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef. Adrian was a very special person with great love for and knowledge of his native land. He gave special attention to each person in the group, and became a friend to each of us. Along the way we had many special extra stops that really enhanced our adventure... from going to see glow worms in a natural area not far from the hotel in Greymouth to visiting a local pub in Ross for a "beer break" with the locals. Our visit to the Bearded Mining Company where we visited the gold mining museum and had manuka tea brewed by the bearded miners.

Real highlights included actually sailing on the 50 foot Pride of Aukland. My husband got to pilot the boat under the Aukland Harbor Bridge. The Dart River Boat adventure is not to be missed. We took an all terrain bus out to a hiking path where we hiked a fairly easy hike through the forest and then onto the grassy plain of the river. We met the boat up river and rode back to the marina with spins and turns along the way. It was great fun.

We had a rainy day at Milford Sound, but that made the waterfalls all that much more spectacular and plentiful.

At Franz Joseph Glacier we had a nice hike out to the foot of the glacier but were unable to take the helicopter ride and they weren't flying that day because of low hanging clouds. Too bad. It would have been a spectacular adventure.

The Maori experience both at Aukland where we met and talked with Maour interpreter Prince Davis, and at the Tei Puia at Rotorua were very informative. Our afternoon "snack" and our dinner after the Maori performance were exceptional, prepared by a true chef.

The hike at Mt. Tarawera was excellent. For those of us who chose not to hike down the scree and into the dead volcano, the scenery from above was magnificent, and getting photos of those below made the climb down seem even steeper than it probably was. Those going down found the climb up quite easy (a lot easier than it looked).

Our trip out to Akaroa to do a nature cruise was very nice. We saw Hector's dolphins, seals, and nesting birds. We were free for lunch on our own and went to the outdoor fish place which was excellent and really inexpensive.

In Christchurch we had time to visit the botanical gardens which were really beautiful. Along the way there we visited Rutherford's Den (neuclear physicist) at the University. Interesting. German sausage stand on the street by the University is excellent.

We also chanced to see a Maori dance performance on the street by our hotel. They were practicing for an upcoming national competition.

In Sydney we had an excellent time with a harbor cruise, a tour of the Opera House, and time on our own. We visited the maritime museum which is excellent and also the Chinese gardens.

At the Great Barrier Reef we had an overcast day for our snorkel experience, but we had great fun and saw a lot at our three separate dive spots. The boat was very nice, and the platform of steps allowed extremely easy access to the water without having to jump into the water or climb out. You simply sat on the steps and let the water wash you out and back onto the boat.

Port Douglas was a funky little town with lots of good places to eat. We all chose to go with Adrian one night to the Port Douglas Yacht Club... an extremely informal place for the locals where we ate under a canopy in the rain on plastic porch furniture. The food was excellent!

My husband and I couldn't have been more pleased with the trip. It's definitely a place to go back to.

Traveler: Alice from Traverse City, MI traveled on March 08, 2010

This trip was wonderful in every way. The weather was sunny, nicely warm and not too humid except around the Barrier Reef. Every person in our group was fun, interesting and we got along so well. Each of them added much to the trip. There were so many things to do but the pace was such that when I returned home I felt rested like I had been on vacation.

Our guide Graham Highet was a fantastic. Every night he gave us specific hand written information about the next days events including the weather and what to wear and hints about what to see and the exact time to be at specific places. It really helped keep us all on time. On the bus he would review material he had prepared and detailed presentations about the country and the history about what we would see. After that he would read articles from the daily paper that stimulated conversation about current events, sports,
the local economy and Maori issues.

The pace on this trip was perfect. I was challenged by physical activity as we climbed into a volcano at Rotorua, walked along the sea coast at Cape Foulwind and I could have played golf at Millbrook Resort (if I only knew how). We visited a sheep farm and watched three working dogs herd the sheep on a breathtakingly beautiful farm. At the end of each day I was tired but never exhausted.

Two of the hotels were extraordinary and we had the chance to stay three days at each. The first was the Millbrook Resort near Queenstown and the second was on the post trip near Cairns, Australia in Port Douglas at the Sea Temple hotel. OAT out-did themselves with these two hotels. All the other hotels were very nice except for the terrible (worst ever) hotel in Rotorua.

The trip takes a lot of time from Ohio but the experience was more than worth it. It was so good I hope to spend additional time in New Zealand and Sydney.

Traveler: Phyllis Wilson from Cleveland, OH traveled on February 19, 2010

We thoroughly enjoyed our Pure New Zealand trip in November, 09 and we owe much of our pleasure to guide Alan Keenan. His daily itinerary, maps, and all the useful history and information were appreciated. Being with a great group of people from across the U.S. also helped.
Since we chose the pre-trip to the Bay of Islands, we were treated to native plants and animals, the local history of American whalers at the town of Russell and the Waitangi Treaty House tour.
We soon joined the rest of our group in Auckland. Whenever we traveled about, Alan was sure to stop at interesting places along the way, so that we had a deeper understanding of daily life in New Zealand. All of our accommodations were comfortable and well located. The breakfasts were above average and as we often lunched on the road, we had "local" choices. Evening meals were very good. We had ample time-on-our-own in all locations.
Auckland was interesting for its demographic as well as its geologic history. Rotorua is a geo-thermal town with many sacred Maori areas. After an in-country flight from Rotorua (North Island) to Queenstown (South Island) we drove to Milford Sound. The vistas on the drive and also on the boat were awesome. While in Queenstown my husband shared a prearranged guided fly fishing trip which Alan had set up for another guest. The catch was cooked by the chef at our hotel and was delicious. Later, we all enjoyed a jet boat trip on the Dart River.
We were able to explore several other exciting locations along the western side of the South Island including the people, history, plants and animals. When it was time to cross over to Christchurch, we stopped at Flock Hill Sheep Farm. Our group shared a wonderful day learning about the sheep and even attempting to shear some.
For the final few days we explored the Christchurch area. Our last evening in New Zealand was special since we were guests at the Christchurch Antarctic Center. After an impressive tour we enjoyed dinner with informative speakers (about Antarctica). Next day we said good-bye to others in our group who were going on to Australia. We heartily recommend this trip--we learned so much and we had fun!
Sandy T, Denver, CO

Traveler: Paavo & Sandy from Centennial, CO traveled on November 10, 2009

I joined the trip in Auckland, as I had travelled to New Zealand on my own to visit with friends and family. It was the first OAT trip and the first time I had travelled without my husband, who passed away at the beginning of the year. It was with some trepidation that I joined the others in the hotel in Auckland, just after lunch. When I got to my room, I found a note from our excellent guide, Sue Walke, to meet in the lobby for an unscheduled trip to Devonport on the Ferry. It was a great start to the trip and a chance to meet most of the other travellers, and Sue. Despite the rainy weather the following day, I think most of us enjoyed our sail on the Pride of Auckland, and then it was off to Rotorua.
We visited the beautiful bontanical gardens and thenhad a home hosted lunch with Ray and Dorothy Higgins at their home on their dairy farm. The lunch was so delicious we came away with two recipes for future use. Before we got to Rotorua we had our first hike, which despite the rain, was most enjoyable. The optional trip to Te Puia was
indeed wonderful, and our private meal that evening was cooked for us by a former chef to Queen Elizabeth II. As a British born American, I was even more impressed by his credentials, but the food was superb, and there was plenty of it, if you could manage it all.

And then it was off to the spectacular South Island and the 5 star Millbrook Resort. The only problem I found was that it was a long ride to Milford Sound, but when we got there, we were the lucky ones, because we had blue skies and sunshine. We saw fur seals, dolphins and the rare Fiordland Crested Penguins.
This great day was followed by another one on the jet boats of the Dart River, with time to spend in Queenstown before and after. Then it was off to the Franz Josef Glacier, via a wine tasting in Central Otago. At Franz josef, the only disappointment was that we could not take the helicopter ride due to low cloud, but Sue saw to it that we saw a video of a helicopter ride in Franz Josef after our walk up to the glacier face.

Greymouth was next, and we stopped at the nephrite jade factory (greenstone) which had many of us buying some treasures to take home, not only for ourselves, but for our families. In the morning we went to the interesting town of Reefton, a former gold mine town, which still has gold mining going on, because of the high price of gold, and then a fabulous 1 12 hour walk along the headland with all the wonderful sea views, and an opportunity once again to see fur seals.

Our trip out of Greymouth across Arthurs Pass was a rainy day, but we did not mind.
We stopped off at Flock Hill Sheep Station where we saw how the sheepdogs work, despite a howling wind, which created a dust storm, and blew down one of the dog kennels. We even got to hold a three week old lamb.

Our final stop was in the beautiful city of Christchurch. We arrived at about 3.30 and could take Sue up on a walking tour, after our bus driver, Bill, who lives in Christchurch, had taken us around the area on our way to our hotel. We were on our own that evening for dinner, and another lady traveller and I went to one of the restaurants pointed out by Bill, which turned out to be excellent.

Akaroa was our destination for another boat cruise and this time we were lucky in seeing the rare Hector's Dolphins, which is not always the case we were told, and a beautiful albatross flew over the ship. We had time to explore Akaroa, which retains some of its French heritage, before returning to Christchurch and another free evening.

The Blue pearl shop and the Christchurch Botanical Gardens were on the agenda the following morning, and we so enjoyed the latter, that our guide volunteered to stay longer with us. She was as enthusiastic as we were. Then we had time to spend on our own before we left for the Antarctic Center, which was a delightful experience, if at some point freezing cold! Dinner was held there, and on our return to our hotel, goodbyes were said as those that were returning with the tour were leaving early. I was staying in New Zealand.

I just hope all my guides are as good as Sue on my future trips. She made it easy and interesting, wih lots of extras that were not on the program - she taught us a Maori song to sing to the children at the school in Rotorua, a first for the children and certainly for us. I would highly recommend Pure New Zealand to anyone, and if you are single, do not be afraid to go on your own - I was apprehensive and had a fabulous time.

Traveler: Janet from New Bern, NC traveled on October 23, 2009

My husband and I recently returned from our Pure New Zealand trip. We are still talking about it to anyone who wants to listen to us! What a fantastic trip! We actually met up with our fellow travelers at our gate in the L.A. airport.(Thanks to the ID yellow tags OAT had provided.) Upon arriving we were met by Alan Keenan our guide and leader. We knew in a very short while that this was going to be a very special trip.

Alan's talents must not go unnoticed. He led us with knowledge, organization, and wit. Our OAT itinerary promised a wonderful look at New Zealand but with Alan in the lead it was so much more! It was apparent, also, that he is well thought of by the folks we met along the way. Neither my husband nor I can think of one part of our trip that was "a low point." The people and activities that he introduced us to were delightful.and enlightening. As a former teacher I couldn't help but applaud the fun way we were learning and discovering about everything there was about New Zealand. For example, Robert the gentleman that rehabilitates native birds and Kiwis,the young man that raised his sheepdogs from pups and showed us how they work to round up the flocks, the family that we visited on the dairy farm, the chief of the Maori who spent a morning with us at the War Memorial, the man who was the expert on the Frans Josef glacier,and so on. Every day was a revelation and a winner! If there were glitches along the way we didn't know about them. All went so smoothly.

Pure New Zealand was so much more than we had expected. Our fellow travelers were delightful and fun to be with and our guide Alan was outstanding. This trip was over the top in every way; the itinerary, the people, the weather, oh, and of course the scenery, the history, and the cultures found there. This trip has something for everyone and then some!

Traveler: Patricia from Mulberry, FL traveled on April 12, 2009

Previous reviewers have described the trip extremely well, especially the spectacular scenery, so I will concentrate on some of the details.

New Zealand is a much larger and more varied country than I imagined. There was more time on the bus getting from place to place than in most other trips I have taken. Some days are spent mainly on the bus. The scenery is spectacular and the buses are very luxurious, so the long rides were enjoyable, but be prepared for them. Our guide Helen was a trekker and knew lots of trails, so we frequently stopped and took short (and a few longer)walks, even in the rain.

Our trip was bugged by very bad weather to the point the locals were apologizing since it was so unusual for the time of year (their summer). We had the hottest days ever on record, with almost intolerable humidity and no air conditioning on the tropical North Island, and a freak cold front (southerly) on the South Island.

Be prepared for any type of weather (within hours things can change dramatically), but pack light for layers. Laundry was very quick and easy to do everywhere, and there are shopping opportunities in most places if you forgot something. The OAT planning checklist was right on target.

New Zealanders were very casual, and upscale resort wear was unnecessary. Members of our group generally opted for very casual dining on free time, but one or two nicer outfits are sufficient if you like to eat in fancier places.

Alternatives to the outdoor program events made the weather irrelevant, except on a few occasions. OAT guides have lots of options and alternatives, except in one or two places. For example, the glaciers were so socked in we couldn't see them or take the helicopter ride, and our walk to the glacier was in a cold rain.

I am interested in indigenous cultures, and the trip offers a great opportunity to experience Maori culture, especially if you take the pre-trip to the Bay of Islands. The program events give you a terrific overview of Maori settlement and European interactions. Also, there are opportunities to stray from the group on free time and meet local Maoris one-on-one.

Right now is a great time to go in terms of value. The NZ dollar is very low against the US dollar, so prices were great for purchases. (of course, that changes rapidly, so check if this is important to you.)

Traveler: Roger from Tacoma, WA traveled on February 07, 2009

My OAT Pure New Zealand trip was everything the other reviewers have stated and more! (I will not repeat their comments, but agree with them all!) Our guide Chas asked each of us what we liked to do, and what we wanted to get out of our trip. With only 16 in the group, he was able to tailor the side activitiesfree time to incorporate our wishes. As a single traveler I was a bit nervous, not knowing what to expect. My roommate was great, and the whole group took meus in. I was not the least bit uncomfortable, and would not hesitate to go solo again. The food was wonderful. The New Zealanders are warm, friendly and kind. Even the shop keepers will chat with you, asking where you are from, and where you have been. They ask what you liked best, and seemed to be actually interested and listening (unlike the monotone “have a nice day” often heard at home).
They do not exaggerate when they tell you layers are the key. One day you might wear shorts (I went in their summer), and another you might wear fleece and a windbreaker. Those zip off pants were handy. The helicopter ride to view and walk on the glacier was kind of expensive…but worth every penny. I would recommend taking plenty of memory cards and batteries for your camera as the views were amazing, and somehow different around every bend!
I would absolutely recommend a New Zealand vacation to anyone and everyone, as well as traveling there with OAT!

Traveler: Leslie from Duluth, GA traveled on February 04, 2009

My daughter and I just took the trip of a lifetime! New Zealand is everything your description says and more...clear pristine lakes, snow-capped mountains, glaciers, volcanoes, charming cities and sheep, sheep and more sheep. I did the post-trip to Australia, where I snorkeled in the Great Barrier Reef and climbed to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge! How many people can say they did that? But the best part was our guide, Graham. He was "ixcilliint"! I fell in love in New Zealand!!!

Traveler: Linda from Calabasas, CA traveled on January 24, 2009