| Planning your itinerary -
where do you start? |
| You can either call us and
discuss your vision of your New Zealand tour or research the web on
this site and other sites to determine where your interests lie.
We represent only high quality properties so if this
is not the type of tour you are looking for we are not the right
people to assist you. We do not do back packing
in New Zealand although we do many itineraries where you can drive
yourself. It is really simply deciding the cities you wish to visit,
the type of property you wish to use and your budget for the trip.
BK New Zealand in conjunction with our New Zealand tour operator will then organize all the
reservations and transfer arrangements to provide you with a worry
free and exciting vacation to New Zealand. |
|
Budget - Time Frame of the Trip - Type of
Vacation. |
|
These are the most
important factors in planning and there must be a clear
understanding between your BK New Zealand consultant and the person
planning a custom itinerary. BUDGET: It can be a very
time consuming process if the budget amount is not clearly defined
from the very beginning. The cost of a trip varies tremendously with
the type of hotels and accommodations you select and whether you
self drive, need a driver guide or fly from area to area. We will
plan the best possible vacation with the best properties and
itinerary for your budget amount. All custom plans must
start with a budget. TIME FRAME FOR THE TRIP: It is
necessary to determine a parameter for the length and time of the
year for the trip prior to beginning the planning. TYPE OF
VACATION: Sightseeing, action and adventure packed, ocean or
mountains, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, lots of traveling -
see it all type vacation or not too much travel and more relaxing -
all these factors need to be determined so we can recommend a trip
that suits each individuals needs. Without clarity on these
three key issues it is really not possible to proceed with custom
planning. |
| How do you know which
cities or areas to choose
and where to stay? |
| There are so many wonderful places to
visit in New Zealand it can be confusing to decide where to go. We
have identified a short list of the best areas of New
Zealand to visit. We have been to and have personal experience in
all the areas of New Zealand we recommend and can share more
information with you to be sure your time in New Zealand is spent
seeing and doing the things that you most enjoy. It can be adventure
travel or sightseeing. Accommodations: These can be large
hotels or small lodges, bed and breakfast, luxury properties or farm
stays. In contrast to most tour operators and travel agents we have
no specific arrangement to offer any properties exclusively. We have
selected independently the properties that we are comfortable in
recommending, run by different companies and can offer impartial and
objective advice. If you have any interest in an area not mentioned
here we can of course book you anywhere in New Zealand you wish to
go. There are very few places in New Zealand that our owner has not
been so we can assist you with most details you may require. |
|
Do we fly, drive ourselves, or have a car and
driver? |
|
A combination of flying and driving is preferable.
There are certain areas that are best flown as the driving takes a
long time on windy roads and there is not the scenery to merit the
drive. Driving your own rent car if you are comfortable with
driving on the opposite side of the road from the United States can
be a very good idea. Certain areas it is easy to drive and
very convenient to have your own car. The major cities can pose
problems with heavy traffic. We can arrange either a rent car
or a car and driver for the land portions of the trip depending on
which you prefer.
Click on this link for more details on driving
suggestions. |
|
Can we travel alone or do we have to join a
group? |
| You can
travel independently or form a group of your friends.
We do not offer any "group" tours of New Zealand. |
| Who makes all the arrangements in
New Zealand? |
| It is important to know when
traveling to an unknown destination that all your arrangements will
be handled by local experts in the area you are visiting.
We are using local tour operators that are very focused on personalized service and will handle
all local arrangements flawlessly. They even
operate a fleet of their own planes for truly customized itineraries
on your timetable. |
How long should we stay in each area
and what should we see?
Click here for more details. |
| New Zealand may be
a small country but there is so much to see and such a variety of
attractions it can take longer than you would imagine to see even
the highlights of New Zealand. The most visited
areas in the North Island are the Bay of Islands, Rotorua, Taupo,
Auckland and Wellington. In the South
Island, Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds, Christchurch, Queenstown, Fjordland and the West Coast.
A minimum of 10 - 14 days should be allowed to visit
most of the key
highlights. We will customize your
itinerary depending on your available time and how much you want to
travel between destinations. |
|
Where can I find the pre-arranged itineraries? |
Click here for the Ultimate LuxuryTour
|
Click here for a Self Drive and Flying Tour
|
| What is the difference between a tour
operator and a travel agent? |
| Tour operators are
similar to cruise lines. Both offer a product that is marketed and
sold by travel agents. Tour operators are specialists in organizing
the local arrangements, transfers and tours and are used by travel
agents to handle their clients needs for pre-arranged or custom
itineraries. Some tour operators will work directly with the public
while other tour operators work only with travel agents.
Our tour operator has local offices
and are just a phone call away for any needs you may have.
|
|
Please check out the links on our navigation
bar for all the information you need
or call us at
1-800-856-1155 or email
Brown and Keene. |
