Best of New Zealand private holiday

Planet

We are committed to Responsible Tourism through policies and practices which cover all aspects of our business, ensuring that all our holidays are undertaken in a way which is socially, environmentally and culturally sound. Responsible Tourism remains at the very core of everything we do as a tour operator.

We feel strongly that all our holidays should benefit the local communities, protect the environment by minimising pollution, and respect local traditions, religion and heritage. We tread lightly – low volume, low impact holidays are the best way of preserving New Zealand’s beautiful natural heritage.

On this trip our travellers get to explore Abel Tasman National Park, for every booking taken we make a donation on our traveller's behalf to New Zealand’s unique Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust Project which aims to protect and enhance biodiversity and improve the visitor experience in Abel Tasman National Park. It is a Charitable Trust, formed in 2007 and registered with the NZ Charities Commission, and the Inland Revenue Department as a charity. It is separate from the Department of Conservation and commercial tourism operators in the Park, but will work closely with them and the local community, on local projects for local benefits.Our local guides ensure that clients view the birdlife in a responsible way and one of the key excursions available to our travellers is to Mou Waho island across Lake Wanaka where they are able to view the rare Weka bird and to help with the re-afforestation of the island with native species by planting their own trees .


We work closely with local suppliers who are recognised for their sustainable tourism practices and are assessed under New Zealand’s Qualmark quality assurance scheme under the Enviro Award criteria.The majority of our selected accommodations are locally run bed and breakfasts or small lodges who pride themselves on offering seasonally grown food .

Our main transport provider has one of the highest Enviro Awards ratings in the country .

All of our tailor made itineraries offer the opportunity for clients to include train and coach journeys and to include walks on some of the key tracks , reducing car travel use .

People

All of our itineraries, whether tailor made or small group, are strongly focused on ensuring support for local communities and educating our travellers on the importance of responsible travel.

Accommodation on this small group journey is in smaller bed & breakfasts, and includes an overnight farm stay in the Waikato region. The itinerary includes a guide wine tour on the Brancott Estate in Hawkes Bay which produces some of the region's finest white wines and is a major employer in the area , and a guided walking tour of Napier by a local volunteer who explains how the community have worked to restore many of the town's key Art Deco buildings.

Our itineraries have a strong focus on the history and customs of the Maori, as we recognise and appreciate the cultural significance of the Maori people in New Zealand. This itinerary includes a trip to Te Puia in Rotorua to see Maori craftsmen demonstrating weaving, carving and other traditional skills in the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute there.

Through our New Zealand partner operator, we are a Qualmark accredited business and a member of the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand. This means we have been independently reviewed and deemed to operate in an ethical and environmentally sustainable way. All our coaches are supplied with free re-usable water bottles for travellers .