New Zealand Vacation Planning, Custom and Tailor Made Holiday, Vacation & Honeymoon services

At DesigNZ on Travel we specialize is combining your interests and needs with the wonderful opportunities a New Zealand holiday offers to pursue them, be it relaxation, enjoying stunning scenery, sports, wine & food, nature, adventure, arts & crafts, or your other special interests, we will plan a customized New Zealand itinerary making sure you get the most of what you want from your New Zealand vacation.

Or maybe you just don't have the time to plan your own New Zealand itinerary but want a special vacation, we will be pleased to customize a New Zealand itinerary especially for you, combining New Zealand's traditional highlights with the special places and activities we want to share with you.

Your New Zealand 'Custom itinerary' will include the following important elements,

1. A comprehensive day by day New Zealand travel itinerary, including.

New Zealand natural features.
A guide to options on New Zealand sightseeing and activities.
Town overviews.
New Zealand route overviews.
Information on New Zealand history
New Zealand cultural information.
New Zealand lifestyle information.

We have provided a sample New Zealand itinerary for the trip from Queenstown to Milford Sound below.

2. A full set of Route Schedules for each part of your journey.

For touring on your New Zealand vacation the lucky will get to drive and their companions will get to navigate. For those navigators who really want to see the scenery instead of juggling maps, studying guide books, answering questions and giving directions, all at the same time! Our New Zealand route guides are the answer. A step by step schedule of your journey, they follow logical New Zealand routes and are mostly daily schedules starting and finishing in recognized destinations. They will enable you to easily prepare and stop, so you don't miss what others rush by. Included on each New Zealand route guide are:

Towns.
Services.
Special places.
Walks and sightseeing along your route.
An indicative guide to New Zealand driving times and distances.

3. A detailed list of activities and opportunities in line with your interests, plus those special things we recommend that you do while you are here.

Plus a wide range of activities and those special things that we recommend for the popular stopover centres and the journey in between, we include contact details and online references.

4. A schedule of recommended accommodation choices to match your requirements.

5. The coordination of your reservations and providing you with a comprehensive reservations document.

Before we start planning your New Zealand travel custom itinerary we would like the opportunity to get to know you, to learn about your special interests and the things which you want to include to make this a special experience. To do this please e-mail us with your enquiry, we will reply promptly and ask any further questions we need to know to start working on your itinerary.

At DesigNZ on Travel we appreciate that you're coming a long way and your vacation time with us is precious. We will help you make sure you get the most of what you want from your New Zealand holiday.

We look forward to the opportunity of assisting you.

Russell Wenn and Julie Collier (Please click to meet us)

New Zealand & Australia Travel Agents

Testimonials (Please see what our past clients have to say)

If you would like more information on our New Zealand Travel Agent services or have some questions you need reliable answers to, just e-mail us, it's free to ask and the answers may well prove invaluable.

A special day on vacation in New Zealand with
your DesigNZ on Travel New Zealand Itinerary.

23rd to 25th January. – Queenstown to Te Anau.

The following is an itinerary for an independent day trip from Queenstown to Milford Sound and is typical of the detailed itinerary information you will receive as part of the comprehensive documentation for your New Zealand itinerary from DesigNZ on Travel.

Queenstown.

Early settlers and visitors to Queenstown came for the Otago gold rush of the 1860’s and the establishment of farming stations, but today it is the breathtaking beauty of the Queenstown landscape and its recreational facilities that draw people here.

Year round cruises operate on Lake Wakatipu to picturesque Walter Peak Station including evening trips that include a buffet dinner at the station, travelling aboard the historic steamer TSS Earnslaw. The Dart River runs into the lake at Glenorchy and is the venue for half day jet boat tours or Funyaks with Dart River Safaris into the Mount Aspiring National Park, or a full day trip that includes returning down river on inflatable kayaks. White water rafting on the Shotover River and Kawarau River, the Shotover River also has jet boating and in the upper reaches great white water rafting for families. Try the world famous bungy jump from the historic Kawarau Bridge.

Day trips to Fiordland National Park to visit Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound operate from Queenstown by coach. To enjoy the full Milford Sound experience including a cruise, but in a shorter time, consider one or both directions by plane with fantastic aerial views of the National Park. Overnight trips to Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound can also be taken from your Queenstown base.

From Queenstown you can connect to multi day hiking on the Milford Track, Routeburn Track and Hollyford Track, plus there are lots of shorter walks including a one day experience on the Routeburn Track.

The Otago and Southern Lakes region takes top place for the most picturesque vineyards in New Zealand with Gibbston Valley and Chard Farm located in the spectacularly rugged Kawarau Gorge, other vineyards that may be visited include Peregrine, Waitiri Creek Vineyards, Chard Farm Vineyard, Amisfield Cellars, Mt Difficulty, Felton Road, Carrick, Akarua and Olssens vineyards. Whatever your taste in wine, there is sure to be something to delight your taste buds, and of course deliciously fresh food and produce to accompany. To make the most of your wine experience join an escorted wine tour.

Close to Queenstown is the village of Arrowtown, known for its historic cottages and museum where you can learn about the hardships of life amongst the goldfields. The village also boasts some great restaurants which, when added to those in Queenstown and the nearby countryside, will leave you spoilt for choice.

Golf Courses that boast fantastic scenery are located at; the venue for the Centennial New Zealand Golf Open “The Hills” and at Millbrook Country Club.

The Otago Region is a popular fly fishing destination and local guides can take you to the ‘special places’ hidden amongst the rugged landscape.

In winter Queenstown is a magnet for skiers who delight in the diverse selection of trails offered by the Remarkables Range and Coronet ski fields. Coronet Peak also has a program of night skiing. For wonderful views of the mountains and lake don’t forget a ride on the Queenstown Gondola.

Queenstown to Te Anau 172 kms allow 2 1/2 hours

Features:

Highway 6, the southern route out of Queenstown follows the shore of Lake Wakatipu
As you leave the Lake, note the Kingston turnoff, steam train rides in summer
Past Mossburn, pass through an area known as The Gorge, (Gorge Creek)
Cross barren tussock land known as The Wilderness.
Views of Lake Te Anau
Note the turnoff to Manapouri

Driving notes: Take a shortcut at Five Rivers (95km ex Queenstown, 11km out of Lumsden) to Mossburn, join Highway 94. Going through Lumsden adds 10km to the trip.

Te Anau

Dramatic, rugged and remote the Fiordland Region contains the Fiordland National Park that covers more than 1.25 million hectares. Access is by just a few roads and walking tracks – not surprising that the Takahe, one of New Zealand’s intriguing flightless birds, remained hidden here and thought to be extinct for more that 50 years, before being re-discovered in 1948. Some captive Takahe (part of the species management program) can be seen at the wildlife enclosure on the shores of Lake Te Anau.

Highlights for visitors to Fiordland include Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound that can be visited as day trips, or you can overnight on a Real Journeys Milford Sound Overnight Cruise or Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise. Enjoy spectacular scenery and wildlife spotting (watch for Fiordland Crested Penguins, Bottle Nosed Dolphins, New Zealand Fur seals, Blue Penguins & Dusky Dolphins). For day trippers you can travel to Milford and experience a day time scenic or Nature Cruise, or take the full day excursion for a Doubtful Sound Day Trip. Sea kayaking Milford Sound is also a popular day trip. Milford sound and Doubtful sound have their own special features and the make-up of their trips is quite different. Milford sound being a 118km road journey through spectacular countryside to the start of the sound, with its dramatic peaks. The trip to Doubtful sound involves a short trip (21km), boat trip across Lake Manapouri, a coach trip underground into the power station (whenever possible), and then over the Wilmot Pass, followed by the boat trip on Doubtful sound.

When travelling to Milford Sound take time to experience some of the many short walks and photo stops along the way and to appreciate the fantastic feat of engineering that the road itself represents.

For a more active expedition there are Milford Track day walks and multi day hikes into wilderness areas on the Milford Track, Hollyford Track, and Routeburn Track.

The main accommodation base for trips to Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound is Te Anau, located 21kms from Manapouri, the departure point for Doubtful Sound, and 120kms from Milford Sound. At Te Anau you will find the departure point for trips to the Te Anau Glow Worm Caves that are accessed via a boat trip across Lake Te Anau.

The Te Anau Wildlife Centre, which focuses on native birds, including the rare Takahe, is situated on the Te Anau to Manapouri road.

Activities Te Anau

Te Anau Glow Worm Caves. By boat across Lake Te Anau to Cavern House to view information displays then journey underground by path and small punt to view rock formations and the glow worm grotto
Trips & Tramps. Offer a great selection of trips in small groups up to 12 persons with a local knowledgeable guide, this family owned business has been operating from Te Anau for many years so they know the secrets. Options include

Day trips to Milford Sound including cruise

The relaxed day trip
Adding a few hours walking in this stunning region
One day guided walk on the Milford Track, up to 12 people, 10 – 12 km, 5 hours on the track plus launch cruise 1 ¼ hours each way to the head of Lake Te Anau
A day seal kayaking on Milford Sound

Trips at Milford sound options include

Nature Cruises
Scenic Cruises
Overnight Cruises

lunch options

Coach transport with commentary from and back to Te Anau is available.

Coach options are available from Queenstown also with a scenic flight choice

Trips to Doubtful Sound options include

Day Wilderness Cruise
Overnight Wilderness Cruise

Te Anau to Milford Sound 118 kms allow 2 - 2½ hours (plus stops)

Features:

Five-Mile Lookout over South Fiord
Henry Creek Lookout over Middle Fiord
Te Anau Downs, 45min return forest walk to Lake Mistletoe.
Mirror Lakes, reflections of Earl Mountains, beech forest & wetlands (5 mins)
Knobs Flat interpretational display, geology and wildlife.
Lake Gunn Nature Walk easy access 45 min. loop track
Pops View, lookout point.
Homer Tunnel 1200m rock hewn tunnel, car park and nature walk, (15mins)
The Chasm waterfall walk, waterfalls and water-sculpted rocks, (20 mins)
Tutoko Bridge viewing point.

Driving notes: Recommend that you have a full tank of petrol before departing from Te Anau. The road is good out to Milford Sound; recommend that you allow plenty of time to stop for sightseeing.

Return trip Milford Sound to Te Anau is by same route 118 kms allow 2 - 2½ hours

Return trip Te Anau to Queenstown is by same route, a further172 kms 2½ hours

We include a Route Guide for each segment of your trip.

Please click here to see a sample (.pdf 44kb)

Reservations Schedule.

We provide you with full details of each of your accommodation, car and activities reservations

23 rd to 25th January (Sample only)

Fiordland Lodge
Hosts: Ron and Robynne Peacock

Milford Road Te Anau
Phone: + 64 (03) 317 68
e-mail: Fiordlandlodge@xtrb.co.nz
Website: www.Fiordlandlodge.co.nz

Arrival Date: 23 Jan 2008, ex Queenstown
Departure Date: 25 Jan 2008
Nights Reqd: 2
Room Type: Smokefree, King ensuite with lake view
Tariff per night incl. taxes: NZ$
Total tariff incl. taxes: NZ$
Lodges Cancellation Policy: In the event the lodge is unable to replace your booking the following will apply. (1) 25% of full tariff will be charged if a reservation is cancelled within 30 days of the due arrival date. (2) Should a cancellation be received within 48 hours of the due arrival date, their will be a 100% tariff charge for every room night cancelled.

Comment: Tariff includes accommodation, four course dinner, pre dinner drinks, morning and afternoon teas, breakfast and use of lodge facilities.

Testimonials (Please see what our past clients have to say)

If you would like more information on our New Zealand Travel Agent services or have some questions you need reliable answers to, just e-mail us, it's free to ask and the answers may well prove invaluable.

New Zealand Vacation Planning