Queenstown Archives - Australia 2000 Travel

July 26, 2018

Thank you from Natalie Robinson

Karen planned the perfect trip of a lifetime for our family of 5 (kids are age 22, 19 and 16) for our 30th wedding anniversary. It had been a dream of mine to visit Australia and although I usually plan and book all our trips I wanted to make sure that I sought expert opinion for this one. I had a couple of initial meetings with Karen where we discussed preferences and options and budget and Karen then put together an initial plan. I would say our final trip consisted of 95% of Karen’s suggestions.

We stayed in 5 different locations in Australia and New Zealand and they were all superb from the flights, accommodation to the airport pick ups and drop offs to the excursions. The majority of our excursions were private with an expert driver/guide who looked after us extremely well. Our highlights of the trip were Orpheus, just paradise! Sydney harbour tour with lunch, Queenstown is a beautiful city and our accommodation at Millbrook was fantastic. Doubtful Sound is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited and the tour was very well planned. The least interesting city we stayed in was Auckland but it was worth it for our day trip to Waiheke (an island 35 minutes ferry ride from Auckland) with another expert guide where we visited wineries and olive groves.

This trip slightly exceeded our initial budget but it was well worth it to have the expert planning and attention from Karen and her team in Australia and New Zealand and to have so many exceptional experiences. I would recommend Australia 2000 to anyone looking to travel to Australia and New Zealand.

March 15, 2018

Thank you from Christine Riggle

Dear Karen and Wendy,

Wharariki Beach and Archway Islands – Photo Credit to Christine Riggle

It has been two weeks, but I think I?m finally recovering from jet lag! I want to thank you both for the arrangements you made for Faith and I for our February trip to NZ. Our stay in Pohara was just what we needed to start the trip. Steve at Ratanui Lodge was wonderful. On our free day we followed his suggestions to visit Wainui Bay and Wainui Falls and to go to Toto?s for lunch and had a great time. I would recommend Pohara and Ratanui Lodge to any of your clients. The highlight of our stay in Golden Bay has to be the day we spent with Lucy of Wine, Art and Wilderness Tours. Although we were disappointed that we would not see Noel, Lucy was a wonderful substitute. She took us to Wharariki Beach which was amazing.

Sea lion near Dunedin – Photo Credit to Christine Riggle

The only bad weather we experienced was in Queenstown the day we were scheduled to go on the Dart River jet boat tour. We were lucky enough to be able to reschedule for the next day. Not only was it a beautiful day to spend outside, but the jet boat tour was a lot of fun and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous.

I really have to thank you for recommending the kiwi spotting tour while we were at Stewart Island and the day we spent with Brian (who was a pleasure to spend time with) of Classic Jaguar Tours visiting Lanarch Castle, the Royal Albatross Centre and the Penguin Place Conservation Reserve. We actually spotted a kiwi!–a very hungry kiwi apparently who we were able to observe for a good 20 minutes. This is the first trip to NZ during which we?ve seen so much wildlife. It was amazing!

So thank you both for an awesome trip!

Christine Riggle

April 30, 2015

Thank you from Mary Jo Drew

Hi Karen,

My entire foodie trip in the Lands Down Under went off with nary a hitch. The business class flights were the best splurge I’ve given myself in years!

MEL - Downtown from Mary Jo Drew — Photo Credit to Mary Jo Drew

The Hotel Lindrum in?Melbourne was well positioned with easy access to shopping and attractions.? The Lanes and Arcades tour is an absolute must for anyone visiting Melbourne for the first time. As our guide pointed out, by not knowing to look down the city?s narrow alleyways?many Americans would walk right past them and miss out on so much vibrant local culture.

There is so much colorful history in Melbourne.? At our guide’s advice, I even stopped in and had a drink?upstairs?with the famous Chloe in her namesake bar across from Flinders Railway Station!? The?Yarra Valley?winery tour was great fun. I really enjoyed seeing the Chandon Estate and didn?t realize Chandon had a vineyard in Australia!

Hobart in Tasmania was a really nice respite after the hustle and bustle of Melbourne.? The Old Woolstore Hotel was so close to the downtown area and harbor that I was able to walk virtually the entire downtown during my stay.? My private tour and lunch at the Morilla Estate was fantastic though the artwork at MONA came as a bit of a shock!?? The trip to Bruny Island was great.? The weather started out very rainy but by noon everything cleared out and I had a lovely day.

ZQN view from Mary Jo Drew — Photo Credit to Mary Jo Drew

And then came Queenstown in beautiful New Zealand. The Dairy may have been my favorite accommodation – had I not stopped at The Manse later!? The view, room, breakfasts and staff service were all superlative.? I also enjoyed the hot tub on the back deck – a great place to sip wine while enjoying the view!? Although the weather was on again, off again, I had mostly great weather for my wanderings about town, the public garden, and the narrow streets.? I also enjoyed great meals at a couple of unique tapas bars on Lake Wakatipu.? The Doubtful Sound trip was quite majestic, but as The Sound is so remote?it was a very long day. The winery tour to Otago was great and the charcuterie lunch was quite good.

NPE - The Manse view from Mary Jo Drew — Photo Credit to Mary Jo Drew

Lastly came Hawkes Bay. I knew I was in for a treat when I saw the plane I?d be flying on the leg from Christchurch to Napier – a regional aircraft not unlike some I have been on in the Pacific Northwest!??After staying at The?Manse and being totally spoiled by the fantastic accommodation, the pool, the drinks before dinner, Gary’s sumptuous meals, and his and Dietske’s hospitality, I can only say that I wish I had had spent more time there!? My guide on the winery tour had spent years in the business himself, and it showed in his insights into the various wineries and producers.? My tour of Napier with Gary on the last day of my trip certainly cemented my wish to spend more time in stunning Hawkes Bay.

The trip was spectacular and I will have great memories to share for years to come.? Thanks for all your help in making this happen!

Best wishes,

Mary Jo

May 2, 2014

Thank you from Marlies and Helmut Kraemer

Hi Karen,

The ?Down-Under Travelers? of 2012 have now enjoyed a second trip with Australia 2000 Travel ? this time to New Zealand! How can we really thank you for putting together another amazing journey for the Kraemers? The answer became apparent these past few weeks. We spent 5 incredible weeks in New Zealand (February 1 ? March 8, 2014) and while the experience was a once in a lifetime, the retelling to friends is a special way of reliving the trip. And that is how we can really thank you. It is an ongoing experience with us every time we get the iPad out and share pictures and memories. And we see the looks on our friends? faces?..first a bit of envy, then joy, and then?.the question?.who did you use for this amazing trip? Then we can return the favor and say, well of course, Karen at Australia 2000 Travel! It was also interesting that during our New Zealand travels we met other guests during our stops who upon hearing our itinerary asked that same famous question?..who was your agent? Again, the joy when we could share your information with them!

Our 5 week journey took us from Auckland to Queenstown with our overnights at some of the most beautiful places one can imagine. Though each were wonderful, Helmut and I had some favorites: EdenHouse in the Nelson region, Otahuna Lodge outside of Christchurch, Huka Lodge in the Taupo area, and both the Farm at Cape Kidnappers in Hawke?s Bay and Matakuri Lodge in Queenstown. And we should not forget Mollies in Auckland and Hapuku Lodge in Kaikoura! But a trip is not about lodges, it is about what one learns. We met such wonderful ?Kiwis?, hospitable, kind, and fun-loving. We learned so much about New Zealand, its history, culture, and its life today both economically and politically. I have told so many friends that we attended the ?University of New Zealand? for 5 weeks!

I must confess that I was a bit hesitant to travel to New Zealand because I am not a ?sports? person and rather risk adverse to things that the locals find just plain fun-like jet boat rides and bungee jumping! But one need no athleticism to eat and drink one?s way through New Zealand?.only stamina!! With an agro/aquaculture based economy one certainly has access to the best foods in the world. The concept of paddock to table is everywhere and we were in good food withdrawal for days upon our return! The wines?..shall we say most of the good wines remain ?home? in New Zealand!

Finally, the natural beauty of New Zealand, alone, is worth a trip. I have likened New Zealand to California on steroids?..ocean, mountains, desert, rainforests, volcanoes, tectonic plates?..you name it, it is there! And the animals?.for all my days I will remember my ?baby??..Vortex, the kiwi bird, who has been so fortunate to be in a sanctuary at Cape Kidnappers and be able to grow up in safety in his natural habitat.

In a nutshell, New Zealand touched each one of our senses: our eyes took in the magnificent scenery, our ears heard the calls of native birds and the wind, our noses smelled the beautiful flowers and sheep, our taste buds burst with the amazing flavors of the foods we ate, and our hands touched and felt so much of the texture of this incredible world. All perfection?and because you helped to bring all of that into our lives by paying attention to every detail of our journey. That brings smiles of joy to our faces!

The three pictures say so much??.we enjoyed and we thank you, your US team, and the New Zealand team that made it all a beautiful reality for us!

Fondly?..Marlies and Helmut Kraemer

February 25, 2014

Thank you from return travelers Christine Riggle & Faith Gaudaen

Faith and I LOVED our trip. New Zealand was everything we remembered and more.

The Cottage on Waiheke Island was great. Gary and Katy were super nice. So nice they even gave us one of the fish that Gary was smoking when we arrived. We really enjoyed the catamaran charter with Phil and Maire. There wasn’t any air in the morning, but we island hopped until the air picked up and we had a nice sail back to Waiheke.

Tim and Janet of Baywicks were as nice as we remembered. Even though it was surprisingly cold during our cruise in Abel Tasman, the captain Rod Stewart still made the trip interesting and fun. We’d like to give a special shot out for Noel Kennedy, our guide in Golden Bay. He and Golden Bay, we think, were the highlight of the trip. We’re so glad you included it in the itinerary. It’s definitely an area we would like to go back to, if we have the chance.

Although we really enjoyed both of the B&Bs, finishing the trip at the Rees Hotel in Queenstown was very nice and relaxing. The unit even had a fireplace which we made liberal use of on another cold day. The changes at the Rees were a pleasant surprise–expansion of their concierge service and the shuttles to town. The dinner at True North was truly exceptional. Thank you so much for booking it. I’m not sure if we would have gone otherwise.

So we can’t say it enough how much we loved the trip and the people we met (and saw again). Thanks again for arranging another wonderful trip to NZ!

Cheers,

Christine and Faith

February 24, 2014

Thank you from Mike & Jess Wiley

Mike and I had such an amazing trip to New Zealand that we didn’t want to come home!

Everything from the airport pickup to Queenstown was beyond words. The stay on Waiheke Island was absolutely breathtaking and it was the PERFECT way to start our trip. Our accommodations were very nice and our hostess was very sweet! We loved the Lord of the Rings movie set and the various scenery that we saw across these beautiful islands. Nelson and the Able Tasman National Park was exquisite. We were really impressed at the conditions of the national park trails and how organized everything was. Christmas in Nelson and dinner at the Boat Shed Restaurant was fabulous. That was one of the best dinners we have ever had! The seafood was beyond perfection and I am very picky about seafood!!!! The drives to the Franz Josef Glacier and then to Queenstown were beautiful. Our pictures hardly capture the magnificence of the places we saw. The glacier hike was so much fun!!! We felt very safe with our guide and it was such a unique experience. Thank you for getting us a GPS with our car rentals! It was VERY helpful!

Our most favorite adventure was in Queenstown when we went to Glenorchy for the jet boat safari on the Dart River. We wanted to do it more than once. Even the bus ride to Glenorchy was breathtaking.

The food was great and the atmosphere everywhere we went was so hospitable and inviting! Everyone was very nice and gave us well wishes on our recent marriage. We would definitely go back and see some of the things that we didn’t get this time.

I have attached a couple of pictures from our trip. Thanks again for organizing this trip for us. It will truly be something we will never forget. We hope you all had a great start to the year and have continued blessings throughout the year.

Sincerely,

Jess Wiley

January 31, 2014

Thank you from Gerald Fuller & Siamak Gholami

Our two week Australia/New Zealand adventure experience was truly one of the finest vacations either of us has ever had. Karen and her Michigan office and international staffs executed a fine-tuned, action-packed, successive whirlwind that we slept dead 12 of the 14 return hour flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles. Exploring the north Sydney beaches on Harleys, flying low along the Sydney beaches in a sea plane, climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, swimming in the Coral Sea with three sharks, sand boarding, New Zealand jet boating, paddling the Waka (Mori outrigger), gazing in awe walking the Milford Track, mountain biking down a 3,000 foot mountain to downtown Nelson, hiking the Abel Tasman and Heaphy Traks, climbing active volcanoes of New Zealand?s north island, and chartering 11 helicopters, 3 planes, and a sea plane are just some of the excitement included in Karen?s adventure itinerary.

Now to the hotels. Wow! Park Hyatt in Sydney, Eichardt?s Private Hotel in Queenstown, Edenhouse near Nelson, Peppers Awaroa Lodge in Abel Tasman National Park are just a few of the perfectly suited for the experience and location we enjoyed. Even with walking/trekking, mountain biking, paddling a Waka, and climbing mountains, we still gained an average of 7.5 pounds each; enough said on the naturally nutritious, delicious, and extremely well-presented food.

We spent nearly two years working with Karen to get the trip we wanted. Gerald wanted to end his 60s with a bang and Siamak just lives life with a bang. Together we all pulled it together, but the nucleus was Karen and her staff. Thank you.

Gerald Fuller and Siamak Gholami

January 28, 2014

Thank you from David & Adrea Benkoff

Dear Karen,

We traveled to Australia and New Zealand for 3 ? weeks on a spectacular tour tailored to our tastes. We hopscotched around Australia from Sydney to Cairns, Ayers Rock to Kangaroo Island. Every stop included personalized tours, wonderful people and terrific wildlife experiences. We even spent a day in Barossa wine country sampling from four wineries.

The scenery in New Zealand was picture postcard perfect. The experiences that Karen provided in Arthur?s Pass, Queenstown and Doubtful Sound highlighted the natural beauty and provided exciting activities such as a Jet Boat Ride, overnight cruise and sheep shearing. We toured with an Aboriginal and Maori guide and experienced their lifestyle first hand.

Whether we had a private tour or joined with others, all the selected tour guides were personable, knowledgeable, and genuinely enjoyable to spend time with.

Australia 2000 made this the adventure of a lifetime.

Thanks, Adrea and David Benkoff

March 11, 2013

Thank you from The Robinet Family

Dear Karen,

We can?t thank you enough for putting together such a wonderful itinerary for us. Our trip to Australia and New Zealand was the trip of a lifetime and one that none of us will forget.

From Green Island to Ayers Rock to Sydney to Queenstown, we have memories of the most beautiful places we?ve ever seen. The adventures you chose for us were terrific.? From snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef to the Sounds of Silence dinner and camel ride at sunrise in Ayer?s Rock from Bridgeclimb, New Year?s Eve festivities and sailing on Sydney Harbour in Sydney to ziplining and bungy jumping in Queenstown, New Zealand, etc., everything was fantastic!

We?re already talking of going back! We booked this trip because we wanted to do a big family trip before our oldest son goes away to college. Thank you for exceeding our expectations. Australia and New Zealand truly are spectacular places to visit. The Aussie?s & Kiwi?s are wonderful too! They really know how to enjoy life and they made sure that we enjoyed it too. Thank you to you and your staff.

Sincerely,

The Robinet Family

February 6, 2013

Thank you from Dr. Gunta Wheeler

Hello Karen,

Our trip to Australia & New Zealand was absolutely a dream come true.

Sydney was everything you told us to expect. We thoroughly enjoyed our luxurious hotel and all of the wonderful tours planned for us, especially the small group city orientation tour. Our guide was totally awesome, he even brought us to the market so that we could do a bit of shopping and then to the Yacht Club for a fantastic lunch.

Lizard island was as we dreamed it would be ?out of this world? with absolutely the best food and service. The weather was as we ordered, sunny when we needed it to be and cloudy when we had a slight sunburn. Adelaide, the wineries and Kangaroo Island were also just perfect.

Our favorite part of New Zealand was Queenstown. On arrival we enjoyed a hot springs spa treatment and then headed into town where we joined in a Bar Crawl at the Ice Bar. That was the best night ever. My friends were trying to remind me my age, but I could not care less.

I must tell you that there is a new restaurant in Queenstown called Flame Bar and Grill where the ribeye steak is to die for. Also the Irish pub, Pog Mahones Stone Grill, has the best cuisine next to Lizard Island. Our favorite tour was the jet boat ride on the Dart River. It was thrilling fun and we had the best captain. I have to admit that I am totally ready to drop everything and move to Queenstown if I am ever offered the opportunity.

We also thoroughly enjoyed our chartered boat tour in Nelson. The captain was great and the Tasman Sea was at its best with lots of sun and seals, penguins and very artistic jelly fish. We sun tanned, swam and enjoyed our lunch tremendously. A highlight of the day was the terrific driver who told all about the Nelson area and even stopped at the local market so that we could purchase fresh fruit.

WOW was as wow could be, we were shocked out of our pants, that Nelson has a magnificent museum. After visiting the museum our private guide took us to the wineries where we savored the best ever smoked salmon. Paired with a prized Chardonnay, the salmon was simply splendid. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed Nelson thanks to the tours and fantastic tour guides.

Now the toughest part is to get back to ordinary food and work. I truly feel that New Zealand is calling me to return as I felt so very much at home there.

Thank you so much for a truly glorious trip!

Dr. Gunta Wheeler