Louise, our guide, was incredibly inviting and informative throughout the entirety of our trip. We spent about three hours driving through beautiful countryside learning about New Zealand’s history, agriculture, and Maori culture. We went to both Wai o Tapu Geothermal Park and the geothermal park/Maori culture park at Te Puia. The former was beautiful, and Louise made sure we knew how these geothermal areas were used by the Maori. Te Puia was an amazing experience, as we were graciously invited to participate in a welcome ceremony and performance, and toured the on-site school that teaches traditional arts and culture to new generations. It was extremely interesting (and heartening) to learn about the Maori and see the work being done to preserve their traditions. Walking through the rest of the park, we even got to see a geyser erupt amidst the smoking craters and pools. The day was extremely memorable, and our guide was one of the most pleasant people we met.

Honestly our arrival in Auckland was not a good experience at all, but then we booked a 3 hour tour with Paul, and we were the only ones that afternoon so could really ask a lot of questions. He is very knowledgeable about history of Auckland, and as a native to Auckland, has much experience in the city. He recommended a small side trip for us to Devonport, which we enjoyed. The small bus has seen better days, but did the job, so we totally recommend this intro to Auckland.

Our guide David was excellent. We managed to get out early to catch the sunrise (and some beautiful photos) of the Matamata area around Hobbiton and were the first tour of the day (nobody else to get in your shots!) The New Zealand scenic routes were fantastic to get a taste of New Zealand outside the larger towns and David's tips were extremely helpful for where to go and what to look for at each location.

If you don't have a lot of time left and you're in hurry, go for this trip and you shouldn't be disappointed! Right, everything was kinda rushed and I just wish there was more time in Rotorua but c'mon, there's no other way to see these all places in barely one day! The guide made sure everyone is safe and sound and on time.

We did end up seeing pygmy blue whales and a bryde’s whale, along with several dolphins, and even penguins! The crew was extremely well-informed and informative. They took two samples of phytoplankton and zooplankton, and explained their environmental importance. It was an altogether engaging and memorable experience.