First Light Travel
First Light Travel
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About
With your many choices for travel to New Zealand and Australia, our personal touch sets us apart. Our incredible local Travel Specialists and personally vetted supplier network ensure a flawless holiday experience from start to finish with unique experiences around every corner. From secret honeymoon hideaways to the best fly-fishing spots, our local knowledge is second to none. All our guests enjoy free phone support from your personal Travel Specialist during your travels, so we are only a phone call away if you have any questions or concerns.
Auckland, New Zealand
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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5.0
292 reviews
Excellent
276
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5
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7
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2
travellercan75
Canada27 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
February 2020. I am a teacher travelling with 3 other teachers from Toronto Canada. I found First Light Travel on the Internet, and with blind faith, booked a 25 day tour through both the north and south island of New Zealand. We are not quite halfway through, and every activity they booked has been magnificent. I suspect this is a slightly higher end travel agency, due to the excellent customer service, although I really don’t use travel agents often so this is just a guess on my part. Our travel agent, Christine, frequently emailed on her weekends off and late at night, to get our itinerary finalized. No money was required until the 25 day itinerary was finalized. So far all of the hotel rooms and excursions have been absolutely wonderful. If you are considering travelling to the north island, do not miss the three day sailboat cruise by Ecocruise out of Piahia. Thank you First Light Travel!
Written 11 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joy M
Keene, NY7 contributions
Jan 2020
My husband and I celebrated our 50th anniversary by going on a 23 day tour of the North and South Islands of New Zealand in a camper van. We booked our tour through First Light Travel with travel consultant Melissa Rauner. We had never been to New Zealand, but through phone calls and emails, Melissa answered questions and paved the way for the memorable experience that we hoped for. She listened to our interests and adjusted our itinerary with the locations, number of days at each site and the activities we enjoy. Every location greeted us with amazing scenery and adventures. We swam, kayaked, biked in the wine country, hiked on the beaches and in national parks, heli-hiked the Tasman glacier, took wild life cruises and experienced the Maori culture. With heavy rains in the South Island, Melissa changed our itinerary until the weather improved. We never missed an activity or destination that we longed to experience. First Light Travel and Melissa Rauner made this a stress free, memorable trip of a lifetime to beautiful New Zealand.
Written 23 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heather W
Dunfermline, UK15 contributions
Jan 2020
I chose first light travel as they provided a unique itinerary which evolved in the course of a lot of discussion with me. Chrissy my consultant really listened, offered lots of helpful information suggestions and advice, and the result was an amazing experience of 6 weeks exploring north and south island safely and supported as a solo traveller relying on public transport. I would never have achieved this on my own. This trip was planned and booked solo however much nearer the time one of my friends asked if she could join me for part of the trip. Chrissy helped to organise a seamless merge in for her too booking identical trips and travel and sharing accommodation. Wonderful service. The system of a detailed daily itinerary and vouchers was easy to use and worked perfectly.
Written 10 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LAURENCE B
Horley, UK17 contributions
Feb 2020
First light produced an excellent itinerary starting in Auckland and ending in Queenstown. There were many highlights but a few to mention are the Tongoriro Crossing, the glo worm caves at Waitamo, a Heli Hike onto Fox Glacier and a Scenic flight over Fjor land . ( the roads were closed due to flooding )
Shelley at First light managed to change our itinerary in South Island at the last moment which was impacted my weather and we still managed to see all the major attractions
Shelley at First light managed to change our itinerary in South Island at the last moment which was impacted my weather and we still managed to see all the major attractions
Written 14 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert1244
Emporia, KS69 contributions
Mar 2020
FirstLight and our travel consultant, Shelley Kirk, were instrumental in helping us have a great vacation in New Zealand. Their itinerary pushed us to have so many more adventures than we would have planned by ourselves.
In addition, their attention to details, like booking transfers from airports and train stations to our hotels, saved us a lot of time and made the trip so much smoother. One extra surprise was the list of “other things to do” while in each city or town along the way. We especially liked knowing where to get the best coffee.
We have resisted working with a trip planner in the past as we did not want to be trapped into a pre-set itinerary. Shelley and FirstLight worked with us before and throughout the trip to make changes that made this “our” trip and not a “one size fits all” packaged tour.
We would strongly recommend FirstLight to anyone who wants to make the best use of their time during a trip to New Zealand. They are experts in all of the major attractions and helped us get a personal view of every stop. We definitely will use them when we return.
In addition, their attention to details, like booking transfers from airports and train stations to our hotels, saved us a lot of time and made the trip so much smoother. One extra surprise was the list of “other things to do” while in each city or town along the way. We especially liked knowing where to get the best coffee.
We have resisted working with a trip planner in the past as we did not want to be trapped into a pre-set itinerary. Shelley and FirstLight worked with us before and throughout the trip to make changes that made this “our” trip and not a “one size fits all” packaged tour.
We would strongly recommend FirstLight to anyone who wants to make the best use of their time during a trip to New Zealand. They are experts in all of the major attractions and helped us get a personal view of every stop. We definitely will use them when we return.
Written 15 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beverleyhf
Bowral, Australia395 contributions
Feb 2022
We had the best time travelling around Tasmania which was made so easy booking with First Light Travel. Michelle Srzich chatted to us beforehand to understand the type of holidays we enjoyed, along with activities, etc and then produced the most amazing itinerary. We arrived into Launceston and stayed at the beautiful Stillwater Seven Hotel, from there we drove across to the magnificent Cradle Mountain where we had an authentic lodge. We walked around 20km's one day taking in Dove Lake and all the beautiful surroundings. Checking out of Cradle Mountain we headed across to Freycinet National Park, staying in the eco resort of Freycinet Resort. WOW! Our week finished in Hobart with more exploring before we headed back home. It was a fun packed week, with detours along the way to Deloraine, Sheffield (The Town of Murals), Orford, Richmond and many others. From collecting our hire car at Launceston airport to dropping it off at Hobart and all the hotels, accommodation, etc etc the whole week ran like clockwork and how on earth Michelle managed to arrange sunshine for the whole week is beyond us!
Written 23 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WhiteRocker
White Rock, BC9 contributions
Mar 2020
First Light Travel made all the arrangements for our trip of a life time. The 26 day self drive itinerary was custom made to suit our interests and budget. Planning started several months ahead of our journey, communicating with Narissa to prepare a fulfilling itinerary. We started in Christchurch, working our way through the spectacular coast, mountains and lakes of the South Island. We took the ferry to Wellington and completed our North Island journey in Auckland as summer waned into autumn. The trip offered such variety in activities and excursions, the only thing we suggest is adding a few more days, as there is so much to see and do.
Written 30 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christopher S
Los Angeles, CA4 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
We just returned from an incredible custom New Zealand trip with First Light Travel. We traveled with 2 other couples in a Mercedes Sprinter van (have 11 passenger seats, so very comfortable for 3 couples and a driver/guide), started in Auckland, then took the ferry to Waitheke Island (The Boat Shed for 2 nights), drove to Taupo (Huka Lodge for 2 nights), the flew to Benheim (Marlborough Sounds for winery visits, Bay of Many Coves for 3 nights), then headed to Kaikoura (SHapuku Lodge Tree House for 1 night), before going to Christchurch (The George for 1 night), and then Lake Pukaki (Lakestone Lodge for 2 nights), and Queenstown (Rosewood Matakauri Lodge for 2 nights). The tour included many highlights - landing on the Tasman Glacier, flying over the Southern Alps, Milford Sound cruise, Cloudy Bay winery visit. First Light Travel did an excellent job in coordinating all our hotel stays and activities, and provided the best drivers/guides for our entire trip. We were also given some special treatments - private dinners in the library and cellar at the Huka Lodge, private dinners at the Rosewood Matakauri Lodge, and upgraded rooms at some of the hotels. When I worked out the detailed itinerary with First Light Travel, Danielle Mueth was extremely responsive and always answered my emails within 24 hours (an A+ for that). When I first sent out a proposed itinerary to 4 travel companies for quotes, First Light Travel was the first one to respond, and also the one with the lowest quote. I highly recommend First Light Travel to anyone planning to travel to New Zealand and Australia. In fact, we are already working with Danielle Mueth on a 2025 trip to Australia, covering Melbourne and several national parks in Victoria.
Written 8 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barbara Bartling
2 contributions
Mar 2020
We found First Light Travel online and am so glad we did! Amelia Riwai answered our request to prepare an itinerary for our three week adventure. She did a brilliant job of taking our travel framework and desires to create an unforgettable trip. It was especially nice to have an in-country travel consultant to work with. The accommodations Amelia booked were diverse and perfect for our group of four. She found some awesome places.
Amelia also suggested a few guided trips to consider. We are so glad we added them to our itinerary. We learned so much from the knowledgeable guides.
First Light Travel was a breeze to work with. We had a couple of weekend issues during our trip and they were only a phone call away with solutions and sound advice.
We enjoyed working with Amelia and would highly recommend using First Light Travel in planning your next holiday.
Amelia also suggested a few guided trips to consider. We are so glad we added them to our itinerary. We learned so much from the knowledgeable guides.
First Light Travel was a breeze to work with. We had a couple of weekend issues during our trip and they were only a phone call away with solutions and sound advice.
We enjoyed working with Amelia and would highly recommend using First Light Travel in planning your next holiday.
Written 31 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Madone3
Dubai, United Arab Emirates219 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
We booked a 3 week campervan tour of the North and South Islands of New Zealand with a full itinerary with mixed attractions including kayaking, cycling, Moire experience, helicopter ride and glacial experience plus others all well arranged by First Light Travel including our campsites. The whole process was seamless and was so perfectly arranged. Our consultant, Melissa was so helpful especially when Coronavirus Covid19 troubles started and she was rearranging our itinerary to suit a very changing situation. Unfortunately, we have not been able to continue with the holiday and had to return home before we get stranded in New Zealand. However, from the 12 days we spent, this is an amazing holiday we recommend to all.
Written 30 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marco D
Miami Beach, Florida
I considering a small group luxury travel in NZ with FLT. I am a tall fellow . How comfortable the coaches used by FLT in New Zealand ? . Are the seats roomy and comfortable ?
Written 14 July 2024
Hi we had two different rental cars for most of our travels they were both extremely comfortable. I suspect if you tell the folks at FLT your concerns they can work with you.
Written 7 August 2024
We've just booked our self-guided driving tour with First Light Travel from Auckland to Milford Sound, but we're curious what to budget for driving expenses (gas, tolls, meals, etc) over 3 weeks.
Written 16 December 2022
Assuming that car hire and accommodation is pre-paid and you are driving an economical vehicle general expenses would be around AU$250/day for a couple; also assuming not too many 5 star dining nights out.
Written 18 December 2022
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