Stories from our backyard: Adventure activity near Auckland
I know I keep repeating myself. But when it comes to New Zealand it is all about nature and adventure…it’s that simple really! So, when you find yourself in New Zealand’s most populous city, make sure to grab the opportunity to escape the city life (sorry...
Stories from our backyard: Cathedral Cove Kayak Tours
New Zealand is all about nature and adventure. That’s definitely my take on this wondrous country. Yes, they have cities…but the main attraction for me and most visitors is to visit and experience the soul of those Insta-worthy landscapes that simply take your...
Stories from our backyard: AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand
Love at first Sight Bungy at first sight…now that is a twist on the traditional Valentine’s Day date! Not that I did it, but plenty of people did do a tandem Bungy with a stranger. AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand co-founder Henry van Asch explained it’s all about...
Stories from our backyard: Wildwire Wanaka
Wild Thing climb Laurel Morrison is both an adventurous and a generous soul. Together with her husband Mark they established the world’s highest waterfall cable climb in stunning Wanaka, on the South Island New Zealand. Designed by adventurous souls for...
Stories from our backyard: Franz Josef Heli Hike
Strapping on crampons immediately draws my mind to Sir Edmund Hillary. Unlike the famous mountaineer, my use of crampons is simply for a 2-hour hike on the Franz Josef Glacier, in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the South Island, New Zealand. Let’s face...Recent Reviews
We did a 21 day trip to New Zealand and Vicki was absolutely outstanding!!! She kept me informed during the entire process, worked out the itinerary to meet our needs, and double checked everything before our vacation. I highly recommend her!!! OUTSTANDING!!!!
erin zimmer
14:23 04 Aug 21
We only had one week where the family were all available for a trip away together. In a world of COVID restrictions we had no idea where to go. We asked Vicky from AET travel organise something. Her brief was to find something for a family of six, luxurious, warm, by the beach, within our budget and at short notice.AET travel delivered on every aspect. No detail was missed and nothing was too much trouble. We were presented with a few options from which to choose. We stayed at Peppers Soul in the heart of Surfers Paradise. Peppers took great care of our family and the accommodation was comfortable, luxurious and convenient.A highlight of the holiday was a trip to the stunning Lady Elliot Island on the southern aspect of the Great Barrier Reef which Vicky organised for us. We had our own tour guide Yugi, who looked after us making sure we got the most out of the day which included seeing majestic Manta rays and snorkelling with turtles. We would thoroughly recommend this experience. We are grateful to Vicky for organising.Vicky from AET looked after our family so well, thinking of every detail and communicating at every step. I only wish we had discovered AET earlier.Lynda and Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan
05:33 03 Jul 21
We selected Vicki to help us plan our month long trip to New Zealand at the recommendation of our colleagues. Over the period of a few weeks (during end of the year holidays) we worked out an itinerary, tailored to our likes that spanned the length of both islands. Vicki offered great suggestions on where to stay and activity options. We had a phone call that helped her personalize what would be best for us. I really appreciated that she then made the reservations (both lodging and key activities), using a single transfer we provided. This simplified our interactions tremendously. Vicki also kept track of events going on in New Zealand including disastrous rainfall in the Milford Sound region. She made late changes in our transportation that worked our perfectly. She helped plan the overall journey to minimize the necessary long travel from north to south. With our car reservation she arranged for the ferry crossing to the South Island and also arranged our flights from Queenstown back to Auckland before returning home. During the entire month there were no "surprises" in any of the reservations and activities. Thanks!Feb. 2020
Julia Behrendt
08:42 31 May 21
Excellent! We had a great time in Australia in Feb 2020! Everything was perfectly organized based on our needs, so we just had to jump into the plane! Highly recommended!!
Silvia Bianchi
01:39 31 May 21
Hello there! This is the second time we have used Vicki to plan a vacation. Her guidance on accommodations are recommendations were perfect. We started our vacation in Sydney by spending a couple of days downtown. We did a bike tour, an opera house tour, and took a ferry out to Manly Beach. Our hotel room was spacious and convenient! We walked almost everywhere or jumped on public transit with ease. She recommended markets, restaurants and even found Jazz clubs! Vicki was always available to answer our questions regarding everything from OYSTER cards to Cell phone plans. It's like having a friend to take of you. Our B&B in Hunter Valley was spacious and relaxing. The wine tour she set up for us was perfect. When our son changed his plans with us, she patiently contacted our hotels and even saved us some money. All in all a perfect trip. We wouldn't have changed a thing, unless of course, we could have stayed longer! Our trip was October 2019.
Melanie Malaviya
11:56 26 May 21
Vicki, we just wanted to drop you a note of thanks. The accommodations were exactly as you described, 5 star all the way. Our trip started with a drive to the Blue Mountains Emirates One and Only. Wonderful scenery, very peaceful and a great way to ease into a holiday. Food and service were spectacular. 3 days later we landed on Hamilton Island headed to Qualia. Views of the Coral Sea, sunrises and sunsets, wow! Hard to describe the tranquility of such a place. We finished in Sydney at the Four Seasons, right at the harbor. Beautiful views of the harbor, bridge and opera house, Sydney is such a fun city with great food and a welcoming nature. Thanks to you for your help in organizing this trip, it could not have happened without your help, patience and guidance.Mike and Andi Zimmerman September 2019
mike zimmerman
14:05 24 May 21
This is our second Australia Expat Travel holiday and again Vicki did not disappoint! We spent 3 weeks travelling New Zealand, from South to North Island. Every detail was covered, even down to the car hire company that allows cars onto the ferries, thus making our trip as stress free as possible. At the very last minute changes to our itinerary needed to be made due to bad weather and road closures. Vicki dealt with all cancellations and fresh bookings ensuring our holiday was not at all compromised by forces of nature. I will continue to recommend Australia Expat Travel to all my friends and hope to use the company again in the near future. Thank you Vicki! January 2020
Matt Carr
11:20 21 May 21
Amazing organization without surprise, everything organized with the right timing compliant with our expectation. I fully recommend Australia Expat Travel for the professionalism, she already take into account our wishes. We will keep a lot of good souvenir of this trip . We love Australian people, culture ,everything .. and kids want to live here now. Thanks Vicki for your help and organization , hope for the future we will come back to Australia
David Floze
08:17 18 May 21
Vicki is a top notch travel agent! Our trip was exactly what we hoped for! We started in Sydney for 3 nights (which was amazing),then went to Hunter Valley. Went back to Sydney then flew to Cairns/Port Douglas area, Not only did Vicki guide us through step by step with her expertise but also will book your flights, car rental, hotel stays, tours, shows and restaurants. In Sydney, We did the whale watching tour which was so fun. The whales were dancing for us that day!! We stayed in the Rocks, which the old part of Sydney. So if you are into history, hit it up! We love wine, so what else can I say about Hunter Valley other than beautiful, quiet and relaxing. Cairns and Port Douglas did not disappoint! We took the Skyrail up to Kuranda. The most lovely quaint little town I have ever been too. I highly recommend the Flames of Forest dinner; the food, wine, and entertainment was wonderful. Our most memorable night the whole 11 nights. We did a sunset snorkelling tour on the Great Barrier Reef with Sailaway Tours. Words cannot even describe that adventure. We loved all of Vicki's recommendations for our trip. She is an expert in her field and a wealth of knowledge. Her fees are very reasonable. Well worth the money just knowing nothing was over looked or forgotten. I highly recommend her service!!!! Thanks Vicki!January 2020
Cindy Mayo
22:58 17 May 21
Wow! Gorgeous nature, beautiful, clean beaches, fabulous food and wine, opportunities for adventure as well as relaxation... our Great Ocean road, Melbourne, Manly & Sydney 2 week holiday was terrific. The wildfires did not impact our trip too much (did have to cancel Blue Mountains) but Vicki quickly arranged excellent alternatives that we loved! Reliable, personalized service and spot on suggestions for eating, drinking and generally making the most of our time in Australia were made possible by Vicki’s attention to detail and extensive knowledge of the country. Highly recommend a visit, you won’t be disappointed :) Trip taken Jan2020
Jodi Monastra
17:53 17 May 21
Vicki did a great job helping us with our 3-weeks trip to NZ in Dec2019-Jan2020. We would definitely recommend her service to anyone who needs help in planning and organise their NZ-trip. We visited both islands and a lot of places, which makes it very hard to choose the best place or the best activity during our trip. The only thing we can say is that we will definitely go back.
Maria Edin
06:41 14 May 21
Hi Vicki, We had a few wonderful days on the Western Coast of West Australia in March 2020, and it was pretty Corona free and relaxed! The kangaroos outside the windows of our villas were very entertaining and almost worth the experience alone. It is always good to be a tourist in Australia. The people are SO relaxed and friendly, and we always feel welcome. Your services are great and make the planning a real picnic and the vacation itself very easy! Thank you once again.
Mari Braathen
11:17 12 May 21
