Beaches & Volcanoes: Best of the North Island for Families

We went to the North and South islands of New Zealand for our trip, and I felt like Zicasso’s travel specialist planned it perfectly for us. We gave him our dates, budget, and activities we were interested in, and his initial pitch was spot-on. He was very accommodating when it came to changes as well. We ended up adding another day to take in some of the Māori culture and also ended up shifting our dates from October to November, which he easily handled for us.

Our travel specialist was great and patient about answering any questions we had, which weren't very many. I'd never gotten such a complete package of information from a travel agent! They also utilize an app, so all of the information we needed was contained there. I had one question during the trip that I needed answered that day, and I called the local number I was given. They answered immediately and were so friendly and kind. We really couldn't have asked for a better trip and a better supporting team behind us.

Zicasso's travel agent and his team helped us craft a wonderful family trip of a lifetime! The lodging, myriad activities, variety of locations, cultural education, road-trip planning, and extra suggestions were all very much appreciated and enjoyed. The landscape of New Zealand is gorgeous and the people are so warm, easygoing, and welcoming. We left with a heartfelt plan to return someday in the not-too-distant future. Thank you!!

We absolutely loved so much of our trip! My kids’ (ages 11 and eight) favorite activities were luging in Rotorua, NZ, and the sunset camel ride in Uluru, AU, while my husband and I were enchanted by Hobbiton and enjoyed exploring a glowworm cave with the owner's father! We all loved Tasmania.

There were a few hiccups. However, we were very happy with all the support the Zicasso travel company's team provided in real time to help us get back on track. 

The overall trip was fantastic. My husband and I appreciated having the team support our adventures, both the highs and the lows. The team members were detailed-oriented. This trip exceeded our expectations and we’re incredibly grateful for their expertise in curating such memorable experiences.

This was a great trip. We enjoyed many of the activities, especially the Māori experiences, the garden tours, the glowworm cave, the first wine tour on Waiheke Island, the kiwi hatchery, and Arthur’s Pass. The guides were excellent. All were courteous, prompt, and knowledgeable, and showed a high degree of enthusiasm. The reasons we give this travel company four instead of five stars is due to the poor hotel room we had in Queenstown, the slow response from the company concerning the hotel room, and the fact that they gave us no help in choosing restaurants or making reservations. One change I would have made in the itinerary would be to have just one wine-tasting day instead of two. The other activities were wonderful… fine choices.

Zicasso’s tour planner created an amazing trip for us. He was quick to respond with initial planning and tailored the trip to our personal interests, thus creating a true customized experience. His expertise, advice, and recommendations were invaluable. 

Our itinerary allowed us to see and do so much during our trip, including museums, galleries, Māori cultural experiences, a lake-side day spa, geothermal park, Hobbiton, Mount Cook, a harbor tour, Milford Sound, a scenic railway trip through the Southern Alps, hiking, and dining, etc. 

We enjoyed each of the selected accommodations.  

The New Zealand touring app was an amazing resource and contained perfect details for each excursion and accommodation check-ins. Questions that arose during the trip were always answered in a timely manner over the app. Essentially, the stress of planning a two-week, multicity road trip was eliminated and all the hours I would have spent planning this itinerary myself were avoided. I would highly recommend the company.

Our trip was spectacular and magical! My adult son (who was comfortable driving there) and I traveled to New Zealand from November 8 through November 23, 2025. When planning, I purchased the Lonely Planet book to help me decide locations. Since we were mainly interested in nature, we focused on the bountiful nature of South New Zealand. I then looked for a local company that could work with me and sent them the many places mentioned as the most beautiful places inaccessible on large tours. They worked with us every step of the way to find out-of-the-way, beautiful places and learning experiences.

Their itinerary even gave a lot of information about favorite things to do on our own in each area, in between our excursions. Each excursion was extraordinary—beautiful, fun, informative, and very well managed by the local guides. Since we went in their late spring, the flowers everywhere were in full bloom and most spectacular. We would rate the tour operator with a 10 out of 5!