Our New Zealand Travel Specialists

Zicasso's travel company and our travel specialist, who was my contact, were fabulous! She designed a perfect vacation. We just returned from three and a half magical weeks. She ensured everything was seamless.
We had four helicopter trips and, before each trip, she checked the weather and checked with the helicopter provider to ensure our trip was still scheduled. Only one of the four trips was canceled and she ensured we would get a refund. Not only the refund, but she worked on a Plan B.
Each place we stayed was simply wonderful and we did not have to go through the usual hotel/lodge registration because she had ensured the hotel/lodge knew our information.
The day visits were so memorable–just magnificent–from our private sailing adventure on a 54-foot yacht to our magnificent private helicopter rides, viewing volcanoes (active and inactive), the Marlborough Sounds, and whales and dolphins in Kaikōura. We went on a ferry in Milford Sound. Magnificent! We traveled on the TranzAlpine train to Arthur's Pass.
I cannot list everything we did, but each experience was magnificent. The guides themselves were all top-notch: knowledgeable, friendly, and wonderful to spend a day with. Our travel specialist was available for all kinds of requests, like making dinner reservations and then canceling those reservations if we changed our mind last minute. My husband asked me on a few occasions, "Does she have a life other than helping us 24/7?"
Truly, it was the most memorable trip we have ever taken. (And in the past two years we have traveled to Canada, Acadia National Park in Maine, Alaska on a cruise, Chile and Antarctica, Paris, and Italy, each with different travel vendors. But this trip, with the travel company and the travel specialist, was the most memorable, the most magical, and I mean every single day!
Please list the travel company as a five-star, top-notch travel designer in New Zealand and Australia. (And, as a footnote, of the two hotel choices the travel specialist gave me, she recommended our hotel in Sydney, and I'm so thankful I agreed with her recommendation. It was simply wonderful–a great final note, with three nights in Sydney before we went home. Not to mention the private tour of the Sydney Opera House!) Thank you for connecting us with the travel company.

It was fantastic and perfect.
We would recommend Zicasso’s travel specialist and the tour operator with enthusiasm to everyone!

All aspects of our experience were very good. Zicasso’s travel specialist designed an excellent itinerary based on our request. She was always available in a timely fashion and we had a good rapport with her. We would definitely use this travel company again.

I completely enjoyed the trip. Each event/excursion was fun and interesting.
Every item on my must-see list was included, and then some, by Zicasso's travel specialist.

Thank you to our travel company for a wonderful Australian experience. All the arrangements for my planned trips went smoothly. Our hotel in Sydney was very convenient and comfortable, with the best breakfast and coffee ever. My excursion guides were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The sights in Uluru were all that I imagined and more. It was a memorable trip. I’m glad I booked with Zicasso and this travel company.

Overall, we enjoyed our trip to New Zealand. NZ is by far the most beautiful country we've visited. Aside from a few booking mishaps (our hotel in Taupo and whale-watching reservations), our trip was well planned by Zicasso’s travel specialist.
I would only change a few things. For example, I would have preferred a day of wine tasting in Marlborough over the excursion to Martinborough. The train from Wellington to Martinborough was changed at the last minute to a fairly horrific bus ride through a mountain range. Also, we would have preferred another option to see Cathedral Cove over the glass-bottom boat, which seemed more geared for families with children. The seating configuration (facing in) made it quite difficult to appreciate the area. There were other boating options that would have been better suited for us. Even the water taxi from Hahei Beach would have been a better choice.
We absolutely loved the lodging the travel specialist booked for us, for example, our lodges in Kaikōura, Wanaka, and especially the one in Queenstown! And though there were places we would have loved to spend more time, she did a wonderful job of getting the most out of our itinerary given the timeframe.
I'd like to personally thank her for her assistance throughout the planning and during our trip.

Our trip to Australia was incredible! Zicasso's tour operator put together a very thoughtful, well-paced itinerary. Our transportation always met us on time and with a good attitude. We enjoyed the diversity of experiences curated for our stay.
They took our bucket-list items and created an itinerary that allowed us to see almost every one! We were grateful to have a tour of the Historic Rocks in Sydney, a boat cruise harbor tour, watch "Carmen" at the Sydney Opera House, take a sunset camelback ride in the desert to see Ayers Rock, snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, and get a private tour of a wildlife habitat (this was so special because we got to interact with some of the animals and learn from their keepers directly).
The only occasion on which I wish we'd had more time to spend was at Kuranda Village! There was so much to do and see, but we had an Army Duck tour and Aboriginal experience booked, which I really enjoyed because we got to ride through the jungle and enjoy performances from the Pamagirri community. Taking the Skyrail up and the train down was also a sight to see.
We enjoyed the intimate nature of tours, allowing us to ask questions about history, architecture, and daily life, and engage with our tour guides in a meaningful way. Highly prefer this style of private/small tours to the bigger bus tours. Our accommodations were impressive--from the luxurious hotel on George Street in Sydney to the desert resort in Uluru to the lodge on Captain Cook Highway in Port Douglas! We got to experience a range of climates. There was never a dull moment.
Even though the itinerary seemed jam-packed, we had just the right amount of time to rest and reset between activities and travel. Having such a detailed and professionally done itinerary gave us real peace of mind. The coordination of hospitality was also impeccable. Our hotels always communicated seamlessly with our pre-arranged transportation and tours. The trip was fun and totally stress-free! We were constantly delighted and charmed by this country and its people.

Excellent trip—the planning was flawless and Zicasso’s travel specialist was a pleasure to work with. She remained available to us during our entire trip and anytime I had a question, she responded immediately.