First Light Travel image

First Light Travel

Travel agency Tour operator Tour agency

One of the Top rated Tour operators in Auckland


Address

85 Beach Road, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

Website

www.firstlighttravel.com

Contact

+64 9 281 4481

Rating on Google Maps

4.90
(827458 reviews)


Working Hours

  • Friday: 8 AM to 8 PM
  • Saturday: 8 AM to 8 PM
  • Sunday: 8 AM to 8 PM
  • Monday: 8 AM to 8 PM
  • Tuesday: 8 AM to 8 PM
  • Wednesday: 8 AM to 8 PM
  • Thursday: 8 AM to 8 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: trip (88) Light (79) Travel (59) Zealand (44) itinerary (43) recommend (31) time (24) travel (21) experience (20) tour (20)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 preeti s. 7 months ago on Google • 7 reviews
    Danielle helped us plan our trip to New Zealand. She listened to what we were looking for, provided suggestions, adjusted the itinerary to be exactly as we want, and was available for any questions we had. Her recommendations were very good. The trip was hassel free. We enjoyed our vacation.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Urshila S. 4 years ago on Google
    It was a pleasure working with Natalie to plan our honeymoon trip! As avid Lord of the Rings fans and nature lovers, we wanted to visit several filming locations and explore New Zealand's diverse landscapes. Natalie was attentive to our interests and planned out the perfect itinerary! With her insight and expertise, she found us excellent accommodations and transportation options within our budget and provided helpful travel recommendations. She willingly accommodated our requests and her cheerful demeanor was infectious. It was also a happy surprise to work with a fellow Canadian! We loved our time in New Zealand and appreciate Natalie and First Light Travel for coordinating such a memorable experience!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sandy L. 1 year ago on Google
    Working with Danielle at First Light Travel was awesome from beginning to end. We were clueless of which island to visit and what activities to do. She was able to craft a perfect itinerary of relaxation and adventure for our anniversary trip to the South Island, specifically Queenstown and Wanaka. She organized excursions and transportation for us since we were not comfortable driving on the other side of the road. We visited Milford Sound, did a jetboat tour of the Matukituki River, a wilderness walk and a 4WD safari. My husband also had some fishing excursions! Whenever we had an issue, Danielle was quick to remedy it and did so with cheer. Highly recommend First Light Travel for anyone looking for some help booking their first trip (or second) to New Zealand!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Randi S. 2 years ago on Google
    New Zealand is a gorgeous country but can be tricky to tour if you don’t have the correct itinerary and organization in place. This is where Jaimee Boyce excelled on our recent trip to the South Island. We were limited to 9 days following 2.5 weeks in Australia. I actually found Jaimee by doing an online search but as soon as we connected, I knew I’d found the right person to make this dream vacation to New Zealand happen. My husband and I are well traveled, active 60-somethings living in Los Angeles. Jaimee put a self-drive tour in place arranging everything from the rental car, to the hotels (we like boutique, upscale) to the itinerary and activities. One of our highlights was a bike/wine tour just outside of Queenstown that was the best we’d ever been on (definitely opt for the e-bike). Another was an overnight cruise on Milford Sound. We did things on this trip we might not have thought of had she not included them in the itinerary. We had a bit of a hiccup when, much to our disappointment, while in the gorgeous area of Mt Cook, both of our activities were rained out. I called Jaimee and she immediately put a “Plan B” in place, offering us an alternative destination and itinerary. Jaimee was extremely responsive to my every email (and there were plenty) both prior to and during our wonderful time in this magnificent country. I recommend her unequivocally to help organize and execute a Kiwi dream vacation. And icing on the cake: the price was right!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Aymeric M. 10 months ago on Google • 21 reviews
    One year ago we had an amazing family trip organized by First Light Travel and specially Natalie. The trip was tailored to our needs and we left room for extra, in case we would find something there (which we did, as getting on top of the Franz Joseph Glacier in helicopter) the service provided by Natalie was absolutely fantastic, and very careful. Her involvement to make this trip fabulous made the difference (8 versions of the trip have been built until we were happy). Thanks again, that's been a magic trip
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 John W. 10 months ago on Google • 8 reviews
    Wonderful trip to New Zealand We’re just back (Dec 2023) from a trip that included a three week self-drive, mostly through New Zealand’s South Island, organized by First Light Travel. For many years, while travelling the world, we’ve wanted to explore New Zealand. And we couldn’t be more pleased with the results from First Light, especially Danielle, our travel advisor there. In fact, they exceeded our expectations! It was a perfect trip for we 70-year-olds to celebrate our 45th anniversary. Danielle began our interaction by asking what we enjoy, activity-wise, and what type of accommodations we prefer. So, right out-of-the-gate, this was clearly going in the direction we wanted: a trip customized to our wishes, and not a cookie-cutter itinerary or a check-list of activities. Danielle is a great listener, very patient, is easy to get ahold of, and a joy to work with. A draft plan was created from that first conference call (which was the response to our emailed contact point). We reviewed it, changed some of our wishes, partly from the great alternatives tabled for us to consider and the opportunity to do more specific research. We started our planning over a year in advance, so this allowed this itinerary to evolve over time and the subsequent calls we had. The final itinerary was very detailed, including contact phone numbers and vouchers for each activity and hotel. Since many of the activities that we chose were weather-dependent, such as boat trips, a hot air balloon ride, and a helicopter trip, we needed to call and confirm beforehand. One of those numbers went to a recorded message indicating it was out of service. So I simply called First Light Travel’s emergency line and they took care of it for me in a matter of a few minutes. We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our trip. The drive, the scenery and activities were wonderful. Yes, weather affected two of our excursions, but First Light tracked these and issued a refund for the missed ones within a week of the completion of our trip. And it was fun to run into another Canadian couple, at the Clay Cliffs, whose trip had also been arranged by Danielle.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 chrishmal f. 2 years ago on Google
    It was a stress less process where Michelle and the team arranged everything in detail and provided us with the best options. They really are the best! Thanks to you guys, our trip to Tasmania became one unforgettable experience. Will be in touch soon again for our next trip.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Brendan M. 11 months ago on Google • 233 reviews
    This was always going to be the holiday of a lifetime and so we wanted it to be perfect. We asked Gina O'Neill to create a 16 day tour of New Zealand's South Island for us. We were happy to drive but wanted to be sure we didn't miss any of the main attractions and wanted a little bit of luxury along the way. Gina did a fantastic job. Our holiday was perfect and the memories will be with us forever. Everything went smoothly from picking up the car, booking into the hotels and arriving for the excursions. It was totally seamless. The highlight was our 2 nights in Mount Cook. The hotel was fabulous and the view from our hotel room was picture perfect. We can't thank Gina and First Light Travel enough and would definitely recommend the company to anyone considering a similar tour.

  • 5/5 Emil W. 1 year ago on Google
    Highly recommended Travel Agent! Planned out our 2 weeks NZ trip amazingly. Let them know what's your interest and they will give you the best itinerary for you accordingly.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Raymond J. 1 year ago on Google
    I just came back from a three week vacation in the South Island, New Zealand that Jamiee Boyce @ First Light Travel planned for me, and I couldn't have asked for a better trip! Jamie listened carefully to what I was hoping to experience on the trip, and came up with an itinerary that met my hopes while also staying within my budget. She was also very responsive to any questions that I had prior to the trip and kept in regularly contact with me until it was time for me to leave for New Zealand. While I was on the trip, I really appreciated that First Light Travel had someone available 24/7 to assist with any issues, which thankfully, there were none. I highly recommend First Light Travel for anyone who is planning to visit beautiful New Zealand!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Bethany P. 2 years ago on Google
    First Light Travel organised a sophisticated and enjoyable trip for my partner and me to Tasmania. Their selection of accommodation was a clear sign of their knowledge on the best places to stay. The food and wine experiences were unlike any other and we came home feeling fulfilled and refreshed.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Emily H. 2 years ago on Google
    First Light Travel delivered an exemplar service. They listened to our needs and tailored the holiday to perfectly suit us. Our Travel Designer Daniel kept in touch the whole time we were in NZ, updating us on important changes to our itinerary and also checking in when the weather was impacting our stay. I highly recommend taking the hassle out of your holiday and letting First Light Travel do all the hard work of organising for you.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lynette N. 2 years ago on Google
    Even though our initial New Zealand itinerary had to be postponed when Covid hit, First Light stayed in touch and Natalie helped me plan a new itinerary that was absolutely fantastic. I was always able to reach her and discuss our plans and appreciated her suggestions. The hotels chosen were clean and comfortable and the activities were just right for us. New Zealand is a magical place. Working with First Light has been a wonderful experience.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Yuri G. 2 years ago on Google
    I’ve had a great experience with First Light Travel and in Particular with Daniel Walker’s service! Daniel has been extremely proactive and has commutated clearly with me every step of the way through the process. Nothing was too daunting, given that I have asked First Light to make a trip happen on a very short notice. Daniel was quick to the task and literally within hours I had an initial draft, based on my high level requirements. First light had local knowledge and good connections with a number of suppliers. I’ve also asked for multiple changes to the itinerary and Daniel did a great job tailoring the experience to my requirements! Had I tried to do it all myself in the short amount of time that I had, it would not have been possible for me to make the trip. Ordinarily other Travel Agents would have left it there, but when I ran into a couple of issues on the road (not related to the planned itinerary) I was able to reach out to First Light for support, who have gotten back to me quickly and helped resolve my issues, so I felt supported all the way through. In short I’ve had a great experience working on the trip with First Light and would not hesitate to recommend them, if you’re after quick and proactive, supportive service.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Robert F. 6 years ago on Google
    First Light Travel is amazing! Not only did they help me plan a most amazing trip, but when an earthquake disrupted my plans, they helped to reroute me "on the fly"! I cannot express to you how much I appreciated First Light's help in planning my amazing trip to New Zealand! I highly recommend their service!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Grace Z. 2 years ago on Google
    We just got back from our amazing 2 week honeymoon in New Zealand, organized by Daniel W. The whole trip was a dream, not only because NZ has been on the top of our "must-visit" list for ages, but also because Daniel made the whole process so seamless and easy. First Light travel really caters to everything you want, and makes planning a trip so, so easy! Daniel worked with us to create an itinerary that allowed us to ramble from the South Island to the North Island, seeing all the beautiful countryside by car, sprinkling in plenty of LoTR sightseeing for my husband and wine tours for me! In one instance we had to detour due to a road closure (winter weather) and Daniel called us to make sure we had found a way around and even offered additional directions. When plans unexpectedly changed, First Light and Daniel were there to help us navigate changes and make the necessary adjustments in our activities. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be able to walk into a hotel or up to an information desk and know that all the arrangements and payments are already sorted and all you have to do is give your name, and boom! you're able to pick up your rental car, or checked in at a hotel or ready to go zip-lining, or rafting or on a 4x4 tour of the Edoras location set (we did all these things)! Overall, I would definitely work with First Light again and would recommend them to anyone traveling to the South Pacific.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Maureen 5 years ago on Google
    We were able to put this trip together very quickly only two months before, thanks to Rhodri’s itinerary suggestions and the arrangements he was able to make for us. We felt very lucky about this as we were aware we had left it very late. Rhodri found us good flight connections and great accommodations throughout New Zealand that were beautiful and yet connected to the local people and the surrounding environs. My husband and I had requested an active trip and Rhodri delivered a variety of experiences for us so that we had a fabulous time. We travelled for 16 days and did and saw a lot, giving us a very good appreciation for all that New Zealand has to offer. Highlights include the Glow Worms Cave in Waitomo, hiking the Tongariro Crossing on a perfect sunny day, hiking along the Queen Charlotte Track after a water taxi ride out on the Marlborough Sound to the trail, kayaking both on a river in Havelock as well as on the ocean in Kaikoura, and the days we spent based in Queenstown. From that beautiful city we did an excellent day trip out to Milford Sound and a day hike on the Routeburn Track, and very much enjoyed a “down day” where we cruised on a beautiful lake to Mt. Nicholas Farm where we learned about sheep farming followed by a 14 km cycle to Walter Peak sheep station where we partook of an incredible barbecue lunch. All of our day trips were well-arranged for us and we just showed up and enjoyed the activity. Many activities were guided, but we did a few on our own as well. We added in a trip to the Redwoods in Rotorua, a stop at Waiotapu for the geothermal area and did some impromptu hikes in other areas including beautiful Akaroa. Also a stop at a winery for lunch outside of Blenheim. First Light Travel and Rhodri were so very easy to deal with and created a wonderful memorable trip for us. When we needed to change the itinerary to allow for one more day, Rhodri was able to quickly do so. He was very responsive to my emails. Our flight arrangements were smooth, the accommodations were nicely appointed and well located, and the car rental went well. It seems that everywhere we showed up, whether for a rental car, activity tour, ferry ride or the bed and breakfasts and small hotels, people were expecting us and made us feel welcome. We costed out the trip at the end and our calculations showed that we actually saved a few hundred dollars by booking with First Light Travel, rather than booking things separately ourselves. My husband and I highly recommend First Light for anyone considering a New Zealand trip.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 sheena c. 6 years ago on Google
    This review came a little late (more a year from our trip already) but I guess it's better late than never! We have only compliments for Jo and her team at First Light Travel. She was kind and patient with our questions and planning. It was our first time travelling to Southern NZ and we had ideas on what we were keen on but it was Jo who managed to piece everything together perfectly. We knew we were in good hands when an Earthquake struck near Kaikoura just a day before our flight and we knew we had to make changes to our route and Jo jumped into action by checking all of the routes we were about to take and gave suggestions on detours/re-routing. She even gave daily updates on the weather and checked on us every few days. We will definitely recommend First Light Travel and will hope to visit NZ soon!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Teah 4 years ago on Google
    Chrissy Sun is amazing and put together my dream vacation last minute! She arranged everything from hotels and transportation to large group and semi private events/tours. Thank you so much!!! I would highly recommend First Light Travel and would be happy to share more about my experience with others. This was the most epic trip and utilized the time I had there very well.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Wesley W. 4 months ago on Google • 21 reviews
    Micala at First Light Travel planned a wonderful trip to New Zealand for my wife and me and four of our friends. She chose beautiful and unusual accommodations for us and special activities at our locations around the South Island from Christchurch to Dunedin, Franz Josef and the TranzAlpine rail trip back to Christchurch. She was always quick to respond to questions and make adjustments on our itinerary during the planning process. I highly recommend First Light Travel.

  • 5/5 Shawn L. 2 weeks ago on Google • 13 reviews New
    Taylor was very patient and meticulous in helping me plan my first-ever solo trip to the South Island of NZ. Through her guidance, I knew what to do throughout the trip and did not have to worry too much about the uncertainties. Even though the trip was a little costly, the experience was well thought out, especially regarding my accommodation as I enjoyed all my stays. It was a wonderful road trip. Thank you, Taylor and First Light Travel!

  • 5/5 Shannon H. 9 months ago on Google • 11 reviews
    We had SUCH A FABULOUS TIME in New Zealand on a two week self-drive tour of the north and south islands planned by First Light Travel. Everyday, I wish I was still there! The scenery is beautiful and the people are so kind. I think we would all agree that the highlight of our trip was Hahei. The accommodation was perfectly located, and everything was beautiful. Te Puia in Rotorua and the view from Rock Retreat near Waitomo were also top of the list. The kids really liked the Kiwi Hatchery tour in Rotorua. We were also always in walking distance to really awesome playgrounds! My mom loved the farm tour and watching parachuters from the deck in Queenstown. As I go back through my pictures, it's hard to just hit the highlights because there were so many. We followed a lot of the suggestions in the itinerary for other things to do - like visiting Mt. Cook and Hot Water Beach. We felt like we had enough activity to always have something fun to do or look forward to, but also had enough downtime to relax and find our own adventures. I can't speak highly enough of our experience. I thought we were going to get to day 10-11 and just be ready to go home, but I could have happily stayed longer. We did not need a lot of support while we were in-country, but one of the tour operators changed a tour time. I got a phone call and email from First Light with the change details as soon as they knew.

  • 5/5 stl m. 9 months ago on Google • 8 reviews
    Excellent experience designing our journey from tip to tip of New Zealand. We stayed in amazing hotels and enjoyed all the attractions along the way. FirstLight was incredibly helpful!

  • 5/5 Jasmine F. 6 months ago on Google • 8 reviews
    Memorable family trip to New Zealand My husband and I and our two teens just returned from a wonderful 2.5 week Self Drive trip to both the North and South Islands of New Zealand! Communication with First Light Travel and their Travel Designers was top notch right from the start. From the initial phone conversation to the many emails back and forth with itinerary adjustments it almost seemed to good to be true - that someone else was handling all of the details of our trip and all I had to do was show up in New Zealand! I'm glad I took that chance as it truly was the case. First Light took care of our airport transfer, car rental, accommodations and most of our activities. The majority of the accommodations that we stay at were perfect for our family and the cars that we rented were fuel efficient and comfortable. The highlight for my family in the North Island was Hobbiton and the Milford Sound Coach and Cruise from Queenstown was our South Island highlight. Gina's quick responses during our planning process and even when we were running late to check in for an activity were much appreciated. I highly recommend this company to anyone planning a trip to NZ. Thanks again First Light!

  • 5/5 Ashley S. 4 months ago on Google • 8 reviews
    First Light Travel was amazing to work with! Micala helped us out, and was always quick to answer any questions. We were able to customize our itinerary and our honeymoon in New Zealand was a dream! Every accommodation was pristine and Micala took care of booking/setting up transportation. Each transportation was on time and everything went so smooth. I would highly recommend First Light to anyone!

  • 5/5 Eric B. 10 months ago on Google • 8 reviews
    When we started to look for a company to plan our travel to NZ, we were concerned that we would inadvertently find a fly by night company and commit hard earned dollars that would disappear. First Light had great reviews but we also knew that you can pay for people to write false reviews online. It also seemed like all 5-star reviews were a bit suspect. We took a chance and reached out and talked with Anna. Anna was quick to respond and listened to what we were looking for and sent us a few agendas for us to review. We worked together over time to make it just right. Once we got to town, we had a few self-created glitches and Anna was quick to reply and help out. We had a great time and First Light Travel was completely legit. We would recommend highly.

  • 3/5 John K. 1 month ago on Google • 7 reviews New
    Firstlight travel was good to work with. Our agent was courteous and seemed well informed of New Zealand. However, the tight times between stops and stayovers became very problematic when flights, availability or weather weren't exactly cooperating. If FirstLight Travel is that experienced in the vacation scheduling trips of NZ, they should have been more upfront with this customer concerning delays and [their] consequenses.

  • 5/5 cindy s. 1 month ago on Google • 7 reviews New
    Great New Zealand vacation, planned by First Light Travel. Highly recommend.

  • 5/5 Charles H. 4 months ago on Google • 6 reviews
    Highest of praise for FirstLight Travel (FLT) an incredible team and Natalie, who put together a truly epic adventure. First, we booked our New Zealand tour in 2019 for travel in 2020. The world had other plans. Throughout the COVID years FLT kept us informed of the situation in NZ and provided good advice about the travelling situation. So when our adventure finally began after 5 years the expectations were high. The expectations were not only met but far exceeded. The 18-day travel adventure was exceptional, every accommodation was flawless every excursion was exceptional! Seriously it was that good, we would go to sleep every night saying Wow it cannot get any better and then a new day would dawn and it was. A few of the highpoints were Essence of Waiheke Wine Tour on our first full day, perfect introduction after 30 plus hours of travelling, fresh sea air wonderful wines and lovely vineyards such a great kickoff. While I could list everything we did I’ll just hit a few not to miss activities – North Island the Kiwidundee tour was a lot of fun and informative with a thoughtful and knowledgeable guide, The Church – Hahei wonderful peaceful and a magnificent restaurant; Waimangu Volcanic Valley: Waimangu Thermal Reserve Self Guided Walk and Boat Cruise probably one of my favorites on the north island a beautiful park and spectacular and easy hike. The cultural experience in Rotorua was really interesting and informative and of course Hobbiton – a blast. The Waitomo Glow Worm Caves: not to be missed – truly an otherworldly experience. For the South Island the train from Christchurch to Greymouth was epic and not to be missed followed on by the drive down to Frans Joesph Glacier a stay at Glenfern Villa wonderful views and an unbelievable Milky Way – wow. Penguin viewing was a lot fun as was a few day respite to explore Queenstown. Truly everything on this tour was spectacular and so much fun highest of praise to FLT for putting this trip together.

  • 5/5 Kok Kwan T. 2 months ago on Google • 4 reviews New
    My friends and I had a wonderful holiday during our 10 days self drive North Island which was designed by Jaydene of First Light Travel. Although I have visited some of the places before, the second time around was more enjoyable and relaxed due to the perfect planning. Also what I did not get to do then, I could do now like the Hangi dinner which was glorious. All the hotels and attractions designated were good and also ready to receive us. Thank you very much Jaydene.

  • 5/5 Fara I. 11 months ago on Google • 3 reviews
    Nicole at First Light Travel was very helpful. She arranged our two weeks vacation in New Zealand and my sister and I had a wonderful time on our adventure. Everything went very smoothly on all of our stops and the accommodation was top notch. Exactly what we had expected. The scenic drives were beautiful and we had a very enjoyable trip. Would recommend them to anyone.

  • 5/5 Phil 3 weeks ago on Google • 3 reviews New
    Great trip, went mainly to plan except one cancellation which the team handled very well and looked after our alternative arrangements. Before we left the operations team sent us road conditions which was a great heads up. Felt like we were being monitored and looked after the whole way.

  • 5/5 Roslyn G. 11 months ago on Google • 3 reviews
    First Light Travel is a highly professional company with remarkable attention to every aspect of the travelling experience in New Zealand. Michelle and her staff supplied us with a detailed itinerary, precise information about each stop, organised tours and experiences, and phone numbers to call in any moment of need. As it turned out, every aspect of our trip to New Zealand fell neatly into place. At one point on the North Island, we called Michelle to help organise a specific kind of car; she dealt with this request immediately and succeeded where our own phone calls to the rental car provider had failed. The organisation and support of First Light Travel were therefore invaluable. We recommend them warmly to future fellow travellers.

  • 5/5 Pauline C. 5 months ago on Google • 3 reviews
    Our itinerary was thoughtfully planned by First Light Travel Designer Taylor Nguyen based on our travel preference, the amount of time we had and the places we desired to cover. Even though we only had 11 days in NZ, it didn’t feel rushed. All the connections and pick up worked like clock work. We enjoyed the Hobbiton tour, the hike at Mt Cook, the plane ride over Milford Sound. It was a pity we didn’t get to do the helicopter ride through Franz Josef glaciers due to bad weather. Otherwise the whole trip would have felt more complete. Part of the itinerary allowed us to self drive, which we appreciated as we could take in the sights at our own time. If only the rental car was in a better condition. All in all, we would recommend First Light Travel to any traveller who seeks free and easy but not random and not having to sweat the planning.

  • 5/5 Anne G. 1 year ago on Google
    We had a wonderful trip to New Zealand and so appreciated the team at First Light Travel who worked with us on those details. Sixty days of a detailed itinerary, and we don't think anything was missed. We are so grateful to them for their help. The lodging and guides were beyond our expectations. Thanks, Jaimee, Emma and all!

  • 5/5 Paula L. 2 years ago on Google
    Daniel planned a fabulous itinerary for our NZ adventure. He selected great highlights for us such as the Milford Sound Cruise, The Alpine train ride and the Mitai Maori Experience. The accommodations at each stop were superb and centrally located. A shout out to Emma as well, helping out when we decided to make a last minute change of plans. It was so reassuring to know you and the First Light team were always reachable before and during our trip. I am already telling my friends they need to go to NZ and that First Light is the best.

  • 5/5 Hamid N. 1 year ago on Google
    We had a busy schedule and somehow demanding itinerary; Natalie was the agent who looked after all 4 of us; she did a wonderful job despite all the changes that we had to make due to Covid and other conflicting dates. We are hikers, so she chose great accommodations and schedule wonderful hikes. This trip exceeded our expectations. If you plan to visit Australia or New Zealand, you should consider First Light Travel

  • 5/5 Rik P. 1 year ago on Google
    I highly recommend First Light Travel, especially our travel designer, Michelle, who helped us plan an amazing and unforgettable trip for us! We were very satisfied with all the sights we saw and the choice of hotels and motels were on point. The itinerary was very well planned and there was not one part of the trip where we were exhausted, as we were provided enough time to rest. If you're planning to go to the beautiful country of New Zealand, book via First Light Travel and you are sure to get the best support and experience!

  • 5/5 Phil S. 1 year ago on Google
    We have just returned from a month touring New Zealand with the whole trip being planned by Natalie. She done us proud and every excursion from bay of islands to scuba diving to the transalpine train ( to just name a few) and hotel was top class and the scenery stunning. The way everything was organised and arranged meant we could travel and enjoy our holiday with all the stress and worry about accommodation taken care of. All questions we had before our trip were answered so we knew what to expect. If you want to visit New Zealand and want an enjoyable, stress free holiday please take my advice and contact first light travel as I'm sure they will do a custom trip designed just for you. Thank you so much for all the hard work you done so we didn't have to do any work except enjoy ourselves.

  • 5/5 Courtney H. 6 years ago on Google
    Thanks to Dawn at First Light Travel our honeymoon to New Zealand was flawless. There is no way we could have seen or done as much as we did in 15 days without her! Every booking was seamless from car rentals, accommodations to activities. From high adrenaline induced bungy jumps & alpine hikes, to an afternoon of biking through Marlborough's best wineries, she tailored our activities to our personalities perfectly. I highly recommend using First Light if traveling to NZ.

  • 5/5 Aaron S. 1 year ago on Google
    First light travel was an easy and helpful company to go through. They created a honeymoon for us that was the perfect balance of luxury, adventure, and natural beauty that Tasmania has to offer. The accommodation they booked was all amazing, as were the adventures and experiences they included in our itinerary. We will definitely be using them again

  • 5/5 Scott 1 year ago on Google
    Booking your trip with this agency is completely worth it! My wife and I decided to book our honeymoon trip to New Zealand through First Light Travel. Danielle had reached out to us promptly. We told her generally what we were looking for and she planned our trip not only to our expectations, but far exceeding them. You will get a first proposal before having to commit so you can make any modifications or changes to your itinerary. They take care of all the logistics once you arrive. They are incredibly knowledgeable and have excellent recommendations that we would not have found on our own. I was so amazed by the professionalism, communication and knowledge of the country by them. We had one problem we encountered during our trip due to weather and Danielle helped us adjust with ease. If you’re planning on taking a special trip, I highly recommend going through go First Light Travel. They took extremely good care of us and I really believe they care about their clients’ experiences. Everything planned for us gave us the feeling that that activity was hand selected to give us a magically memorable experience. Danielle put a great deal of time, effort and care into our trip and we were so grateful because it was so evident. I have no cons about booking through them. They’ll work with whatever budget you give them and execute your agreed proposal flawlessly. Highly recommend.

  • 5/5 Lotta H. 1 year ago on Google
    We recently came back from a fantastic two week trip around New Zealand planned by Michelle at First Light Travel. The itinerary was perfect for us with a mix of shorter and longer stays, giving us the chance to see highlights of both islands in two weeks. We had an amazing trip!

  • 5/5 Jessica Beretta P. 1 year ago on Google
    We just got back from our 3 week honeymoon around Australia, organised by First Light Travel. It was just an incredible, unforgettable experience and we will treasure the memories we made on this trip forever. I highly recommend First Light Travel - the travel designers were attentive and creative, putting together a completely unique itinerary that was perfect for us. The accommodation was outstanding and several quite special places were included. All of the activities were thoughtfully selected to suit us as a couple and were great. Any amendments we requested were included without missing a beat. Everything went smoothly and when I reached out to Gina during the trip she was very responsive! Thanks again Gina and the team.

  • 5/5 Gay L. 1 year ago on Google
    Thank you Gina and First Light Travel for a dream come true! My husband was stationed in NZ when he was in the US Navy many years ago and raved of its beauty ever since. He finally got to share it with me. Gorgeous country and gracious people. Our favorite spot was Mt. Cook. Your detailed arrangements, including driving times and reminders, were appreciated. The accomodations selected were clean, comfy and perfect for us. We tell everyone: the visit was worth the long flight and if you want to go, make sure you call Gina at First Light Travel!

  • 5/5 Jodi G. 1 year ago on Google
    We called First Light because a friend had used their services in 2018. We are so glad we did. Michelle Srzich handled all the details of a 26 day trek across both South and North Islands of New Zealand. We stayed in first class accommodations, had wonderful excursions and quite an adventure. And...when our airlines canceled our flight home, First Light was right there to send a driver back to Auckland Airport and secure us a hotel room for two more nights! Our vacation was fun-tastic and worry free because of them. Highly recommend this company to everyone going to NZ. Great job, great customer service.

  • 5/5 Rae T. 1 year ago on Google
    Well-planned by Tatyana! Was value for money too, given that they tailored the trip to our requirements. Love the recommendations of Strahan - Risby cove. Really a quiet place in the middle of nowhere. Just the 99 bends almost took my breath away. Cradle Mountain hotel was another great accommodation booked. Wombats galore! Would skip Launceston Grand Chancellor and Tall Timbers if I were to do the trip again. And perhaps stay at Swinging Gate in tamar valley instead. The Penicott wildlife tour (part of the package) was yet another highlight of our trip. We saw dolphins! Bucket list checked! Would have loved to spend more nights in each place cos the drive was really long to get around.

  • 5/5 Ann D. 1 year ago on Google
    Danielle and the whole team at First Light Travel made our month long trek across both islands an enjoyable and well -planned trip. We were there during the 30 year Cyclone and even with the challenges that arose our trip was wonderful. I highly recommend using a travel agent and especially this company on a first visit to NZ. When our phones would only email (not call or text) the whole team worked to get our issues fixed: One issue was we were running late for Hobbiton (the evening tour and dinner). We had gotten ourselves lost and with little gas (always fill up on half tank if driving a lot and when it's available!). Even through our spotty internet/email First Light was able to connect with Hobbiton and when we rolled in 2 minutes past bus departure, there was a staffer ready with our tickets and ushering onto the bus, and not with a scowl, but a welcome! They knew all about our mishaps with the map/gas/travel and showed lots of grace, thanks to communication with First Light. We will use First Light again and could not be happier we did with this first trip to beautiful NZ.

  • 5/5 Gregg J. 10 months ago on Google • 2 reviews
    We made a last minute decision to travel to NZ north Island for Christmas 2023. Fight Light Travel were amazing in tailoring an itinerary to suit our timetable and specific interests and recommended places to visit based on our specific interests at such short notice. Fight Light Travel were a pleasure to deal with, they were very professional, great communicators and listened to our ideas as well. We packed a lot into our 12 days on the road with a self drive tour. We had a hassle free holiday. Thanks you Tatyana and your team. We will be using FLT again. cheers Gregg and Jenny
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Chuck B. 1 month ago on Google • 2 reviews New
    We just got home from a 14 day trip to New Zealand, and our experience was excellent! Taylor was great, helped us build our entire trip exactly the way we envisioned it. All of our accomodations were excellent, transports and bookings were on time, and improvising after we had to make some adjustments due to the weather went seamlessly. We had a great time, highly recommend this company!

  • 5/5 Jodie T. 3 weeks ago on Google • 1 review New
    Tatyana created our itinerary based on what we were looking to do whilst on holiday, and within budget. She provided advice and booked us into some great tours and accommodation spots. Tatyana made the whole experience of organising a holiday stress free. Would recommend and use First Light Travel again in future. Thank you!

  • 5/5 S J. 10 months ago on Google • 1 review
    We would like to thank Nicole and First light travels firstly for quickly rebooking s cancelled holiday on a short notice and duration. But more than that for choosing the best itinerary, hotels and car service for us. Everything was impeccable and the services we received at the hotel and our activities were immaculate. The travel itinerary detail was very helpful and we enjoyed every bit of the holiday. We definitely created a life time memory and highly recommend to use these guys to design your travel to suit your family.

  • 5/5 Melinda S. 7 months ago on Google • 1 review
    Gina and the team at First Light Travel took care of all the details for our 30 day self drive vacation and made our "retirement trip" a pure joy. She took our wish list of activities, locations, and budget and devised an itinerary to meet those requirements. The accommodations were a mix of unique, charming, and spectacular- most of them I would never have found on my own internet search. The daily itinerary we received was detailed and thorough - right down to expected drive times, hotel check-in times, things to do in that area, and contact numbers for every activity we had planned. 30 days and we STILL were not ready to leave this amazing country! We can't recommend First Light Travel enough.

  • 5/5 Jack C. 1 month ago on Google • 1 review New
    We wanted to explore as much of New Zealand as we could over a 14 day trip, which would mean tons of logistical planning. After reviewing the many sample itineraries on the First Light Travel website, we paired up with one of their super helpful travel agents. We discussed all of the things we wanted to do and see and she sent us a first draft itinerary soon after. After a couple of changes, we locked in an itinerary and she booked all of our accommodations, rentals, and excursions, all laid out in an easy to follow Day by Day schedule! It was very easy and the in-country experience First Light provides is invaluable. They also kept in contact with us during our travels to update us on weather changes and road closures. I would recommend utilizing First Light for anyone traveling to New Zealand to make the most of your time before and during travel!

  • 5/5 Donald J. 1 month ago on Google • 2 reviews New
    We appreciated Henry's work to get us to see as much of the south island of New zealand as possible in the short time we had available. He lined us up with activities we wouldn't have done on our own and found us comfortable places to stay at a reasonable price. Putting our schedules on a daily list including driving times, hotel check in times and activities rewarded us with low stress travel. We would use his services again and I will reccomend him to my sister who plans on visiting New Zealand next year.


Trends


See how the number of reviews and average review scores have changed over time.

Similar Travel agencies nearby

Haka House Auckland City image
1
Haka House Auckland City
Hostel
Simple dorms & private rooms in a relaxed hostel offering a shared kitchen, a TV lounge & a library.
$55/night
3.90 (575 reviews)
Stray Travel image
2
Stray Travel
Bus tour agency
👍👍 Stray was an optimal choice in picking a tour company for my limited time in the North Island in NZ. I'm a very heavy traveler at this point having had visited almost 100 different countries and usually, I'm pretty good about getting itineraries and building trips with my eyes closed. I had starte...
4.60 (219 reviews)
Buddha Travel & Tours - New Zealand image
3
Buddha Travel & Tours - New Zealand
Travel agency
👍👍 Even the five star doesn't give justice for the service received from Ayush. Did call few travel agencies in New Zealand and found buddha travel a lot cheaper than other and better than other Ayush customer service was top notch. It was my mom first time traveling and he made sure of less transit...
4.50 (37 reviews)
JTB NEW ZEALAND LIMITED image
4
JTB NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
Travel agency
👍👍 Really helpful, bought Japan Rail regional passes, they were very thorough making sure all the details were correct even spoke with them on the phone. You might save a couple of dollars by buying on internet from a major booking company but if you have to contact them good luck with that. So you spe...
4.60 (35 reviews)
Last updated:
()