This winter, my family and I are thinking of taking a trip to either New Zealand or Australia, but we’re not familiar with either. We want to find a tour operator that focuses on low-impact, nature-themed destinations, but I have no idea where to start.
A Google search returns a myriad of operators, but is there any way to judge their quality beforehand? Some sort of organization or website that rates them by quality and such?
We’re also not opposed to setting out on our own if there are Dopers local to either country who could give us some idea of where to go. We’re three moderately healthy/active adults.
And I know this is a very vague statement/question, but I really don’t know anything about either place aside from the fact that both are filled with an overwhelming abundance of natural beauty I’m really just asking for somewhere to start my search that’s more useful than Google.
Well as a local I’m the worst person to ask about tour operators, but perhaps the lonley planet guides could help on the ecotour front. There are quite a few bus tours in NZ with modern and presumably efficient buses that will run you the length of the islands, or you can take serveral trains (They are mostly diesel locomotives with some electrics) The Overlander Train goes the length of the North Island, Tranz Coastal down the coast if the south Island to christchurch and the Tranz Alpine across the southern alps. all are pretty well set up for tourists, I think.
Every Subsequent poster will tell you to go to the South Island, the scenery really is spectacular, but The north island has great places if you know where to look too. You could hike around lake waikaremoana, the Urewera ranges, the Coromandel Peninsula, Visit Piha Beach 1 hour from auckland city centre, visit the harbours in northland. Its not all massive mountains, just some really beautiful places.
Vist Rotorua and Taupo for the hot pools or most small towns are pretty safe to wander in if you wish to know the ‘Real NZ’
P.S.Youth Hostels NZ will probably have ‘ecotourist’ type of places
www.yha.co.nz
I’m really just asking for somewhere to start my search that’s more useful than Google.