On the road, on the water, in the skies and on the trails
New Zealand has a lot of transport options, both to get you to and from locations and to experience the extraordinary great outdoors.
For driving we recommend a Mercedes 12-seater van or the smaller Mercedes People Mover. These are great vehicles that are safe, efficient, have great handling and are very comfortable inside. The windows are large and enable you to see the spectacular sights, landscapes, wildlife and city vistas with ease. We like to set it up where there are extra seats available so everyone can spread out with plenty of elbow room. A trailer can be added on to the vans for extra luggage, gear like golf clubs, skis or bicycles.
For transportation between the islands over the Cook Strait we like the Interislander Ferry. The ships are very nice, clean, have comfortable lounges and handle the vans with no problems. They also run regularly, so it's very convenient. The ferry is just over 3 hours and is one of the most beautiful ferry crossings in the world. The Interislander Ferry is a wonderful way to experience the Cook Strait and see the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. Our summers are pretty calm on the strait, but winters can be bouncy. Don't worry, if you'd prefer to fly between islands, you can get a quick Air New Zealand flight across the strait.
If a flight is necessary to enable you to connect longer distances, to eliminate drive time, we work with Air New Zealand to make that happen. Most of the intra-country flights are smaller propeller planes and give a great perspective from up above! We also work with a private jet charter, if speed and privacy are part of your preferences.
New Zealand has the most helicopters per capita than any other country in the world, and we use them a lot! It's a fantastic way to see the amazing topography and cover many miles in a short amount of time. Fixed wing airplane flights are also wonderful and can fly in a variety of weather conditions.
Other transport options include punts, trams, gondolas, sailboats, horseback, SUP boards, kayaks, luges and skis! We proudly use all of these in New Zealand. Did we mention that hiking (called ‘tramping’ here) is also super popular with the locals and guests.
