Ahipara Travel Design

Ahipara Luxury Travel New Zealand

Forbes "Perfect 10" - Robb Report, January 2009

In January 2009, the Robb Report ran an article on what they saw as the top ten luxury travel providers (or vacation planners) around the world. We were delighted to be included and were the only inclusion in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. This recognised many years of hard work on behalf of our clients. The Robb Report is in our opinion the pre-eminent luxury tourism publication.

We specialise in luxury tourism (6,5 and 4+ star) focused on connecting you with New Zealand through special people, places and activities. We don't just sell luxury accommodation.

What does this mean for you?

* we understand, monitor, and have relationships with a wide variety of New Zealand accommodation, activity, and transport providers. Some of these are commonly available, some are not. We know who is performing, who isn't and what the latest changes of management mean. We know this first-hand, not from the internet and not through other people

* we regularly and consistently put together leading edge tours of New Zealand for our clients from all around the world

* we have the ability to create, innovate, and take things as far as you want

* every tour starts with a blank sheet of paper as we build up our understanding of you. We do not put together packages and then sell them to everyone as a "one size fits all"

* we have for years been perfecting our ability to meaningfully connect our clients into the more important currents which define New Zealand

* over the years we have built up access to some very special people and places

* we have a true in-country concierge service - responsive, intelligent and effective

* our pricing is detailed and transparent

Our clients consistently tell us they are delighted and wish they could find a similar service in other countries. We have a Facebook page which you're welcome to join to gain further insights. The extensive library of newsletter articles on the website will give a further feel for what we do, as will the example itineraries we have posted. There is also a photo gallery available largely made up of our own photos featuring real people and places.

We're not a booking agency - we're a global leader in innovative, personal, responsive and experiential tourism based in New Zealand.

Example of a tour

A South Island motorcycle and luxury itinerary.

This is an itinerary highlighting some of the best motorcycling available in the South Island of New Zealand, widely recognised as one of the...

best motorcycling destinations in the world. We take it one stage further, combining an impeccable motorcycling tour with some of our unique activities and people.

As motorcyclists tend to go on trips together, we have costed this itinerary for a group of 10 motorcyclists on 5 motorcycles together with a motorcycle guide and a comfortable support vehicle with trailer driven by a second guide. The motorcycles we have costed are BMW1200RT models. These are well suited to New Zealand's roads. We can substitute Goldwings (as in the photo we took, above), or Harleys. For those interested in offroad motorcycles, we can put together on-road, off-road variants in the trip.

The cost for this 10-day luxury fully-guided motorcycle itinerary with special events included is NZ$22,000 (USD$16,559) per couple for five couples travelling together.

Day One

Arrive in Christchurch and meet your guides/check your equipment. Spend the evening in the city centre.

Day Two

Drive three hours north to Marlborough and The Convent. This is a lovely rolling coastal road where if you wish you can stop at Kaikoura and take a plane or helicopter to go whalewatching. Enjoy a vineyard meal that evening.

Day Three

Drive across the extremely winding Queen Charlotte road before heading across to Nelson and south to Motueka River Lodge. We estimate three to four hours driving today across coastal, mountain and river roads.

Day Four

Head south along the West Coast. Stop at Punakaiki for a walk around. End up at Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat after a long five hour's worth of driving. This is spectacular scenery of mountain gorges and wild coastline.

Day Five

If the weather is good, take a helicopter up to see and land on the glaciers and also see Mount Cook. Then continue south for three hours until you reach spectacular Silver Pine Lodge.

Day Six

Time for a non-motorbike day. Be picked up at the lodge by helicopter and fly into the mountains for an hour. Hopefully spot some wild animals as you helicopter past glaciers and over remote valleys. Land near the West Coast and transfer to jetboats for a run out to the coast along a deserted river. On arrival at the river mouth, meet the helicopter again, this time bringing back divers with your lunch of freshly caught crayfish. Have a barbecue on the beach and then return to Silver Pine.

Day Seven

Drive two hours to Queenstown, staying in a modern apartment in the centre with beautiful lake views.

Day Eight

Free day - we suggest splitting up and doing whatever you wish. We can of course put together a special day for you. Our special days include: helicopter trip to Milford Sound - possibly with the pilot who did all the filming for Lord of the Rings; a day in a Land Rover on a high country station; a day exploring local wines with a talented winemaker responsible for putting the region on the global map. There are also many many standard activities available.

Day Nine

Free day.

Day Ten

Drive five hours inland, past spectacular lakes, to reach Christchurch and your aircraft home.