Australia 2000 Travel
G’day Mate,
Our month visiting the Lands Down Under was truly the trip of a lifetime!
You did a great job putting together a mix of wonderful B & B’s, hotels and lodges, along with some excellent guides. We had a chance to meet some lovely people in both Australia and New Zealand, and our only regret was not being able to stay a little longer in each country.
Regards,
Paul & Norene
Dear Karen, Hillary and Shelley,
Words don’t seem to do justice to describe our glorious New Zealand trip. Perhaps a background of symphony orchestra music and a grand stage would begin to help others understand what we experienced. Each day held pleasant surprises and adventures. Each day kept the smiles and the glow on our faces. We feel renewed and in love with life (and each other!). Now we cherish the precious memories of a trip of a lifetime!
Karen, you have a gift for “reading us” and planning for the things we love. Thank you for the details that were so carefully spelled out. Thank you also to Wendy helping us once we landed in New Zealand. The vouchers and maps were so neatly organized and bound into a travel booklet.
Karen and Hillary,
Our second trip from Australia 2000 was as sensational as the first. In January, we visited Fiji and New Zealand; and as was the case for our trip to Australia in 2007, it was expertly planned and went off without a hitch. The diversity of the vacation was ideal. There were so many highlights that one cannot be singled out. Each day was an adventure.
On the island of Nukubati, the lap of luxury awaited us. We toasted sundown with campaign at sunset, viewed the undersea world snorkeling on the pristine reefs, ate gourmet food at every meal cooked from fresh island ingredients, and had every whim taken care of by an excellent staff.
Since Australia 2000 Travel arranged our first visit to New Zealand so well, we decided to ask them to help us with a completely new itinerary for our second visit. While we knew we loved New Zealand, we did not expect to be as overwhelmed by the beauty of the place as we were the first time. After all, we were not even going to the spectacular South Island this time. But we were wrong. It seemed as if every time we turned a corner we were viewing new and gorgeous terrain. Beautifully set vineyards and wineries, fascinating farmer’s markets, stunning and pristine ocean beaches, lakes, and rivers were our everyday companions. The friendliness and cheer of the country’s people impressed us again, as did the attentiveness to comfort and aesthetics at each accommodation. We had a wonderful time and were very glad we asked Australia 2000 Travel to take all the work out of our travels.
Ruth and Bryan Pfingst
Traveled to New Zealand December 2010
Thank you so much for an awesome honeymoon! We dreamed of spending ten days in paradise, relaxing under the Fijian sun. What we found here was soooo much more! The relaxation and paradise was a given every day, and beyond that we found ourselves wanting to spend all of our time with each and every one of you. From a medicine walk with Salote, to octopus hunting and hand line fishing with Eta, Loata (his laughing scared the octopus to death) & Lara (we can’t wait to see your all natural day spa here soon!).
We reef walked, visited the pearl farm, enjoyed a Fiji BBQ and even our own island sand picnic lunch. The sunsets were to die for, and can only be described as (in Karen Hardy from Australia 2000 Travel’s words) “the nightly news”. Snorkeling, trolling for G.T. (catching a Spanish mackerel), and enjoying 2 dinners under the stars; sharing the Kara and enjoying the Meke, it was all surreal.
Hi Karen,
You did an excellent job figuring out from our conversations which activities we would enjoy; the zookeeper-led tour, the bike tour and the wildlife tour were all a big hit with Peter. Our trip to the Blue Mountains was “self-directed” once we were there, and when we were fogged in on the day we expected to walk along the cliffs, we found we could take a bus tour to the Jenolyn caves. An excellent adventure as well!
Thank you so much!
Carolyn Pierce
Traveled to Australia July 2010
Karen,
What a wonderful trip. Only complaint is that it was just too short.
The helicopter ride was great, good time to go at twilight. The surfing lessons at Bondi were so fun. In the down time before the bridge climb we ventured around Sydney. The Taronga Zoo was spectacular. The Sydney Pass was handy for the ferry and the trains to travel all over the city. The Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb is hard to describe. The views are great and the climb was exhilarating.
Kangaroo Island was so incredible. The tour was great; the guide was incredibly knowledgeably about everything, on the island. We did a separate night tour the day we got there. So cool to see the wild animals at night. We would highly recommend going for the 5 pm pelican feeding as well.
Hi Karen and Hillary,
We just returned yesterday from our New Zealand trip and had a wonderful vacation. I have travelled to several countries over the years, but I believe this is was the best vacation I have ever had. You didn’t exaggerate when you described the north island as beautiful and the south island as spectacular. The people were kind and helpful, the accommodations excellent, the food was very good, the itinerary varied and interesting with new adventures each day, and the scenery was truly spectacular. Thanks for arranging such an outstanding trip. Thank you also for your honesty in finding a miscalculation and refunding a portion of our payment.
Jim and Lena Culver
Traveled to New Zealand February 2010
Karen,
We are back home and feeling just fine!
I want to thank you and your team for putting together such a wonderful trip for all of us. We absolutely loved everything; we met such wonderful people at such an intimate level we felt like old friends. Our guides, Suzanne and Mary Anne could not have been more wonderful. I love those gals and their friends who they so kindly and openly shared with us. I truly love Australia and Australians now and I really knew nothing about you or your country before this trip.
The seaplane ride with Hugh, outstanding, the helicopter ride with Neil, unbelievable. Even though it was raining a bit, Neil and his beautiful helicopter was top notch. We loved Mark and the Blue Mountains. He is a wonderful host and a great chef too.
I love the Southern Ocean Lodge and could stay there for a year. The lodge was wonderful, food, wine, our room, the view, and the day trips. We swam with dolphins at Emu Bay, even though nobody thought it would happen because it was all rainy and dreary but the sun came out for our swim, as did all of the dolphins.
Karen and her staff planned a 1 month New Zealand adventure for our family of 6. She understood our desires and travel style and recommended just the right blend of relaxation, activity, and adventure. We especially enjoyed the wonderful lodging as we made our way around the fantastic country of New Zealand.
Denise Jacob, RN, PhD, CHt www.jacobholistichealing.com
Traveled to New Zealand Dec 2009 – Jan 2010
Several years ago, Karen and Company at Australia 2000 planned our trip to New Zealand. It was so wonderful that we resolved that when our time came to go to Australia, as it did this past holiday season (2009 – 2010), only Karen would plan it for us. And, once again, the “down under” adventure surpassed our already high expectations. As before, we had an initial meeting with Karen and she homed in on our goals and wishes. In our case, our goal was to come away with a good idea of Australia’s present culture, nature, animals, history, and the people. Not only were we able to do just that, we also returned appreciating the great diversity that makes Australia so unique.
So, from Tasmania to the hot (!) and arid outback of the Flinders Ranges and Alice Springs, to the Daintree Rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef, Kangaroo Island, to several of Australia’s great cities, we flew, hiked, took a train, drove (yikes!), walked and walked and walked, and, best of all, had so many chances to chat and spend great times with Aussies from many diverse walks of life. It was lively, busy, fun, and, yes – even relaxing.
Hi Karen,
Our family had a wonderful time in Australia and would highly recommend Australia 2000 Travel. Everything was so organized and well planned and all the guides and staff were extremely friendly. Though we thoroughly enjoyed everything, some of the highlights were: the Private Tour of Taronga Park Zoo where we got an up-close and hands-on experience with unique animals such as an echidna; seeing the wildlife in the Blue Mountains (kangaroos, platypus, wombats, water lizard, parrots and kookaburras) and fly fishing for carp; sailing on a private chartered boat with Collin in Sydney Harbor for the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race (each of us picked our favorite sail boat to win); and,snorkeling around Hayman Island. Thanks again for an once-in-a-lifetime experience that we will cherish.
Rich, Susan and Rachel (13 years old)
Traveled to Australia Dec. 2009 – Jan. 2010
We were so impressed with the itinerary and accommodations that Karen planned for our trip to New Zealand. After a brief conversation, she was able to plan a perfect vacation for our interests. We loved our day in Abel Tasman Park gaining different perspectives from a boat ride and hiking the coast. The bed and breakfasts were gorgeous and the owners so friendly and informative. Karen’s connection with Wendy from the Art of Travel located in New Zealand was an important bonus. When we had to alter our plans due to weather, Wendy was able to suggest alternatives and make arrangements. The week was the ultimate combination of privacy and mixing with other travelers and Kiwis. Just tell Karen what you’d like and she will find the best vacation that fits your needs!
Laurie and Rob of Longmont, Colorado
Traveled to New Zealand October 2009
Karen and crew,
We can’t tell you enough how very much we enjoyed the wonderful trip that you planned for us! Every detail was fantastic and carefully planned! Following the itinerary and using the voucher system was extremely easy and “comforting”. That itinerary was our security blanket; but we were never nervous or worried about anything while on the trip. We thoroughly enjoyed every day, even our “Days at Leisure”.
The tour operators you use are so professional and friendly!!! Our favorites are Mic and James from Banksia Adventures. What fun! And knowledgeable!
We also loved staying at The Moorings on Waiheke Island and Old Saint Marys Convent. Both venues are unique and fabulous! The owners are also all extremely welcoming and helpful. We enjoyed all of our accommodations. The Sebel Reef House is awesome, as is Binna Burra Mountain Lodge!!!
We can go on and on singing your praises!!! [Read more...]
Karen
Just a brief message to let you know that we returned yesterday and that the trip was fabulous. Hotels, tours, guides, logistics were all terrific. I wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed ourselves and the flawless arrangements, not to mention the wonderful Aussie hospitality.
Thanks for making it a great trip for us.
Mike
Traveled to Australia in October 2008
