Study Abroad Groups

Kiwi Travel and Tours has had the pleasure of planning and guiding study abroad groups from schools,colleges and universities for the past three years. These tours have been such a success that many new institutions and faculties have come to us through personal recommendation by other study tour coordinators, directors and leaders. This is what Darren Leaver, Study Abroad Director for Glendale Community College had to say about us-

Letter of Recommendation

Not only can we develop and manage your New Zealand itinerary, but also Australia and our other South Pacific neighbours as well. Let us help make your study abroad visit to New Zealand and the South Pacific a success. All tours are personalized, with itineraries custom-built to meet your collective and individual desires, and budget (from backpackers to luxury) of any sized group.

There's only one condition: Only service providers and activity operators who have passed our own stringent quality assurance process will be booked. They have to be qualified; certified, regulatory compliant, trustworthy, reliable and provide excellent customer service.
That may sound tough, but we want our clients to go back home having had the BEST experience they could have had..........that won't happen if we cut corners and we don't.

When you’re travelling New Zealand, it’s the natural attractions that take your breath away. Snowy mountains, smoking volcanoes, white and black sand beaches, remote hiking trails, fiords, wilderness lakes and much more.

Comparable in size to Great Britain, Colorado or Japan, New Zealand has a population of only 4 million - making it one of the world's least crowded countries. It is a haven for those seeking relaxation as well as a playground for thrill seekers and adventurers. A temperate climate with relatively small seasonal variation makes it an ideal year-round travel destination.

New Zealand’s Maori culture emerged from Polynesian migrations that began around 700 years ago. Our European history began about 500 years later. Today, our place names, art, architecture and stories reflect New Zealand's combined multi-cultural roots - who we are, where we came from and how we’ve shaped our society. Whilst heritage sites and cultural experiences can be found throughout the country, some places have special significance. In Waitangi you can learn about the treaty that changed the course of New Zealand history forever. Central Otago still displays relics of the gold rush, when thousands of people flocked to the region in search of riches. And in Napier you’ll see a wealth of fabulous Art Deco architecture, which only materialised because the city was almost entirely destroyed by a huge earthquake in 1931. Ice ages, fault lines, volcanic zones and tectonic plate movements have all made their mark on New Zealand. Ours is a dynamic environment, sandwiched between two oceans and perched on the Pacific Ring of Fire. When extreme events happen below or above the earth’s surface, unusual scenery is often the result.

Take the south-western corner of the South Island as an example. Here a procession of ice ages wrought an impressive collection of fiords. Further up the coast, there are two glaciers that refuse to believe the ice age is over - they’re still creeping down into the rainforest. Most of the South Island’s lakes were born from the same kind of glacial action that created the fiords. Lake Te Anau is the largest, covering an area of 344 square kilometres. Lake Manapouri is often regarded as the most beautiful - it has 34 islands and is 440 metres deep in places.

For absolute in-your-face action, the North Island never fails to satisfy. Active volcanic regions, including a marine volcano that you can walk through, are outward expressions of internal rumblings. Take a wander through the geothermal areas around Rotorua and Taupo - active craters and geysers endlessly perform. And what about boiling mud? Fourteen spectacular national parks preserve New Zealand's natural heritage. Enshrining a huge variety of landscapes, vegetation and wildlife, our parks allow you to discover the heart and soul of the country. From the golden beaches of Abel Tasman to the alpine environment of Arthur's Pass to the immense Whanganui River, New Zealand's national parks contain some of our most treasured wilderness areas.Every one of our marine reserves, and there are more than 25 of them, preserves an area that is valuable because it’s typical, unique or extremely beautiful. For example, Fiordland’s marine reserves protect the world's largest black coral trees - some over 300 years old.

One of our most famous marine reserves is the Poor Knights, where subtropical currents, huge caves and archways support an extraordinary range of life. This reserve has been called one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. Many of the North Island’s lakes are the result of ancient volcanic eruptions. The biggest of these crater lakes is Taupo - it’s the size of small country and one of our top trout fishing destinations. You can also catch trout in many of Rotorua’s crater lakes.

Dune lakes are an interesting phenomenon. At Kai Iwi in Northland there are three beautiful dune lakes fringed with pure white sand. Near Levin on the west coast of the North Island, the dune lake Papaitonga is edged with wetlands that are great for bird watching.

Whatever your interests, New Zealand and Kiwi Travel and Tours can offer your Study Abroad Group a stunning, safe and inexpensive experience that will stay with you and your students for the rest of your lives.

We would like to thank the following talented photographers and Organisations: A J Hackett Bungy New Zealand; Rob Suisted; Shotover Jet; Destination Queenstown; Destination Northland; Chris McLennan; Holger Leue; Zorb Rotorua; NZ Ski; Hiroshi Nameda; Adventure Film; Tourism New Zealand.