If the idea of a road trip around New Zealand seems daunting, then perhaps consider a different approach. Marina Hanger from Ability Adventures designs bespoke holidays where the itinerary can be built around a central point for accommodation and spans outwards from there.
It involves setting up in your preferred style of holiday accommodation for the duration of your trip and taking a series of day excursions to nearby destinations.
“There are so many places in New Zealand within a couple of hours’ drive of each other, the choices are endless” says Marina. “It’s similar to the cruise ship experience where you unpack once, and every day you get to explore a different place.”
As an experienced Occupational Therapist, Marina can cater to a wide variety of needs, arranging any special equipment, personal care service or other items and have it all installed and ready before your arrival. “Everything is there already, and it removes the hassle of having to pack it all up and carry it around as you would on a traditional touring holiday.”
Rotorua is a good example of a great ‘central point’ base. Aside from its own extensive range of attractions and activities, you have the Bay of Plenty coastal experiences within reach, and hot spots like Hobbiton just down the road. Lake Taupo is an hour away, and the mountains and snow at Ruapehu are a feasible option for a day trip.
Marina has also designed several holidays based out of Queenstown that have included local activities and day trips to Wanaka, Glenorchy and Clyde in their itineraries.
“The beauty of this type of holiday is, everything is tailorable. You don’t even have to have a location in mind. I start with a list of things you enjoy doing and then come up with a place where it all fits together.”