The following is a guest post submission from one of our sponsors, Ability Adventures.
There is a lot to see in New Zealand, from the geothermal landscape and Māori culture of Rotorua to the mountains and lakes of the South Island. It is tempting to try to fit it all in, and that is how a trip turns into rushing between destinations, repacking a suitcase every morning and keeping up with a large tour group.
At Ability Adventures, we think the better holidays happen when you slow things down. Our personalized New Zealand holidays for seniors are built around your interests, your pace, and the way you like to travel.
The advantage of a private or small personalized tour is that the day can change to suit you. We can start later if you’d like a slow morning, pull over when you spot a café you like the look of, and keep the afternoon quiet after a busy morning out. If you need a little longer to get ready, we plan for that too.
Our itineraries can include multi-night stays and comfortable travel days, so you get time to enjoy a place before moving on to the next one. We also want you to have some fun along the way, and that is hard to do when you’re watching the clock.
You don’t need to identify as having a disability to travel with Ability Adventures. Many of our travelers simply like knowing that someone has thought about the details.
Stairs might be getting harder than they used to be. You might prefer a walk-in or wet-floor shower, less walking and somewhere to sit down now and then, or you might just not want to deal with carrying luggage and finding your way around unfamiliar places. Getting these things right is often what makes a holiday feel relaxing, so we take the time to understand what will make you comfortable and confident before we design your trip.
A hotel listing rarely tells you enough about the bathroom, the room layout or how far you’ll have to walk, and those are the things that decide whether a place will suit you.
We have spent years building relationships with accommodation providers, tourism operators and local suppliers throughout New Zealand. Where possible, we visit properties and experiences ourselves so we understand what they offer. We look at access, bathrooms, stairs, room layouts, walking distances and transport.
We also pay attention to how you’ll be treated when you arrive. A ramp can make a building accessible, but it takes welcoming, patient and understanding people to make it inclusive, and we care about that just as much.
Traveling at a comfortable pace leaves plenty of room for the things people come to New Zealand for. You could cruise through Milford Sound, experience Māori culture in Rotorua, visit Hobbiton, taste wine among the vineyards of Central Otago, explore the alpine country around Aoraki/Mount Cook, or get out on the water on Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown.
If there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, tell us. Part of our job is finding out what is possible.
We plan private guided tours, self-drive holidays, and trips that combine the two. Having an experienced guide with you for the whole holiday suits travelers who like the reassurance. Self-drive suits those who value their independence but want the planning, accommodation and accessibility considerations taken care of beforehand. And if you’d like a guide for part of the trip and the car keys for the rest, we can do that as well.
New Zealand is just across the Tasman, but it can feel like a different world once you’re here. A personalized holiday lets you see more of the country than the usual coach-tour itinerary, with the important details sorted out before you arrive. Whether this is your first visit or you’re coming back for the parts you haven’t seen yet, we’d love to show you around.
New Zealand is a long way from the US, and the longer the journey, the more the planning matters. Our team is based here in New Zealand. We understand your itinerary, we know your requirements and we’re available if you need help while you’re traveling, which takes some of the uncertainty out of a trip halfway around the world.
Traveling later in life is a chance to set your own schedule. There’s no need to tick off every attraction or keep up with anyone else, and you shouldn’t have to wonder whether you’ll manage the next hotel, activity or destination.
That leaves you free to enjoy an extraordinary country, meet people, eat well, laugh and come home with a few good stories. We’ll take care of the details and support you where you need it, so you can get on with enjoying New Zealand.
The first step is a conversation. We’d love to arrange a complimentary video call to learn a little about you and show you some of the experiences that could be part of your New Zealand trip.
Every Ability. Every Possibility.
