Spectacular Wellington: Full Day Private Sightseeing Tour

Best tour guide, Best tour! Suzee gave us a wonderful day to remember always!

We were part of a group of 4 (two couples) in Wellington for the day on a cruise. We prefer private tours to ship tours because they're usually a better value and you get to see so much more. This tour was no exception. We had a great experience. Jo picked us up at the cruise terminal and drove us around in a very comfortable, modern VW van. I've been in lots of tour vans and believe me they're not all equally roomy but Jo's van was a winner. The itinerary is flexible based on what interests you. At our request, Jo took us to see the Parliament buildings as well as a quick visit to the National Library museum to see an original copy of the Waitangi Treaty and other founding documents. She seemed quite pleased that we were interested in seeing them because apparently most of her clients don't express an interest. Then Jo took us up to the wind turbine which is a higher overlook than Mt Victoria. She drove us around the coast and shared some of Wellington's maritime history. We stopped at a souvenir shop and had lunch at a little place that’s famous for meat pies. We popped into the Weta Workshop gift store. She took us up to the top of the cable car and gave us round trip tickets. We rode the cable car down and then back up again. After that we walked down from the top on a path through the Botanic Garden that ends up in the Rose Garden. Jo met us at the bottom with the van. Finally, we stopped in St. Paul’s Anglican Church on the way back to the port. Throughout the day, Jo provided us with interesting narration and answered all our questions. It was a fun day and we definitely can recommend Jo and Suzee of UTours.

This was a last-minute excursion I booked. Great communication with Jo. She was great. She took us everywhere and very knowledgeable. Next time we come around here we will go with them again.

A good tour guide can provide information. A great tour guide provides a personal feel with the information. Suzee's love of her country and her job is expressed with each part of the tour. She is the personification of what a tour guide could and should be. And she is funny!

Wonderful tour! Jo was a great tour guide around Wellington. We visited many sites around the city. Of course, the highlight was the Lord of the Rings movie sites. Jo was flexible with the schedule and it was a great day!! Thank you!! Highly recommended!

Our tour of Wellington with Suzee was fabulous - it met all our expectations and more. Great communication right from booking, both via email and phone and then via WhatsApp a couple of days before and the night before, so no surprises. So easy! She picked us up from the port and dropped us back there in plenty of time for our ship’s departure. No long walks or shuttles required. Suzee helped us customize our day including a stop at a supermarket, a souvenir shop, a nice little cafe for lunch and a great gelato store at our request. We went to fantastic spots for scenic vistas and photo ops, toured a variety of suburbs and the CBD - discussing important buildings, local real estate, a beautiful old church and cultural venues. We travelled along local coastline and what used to be old fishing villages. Suzee’s knowledge of local history, culture and facts and figures was amazing. She has a wealth of information on so many topics and wasn’t phased by any question we threw at her! We had so many great discussions. Her passion for showing us her beloved city and for us to see the true Wellington instead of just the tourist traps was obvious. She was so friendly but also professional and did everything to make us comfortable, including toilet stops when requested, drinks and chocolates from her chilly bin and even a free grocery bag for our shopping. Her van was very modern, spacious and comfortable with easy access via a folding step. Suzee made sure we did everything on our original list (including the WĒTĀ workshop) and some stuff we didn’t even think about, and helped us get some great photos (she has a good eye for photography!). Wellington is a tricky city to drive around due to its layout and many steep hills and narrow roads - Suzee handled these with practiced ease and I doubt we would have seen some of these places by tour bus or hiring a car ourselves. Nothing was too much trouble, the conversation flowed so easily, we learnt and saw so much and there was no stress. Time flew and the day was over all too soon. When we return to NZ on our road trip we hope to do another tour with Suzee to see the landscapes on the outskirts of Wellington. I can’t imagine anyone else giving us such a great day and we feel like we’ve made a new friend.

+2

Our tour fully matched our expectations and was a wonderful experience from beginning to end. I would absolutely recommend this tour to a friend, especially because of how customer-oriented and accommodating Susie was to both my handicapped mother and me. Susie made communication very easy and stress-free. Prior to meeting for the tour, she provided clear and detailed instructions on where to meet. She also stayed in touch with me periodically beforehand to make sure everything was well organized and that we were all on the same page. During the tour, Susie went above and beyond to ensure my mother was comfortable and able to fully enjoy the experience. Her patience, kindness, and professionalism truly stood out. We felt genuinely cared for and valued as guests.

We were on Viking Venus and we were the luckiest 4 passengers of 903 this day! Jo had the two of us while Suzee had two other people from our ship. All of their special touches and they customize the day for you is exceptional! They take you to special intimate places with great views but without the crowds. Also need to add, great on communication to ensure everything went off smoothly. This alone is worth the price of admission but the connection you make with them as you drive is special and everything you learn are special pearls that round out your trip. They help customize the tour to your needs (there are some stories about unique requests but you have to ask them about those…) and they ensure you have those must have experiences that are provided with enthusiasm, wit, and personal touch. We loved the local snacks and drinks that we do not get in the US and have to say the place we stopped off at lunch for pies to die for! Did I say the pies and this tour are awesome!!!!

We had the most relaxing and enjoyable experience. Travelers consisted of my husband and I. We had originally booked the half day tour, but within the first hour, extended to a full day. Suzee communicates clearly from the start of the booking process, planning, and pick up. Customization is her specialty. As we talked, Suzee would suggest stops that fit our interests. On a housekeeping note, vehicles are new, clean, and we felt very safe the whole day. Highly recommend this tour company.

+1

Starting with the booking reservation several months ago all the way to the end of our tour, our experience with Suzee and Jo was so professional and interactive. After reserving the full-day tour online, Suzee reached out immediately to schedule a call for us to discuss our goals for the day. She made suggestions for how to arrange the day to avoid crowds and general time efficiency, and what she thought we would enjoy most among our long list of interests. (None of my other three Viator bookings had this level of attention!) A week before our arrival, Suzee gave us detailed information about our impending meet-up and the day went seamlessly with finding Jo at the dock. The tour van was impeccably clean, she included drinks and snacks for us, and proceeded to bring us to all the places we had outlined a few months prior in the call with Suzee. We enjoyed every stop. Jo had vast information about the Wellington local government and how it fit into the NZ government and answered our questions about history. (We were really impressed by Jo's Māori vocabulary!) After seeing the government buildings and the amazing viewpoint by the wind turbine, we were off to the waterfront, botanical gardens, and Zealandia. When we had a chance to spend a bit longer with our New Zealand tour guide, Jo was flexible with the tour timeline. All in all, we wouldn't change a thing. Last but not least, we applaud Jo's driving skills. So many of the narrow streets seemed impassable, but she handled it like a pro. We felt safe and sound in her hands! If there was an option to offer a rating above 5 stars, we would!