-Day New Zealand Adventure with Parents: Honest Travel Experience Review

Every year, I have the habit of traveling with my parents. Last year, after getting married, I took my in-laws and sister on a family trip.

The elders in the family like natural scenery, so after considering all factors, we arranged a 10-day trip to New Zealand. They felt very good after the trip, and right after the New Year, they were already urging us to arrange this year’s itinerary.

There are actually many things to pay attention to when traveling with the elderly, so I’m updating a travel guide, hoping to give some ideas to friends who plan to travel with their parents.

💛Day 1: Direct flight from Shanghai to Auckland, strolled around the city to adjust to the time difference.
🧡Day 2: Auckland – Christchurch – Lake Tekapo, we booked mountain view suites, and my parents were particularly happy. This day was mainly about enjoying the natural scenery, including the Church of the Good Shepherd, Mount John, and Lake Tekapo.

💛Day 3: The Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park was breathtaking, with snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and lakes… My mom couldn’t stop taking pictures. The Hooker Valley Track is suitable for hiking, as it is relatively gentle, and we took photos along the way.
🧡Day 4: At Lake Wanaka, we captured “the world’s loneliest tree” and also visited Arrowtown and Arrow River.

It was a day focused on relaxation, and it’s important for the elders to get enough rest.
💛Day 5: We arranged a one-day cruise at Milford Sound, which is a type of landscape that our country doesn’t have.
🧡Day 6: We went to the Te Anau Glowworm Caves, which my sister especially loved. We had lunch on a steamboat and then took the Skyline Gondola to watch the sunset.

💛Day 7: The scenery from Queenstown to Glenorchy was beautiful. We rented a car for the entire trip, stopping to take photos wherever we liked.
🧡Day 8: The three of us younger ones went bungee jumping at the Kawarau Bridge, ticking off an item on our bucket list.
💛Day 9-10: We returned from Queenstown to Auckland and then back to Shanghai.

💡Some tips for traveling with elders:
✔️When traveling with elders, you must not rush them; allow plenty of time for them to rest and adjust to the time difference.
✔️In New Zealand, it’s best to rent a car, so the elders can rest in the car, and you can stop anytime to take photos.
✔️It’s best to book hotels with kitchens because the elders might not enjoy the local food, and with a kitchen, they can buy groceries and cook their own meals.

💰Regarding expenses:
We were seven people traveling for 10 days, with a private car throughout, and the total cost was around 160,000 RMB, averaging about 23,000 RMB per person. This included airfare, accommodation, visa, driver, guide, and entrance fees, with no hidden costs. The expenses were very transparent, and the accommodations were all four-star hotels, many with mountain views. My parents and in-laws had a great experience.

👭🏻Given the mix of both elders and younger family members, and knowing how challenging it can be to satisfy everyone, we ultimately opted for a customized tour that came highly recommended by a close friend. I strongly recommend arranging a personalized tour for seniors because group tours often have large numbers of participants, which can make it tough to meet their specific needs. When traveling with them abroad, their comfort and joy should take precedence over cost considerations.

The driver we arranged was exceptional, frequently sharing fascinating insights into the local culture and customs throughout the journey. A knowledgeable and friendly driver truly enhances the travel experience! It’s wise to check reviews and recommendations for drivers in advance to ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip.

In summary, while there were certainly some minor frictions during the trip with the elders, the most rewarding part was having the opportunity, as an adult, to introduce them to new horizons, much as they did for me when I was a child.