Attune Travel

01/11/2024

Kaikōura is one of our favourite towns on the South Island. Along with its beautiful mountains, beaches and wildlife, it is now one of the 22 areas in the world that have been granted International Dark Sky Sanctuary status. Sanctuary status is only awarded to locations that possess an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and public enjoyment. One more reason to spend some quality time there!

DarkSky International officially designated Kaikōura, New Zealand as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary.

29/10/2024

When the skies are blue and the wind drops, you get some magically smooth boating excursions on Lake Wānaka. Here we're coming back from a tour of Mou Waho, a tiny island rich in Māori and European history with an elevated lake in the middle.

28/10/2024

One of the most picturesque golf courses in New Zealand is Arrowtown Golf Club just outside of Queenstown. Sculpted using the natural topography, this is a very unique and fun course to play. This photo was taken in the autumn, so the changing colors of the leaves provided an extra pretty bonus.

25/10/2024

This amazing setting in the Ahuriri Valley is made only more beautiful by the innovative architecture of The Lindis luxury lodge. It's a spectacular place to include in a tour. We'd love to have you experience it - let's discuss!

22/10/2024

The Otago region is best know for its city destinations like Queenstown, Dunedin and Oamaru. But one of the most enjoyable activities in Otago are the cycle trails and the overnight trips you can take. All of the equipment and overnight reservations can be easily set up for you. You just need some dates and a little energy (e-bikes are available too)! Most of the trails are suitable for all skill levels.

All our trails will take your breath away. Even if you're a serious cyclist.Whatever speed you choose to get away from it all, Central Otago’s great rides, ...

19/10/2024

Excellent door-to-door service by Fiordlands Helicopters, to the field in front of Fiordland Lodge. This was to pick us up for a scenic flight over Milford Sound and the surrounding mountains.

17/10/2024

Some groovy wall art at Tākaka, at the southeastern end of Golden Bay, on the South Island. Lots of artists and free-spirited people live in this pretty part of New Zealand.

14/10/2024

Whakarewarewa - The Living Maori Village in Rotorua - is one of the best places to combine geothermal geography and Māori culture.

08/10/2024

If amazing luxury, pampering, 5-star meals, marine activities, ocean views and birdsong appeal to you, then we should discuss a stay at the Bay of Many Coves in Marlborough Sounds 😊

02/10/2024

The Northland region and the Bay of Islands offer an abundance of pristine beaches and rugged coastline views. World class golf at Kauri Cliffs is a must for golfers. For history buffs, the towns of Kerikeri, Paihia, Waitangi and Russell invite visitors to step back in time with their well-preserved heritage sites and captivating stories. Waitangi, the birthplace of the nation, holds profound cultural significance as the site of the Treaty of Waitangi. While Whangaroa Harbour and Matauri Bay offer ample opportunities for the exploration of amazing marine environments. Let's talk about it!

29/09/2024

The dolphins on Doubtful Sound like to follow the boat's wake and have fun.

27/09/2024

These rugged cliffs are in the Catlins, in the southeast of the South Island. The animal life is quite abundant in this part of the country including the Yellow-Eyed Penguin, New Zealand Fur Seals and Ho**er Sea Lions. Slightly more extreme weather is also a characteristic of this area!

22/09/2024

We recently published a photo of a sign saying 'Tame Eels' from the Awaroa Lodge in Abel Tasman National Park. Here is the promised video - they are tame and friendly and frankly, probably just want to be fed!

21/09/2024

This is a sign in the Awaroa Resort in the Abel Tasman National Park. Eels are quite prevalent in New Zealand. In fact, Eels were a vital food for Māori, who caught them and kept them in cages or ponds as a ready food supply. They live mainly in rivers and inland lakes but can be found in almost all types of waters, usually well inland from the coast. The eels referred to in the sign are quite friendly! COMING SOON - A FRIENDLY EEL VIDEO!

17/09/2024

One of the beautiful boutique lodges we work with is the Pen-y-bryn Lodge in Ōamaru, on the south east coast of the South Island. There’s many spots in the south that give you a great view of the stars, given the minimal light pollution. Ōamaru dims their street lights at night, and with the lodge being just outside of town, you get excellent views of the far off galaxies. It’s particularly good for those who love photography, as it gives you a chance to do some astrophotography right on site. One of the co-hosts, James, uses three or four different telescopes for his own images and he captures the nebulae, Milky Way and Aurora (when it’s out!). So you’ll have a friendly resident expert to help identify what you’re shooting and get some great shots. “The Southern Hemisphere, in particular, is full of nebulas, which are very interesting to photograph. Some of the greatest nebulae are only visible from the Southern Hemisphere, so it's a big draw for people…they always envy us down here,” James adds.

To continue your stargazing journey, an evening viewing at the Ōamaru Blue Penguin Colony down at the coast, is a great way to spend an evening. On a clear night, visitors can see the twinkling of stars above the penguins as they return home from the sea.

The lodge is is a Victorian-era mansion where the guests to feel they are at home even as they’re being treated in a manner expected within the high-end lodge lifestyle. They like to say ‘it’s sophisticated without the stuffiness.’ The dining experience there is world class. They are society members of the both the Slow Food Movement and the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs (one of the world’s oldest gastronomical societies dedicated to the art of cooking. Their unique menu is complimented by a great wine list featuring local vineyards and wines from throughout New Zealand.

Ask us about including Pen-y-bryn on your custom tour.

14/09/2024

New Zealand is known for both its fresh seafood and its superb international cuisine. Here we have a local Crayfish catch and a Lebanese Fattoush salad. Menus are full of lots of meat and fish options, but you'll also find many vegetarian and vegan choices.

12/09/2024

Believe it or not, this is kayaking in central Christchurch, on the Avon. It's quite serene and we highly recommend it. You rent a kayak from the friendly staff at Antgua Boat Sheds, and off you go. You'll be sharing the river with lots of wildlife 😊

10/09/2024

Our luxury lodges have some very beautiful architecture and stunning views from each suite. The exterior is from The Lindis in remote Ahuriri Valley and the interior is from the Rosewood in Queenstown looking out over Lake Wakatipu. These resorts book out early, so it's good to talk with us well in advance of when you want to travel.

02/09/2024

One of the benefits of taking the smaller planes is the fact they fly low enough to get some great photos. Here the Southern Alps on the South Island are showing their full snow mode. We're now coming out of winter and soon it will be just the mountain peaks with snow.

30/08/2024

I love this photo of Māori performers in Rotorua. You can see these performances in many places in the country, but Rotorua and Hokianga have the most shows.

28/08/2024

One of the fun aspects of designing tours for guests is the number of transport options. We have a lot of options! Some provide a way to get from point A to point B. But others are designed to give perspective and experiences that you wouldn't otherwise get. In addition to the ones shown in the image, we use punts, trams, gondolas, sailboats, SUP boards, luges and skis! Of course one of the main ones is hiking (or 'tramping'), and the Kiwis love a good hike.

27/08/2024

New Plymouth is a fun place to visit for food, the arts, surfing, golf, hiking Mt Taranaki and good vibes. The good vibes and art come together in these rather large murals in the CBD. For scale, that's our daughter Sophie at the base of the first one.

25/08/2024

Rotorua in the North Island has lots to offer! The thermal village area is quite interesting and active. Sorry about the sulphur smell🤭

22/08/2024

This is the entrance to Oxford Terrace, called The Bridge of Remembrance. Built in 1923 to honour those that sacrificed for the Great War, World War I. Pretty lighting and reflections on this rainy night in Christchurch.

21/08/2024

Yes, New Zealand has amazing places to ride horses! And we can incorporate that into a tour, whatever your skill level. This is a South Island ride that Sue took recently, with stunning views of the ocean, on the east coast.