Defining Moments

04/10/2024

Thank you to teachers. We appreciate the incredible dedication, passion, and hard work of teachers, who inspire, guide, and shape the future with your commitment to education.

03/10/2024

Take your French lessons beyond the classroom! Immerse your students in the language and culture of France with an unforgettable educational tour. From ordering croissants in Paris to exploring historic landmarks, give them the confidence and experience to excel in their French language skills.
All of our tours are tailor made. Get in touch to start planning your tour to France!

30/09/2024

From exploring new cultures to bonding over shared experiences, these tours are about more than just travel—they're about connection and growth.
Taking an overseas educational tour can significantly increase student enrolment in your class by offering a unique and engaging learning experience outside the classroom. These immersive experiences not only enhance academic learning but also create a sense of excitement and adventure that attracts more students to join.
Contact us to start planning your next tour for 2026 and onwards!

25/09/2024

A BIG Congratulations to Edward Kwon, winner of our competition to win a Go Pro HERO 10! We will be in touch directly with you.
Thanks for everyone's engagement on our recent competition!

25/09/2024

Bon voyage to our September tour groups embarking on exciting educational adventures! 🌍 Whether you're diving into ancient history in Greece & Italy, exploring Japanese culture in Tokyo, immersing in French language in Tahiti, soaking up the arts scene of New York or seeing the history of Vietnam—wishing you all a journey full of learning and unforgettable experiences. We can’t wait to hear about the memories that you make.

24/09/2024

Discover the diverse geography of Hawaii’s Big Island on an unforgettable educational tour! From the lush rainforests and waterfalls of Hilo to the sunny, volcanic landscapes of Kona, students will explore how natural forces shape this incredible island. Dive into hands-on learning and see geography come to life!

23/09/2024

Defining Moments are one of the founding members of the School Travel Collective.
The School Travel Collective Inc (STC) was formed to help reset and provide confidence in the school travel sector’s financial stability, through the cornerstone of Travel Agents Association of New Zealand (TAANZ) financial bonding and reporting to ensure security and peace of mind for schools and their communities. Additionally protecting our young women and men through rigorous health and safety, duty of care practices and adopting Ministry of Education (MOE) best practice guidelines.
Get in touch now to start planning your 2025 or 2026 educational tour.

20/09/2024

Every journey teaches us something new—whether it's about the world, others, or even ourselves. Let each adventure open your eyes, expand your horizons, and leave you with memories and insights that last a lifetime.

17/09/2024

Remember to enter our competition to win a Go Pro 10! Entries close next week!

COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED
📸 Win a Go Pro HERO 10! 📸
Attention teachers! We know how valuable it can be to capture the incredible Defining Moments in life, whether at work with school students, or at home with friends and family. Here’s your chance to win a Go Pro HERO 10, worth $499, for your next travel adventure.
👉 How to enter:
1. Like/follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram
2. Tag a NZ teacher friend or colleague to be in to win
3. Tell us which destination you would use your Go Pro if you win!
🏆 Good luck to everyone!
Competition is open to New Zealand teachers only. The competition ends on Wednesday 25th September 2024 at 11.59pm. This competition is not endorsed by Facebook or Instagram. We will not message you throughout the competition, so please don’t follow any links or other users. Winner will be announced on our Facebook & Instagram pages on 26th September 2024.

11/09/2024

Engage your students in Japan's rich history and vibrant language with our combined Japanese language and history tour! From exploring ancient temples to practicing Japanese in real-life settings, this tour offers an unforgettable educational experience. Combining subjects can boost tour numbers, making it easier to bring your classroom abroad. Let's make learning an adventure!

05/09/2024

From ancient ruins to timeless art, a classics tour through Greece and Italy is a journey through history. Here's to adventures in the lands of myths, gods, and legends! One of our recent groups enjoyed visits to Athens, Delphi, Olympia, Sorrento and Rome.

04/09/2024

We have regular schools that have continued to use Defining Moments to assist in booking their overseas educational tours. Send us a message or give us a call so we can help you plan and organize an educational tour for your students.

26/08/2024

A student on a recent French language tour found that the experience allowed them to truly engage with French culture.

Through everyday conversations with native speakers, students had the invaluable opportunity to practice and refine all aspects of their language skills. Beyond the language practice, the tour offered unforgettable experiences, allowing students to explore breathtaking new places, while building lasting memories with their friends.

This blend of education and adventure creates a learning environment like no other. If you're looking to launch a transformative language learning tour that combines cultural immersion with personal growth, reach out to us today.

22/08/2024

Ready to Launch a Student Tour? Here’s How!
Dreaming of taking your students beyond the classroom? Whether it’s a cultural trip, a historical tour or a language tour, organising a student travel experience can be incredible rewarding. Here’s a quick guide to get you started:
1. Get in touch to let us know your destination, departure date, duration, number of students and the purpose of your tour.
2. Work with Defining Moments to create your desired itinerary to suit the needs of your students. Get the BOT approval.
3. Launch your tour: we present an information evening at your school (approximately 14-18 months prior to tour)
4. Confirm flights and finalise bookings
5. Enjoy your educational tour.
Get in touch now and let us help create some for your students beyond the classroom.

21/08/2024

🎬 Discover the Heart of Entertainment: A Media Studies Tour to Los Angeles & Hollywood! 🌟
Get ready for the ultimate insider experience! A media studies tour takes you straight to the core of the entertainment industry in Los Angeles and Hollywood. If you have students that are passionate about film, TV, and media, this is your chance to take them where the magic happens!
Highlights can include: Workshops, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Warner Bros Studios tour, Universal Studios Hollywood Sign, Disneyland California
All tours are tailor-made so can be designed to meet the needs of your students.
This tour is designed to ignite creativity and give students a unique perspective on the world of entertainment. Don’t miss out on this chance to be immersed in the vibrant culture of LA and Hollywood!

19/08/2024

COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED
📸 Win a Go Pro HERO 10! 📸
Attention teachers! We know how valuable it can be to capture the incredible Defining Moments in life, whether at work with school students, or at home with friends and family. Here’s your chance to win a Go Pro HERO 10, worth $499, for your next travel adventure.
👉 How to enter:
1. Like/follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram
2. Tag a NZ teacher friend or colleague to be in to win
3. Tell us which destination you would use your Go Pro if you win!
🏆 Good luck to everyone!
Competition is open to New Zealand teachers only. The competition ends on Wednesday 25th September 2024 at 11.59pm. This competition is not endorsed by Facebook or Instagram. We will not message you throughout the competition, so please don’t follow any links or other users. Winner will be announced on our Facebook & Instagram pages on 26th September 2024.

15/08/2024

SYTA Conference in New York

Alysha and Aline have just returned back from attending the SYTA (Student and Youth Travel Association) Conference in New York. The conference allows connections to be made with new suppliers, as well as building on existing relationships, to ensure we get the best results for our tours. Coming together with other tour operators and suppliers, who like ourselves, have the same aim of enriching the lives of young students through life changing travel experiences.

There were dazzling city views at the opening conference event at The Edge as well as from the observation deck of the Empire State Building at sunrise. Both Alysha and Aline enjoyed a guided tour of Brooklyn with an introduction to the graffiti art of The Bushwick Collective. Alysha also visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and found it to be an emotional experience.

It was a great 4 days filled with existing and new supplier/operator meetings, educational sessions, motivational speakers and some awesome New York City sightseeing too!

12/08/2024

A student on a recent Spanish language tour found it was a great way to truly immerse themselves to learn the language and the culture.

Traveling to a country where your target language is spoken gives you real-life practice in the most authentic setting. Students can get comfortable with everyday conversations and learn about cultural nuances—all while exploring new places!

Whether ordering food, asking for directions, or chatting with locals, every interaction helps boost students confidence and fluency. Plus, it's a fun and adventurous way to learn!

So why not combine travel with language learning?

09/08/2024

We understand that every educational journey is different, which is why we work closely with educators to create customized itineraries that align with specific curriculum goals and learning outcomes. At Defining Moments, we specialise in tailor-made tours that are designed to cater to the learning needs of your students.
We ensure each tour is both educational and inspiring, leaving a lasting impact on their academic and personal development.

08/08/2024

Taking students on a tour to Tahiti is an exceptional opportunity for immersive French language practice. Tahiti's stunning beaches, turquoise lagoons and rich Polynesian culture create an engaging learning environment.
Students can interact with French-speaking locals, enhancing their language skills through real-life conversations.
Tahiti promises to be both educational and unforgettable.

01/08/2024

Mon, our Operations Manager, visited the US recently with her family. One of the places that they visited was Orlando. They visited the Kennedy Space Centre, went on an airboat/gator farm tour, the Orlando Eye and checked out Cocoa Beach.
Their absolute highlight of the tour was seeing a rocket launch from their hotel balcony. She says it was only a satellite launch, not piloted, but it was so very cool to watch!
Mon’s top tip is to do the Behind the Scenes tour at the Kennedy Space Centre- it is a must do- and you get to see so much more than just the general public do!

30/07/2024

Every 4 years from 776 BC to 393 AD people from areas of Greece would travel to the site of Olympia to celebrate the ancient Olympic Games. Athletes would compete in sports such as boxing or chariot racing. It was considered a test of physical prowess and would be treated as local heroes for centuries to come. The Olympic Games in the times of ancient Greece represented peace and the nobility of competition.
Today, Ancient Olympia can be still visited where you can see the remaining pieces of the ancient stadium that once seated 20,000 spectators, the palaestra where athletes would exercise, the temple of Zeus and the temple of Hera.
Contact us to start planning your Classics tour and include a trip to visit Ancient Olympia and the attached museum.

25/07/2024

With a history packed tour this recent group visited London, Paris, Ypres, Berlin, Sorrento and Rome as part of their tour. While in Berlin, Germany the group visited Checkpoint Charlie, Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Holocaust Memorial (Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe) and Topography of Terror.
We tailor-make all of our itineraries to suit the needs of your students and their learning. Get in touch for us to assist you in planning your students next tour.

24/07/2024

Josh Hansen, manager of Te Arawhata - New Zealand Liberation Museum, was a student on a Defining Moments tour to Le Quesnoy 10 years ago. Te Arawhata allows visitors to learn more about the liberation of Le Quesnoy by New Zealand soldiers in November 1918. A must-do for students learning about the Western Front, and the NZ part in history.

23/07/2024

We hope you had a fabulous break and are returning to term 3 feeling refreshed!