About Us
New Zealand Private Tours
Passionate Queenstown locals Wayne and Kathy are the heart of New Zealand Private Tours. With years of travel experience and a love for sharing Aotearoa’s beauty, they create personalised adventures filled with expert guidance, warm hospitality, and unforgettable moments.
“New Zealand Private Tours began with a simple idea—sharing the kind of travel experience I loved most. After returning from a two-year journey around the world with my family, I knew I wanted to create something personal, authentic, and truly memorable for others. That’s how this business was born.
Having lived in both Europe and Australia (I’m originally from Australia), I’d seen a lot of the world before settling down in New Zealand. But it was that global family adventure—trying everything from small group tours and wildlife safaris to hop-on-hop-off buses and motorhome travel—that really shaped my passion for meaningful, flexible travel.
My goal has always been to offer small tours with a big heart. I want to help visitors discover the best of Aotearoa New Zealand: the breathtaking scenery, the fascinating stories, and the warm, friendly people who make this place so special.
If you're thinking about a private, personalised tour of New Zealand, I’d love to help. Feel free to get in touch—I'm always happy to talk through ideas and help bring your dream trip to life.”
Kathy
Meet The Team
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You could say the warmth in Kathy’s welcome is legendary. Helpful and friendly, she’s a self-confessed people person, who loves problem solving and making connections. This makes her a whizz at creating unique private tours with experiences to suit her guests.
Her extensive travels make her especially good at relating to what people from diverse cultures want from their tour. In fact, she delights in sharing cultural experiences with guests – from learning how to Bollywood dance (in Glenorchy, of all places!) with Indian guests, to sharing food with guests from the Philippines (although she draws the line at Balut/duck embryo).
“ You just can’t beat a local recommendation; some things aren’t mentioned in the guide books. We had an experience like this in Iceland when a local told us about a secret hot-water mineral pool. It took a lot of searching, but in the end we found it. The water was warm and crystal clear, the kids were so excited and it was a real highlight.
It’s that sense of wonder and inclusion that we want to recreate for our guests.”
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Wayne is a born-and-bred South Islander, so his knowledge of the Central Otago region goes way back, and his passion for the region is infectious. He’s the master of making people feel at ease with his relaxed and positive nature, and he’s famous for his dad jokes.
As past President of the Queenstown Photography Club, Wayne’s also happy to help you get the perfect photo – he has great insight how to best capture the magic of our spectacular scenery, whether you prefer to be behind the lens, or in front of it.
“The best memories are those where you connect with local people, where you’re a person, not just a number. We’ll always remember one Jamaican trip where our taxi driver took us to a beach, and introduced us to a lady who cooks for the homeless. We met some amazing, friendly locals and shared a drink with them, while they told us about their lives.
We want our guests to leave each tour feeling not only that they’ve had a great day out, but that they’ve made some new friends.”
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Jen is a New Zealand travel specialist with over a decade of local experience, proudly based in the heart of Central Otago’s renowned wine country. Having lived in the region for 10 years, she brings in-depth local knowledge and a passion for showcasing the very best of Aotearoa. Jen specialises in crafting personalised itineraries that highlight New Zealand’s diverse landscapes, unique culture, and exceptional experiences, with a particular focus on boutique travel, wine regions, and scenic journeys.
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