2 day Rotorua and Waitomo tour

Nowhere in New Zealand does the earth feel more alive than it does in Rotorua. The geothermal city of Rotorua is a magnet for travellers, who come to discover volcanic phenomena and learn about New Zealand's Maori culture. From explosive geysers to hurtling down a hill on a part go-cart and part toboggan, to cultural performances, Rotorua has it all.

• Transport from Tauranga, Te Puke or Waihi College.
• Skyline Gondola and Luge
• Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland, New Zealand’s most colourful natural volcanic environment. Its unique features include the world famous champagne pool, geysers, bubbling mud, steaming ground, huge craters and silica terraces.
• Tamaki Maori Village, Hangi and Cultural Show. Experience a traditional welcome, see and participate in demonstrations of traditional skills, enjoy a cultural performance and finally a hangi (ground oven-cooked) meal.
• Visit Waitomo’s famous glow worm cave and enjoy the fascinating and beautiful limestone formations and glow worm gallery, as full of glow-worms as a clear night sky with stars.
• Blackwater Tubing: float down the underground river, jump into cascading underground waterfalls, and don’t forget to look up at the spectacular glow worms above.

Question 1: Why do students choose to tour with Learning Journeys?

• We, have been awarded a Qualmark accreditation, unlike many of our competitors in this market. This is the result of a rigorous independent assessment of the quality of our product, processes and risk management.
• We are also full members of New Zealand’s Tourism Export Council.
• We are a well-known company with many 15 years’ experience with students.
• Our groups on long tours are small and friendly (around 20 rather than 40) so we can easily make sure everyone is having a great time.
• We stay in quality hostels, with bedding provided in private rooms, rather than camping and braving the elements.
• On long tours, all breakfasts and all dinners are included but one. 90% of dinners are in restaurants.
• All activities are INCLUDED in prices, except things like bungy, so what you see is what you get. Your programme will be full even if you have no extra money to spend on activities.
• Our tour managers are experienced professionals.
• We hold a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for our cruise ship tours. Our cruise ship clients unanimously rate their tours 5/5 (see www.cruisetauranga.com). (We can’t put Learning Journeys on Trip Advisor because companies offering multi-day tours are excluded)

Question 2: Can Learning Journeys help arrange airfares?

• For individual bookings, call our office between 9 am and 2 pm on week days for help booking internal flights. You will need to provide a credit card number. For group bookings on internal flights, please email your requirements and we will get back to you with some choices.

Question 3: What happens when we arrive at the airport at the start of a tour?

• You will be met at a prearranged meeting point by your Learning Journeys guide(s) who will look after you and your new friends for the whole of your tour.

Question 4: What is your safety record like?

• Our safety record is outstanding. Safety is absolutely our number one concern at all times. We do everything in our power to make sure each trip is as safe as it can possibly be.
• We do risk assessments for every excursion we run.
• We only use adventure activity accredited operators for specialist activities
• We carry a first aid kit in our vehicles, as well as on the guide's person when in remote areas.
• All guides are certified in first aid and CPR.
• We give every student a card with emergency numbers and safety information on it to carry, and we review safety measures as part of our orientation and as appropriate throughout the trip.
• Our guides are all police-vetted.
• Our transport safety is rated 5 star by Land Transport New Zealand
• We evaluate and re-evaluate the safety of each of our destinations and activities, and we always reserve the right to modify or cancel an itinerary if the guide feels that conditions are unsafe.
• We will gladly provide a risk management assessment specific to your trip on request.
• Learning Journeys' staff also adhere to a comprehensive Risk Management Strategy.

Question 6: What does it mean that Learning Journeys displays the Qualmark symbol

• Qualmark is New Zealand tourism’s official quality assurance organisation, providing a trusted guide to quality travel experiences. Qualmark makes it easy for travellers to select high quality places to stay, things to do, and ways to get around. When you see a business displaying the Qualmark symbol you can be assured that the business has met stringent quality standards and environmental criteria - earning New Zealand tourism’s official quality mark.
• FOR TRAVELLERS, THE QUALMARK SIGN MEANS THAT;
  1. You will have a great tourism experience
  2. You can book with confidence
  3. The business operates in an ethical, professional and environmentally sustainable way
  4. The business has the required systems and policies for a safe and happy holiday in New Zealand

Question 7: Why should we purchase travel insurance?

• We strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance for your protection. Should a participant need to cancel their trip for any reason, our cancellation policy applies. However, travel insurance protects any loss they may experience should s/he or an immediate family member become ill or sustain an injury that prevents them from going on the trip.

Question 8: What is the educational value of these trips?

• Travel broadens your horizons, encourages you to try new experiences, challenges your view of the world and increases your tolerance and understanding of other cultures.
• Your social skills and capacity for empathy grow as you travel in a group, share accommodation, meals and new experiences and learn that not everyone perceives the world and reacts the same way.
• Your guides are not only there to look after you, to support you through a programme that may be challenging as well as highly enjoyable, but also to provide information to enrich your experience of each new place and activity.