Climbing the Sydney Bridge for an aerial view of the city was a trip highlight for John and Lori Solon.

We started planning our trip with Sarah, Sara and Jacki about a year in advance. We wanted plenty of time to plan our trip. Sara and Jacki sent us a preliminary itinerary and we spent time reviewing their suggestions before we had a follow up zoom call with them to finalize the details. We spent two weeks in New Zealand and three weeks in Australia.

Sara planned a week on the North Island of New Zealand—we started with a few days on Waiheke Island and then drove to Rotorua. We loved Waiheke Island! It was a perfect place to relax and get over the 24-hour trip. Sara arranged a tour of the island that included several wineries and lunch. Our guide was great and gave us a lot of information about the island. Since we were going to spend time in Melbourne and Sydney, we skipped Auckland at Sara’s recommendation. We rented a car and drove to Rotorua. We enjoyed the guided tour through the city and learned a lot about the Maori culture. Rotorua is also known for their hot springs, and we relaxed in one of the spas that Sara recommended.

We spent 10 days on the South Island that we planned on our own. We were scheduled to fly on Jetstar from Queenstown to Melbourne, and at the airport we found out that our flight was cancelled due to a maintenance issue. It was a Friday evening and the city was busy. We called the after hours number for Sara’s company and they helped secure us a hotel room for the night. The next day while we were waiting on our flight I started a chat with Jetstar and put in a claim for the costs we incurred for the day. I provided them with all of our costs and receipts. I was told that we would be reimbursed the amounts up to their limits, but the agent was going to request reimbursement for the hotel cost that was above their limit. Jetstar was very good about communicating the status of the claim and they ended up paying 100% of our costs. I did have to make an insurance claim for the hotel in Melbourne that we paid for but did not use.

We started our Australia trip in Melbourne after missing a day. During our trip planning we decided that we had wanted to see as much of Australia as was practical, so in addition to Melbourne we went to Kangaroo Island, Adelaide (Barossa Valley), Brisbane, Palm Cove (Great Barrier Reef), Uluru, and Sydney. We spent two or three nights in each place and flew in between cities, which meant seven internal flights. We had rental cars in Adelaide and Brisbane and we were glad that we did. It would have been great to have rental cars in Palm Cove and Uluru, as it would have given us more flexibility and the cost would have been the same or less as drivers. We found the roads easy to navigate and getting in and out of the airports with rental cars was pretty easy.

Some of the highlights included the city tour in Melbourne. Even though it was raining our guide was great and took us to all of the sights that we had wanted to see. He knew we liked art so he took us to a few museums during the day. He was also our guide for a full-day tour to the Mornington Peninsula. We visited a wildlife refuge where we saw kangaroos, wallabies and koalas close up. In hindsight this was great as the koalas we saw in other parts of the country were high up in trees and sleeping. We also went to a winery that has one of the best sculpture gardens that we have seen.

From Melbourne we went to Kangaroo Island and stayed at the Southern Ocean Lodge. The hotel was spectacular. We went on two guided tours per day and saw wildlife, went into caves and visited some amazing cliffs on the shoreline. The food at the hotel was excellent and the staff were very welcoming and willing to do anything to make our stay great. We could have stayed longer!

In Adelaide we stopped to see the Chihuly Glass exhibit at the Botanical gardens on our way to the Barossa Valley. We stayed at the Louise Hotel, which was a sister hotel to the Southern Ocean Lodge. The hotel was great and the tasting dinners were some of the best that we had on our trip. We had a full day guided tour of the valley. Our tour guide had worked in the wine industry for many years before becoming a guide, and he knew all of the wineries and took us to a variety of small and large vineyards. They were all very good and we bought a few bottles to consume during the trip.

In Brisbane, we made a pivot and instead of staying an hour outside of the city we decided to stay in the city for a few nights. We had a great time exploring the city. The main museum had an exhibit on South Asian Art that was great. We really liked the exhibit and sought out a few galleries to see more South Asian and Aboriginal art. The restaurant scene was very busy even though we were there at the beginning of the week. We had a great dinner at a Greek restaurant on the river and another great Asian dinner in a different part of the city. We took trams, subways and river ferries to get around the city. Our unplanned detour ended up being a great decision.

After Brisbane we made a stop at Palm Cove, which we used as a base to go on a boat excursion to the Great Barrier Reef. The snorkeling was unbelievable and we saw coral that we had never seen before. We also headed north of Palm Cove to the Mossman Gorge, where Jacki had arranged a guided hike through the Daintree National Park, which was a very large rainforest. Our guided hike was several hours long and the guide was incredible as he pointed out different parts of the forest. From Palm Cove we headed to Uluru to visit the National park and the amazing rock formations of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. We had both a sunset and sunrise tour which were a stunning backdrop to the rock formations.

We spent the final part of our trip in Sydney. What a wonderful city. We had several great tours including a walking tour of the city, a boat tour of the harbor, a tour of the opera house and a bike tour of Manly Beach. The highlight tour was the Sydney Bridge Climb, where we walked up to the top of the Sydney Bridge. The Bridge tour was about 3 hours long and most of that time was on the bridge overlooking the city and the Opera house. The views were the best and we had great weather during the climb. Sydney is also a great city for shopping and dining. We had made our dinner reservations before we left home and all of the restaurants we chose were great.

Thank you Jacki, Sara and Sarah for arranging an unforgettable trip for us!

Jesse and Alison Deutsch explore Kangaroo Island during Australia/New Zealand travels.

New Zealand and Australia are truly magnificent destinations, and my recent trip with my wife Alison was nothing short of extraordinary and expertly organized by Stuart’s local team, Sara and Jacki. It has been on our bucket list for 30 years and we went for our sesquicentennial (both turning 60 and 30 years of marriage). Our adventure began in Auckland, where we were captivated by the stunning skyline and vibrant culture. We explored the picturesque waterfront, indulged in local cuisine, and even took a ferry to Waiheke Island for some hiking and wine tasting under the sun.

Next, we traveled to Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand. Surrounded by breathtaking mountains, we embraced the thrill of jet boating and took a scenic cruise on Lake Wakatipu. The adrenaline rush was matched only by the stunning views as we took a helicopter to Milford Sound and a boat ride on the sound, making it a highlight of our trip. We also hiked the Routeburn track and Lake Alta.

After a quick flight to Australia, we landed in Melbourne for a great couple of days touring the city and having some great food at Vue du Monde. Our journey continued to Kangaroo Island, a nature lover’s paradise. We marveled at the stunning landscapes, and encountered koalas and kangaroos in their natural habitat.. The resort at Southern Oceans was spectacular. A quick stop in Adelaide for wine tasting and then off to the Great Barrier Reef and Lizard Island. The resort was spectacular and we went snorkeling each day to a whole new world of life under the water. From there our final stop was Sydney. The iconic Sydney Opera House took our breath away, and we enjoyed dinner and a show there. We also made sure to visit Bondi Beach, where we soaked up the sun and savored delicious seafood at a nearby café. A boat ride on the harbor and a tour of the beaches up to Palm Beach were highlights.

Overall, a great experience with all the details organized for us. Stuart and his team were very flexible in crafting our agenda to get as much in as we could.

The limestone stack formations along Great Ocean Road yielded an “unforgettable day.” Photo: Traveler Lynn Herrick

We had a wonderful visit to Australia this November. We primarily went to visit our son who was studying in Sydney, but we wanted to make the most of the remaining 10 days of our trip. We met with Jacki and she quickly put together an itinerary that included cities, nature and wine drinking!

After a few busy days in Sydney, we flew to Melbourne. In addition to drinking as many flat whites as possible, we took a fabulous walking tour and spent an unforgettable day on the Great Ocean Road. Next was a visit to Kangaroo Island where we stayed at a charming bed and breakfast and saw all the animals on our checklist: kangaroos, wallabies, fur seals, dolphins, koalas and the fascinating echidnas. A very special place in the world.

We finished our itinerary at the luxurious Louise hotel in the Barossa Valley. We indulged in wonderful food, visited several wineries, and met lovely people from all over the world.

During the entire trip, Jacki and her team were responsive and great at solving any issues that arose. We felt like we received excellent advice and used our time wisely in Australia. There is still so much more to explore and we hope to visit again soon.

We spent a glorious month in Australia to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary, thanks to the impeccable planning and care of Stuart and Jacki’s team. They were able to incorporate all of our wish list destinations, no small feat in a country that size! We let them know that our priorities were wildlife viewing, culinary experiences and active exploration, and we went through a few draft itineraries before settling on a framework of destinations, durations and dates. Then it was on to choosing specific activities, restaurant reservations, etc, and then Jacki worked her magic. From premier rooms, to chefs table seatings at restaurants, to champagne greetings and surprise turn-in treats, we felt like we were VIPs the entire trip.

We chose September in order to avoid high season crowds. While cold at times and with a couple of days of rain, in general we felt it was a wonderful time. We packed well for 4 seasons and experienced everything, from the warm lush weather in Lizard island, to dry heat in Uluru, to mild and lovely Sydney and Tasmania, drizzly Melbourne and windy and crisp Kangaroo Island. The team arranged for wonderful private guides to see Uluru, the Great Ocean Road, Blue Mountains, and Maria Island on Tasmania. We highly recommend private guiding for these types of destinations, to get that deep education of the history and culture, as well as to find all those elusive creatures we were hoping to see (and did!) Even our airport transfer drivers were interesting and informative! In other locations, such as Lizard Island, Spicers Hidden Vale, Silky Oaks and Kangaroo Island, we had the most wonderful guides who were employed by the lodges. In our view, one of the most important benefits of staying at the resorts recommended by the company is that we had the highest level of expertise and service from all the staff.

We made the decision not to use guides in Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart for city touring. We love wandering cities on foot and exploring shops and attractions on our own, and this was a great change of pace for us for a few days of the trip. All three are very walkable, and have good public transit as well.

Choosing one favorite experience on such an amazing trip is impossible, but to narrow it down to a few: Seeing the sun rise over Kata Tjuṯa and sun set behind Uluru (with delicious private picnics for both). Snorkeling among the corals and fish of the Great Barrier Reef, and learning about the ecology of the reef at a world renowned research facility. Learning about and witnessing the beautiful flora and fauna that are rising from the ashes on Kangaroo Island (and staying at the absolutely stunning, totally rebuilt Southern Ocean Lodge). Hiking and seeing all the many amazing creatures who live in Tasmania, and doing an after-hours private tour at the Bonorong animal sanctuary where we got to feed the residents.

One reason among many that we are so grateful for the company occurred after the start of the trip. A few weeks prior to traveling one of us had a minor medical issue which required dietary restrictions going forward. We didn’t even consider how that would be an issue until we arrived in Sydney and started dining out. When we realized that we would frequently be dining at places with limited menus, we asked Jacki to make a couple of calls to let the prix-fixe menu locations know of the situation. She contacted everyone—the private guides providing picnics, the all-inclusive resorts, and every restaurant where we had a reservation. Without exception, every location was not only accommodating, but the meals were all delicious! This would have required us to spend hours of time to do it ourselves, right in the middle of our travels. We can’t express how grateful we are to have used Jacki’s team. It was truly a unique and unparalleled trip for us.

In early 2024 I realized that I was going to have about 10 days in Australia in mid-August that were free for traveling! Although I’ve been to Australia several times there were some places I really wanted to see but I knew the logistics were going to be challenging, so I turned to Stuart and Jacki for help. I told Jacki my dates were fixed, where I wanted to go and my interests. She came back very quickly with a draft itinerary including my must-sees, Uluru and Kakadu National Park, but she also suggested Davidson’s Arnhemland Safaris in Arnhemland for great wildlife and indigenous rock art.

My stay at Davidson’s turned out to be the highlight of my trip! I loved the twice-daily safaris either by vehicle or boat to scenic areas where we could walk to fantastic spots hiding amazing rock art in many styles. The terrain was beautiful and we saw lots of wildlife and birds on our outings. Everything was explained, identified and interpreted by our expert guide. When we returned to the lodge each night we had excellent food and comfortable cabins in the midst of a true wilderness. It was a truly memorable experience that I wouldn’t have had without Jacki’s recommendation.

My stays at Uluru and Kakadu were also excellent thanks again to Jacki’s knowledge of the best tours and activities in both areas. I just wish I could have stayed longer in both places! Kakadu is so enormous that a couple days only allows you to see a small part of the park. The sunrise and sunset cruises are spectacular and I highly recommend them, especially if you like birds and crocodiles.

It’s a little difficult to get from Uluru to Arnhemland and requires a car, a commercial flight and a charter flight, so once again Jacki’s expertise was essential to get drivers and planes, but everything was seamless and worked perfectly. Many thanks to Jacki for making my trip to the Northern Territory a success!

Brian and Carol Thompson on Sydney Harbour.

My husband and I traveled to Australia for our 30th anniversary. The centerpiece of the trip was to be the rugby NRL Magic Round 2024. When we started planning the itinerary with Stuart Rigg and his associate Samantha Thomas, we wanted to do some other things, especially some wildlife tours. This involved multiple flights, drivers, hotels and tour companies. Samantha was amazing at tailoring the excursions and suggesting what internal flights to use. The exact dates and bookings could not be done until the NRL set the dates for the 2024 season. Our trip was originally planned to have us in Australia for our actual anniversary in April, but the NRL Magic Round was pushed to May. Samantha and all of Stuart’s staff did an amazing job arranging everything for our travel in May 2024.

We had a welcome pack waiting for us at the Spicers Potts Point hotel on our arrival in Sydney on May 8th. We had several tours scheduled while in Sydney—there was a little hiccup with the harbor cruise, but Stuart’s staff talked us through our confusion and the cruise was absolutely amazing. The tour of Featherdale Sanctuary with Suzy was the best, despite the cold and rain. We flew to Port Douglas to see the Great Barrier Reef—the boat’s team was absolutely amazing. I am not a big water person, but Irene was so sweet and helped me overcome my fears and see the Great Barrier Reef come to life. We also toured a wildlife rehabilitation facility—Mel was an absolutely wonderful guide.

The next stop was Magic Round in Brisbane. The hotel gave us champagne for our anniversary and we were close enough to the stadium that it only took one train ride to get there. Our final stop was Spicers Hidden Vale in the Lockyer Valley—an absolutely wonderful place to stay—wildlife, walking trails, beautiful views and an awesome crew. Chef went out of his way to make sure we had the best food. We booked our flights through Cranky Concierge at Stuart’s recommendation and we had no issues with flights or boarding passes. The extra fee for them to worry about if flight times were changed was worth it to me. Stuart, Samantha and their whole staff made our trip absolutely wonderful. Hoping to be able to travel to Australia again soon and we will be using them again.

I was invited to speak at a meeting in Australia and knew I needed to add some vacation time (didn’t want to go all that way and not sightsee). I was connected with Stuart Rigg and Jacki Lang. I essentially worked with Jacki. I told her what I wanted to do for that week and let them go ahead and plan away. Jacki clearly listened to my desire to be active during my time in Australia. I wanted to see some key sights but not overdo it.

I started my trip in Port Douglas (in Queensland). This was where my meeting was so we just continued on in vacation mode. Stayed at an amazing property called Silky Oaks Lodge. This place was spectacular. Rooms were lovely and essentially cabins, nestled within nature and in close proximity to the Mossman River. The service was impeccable and the food was delicious (and varied nightly). My only regret was that I didn’t have a day to just relax on the property. I didn’t get a chance to really indulge in all the property had to offer. However, Jacki planned 2 days of lovely excursions. The first was a smaller group, exploring the Daintree Rainforest. The second day was spent snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. This was on a larger boat and not very personal. I would have preferred something a bit more private. But the snorkeling was great.

Then I got to experience Uluru in the center of the country. A completely different vibe from Port Douglas. The sites were spectacular. The hotel was ok but overall options seemed limited. The evening event where we saw the night sky and had dinner out in the open air was a larger group than I liked (especially traveling solo). The highlight was truly the gorgeous night sky. The person who spoke to us about the stars and constellations was spectacular and the true highlight. The food and the “light show” were average. The sightseeing of the spiritual sites the next day was great. Guides were a bit green, but the views were stunning.

Then onto Sydney for my final 4 days. Jacki did a great job of packing in lots of activities for me. She totally listened that I am not a fan of too much down time. Each day in Sydney was pretty great. I do wish I had had dinner reservations lined up beforehand—had to scramble a bit on that. I was able to have the amazing experience of climbing the Harbor Bridge—so so glad I did this experience! Having a private tour of the Opera house, followed by dinner at Bennelong, and then a modern opera was an event I won’t ever forget. My guide for the tour was so very knowledgeable, I had a very informative food tour one morning with Matt which led me to many of the neighborhoods in Sydney. And finally had a great day at the Blue Mountains with a decent-size tour group (mostly older couples who did not partake of the hiking).

Australia was my 7th continent, and I am so appreciative of the planning by Stuart’s team. I really had no time to do any research prior to my arrival into Australia so was really reliant on Jacki’s knowledge and expertise. There were a few things I would have modified but overall, a great experience. Can’t wait to return and see more sites!!

The Sugiches overnighted at the Taronga Zoo and spotted this koala just outside their window. Photo: Traveler Lisa Sugich

My husband and I recently visited New Zealand and Australia, both of them for the first time. We worked with Sara for New Zealand and Jacki for Australia (and other equally helpful individuals in their offices). We had a total of 3 weeks to work with. Following our initial conversation with them, along with completion of the questionnaire, they began to put together a perfect itinerary based on our feedback. In both New Zealand and Australia our accommodations were superb. In New Zealand rain interfered with several of our planned activities (Milford Sound Flyover and glacier landing on Mount Cook), which was disappointing—however, we found rainy-day activities based on their recommendations and made the best of those days.

It’s difficult to pinpoint just one noteworthy experience, so I’ll name a few of our favorites:

— Waiheke Island Wine Tour (New Zealand) proved to be a great way to kick start our trip
— Ohinemutu Village private walking tour (New Zealand) in Rotorua was really worthwhile and gave us great insight into how the local Maori people live among the geothermal activity in their community
— Dart River Adventure in Queenstown (New Zealand) was loads of fun and in spite of all the rain they’ve had, they managed to coordinate a beautiful wild adventure
— Melbourne (Australia) the back streets/walkways walking tour and peek into the diverse ethnic food options allowed us to see some of the incredible street art. The ethnic food options were incredible and we later enjoyed a delightful lunch at an Asian Fusion restaurant in the area
— Uluru (Australia) visit was an entirely different aspect of the trip where we were able to experience the beauty of Ayers Rock with an amazing guide who shared his very personal spiritual transformation there
— Port Douglas (Australia) a stay at the Thala Beach Nature Reserve was amazing, as were the nature walking trails and food selections at the restaurant there. And of course no trip is complete without a snorkeling adventure on the Great Barrier Reef—we were lucky enough to spot a white tipped shark on our last snorkeling stop on the Opal Reef!
— Sydney (Australia) a one-night stay at the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga brought us great joy, as we were able to access experiences at the zoo that aren’t otherwise available to the public (night time tour to view nocturnal animals; access to a section of the zoo where the animals aren’t in individual enclosures and of course dinner at the restaurant there). Upon waking the next morning we met a charming little koala who was sleeping in a tree about 5-6 feet from our window.

We enjoyed every aspect of our trip and arrived home tired, full of yummy food and fulfilled thanks to our WOW travel advisors!

Stuart Rigg and Jacki Lang planned a fabulous trip for us to Australia. We were there for three-and-a-half weeks and everything was perfect. There were no hitches anywhere along the way. Our guides, when we had them, were all wonderful. The itinerary was perfect and we covered a lot of territory. We had tried to take this trip in April 2020 and again in April 2022 so we were happy to finally have made it there. The bonus was that the Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island was open again and it was amazing. I can’t recommend Stuart and Jacki highly enough. Looking forward to another trip planned by them.

Brad and Laura Marion diving at Lizard Island, on the Great Barrier Reef.

We recently returned from a wonderful trip to Australia. Jacki Lang and the rest of Stuart’s team organized a great agenda. Without a doubt, highlights of our trip included the time on Lizard Island and at Uluru. While those two experiences/locations could not be more different, the quality of the lodges, services, food, and memorable activities were all first-class. Longitude 131 and Lizard Island lodge were highlights for us. We spent about a week in Tasmania. While we had some wonderful experiences in Tasmania, it had some similarities to experiences we had on the South Island of NZ. Great memories.

Our work with Stuart Rigg and Jacki Lang began almost one year in advance with a relaxed video meeting during which we gave them an idea of the things we’d like to see and do while in Australia in March of 2024. It included Canberra, the Blue Mountains, Sydney, and Perth. They asked great questions and within days came back to us with our first draft itinerary. After tweaking it to our liking, we had an exciting plan for just over a two-week stay.

Each step along the way, Jacki kept in touch and explained everything thoroughly. We decided we’d like to see an opera at the Sydney Opera House during our stay and Jacki made it happen. We especially wanted to see quokkas on Rottnest Island, and they planned a day just for that. (The island coast was beautiful, and well worth the ferry trip from Perth.)

Early March was a comfortable time to visit Australia. Warm days and cool nights made it enjoyable.

We had a hiccup with the time preceding our arrival in Australia, and Jacki went above and beyond, at the last minute, to find additional hotel nights for us and to change our rental car pickup city to Melbourne. She was amazing; I can’t praise her enough for her attention and responsiveness.
For anyone who loves nature, animals and/or geology, the Blue Mountains should not be missed. The vistas are awe-inspiring and the history so interesting. With our guide, we saw mobs of kangaroos lounging in the shade, with joeys popping their curious heads out of pouches; we learned about how fire-proof native Australian flora is; we saw goanna lizards strolling through the low grasses.

In Sydney, we had the most wonderful tour guide, Matt, show us all around a city he obviously loves. We had coffee at Bondi Beach and chatted like old friends.

The hotels Jacki chose were perfect — full of character, and comfort, and with excellent service. The trip was celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary, and Jacki had let every hotel know; they each marked the occasion with treats and messages of congratulations.

Perth was a lovely last stop. The sun was always bright and the waters — rivers, harbors, estuaries, ocean — shone everywhere.

Jacki and Stuart made our Australian trip the most effortless trip we’ve taken. I usually plan vacations myself, but their intimate knowledge of Australia was invaluable, and we are so glad we decided to ask them to plan our trip!

James Masi and Holly Hansen enjoy a sunny day in the Blue Mountains.

We had a trip to New Zealand & Australia which was partly a cruise and partly land. The land arrangements were handled by Sarah Farag’s and Stuart Rigg’s offices in each country. This is a review of the Australia office, which is headed by Stuart Rigg, but our contact throughout the process was Jacki Lang. Jacki planned our February 2024 dates, which involved 3 days in Melbourne and 4 days in Sydney.

There are not enough superlatives to describe Jacki Lang. We worked with her for probably 2 years because the trip was cancelled once due to Covid closures, then our replacement cruise was cancelled by the cruise line. We finally made it this year and poor Jacki had to revise our itinerary 3 times to get there. Furthermore, we decided to disembark from our cruise early, so our 1 day in Melbourne became 3 days at literally the last minute. Even though she had no notice and it was the weekend, Jacki was able to come up with itineraries for 2 additional unplanned days in Melbourne. She even met us at the Sydney airport when we arrived there! This is just above and beyond the call in my book.

We did interesting things every day in both Melbourne and Sydney and had fabulous guides/drivers throughout. Our visit was perfect, including the hotels, the great WOW Moment on the Yarra River, the fun water-taxi ride to one of our restaurant dinners and the helicopter trip over Sydney Harbor. All her ideas, like everything else. I felt like I knew her as a personal friend at the end. She is professional, thorough and responsive—everything you want when planning a trip like this.

My wife and I went on a 3+ week journey around Westerrn Australia and Tasmania. We worked with Jacki Lang. She put together a very complex itinerary that included tickets to the Australian Open (which is awesome), a weeklong driving and hiking trip around Tasmania in its National Parks and winery visits in the Margaret River Valley, as well as the Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne. She found us great inns and lodges throughout this trip, along with wonderful guides in Tasmania and around Perth and Margaret River and Mornington Peninsula. It was great to be with her drivers to see the wineries with no stress and in all cases she found unique restaurants associated with the wineries that we really enjoyed. She was very responsive to all our requests via email. Overall the trip was a delight and we would recommend visiting Tasmania as well as the winery regions of Australia.

The Bengtzen family spent a day snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef from a private yacht.

New Year’s in Australia had been a dream of mine since I was 14, and the trip that Stuart and Jacki put together for us did not disappoint! We began in Sydney, where we stayed at the Shangri-La hotel. It gave us an amazing view for the fireworks, which were absolutely incredible. It was perfect for us and our adult kids to watch and not have to fight the crowds. The hotel breakfast was also amazing every morning, with an incredible view as well. Stuart’s office also made amazing dinner reservations, so we ate well.

From Sydney we went to Hayman Island in the Whitsunday Islands. This was a one-of-a-kind experience. From here we were able to have a private snorkeling trip to both the Great Barrier Reef inner and outer reefs. The company they booked us with, Ocean Dynamics, was wonderful. Restaurants on the island were fantastic and the beach is heaven.

From Hayman we went to Noosa, where we had an incredible experience kayaking on the ocean. Our guide was amazing. The shopping and food were wonderful and gave us a great end to our trip.

None of this would have been possible if I hadn’t found Wendy Perrin and her referral of Stuart. Stuart and Jacki then took our dates, our family info, and planned a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us. I can not recommend them enough and will use them again in the future!

We chose Jacki Lang to plan our Tasmanian adventure, but before heading to Tassie, we had an incredible evening enjoying the excitement of a Sydney New Year’s Eve Celebration that could have only been orchestrated by a true professional like Jacki. Jacki made all the arrangements and everything fell into place without even the slightest hitch. She even arranged for a day tour with an excellent guide, Peter, our first day in Sydney. Although we have been to Sydney several times, Peter showed us places we had never seen, answered our questions, and explained so much about Australia and Australians to us. That evening, we boarded Sydney’s newest super yacht, The Jackson, for a night of dinner and music right in the harbor. I mean, seriously, we were front and center for the show. Dinner was a multi-course extravaganza with an open bar and Veuve Clicquot flowing as a live band played. We first were treated to the 9pm family fireworks show and then witnessed the grand finale (I should say great beginning of 2024) as the most amazing fireworks we’ve ever seen exploded above us. We fell into bed in the wee hours of 1 January 2024, but were up again before long to catch a flight to Tasmania. There we picked up our rental vehicle and began our six-day adventure around the island. We are confident that we saw places we would never have known existed without Jacki’s detailed plan. Jacki handled all our dinner reservations and you can believe me when I say that we had some mighty fine food and wine, as well as super-fun wine tastings. We even had a vodka tasting of vodka distilled from sheep whey. Our adventure ended in Hobart, where we had an excellent tour guide. Our fellow travelers had never used a member of Wendy Perrin’s WOW List, but they quickly declared Jay, our guide, as the best guide they had ever had on any tour.

There is no way that we could have planned our incredible Australian adventure without the help of an experienced professional. When people tell me that they like to “discover places themselves” and don’t want help planning a trip, I think about how misguided this approach to travel is and how much they are missing, but some people firmly hold on to this idea and can’t be swayed. Too bad for them. We’ve had the most memorable trips with the help of The WOW List.

The Kuzmishin family scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef.

Stuart’s office planned a fabulous trip for the 4 of us to Australia. We loved our itinerary. After the cyclone hit, our activities needed to be adjusted and they managed the rescheduling seamlessly.

In the Blue Mountains, we got to have breakfast as kangaroos were hopping around in the wild!

Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef was a highlight. The scuba diving was phenomenal. We borrowed a dinghy from the resort for a day and checked out other beaches on the island. We were launched with emergency supplies and a luxury picnic lunch. The snorkeling right from the beaches was phenomenal with turtles and giant clams.

We drove the Great Ocean Road. My husband managed to stay on the left side of the road! It was beautiful. We saw waterfalls, the 10 Apostles, and hiked to see koalas.

After 2 weeks, we were sorry to leave. It is a huge country and we hope to go back and use Stuart’s team again.

We were on a 14-day NZ cruise on the Silversea line from Auckland to Sydney, plus an additional 12 days in Australia. The only bonus of seeing NZ on a cruise ship is unpacking once. We did stop at many ports, but didn’t get a feel for the areas. We got off the ship and most of the time took a full-day excursion. Many panoramas. Many wineries. Beautiful countryside. Wonderful people. Missed Christchurch, Marlborough wine region, experiencing the interior of the country and meeting the people. Silversea was top-notch and I would sail them again.

The 2nd part of our trip was Australia, which Wendy Perrin helped us plan. Although I felt I could schedule many of the activities (Opera House tour), Jacki was right on top of everything. Including what time to arrive at the airport, who’s picking us up, schedule, etc. And while traveling, I’d have questions and she’d answer almost immediately (letting me know it was in my itinerary) and it was. We were to travel to Port Douglas, but there was a cyclone a couple of weeks prior to our arrival. She recommended changing hotels to Cairns, and then we waited to see if we could get to the crocodile area or Daintree forest. We waited until the last minute…and when those excursions were canceled, Jacki recommended alternatives. She also gave us information regrading New Year’s Eve in Sydney — where we could see the fireworks, booking restaurant reservations, etc. She was very thorough and every penny I paid was worth it. We were not spending time contacting hotels and tours to make changes. I didn’t have to worry.

Our family of four just returned from an amazing two-week holiday trip to Australia organized by Stuart and Jacki. About six weeks prior, we were scheduled to visit the Middle East and decided it was best to postpone. After an incredible Australia visit last year, we jumped at the chance to visit again. With such vast diversity, Stuart and Jacki were able to plan a completely different itinerary for us. After landing in Melbourne, we had the first afternoon to relax and stroll around the city on our own. The next day, we were picked up by Liz and enjoyed a day trip out of the city to the Macedon Ranges, lunch at the award-winning Lake House Restaurant and a stop at the charming town of Daylesford. We left Melbourne after a few days and flew to Kangaroo Island. Wow….this island should be a “must see!” The Southern Ocean Lodge had just reopened after a fire had burned it to the ground 4 years ago. Brand new, this “lodge” was incredible with all of our meals and day trips included. Upon arrival, we were met by a coordinator who went over the next several days’ itineraries. We didn’t have to worry or think about a thing! We forgot to plan spa services ahead of time…not a problem, our coordinator arranged time within our schedule. One of the highlights of the island was getting to hold a koala bear at an animal sanctuary. Very few places in Australia allow contact with koalas. Another highlight was a nocturnal tour to spot wildlife after dark when they are most active. There were kangaroos, wallabies and koalas everywhere we looked!

The hills around Adelaide was our next stop after Kangaroo Island. We stayed at the lovely Mount Lofty House about 20 minutes outside of the city. The next few days were spent with our guide exploring wine country, viewing spectacular scenery and visiting the historic German town of Hannsdorf. Our last stop was the city of Perth, one of the most remote cities in the world. After a 4-hour flight from Adelaide, we landed in Perth, where it was hot and sunny. We enjoyed a New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration overlooking the Swan River, an informative city tour and a day at Rottnest Island. The beaches around the city were breathtaking, so we used one of our days to lay on the powdery sand at Cottlesloe Beach, which looked like a postcard. Sadly, it was time to head home after 2 weeks in Australia for the second year in a row. There is so much to do and see, we could visit many more times and still find new things to experience.

Stuart and Jacki prepared an amazing itinerary for our trip to Australia in December. Jacki always responded quickly to requests and adjustments. She and the driver met us at the Sydney airport on a Sunday morning at 7am — how amazing to be met by the person who made our arrangements! She suggested the Langham Sydney and we would be using it as a home base, as we went to Uluru (Longitude 131 — an amazing hotel that even prepared a bed outside if you wanted to sleep under the stars), back to Sydney, followed by a trip to the Blue Mountains (Spicers Snagoma) and then a final 5-night stay in Sydney. Our guide in the Blue Mountains was Tim and he knew every back road and all the locations for a beautiful view.
Our WOW Moment was a sunset boat ride with drinks and the weather was perfect for it. Jacki had recommended great restaurants and made all the bookings for them and changed them when they needed to be changed.

The children and grandchildren arrived for the last 4 nights and she had planned a great itinerary for all of us (ages 2-70) — a Christmas Carol Concert at the Opera House, drivers for everything — the driver even took a video of us from above taking the Bondi Beach walk — all 9 of us), a harbor boat trip with lunch and swimming, the Sydney Bridge Climb, a private tour of the Rocks, an Aussie Backyard Tour at the zoo, and a lovely day in Hobart — visiting Russell Falls and Bonorang Wildlife Sanctuary.

Our granddaughter needed a doctor and Jacki provided a list of doctors (outside of regular hours and during the Christmas holiday!) and Tyler (Langham Concierge that day) made repeated calls to get us an appointment. Both Jacki and Stuart followed up with her status. The parents were very impressed with Childrens Hospital in Sydney where she was treated and we went on with our trip.

We will be using Stuart and Jacki again for our next trip to Australia — they just made it so easy!

The Schildmeyer family toast the finale of their trip outside their bungalow at the Niramaya Resort & Spa, Port Douglas.

We cannot imagine our trip to Australia going any better than it did, simply because we learned about Wendy Perrin’s company from a dear friend, and their connection to Stuart Rigg and Jacki Lang. We spent two weeks in November 2023 visiting our daughter, who was studying abroad in Sydney. Our trip began in Sydney where we spent the first five days learning about the city, climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, hugely enjoying a private tour of the Sydney Opera House and our e-bike tour of Manly Beach. Then we ventured outside Brisbane to Lockyer Valley and the quiet, peaceful Spicers Hidden Vale. How fun to chat with the kangaroos outside our cabins! This retreat was perfectly quaint with incredible views, meals and service. After three days in the Valley, we flew to Cairns to spend three days at the Niramaya Spa & Resort. This leg of our trip was the most tropical, as we experienced an amazing day on the water snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef and an afternoon at Four Mile Beach. Port Douglas was an incredible seaside town with fantastic restaurants and a must-see sunset at the Marina. We flew back to Sydney for a private sunset cruise of the Harbour (one of our favorite moments!) and headed stateside after our two-week adventures in beautiful, friendly Australia. We didn’t know anything about Australia before our trip and knew we wanted to have support from a reputable travel planner. This vacation exceeded every expectation and will undoubtedly be remembered in our family as a trip of a lifetime. Every detail was considered and we experienced nothing but friendliness, exceptional and professional service. To be able to meet our travel planner in person on our first day was an added blessing. Thank you, Jacki Lang and team, for answering our MANY questions and offering your superb expertise and wonderful recommendations.

Stuart Rigg and Jacki Lang arranged a captivating three-week Australian journey in October for my wife and I, 60s couple in reasonable shape.
After a long flight from the US, we relaxed for a day and the official tour began with a captivating guided immersion into the vibrant city life, from discovering the hidden laneways filled with street art, excellent dining, and history. The following day we enjoyed a full day tour on the iconic Great Ocean Road, along with views of its great beach scenery, along with quiet drives through the farming communities.

The journey then led to the paradisiacal Lizard Island, a haven of turquoise waters offering a haven for splendid scuba diving and snorkeling experiences. With its pristine beaches, engaging resort personnel, delectable cuisine, and other activities, this island retreat was an embodiment of tranquility and luxury.

Venturing into the rugged Outback, the next stop was Mount Mulligan. Here, the exploration of an abandoned coal mine and a glimpse into the region’s gold mining history painted a vivid picture of the area’s rich heritage and rugged beauty. As before, the guides were excellent and informed, the dining was excellent and of good variety, and the accommodations were first rate.

The trip culminated in Sydney, where five days were spent reveling in the wonders of this bustling city. Among the highlights was a half-day cruise through the iconic Sydney Harbor. Local Eyes and Jamie Greer provided an insider’s perspective, allowing for an immersive experience of the city’s captivating history and stunning vistas. One of the highlights of the trip was the cruise of the Sydney Harbor with Local Eyes and the beyond belief meal of local seafood, steak, and deserts they served.

Each segment of this meticulously crafted journey offered a unique blend of experiences, from urban delights to serene island tranquility and the raw allure of the Outback, creating a comprehensive tapestry of Australia’s diverse landscapes and culture.

My 22-year-old daughter and I enjoyed a fabulous trip to Australia for two weeks spanning July and August 2023 with help from Stuart Rigg and his team. Although we met with Stuart initially to help conceptualize and plan out the trip, Jacki, in his office, was our main point of contact throughout the planning phase. She was extremely responsive and flexible as we had multiple changes to the trip from the beginning stages to the end, including changes to the number of travelers and the cities we visited. (One resort closed unexpectedly a few weeks before our departure date — Jacki helped us rethink our entire itinerary and found us a last-minute spot at a great alternative resort in a different region of the country.) We loved the Silky Oaks Daintree resort, and especially enjoyed the day we spent in the rainforest and sand flats learning from indigenous tribespeople about their ways of life. Lizard Island was also unforgettable. It turns out we were there during the windy season, so we were unable to take the snorkeling trip we had hoped to the outer reef or pilot the small individual skiffs around the island — but the coral reefs we were able to access snorkeling just off the beaches were vibrant and growing. We also really enjoyed Spicers Vale and its koala research center, where our excellent guide “Croc” taught us all about koala conservation, took us to see koalas in the trees, spotted more native species on our safari drive than you could imagine, and best of all arranged a private picnic supper at the top of a high point from where we could watch the sun set and the stars come out — and later returned to tell us all about the stars and constellations. In all places the food and service was top-notch. A fabulous trip!

We planned a trip with Sara, Sarah, Jacki and Stuart. A friend who has used them gave me the referral and I would say it was great! We had a family of four with two adult daughters in their 20s, so planning a trip that would accommodate all of our wants and needs wasn’t easy. We planned the trip for three weeks going to see as much of both countries that we could. It was accomplished! We were able to see so much, and it was very well organized all around. The hotels, tour guides, drivers and events were great.

I would definitely recommend Stuart and Sarahs’ offices, and we will be using Wendy Perrin’s other agents around the world for our next trip.

My trip was amazing. I cannot emphasize enough how incredible the WendyPerrin.com experience was. Door to door, 5-star service. LOVE

We booked a trip to Australia with Stuart’s office from 1/20 to 1/27/2023. The pre-planning for the trip was done very well. The team was flexible and attentive as we iterated on various options. The private tour of the Sydney Opera House was a highlight of the trip. Unfortunately, one of our group contracted COVID, but the help from Stuart’s team was amazing. Within a few hours, they found a 2-bedroom/2-bath apartment for us to isolate in. It was clean, well located and made the process more palatable. They also quickly got back to us with what refunds were available and what we would need to file with our travel insurance. I would highly recommend them.

Just returned from a 3-week Australian vacation and can’t wait to return! A big shout-out to Jacki Lang and Stuart Rigg for making our trip a seamless dream. Jacki planned not one, but two Australian vacations for us, as our first trip had to be cancelled a few weeks before our travel date due to the pandemic. Stuart’s office took the time to listen to what type of travel experience we were looking for and planned our trip accordingly. Hotel options were wonderful, including both classic city properties and isolated eco-friendly villas. Our private guides throughout were top-notch and flexible. It was wonderful getting to meet Jacki in Sydney upon our arrival! She was even able to make changes and schedule new excursions for us during our trip at the last minute!

With only 3 weeks to visit, we made the choice to concentrate our time in the southeastern portion of the country. Do not try and cover too much ground when visiting Australia. Remember, the country is truly a continent and traveling between cities can take up a good portion of your time if you aren’t careful! Dont underestimate travel distances! Make sure to visit small towns and rural areas to really get a flavor of the country!

New Year’s Eve in Sydney is an amazing experience, but the crowds are huge, locals tend to leave the city, and hotel prices skyrocket as you might expect. Also, many restaurants will close over the holiday, as this is prime summer vacation time Down Under. Make dining reservations ahead of time if there are any restaurants on your bucket list!

Finally, make sure to build in some down time in the places you visit!

Thanks to Stuart’s team for helping us plan this amazing Australian vacation! Thanks to Wendy for another amazing referral!!!

Our family of four, parents and two late-20-year-old daughters, traveled to Australia and New Zealand in December 2022 for a 3+ week trip. Quite frankly, it would have been impossible to have put together such a wonderful trip without the guidance, counseling and bookings of our travel consultants. The itinerary that was proposed, the activities that were planned, the guides that were enlisted, and the hotel and travel logistics were perfect. Everything went without a hitch, which is saying a lot for an almost 4-week itinerary. We had initially thought we would only visit Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, but Jackie persuaded us to tour Queensland and the rainforests, snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, fly to Uluru to ride camels and experience the deep Outback, and take tours out of the cities to spots we know most tourists miss. The same held true in New Zealand, where Sara and Sarah staged a helicopter tour, kayaking, a day at a 36,000-hectare sheep station (including an elegant lunch with the owners at their home on the station), and a three-night stay at a beautiful two-bedroom cottage on a private estate winery on the North Island. We are most appreciative and know that our trip would not have been nearly as enjoyable without this team.

WOW Moment: A helicopter ride over the 12 Apostles. Photo: Jennifer Mann

We just returned from an Australian holiday trip with our 2 teenage daughters. Stuart and Jacki put together a phenomenal itinerary with something for everyone! We began our trip in Melbourne, where Liz picked us up at the airport and we were on our way to tour, hoping to see some of the city before things shut down for Christmas, the following day. On Christmas Day, we drove the Great Ocean Road outside of the city and were completely surprised with a WOW Moment of a helicopter ride over the 12 Apostles. It was breathtaking! The next day, we drove through the wine country of the Yarra Valley with tastings, lots of animal sightings and delicious food, followed by a 2-night stay at the Jackalope Hotel in the Mornington Peninsula area, about an hour-and-a-half from Melbourne. The Mornington Peninsula was also filled with award-winning wine and food, along with charming little beachside towns. After a few days of the relaxed area and beautiful hotel, we flew up north to Cairns and stayed in the coastal town of Port Douglas, about an hour north of the airport. This is an ideal location to anchor a trip to both the Great Barrier Reef along with the Daintree Rainforest. We had a magical first day snorkeling around the reef, followed by a day in the rainforest with our guide, Guy. Both days were incredibly special, where we created memories that will never be forgotten. Our last stop was Sydney. After a 3-hour flight from Cairns, we checked into the incredible new Crown Sydney Hotel. The 3 full days in Sydney were action-packed with sightseeing, behind-the-scenes private tour of the famous fish market, climbing the Sydney Bridge, shopping and a private opera house tour along with a show. My kids even got to see one of their favorite American singers in concert while we were in town. Jacki made sure that we had dinner reservations booked every night of our trip since it was the busy holiday time. After our 12-day trip, we are exhausted but definitely feel like this was a trip of a lifetime!

The trip was excellent. It was our first time in Australia and so we went to many of the obvious tourist spots—Barrier Reef, Uluru, Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmania and many others. It is a big country, so there was a lot of moving around. We could never have arranged all the flights, places to stay and guides by ourselves. We could not have found the guides without the trip arranger that came from Wendy’s list. These guides really made the trip. In each location we had a guide that was with us for all of our activities in that location—and they really enriched the trip.

“Wow” is not a strong enough word to describe the incredible 19-day journey in Australia we enjoyed in September-October 2022 thanks to the wonderful work of Stuart Rigg and Jacki Lang in Sydney. Thank you Wendy, Stuart and Jacki!

We located Stuart and Jacki through Wendy’s website and read reviews, which were glowing.

We then sent an email to Wendy giving a basic outline as to the proposed length of our trip, proposed budget, sites we were interested in visiting, our Covid vaccination status and interests in general. Our primary motivation was to participate in the 10k Sydney Harbor Bridge Run on September 18, but thought while we are in Australia we ought to try to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, see Uluru/Ayers Rock, and view Aboriginal rock art as well as the birds and flora.

Stuart responded to our initial email and set up a Zoom call with he and Jacki. Prior to that call we sent a more detailed email describing our activity level, fitness, food/meal expectations, night life, lodging preferences, and budget.

We met by Zoom with them for about an hour and Stuart and Jacki made several general suggestions for an itinerary, which we discussed. We then paid the $500AUS planning fee to prepare a detailed itinerary, which they did.

We reviewed the itinerary and budget, exchanged emails with questions and answers about some of the entries, and then approved the budget and revised itinerary. Since the itinerary included flights from Sydney to Ayers Rock, Ayers Rock to Cairns/Port Douglas, Cairns to Darwin, Darwin to Davidson’s Arnhemland Safaris and back to Darwin, and Darwin to Melbourne, they also obtained these reservations, and included them in the itinerary. They made arrangements for transportation to and from the airports.

The proposed itinerary included specific accommodations (including room type), walking tours, driving tours, boat tours (both private and shared) and the small plane travel to the Davidson’s Arnhemland Safaris in the Northern Territory.

Jacki met us at the airport in Sydney with a driver and took us to our hotel in Sydney. She then stayed in touch with us throughout the trip, dealing with and keeping us informed as to flight changes by some of the airlines, tour operators at the last minute saying they could not conduct a planned tour because of shortage of staff, etc. She made it easy for us to enjoy our trip without much hassle. She and Stuart definitely added and enhanced value to our trip.

We started in Sydney the morning of September 15, using the day to get acclimated and recover from the long flights that began on September 13 in Tampa, Florida.
They put us up at the Pier House, which is just below the south side of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, which turned out to be a perfect location, near the tourist sites but not in their midst.
We then enjoyed a walking tour of The Rocks area on September 16, then took an Uber to Bondi Beach and walked along the ocean to Bronte Beach, and took a shared tour of the Sydney Opera House and a private tour of the harbor on September 17.
We ran in the Sydney Harbor Bridge 10k race on September 18, enjoying the finish at the Opera House and lunch on the lawn of the Royal Botanical Gardens.
We enjoyed a private tour of the Blue Mountains west of Sydney on September 19.
Flew to Ayers Rock/Uluru on September 20 and enjoyed dinner under the stars and the Field of Light show in the desert.
Toured Uluru on September 21.
Flew to Brisbane September 22, taking the train from the airport to the city center and riverfront to briefly see the city, then back to the airport to fly to Cairns for a subsequent drive to Port Douglas and the Thala Reserve.

From Thala we took a private tour of the Daintree Rain Forest, went spear fishing and scalloping on the tidal flats with Brent Walker, a local Aborigine, who then took us to his house and cooked the crab he and Susan speared, as well as the unique flat scallops we gathered, and shared them with us.
The next day we went snorkeling on three sites on the marvelous Great Barrier Reef, which was alive with bright coral and many, many colorful fish. Thoroughly enjoyed the charming crew of the Calypso Blue.

From Cairns/Port Douglas we flew to Darwin and from Darwin via a private four-seater aircraft into the Arnhemland outback, where we stayed with Davidson’s Arnhemland Safaris in quaint cabins and enjoyed seeing Aboriginal rock art. What a treat! Seeing native rock art in its natural state unmarred by thousands of tourists. We also saw an emu with its three babies, wallabies, dingos, and multiple species of exotic birds.
Davidson’s is a small cluster of about 20 small cabins on land leased from an Aborigine named Charlie. No cell phone or Internet service. We shared tasty meals with other guests, one of whom asked us how we Americans had learned about Davidson’s, because even few Australians know about Davidson’s. We credited Stuart and Jacki.

From Davidson’s we flew back to Darwin, then on to Melbourne, where we spent a couple of days, including enjoying a walking tour of the inner city, and running in a 5k race that was part of the Melbourne Marathon Festival.

The Pier House in Sydney, the Mindl Beach Resort in Darwin, and the Park Hyatt each welcomed us with a plate of fresh fruit and bottle of champagne or wine, which we assume was the result of Stuart and Jacki’s influence. Everyone was attentive and most gracious.

Wendy, Jacki and Stuart, thank you all for our trip of a lifetime!

Stuart Rigg and Jacki Lang did it again! We just returned from our second Australia trip they planned. Since they planned a perfect trip the first time, I gave them carte blanche for the second trip. They did not fail! The hotels were terrific. The drivers were prompt, courteous, and just downright nice. The one guide we had, for Brisbane, was wonderful — knowledgeable, interesting, kind and fun to be with. The excursions they booked were terrific.

One of our stops was Port Douglas, which Jacki loves. My one regret is that we should have spent more time there. Months before our trip, Jacki sent us a list of her favorite restaurants and offered to book them for us. Sadly, the ones I picked were not available. Fortunately for us, Jacki booked a table in the hotel restaurant for our first night, so we had no stress about the first dinner there. We were able to book two others of her favorites, for the second and third nights, and were so glad we did.

We will return to Australia again and will certainly rely on Jacki and Stuart. Even more tellingly, when we go to New Zealand, we will put the trip in their very capable and caring hands. (I forgot to say that Jacki met us when we landed in Sydney and came with us to the domestic terminal to make sure that we got on our flight to Brisbane. When does that ever happen????)

Can’t say enough good things about Jacki and Stuart!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL I have waited to write this review to reflect on what this trip meant to us. There is no need to go over the trip in detail because the couple we traveled with did a superb job in David Macdonald’s review dated March 27, 2020. We arrived in Australia on February 21, 2020, for our second trip planned by Stuart Rigg and the first trip for David and Francine Macdonald. We arrived home on March 17 just as the COVID-19 pandemic was exploding across America. Until the day we left Australia, normal life had been in full force everywhere we went. The day we left Australia imposed a 14-day quarantine on all incoming visitors; it subsequently banned all visitors. Yet the day we left, my husband and I had had a wonderful time exploring the Museum of Sydney. The streets were crowded and restaurants were full. Decamped cruise ship passengers had just started to infiltrated Sydney. As far as we are concerned, our month in Australia is the last semblance of normality in our lives for the foreseeable future.

We are inveterate travelers. I’ve done it all–from post-college backpacking across Europe to demanding overseas work trips, carting our kids all over the place, and many, many trips planned by Wendy Perrin’s experts. I’m really good at trip planning. So why use one of Wendy Perrin’s experts? Because I can’t do what they can. I’m quite fond of Stuart Rigg as he is one of the very best. The itineraries for our two trips have been very complicated and filled with off-the-beaten-path destinations and adventures only a true expert can put together. Stuart really listens to what his clients are interested in and then designs trips that not only meet those expectations but exceed them. His advice is canny and spot on. His guides are superb; the accommodations he recommends are top notch. I do a great deal of back and forth during the planning process tweaking and refining itineraries. What I need – and highly value – is the advice I get. He really figures out not only what his clients say they want but what they are likely to need and not even know it. In David Macdonald’s review, he touts the wonderful experience we had at Arkaba Station in the South Australian outback. When I talked with Stuart and told him how much we had loved it, he told me he doesn’t send many people there—only the right kind of people—the ones like us he knows will love it. When we talked about the afternoon- long cruise we did on a private yacht around Sydney harbor, he apologized for the weather (driving rain the entire afternoon) but knew we’d love it because of the couple who run the trip. And we did. In the planning process, I’d suggested we go to the Whitsunday Islands; he nixed it as the wrong season and suggested Lord Howe Island instead, about which I knew nothing except that Capella Lodge was a member of Luxury Lodges of Australia. Our experience there was far beyond anything we’d expected. Listening to clients matters; intuiting what will most satisfy them is even better.

Many of Wendy’s trip specialists have assistants to coordinate logistics. Debbie Bollen who handled our first trip (now in the New Zealand office) and Jacki Lang who handled this one were both superb. As David mentioned in his review, we knew our trip was being closely followed (and it wasn’t just the Diet Coke and black licorice that routinely showed up). My husband and I loved Karen Dick of Inala Nature Tours, our fabulous birding guide on Bruny Island off Tasmania’s south coast. Karen asked us early that morning whether we wanted lunch at a winery or a picnic lunch where we could continue to bird. We opted for the picnic lunch and were glad we did. As Karen unpacked an amazing lunch (with champagne for me and two other wines for my husband), and tons of salads, cheeses, meats, pickles, desserts – and her own glass wine glasses—she mentioned that “you wouldn’t believe how much back and forth there was with Jacki over this lunch to make sure you’d like it.” The attention to detail was evident in every step of our trip. Places we especially loved: Saffire Freycinet in Tasmania, Lord Howe Island, Tasmania in general and Arkaba Station. David mentioned our favorite guides and our terrific driver Gail Lynch.

I cannot recommend Stuart Rigg highly enough. He is not a travel agent; he’s a trip expert. He knows personally about all the places, destinations, guides, accommodations and experiences he recommends. He coordinated two superb trips for us to Australia, the second of which will forever be linked in our memory as the last semblance of normality we’ll have for quite some time. Good on ya, Australia. And good on ya, Stuart and Jacki.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL As my skills at being a travel writer are limited, rather than attempting to create an elegant travelogue of our excellent visit to Australia, I thought it would be best to simply share my post-trip thoughts and reflections on what stood out to me, upon recalling our experiences, and reviewing my photos – to jog my memory of our many action-packed days of discovery.

• Stuart and his team put together an itinerary that filled each day with experiential discovery, in a manner that I, or any other amateur travel-planner, could not have assembled from afar. It is clear to me that no amount of website research, guide-reading or over-the-fence hearsay can match the knowledge and logistical know-how of a local expert.

• Was it expensive? Yup. Do I regret committing to that expense? Nope. Are we wealthy? Nope. Will I mind not eating for a few months, given the money spent? Nope – we could stand to lose a few pounds, post-trip.

• As far as those photos are concerned, I used two cameras on our trip – an iPhone X for the quick shots, and a Panasonic Lumix for better resolution and telephoto-lens shots. Transferring photo files from the latter was easy. Transferring photo files from an Apple product to a Windows 10 PC is a torment far more painful than not eating for the next few months. So that puts the trip expense into a more favorable light.

• I found it interesting that as the itinerary unfolded, and we sequentially described our visited/planned destinations to each new guide, or in chatting up a local resident, it was not unusual to hear the response “You’re seeing, and will get to truly know more places than most Australians do – good on ya!” That speaks to the richness of Stuart’s planning.
• Australians are justifiably very proud of their nation, delighted to share its wealth of fun and beauty, and so pleased when visitors come so far to discover that.

• Stuart Rigg and his colleague Jacki Lang made it all work — in both the obvious and behind-the-scenes ways. What do I mean by that? The planning process was easy and flowing. We were travelling with another couple and Jacki and Stuart grasped that we were friends but nonetheless had separate interests. Our travelling partners are avid bird-watching experts. To an unskilled observer like myself, it more or less all tastes like chicken, so to speak. Thus, our itineraries were largely joint, but also featured segments reflective of individual interests. Nice planning flexibility by Jacki and Stuart. In a less apparent manner, we could also sense that they were shadowing our progress through the itinerary. Our second, and every subsequent guide, came fully stocked with plentiful supplies of Diet Coke and black licorice – indulgences that were picked up by our initial guide, Paul Murray, in Melbourne. And as the COVID-19 threat mounted, Jacki checked in to inquire if we wanted to change our flights and head home early. We stayed with our plan, but it was thoughtful of her to measure our level of concern and offer assistance, unsolicited. Beginning-to-end travel planning.

• Without exception, the cadre of guides and hosts that Jacki and Stuart enlisted were no less than superb. Friendly, knowledgeable, anticipatory and never stale. I hesitate to name any individually, as all were beyond expectations. But that being said, we all agreed that at least two personalities really were much beyond exceptional. Our Arkaba Station host/guide Anna Teneggi has few equals when it comes to energy levels, graciousness, table manners, adjusting to the visitor’s level of sophistication, local knowledge, bird-spotting and identification, lust for the outdoors, attentiveness, rough-trail driving skills, giving a sense of genuine welcoming, and did I mention energy levels? She had us out and walking the trails on the evening of our 5 p.m. arrival. Well done, Anna…!!! Despite having been born in Italy, Anna is perhaps more Australian and proud of it than most, in her adopted country. Makes the experience even richer. And our driver in Sydney, Gail Lynch, was a hoot. Always on time, despite the vagaries of Sydney traffic, Gail was far more than just a driver. Despite having spent many hours on the road in Gail’s van, the time flew. Gail gave us the sense of true Australian hospitality, more as a caring and knowledge-sharing new friend, not just as a means from A to B. As with all the guides, they welcomed us with local pride, injected us with knowledge and warmth, and left me feeling in all cases as if I‘d like to independently be personal friends with that individual.

• It should not be overlooked that anomalies were solved flawlessly. Stuart’s team stepped in without solicitation by us, and secured alternate reservations immediately upon learning that bushfires had destroyed Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, an originally-planned destination. I can only imagine that without such timely intervention, we would not have been able to fill in the gap as well as was arranged at Emirate’s One-And-Only Resort in the Wolgan Valley. Mid-trip, Jacki checked in with me and I described that I felt the Crown Towers had incorrectly charged me for a Boxed Breakfast on departure. She took ownership of the issue and a credit was issued same day. Again, the value of having a local expert with foresight was very evident and appreciated.

• Upon check-in in Melbourne and Sydney, I detected that that desk agent pulled up our reservations, saw the notes, and subsequently reacted as if we were more VIP than simply a bus-tour guest. Jacki and Stuart clearly know how to book a reservation.

• We loved Tasmania, Arkaba and Lord Howe Island. Sydney, Melbourne, the wine regions – not to be missed and each very much impressed us in their own, individual ways. But they are what an outsider might initially contemplate when thinking of Australia. Still, very much must-sees. But beyond them, the charm of Hobart’s coziness and superb gastronomy made us fans. The luxury, staff-attentiveness and tours at Saffire Resort were spoiling. Time spent at Arkaba Station in the Flinder’s Ranges served to educate us as to the diversity of Australia’s many geographies. And while we were the only 4 guests at this remote lodge, the level of Arkaba’s dining rivalled any menu elsewhere. Lord Howe Island is one of those places, similar to our South Georgia Island Antarctic experience in 2015 where you come away and think: “I was not familiar with that place, but I’d go back in a heartbeat, mostly because it’s largely undiscovered and thus a gem to savour for its empirical and unique beauty.” I know…… nobody talks like that but I was trying to paint a suitable picture….

• Stuart’s team wait-listed us and were successful in getting us a table at the highly-regarded Attica restaurant in Melbourne. A unique experience and thank you. But we were even more pleased with the tasting menu at Templo in Hobart. At one quarter the price. In Sydney, Mr. Wong’s served up an easy and delicious casual dinner, at a very reasonable cost.

• For those of us who prefer only carry-on rather than checked baggage, their pre-trip advisories as to laundry facilities in various destinations was critical and much appreciated.

• As a US resident, it was refreshing to visit a country where investment in infrastructure is not viewed merely as a tax-generating burden to be enthusiastically avoided. The quality of the airports and roads in Australia, even in smaller locales impressed. Perhaps a more telling observation – even in small one-intersection towns, just as in the larger cities, there are clean, free and plentiful public rest rooms for use by all, including those of us of a certain age This educational dividend of travelling to other countries provides a benefit that I wish was more enjoyed by some of our standout political leaders But I digress…

• All in all, a great trip. As I tried to provide balance in this feedback and mention an area of improvement, I find myself at a loss to come up with anything negative of substance. Nothing more than being caught in a shower while walking around Sydney. I can only blame myself for passing on the offered umbrella at the InterContinental. I should have the heeded the corollary of that old and oft-repeated Australian saw – “If you don’t like the weather here, just wait 10 minutes.”

Let me start by saying that, to me, excellent is an impossible standard for trips extending five weeks or more. There are always lowlights, but that’s part of travel and often leads to interesting stories. I would, however, highly recommend Stuart and his team to any traveler going to NZ or Australia. First, the initial arrangements were exactly to our specifications. Second, when adjustments needed to be made (and there were a few as we were traveling during a developing pandemic), the agents handled the details quickly, efficiently, and to our complete satisfaction. Finally, the guides, charters, room assignments, etc. were all very special and we could easily see the influence of our booking agents. This is something I could never do on my own! That alone would make me come back for more. So, if high end travel to NZ or AUS is on your agenda, don’t hesitate to use Stuart and his team. Period!

Our hotels were wonderful and selected by the agent.

Our Philips island experience with the penguins should be experienced by all. The bridge climb was great. The bike ride with E-bikes was fun. All the activities we wanted to do – the agent made possible.

My husband and I just returned from a trip to Australia, with assistance from Stuart Rigg and his very able associate Sophie Café. They were superb in every aspect of the trip planning and execution, including dinner reservations. When Mother Nature threw a curve ball, they handled it with ease.

Our trip began a couple of days before New Year’s Eve in Sydney. Sophie called us on NYE to assure that we knew exactly where we where to meet our transportation to our Sydney New Year’s Eve dinner cruise. Which was an amazing, spectacular once in a lifetime experience.

We originally had planned to drive from Sydney to Melbourne, but with the bush fires, that proved to be unfeasible. Sophie came through in less than 24 hours and rebooked us on flights to Melbourne, booked a rental car, and found an amazing hotel for us to stay at on the Mornington Peninsula, just south of Melbourne. The Jackalope Hotel was a jewel! We could not have chosen better. Far from ruining our vacation, this last minute foot work made the trip extra special!

Our last five days in Melbourne were a perfect finale to a great visit. Stuart and Sophie booked exactly the accommodations we requested, found the perfect activities and dining we asked for, They arranged all transportation to and from the airports so we had nothing to worry about. I could not have planned it better.

Our trip to Australia went far beyond our expectations. We planned a month in Australia, and wished to travel at exciting high end places. Without going into extreme detail, let’s just say we specifically explained to Stuart how we love to travel, and the type of things we wish to do.
Stuart clearly listened, since the trip organized was to our tailored taste. I always think this is the most difficult issue in planning: the communication between agent and client. Stuart’s team was meticulous .

There were a few issues which needed to be resolved as we continued on our journey. None of them major. As an example, we didn’t like our initially assigned hotel room. However, this was resolved immediately and without stress. Stuart followed up on the situation , making sure all was stress free.

All the support staff was also professional, stress free, and always right on any situation which might need attention. At the same time, they were not intrusive or over bearing, as some other companies might be.

Overall: we travel quite a bit and would give the highest rating to Stu and his Group.

Thank you Stu.

Stuart Rigg and Sophie Cafe planned the perfect trip for our 30th wedding anniversary celebration- we spent 3 weeks, taking multiple in country flights and visiting 6 places: Melbourne, Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, Uluru, the Daintree Rainforest and Sydney- We wanted luxury hotels and unique experiences and our expectations were exceeded- each of the places we stayed were amazing- they also arranged transfers and guides where needed, and all were of excellent quality. Each provided something special and extra that was a surprise on that day- and all were amazing experiences. They must have told everyone that we were celebrating and anniversary- because at each location, and from each guide we received not only cards and good wishes, but sometimes small gifts, or cakes or champagne and chocolates! It was above and beyond any expectation-as was the whole trip- In Tasmania at Saffire Freceynet we did a tasted several of the excellent local gins one evening- and commented on how much we liked them-it occurred in a 15 minute conversation with one of the excellent staff there- at the end of our stay the staff remembered and offered to have us stop at the distillery on our way to the airport to pick some up, but we were traveling with carry-ons and didnt want to carry the bottles so we declined. We never mentioned this to Southern Crossings, but they were obviously checking up on us at each location- and Saffire must have told them how much we liked those gins-, as when we reached Sydney there was a gift of 3 gins and a lovely note from Stuart Rigg. This blew us away- not only did Southern Crossings hear we liked the gins, but they went out of their way to get us some and have it waiting in Sydney. This is one of the above and beyond gestures that took this trip from extraordinary to one of the best we have every had (and we are seasoned travelers, taking 1-2 trips a year). We had one issue with a cancelled flight where we reached out to their after hours staff, who was available and willing to help- but unfortunately they had no ability to arrange alternatives for that situation as none were available, but worth noting they were there and easily reached when help was needed- I would recommend them without reservation.

Stuart and his team gave my family an absolutely wonderful trip to Australia. Their hotel choices were excellent and suggested activities that were perfect for us. The guide they suggested in Sydney did a great job of tailoring our trip to my kids (age 10 and 13) and made sure they had plenty of time outside of the car to stretch their legs and activities to keep their interest. I had asked for a cultural experience in Queensland and Stuart’s team wanted to find something that was authentic. We met with a member of the local Kuku Yalanji tribe who had us hike for a few miles over the beach at low tide and my kids spear hunted for crab while they learned all about their culture. We caught 3 crabs and then ate them! It was a highlight of the trip and my kids will never forget that experience. We also stayed at luxurious resort in the Blue Mountains for our last few nights where everyone seemed to know us and definitely took care of us due to our connection with Stuart. In addition, we have a few dietary restrictions in our family and travel with medicines and every hotel we went to was fully prepared to accommodate us as Stuart’s team made prior arrangements. Even while we were on our trip I was in close communication with them about any minor changes I wanted to make (adjustments in car hire times, etc) and I always had prompt email responses or a call from them. I would absolutely use them again and would be happy to refer them to any of my friends. We are already trying to figure out our next trip to Australia.

We had a fantastic vacation in Australia! Stuart and Debbie made our trip a memorable experience. We were meeting my daughter in Queensland after she had been living and studying in the rainforest for 3 months. Stuart and Debbie were able to help us to plan a 2 week vacation traveling from Cairns to Port Douglas, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Melbourne and ending in Sydney. The highlight of the trip was definitely our 3 day stay on Kangaroo Island; we stayed in a lovely house on the beach with chef prepared meals and had wonderful tour guides from Kangaroo Island Wilderness Tours that made sure we saw as much of the Australian wildlife possible as well as fabulous scenery. The tour guides out of Port Douglas and Melbourne were also fantastic. They took good care of us and also showed us a lot of wildlife and fabulous scenery. Stuart and Debbie gave us a list of restaurants that they recommended and then made reservations to the ones we requested. We were seated with the best views in those restaurants. We would highly recommend Stuart’s team to anyone planning a vacation to Australia, they helped to make it a lovely vacation with so many memories.

My husband and I cannot thank Stuart Rigg and Jacki Lang enough for planning our recent Australia trip. Everything they did was perfect and exceeded our expectations!

First, I must say that – unlike many travel agents I have worked with – Stuart actually honored our trip budget request. Amazingly, given what I believe was a “moderate” budget, he was able to book extraordinary top of line rooms in luxury hotels. And, they were hotels we NEVER would have found on our own.

Second, Stuart gave great advice as to the order and scope of our trip; and booked us in locations that were spot-on for each of our destinations — whether in cites or in the country.

Third, every one of the transfers he booked went off without a hitch. Each driver appeared on time and each was informative, kind, and professional.

Finally, and this must be said, Jacki Lang was wonderful to us. We changed one of our destinations at the last minute due to weather and she was able to find us a new hotel and destination within an hour. Further, when I was afraid we were going to miss one of our flights, she “talked me down from the edge” and was exactly right that we would, indeed, make the flight.

Stuart Rigg and his team in Australia and New Zealand made our honeymoon trip a dream come true. Six months prior to our trip we had a conference call with Stuart and Trevor on Sarah’s team, who asked detailed questions about our likes and dislikes. That was followed up with a written proposal for activities and excursions in both countries As we were traveling on a Seabourn cruise, they had to consider our cruise itinerary and ports of call to coordinate the days and times we would be in port. This was complicated and they handled it all for us. We did not want to book our excursions through Seabourn as we wanted a more personal approach, rather than be part of a larger group. Stuart and Trevor on Sarah’s team planned an amazing itinerary for us.

Highlights included a driver and guide, Adil, to Auckland’s spectacular West Coast Beaches where we saw many gannets in their natural environment. Another was a day on Waiheke Island. We had a very knowledgeable guide, Geoff, who has, as we do, a big interest in wines. He guided us to 3 vineyards, all different in style, including a wonderful lunch at one. At every stop on our cruise, we had other terrific guides who met us as we disembarked at the various ports and whisked us away on another adventure and delivered us back to the ship in time to move on to our next destination.

After the cruise ended, a driver was waiting for us and again, took us directly to our hotel. We had great tours of Sydney and Bondi Beach as well as a day hiking in the Blue Mountains with locals who have lived in these places their entire life. So much knowledge!

At the beginning of our trip after a long day of flying from Savannah to Auckland we were met by our driver and taken to our hotel. Stuart’s team booked excellent hotels in both Auckland and Sydney and everything was in place when we arrived. There were no gaps or misses.

This was our first time in both countries and we would not hesitate to call on Stuart the next time we go down under.

Thank-you to them and to Wendy Perrin for a gorgeous WOW Moment gift–we really appreciate it.

We had no idea what was happening until our driver delivered us to the Rose Bay Seaplane sight for our flight over Sydney and the surrounding beaches.

Tom and I both love flying so our introduction to Sydney in this way was so amazing. We were the only 2 passengers and Tom sat in the co-pilot seat enabling him to take fantastic photos of the beautiful city below us. The weather was perfect that day. It was over the top in every way!

You could not have planned a better surprise for us. We have been fans of your WOW list for many years, using your trusted advisors in Italy, Paris (twice), London, Africa (twice), and now NZ and Australia. Our next trip using one of your advisors will be to Argentina.

Wendy, you are providing a wonderful service to those of us who travel often and like to travel well.

Thanks also for the personal attention you gave us when we had a glitch with another advisor booking our cruise.

Sophie and Stuart put together a wonderful month long visit to Australia for my husband and me. We had a variety of activities: cities, national forests, sailing trip, self driving on the Great Ocean Road. I wanted lots of walking/hiking built into the trip. We had wonderful, knowledgeable guides for our hikes. We also had ample time to walk and hike on our own in the national parks and the cities. There was a great balance of programmed activity and free time. The biggest hurdle we had was that once the itinerary was set I had to postpone the trip by a few weeks. They didn’t skip a beat – all was done with no worries. I wholeheartedly recommend them. I also want to thank Wendy for our WOW Moment in Melbourne. The boat ride on the Yarra River gave us an amazing perspective of the city. It was a very enjoyable addition to our 53rd anniversary day. Thank you!

Stuart and his team helped plan our trip to Australia in February/March 2019. We worked primarily with Debbie Bollen. She was responsive throughout in terms of developing an itinerary to suit our interests and budget. We initially thought of starting our tour in Sydney. Debbie suggested that we go directly to a small hotel in the Blue Mts upon our arrival (rather than staying in Sydney) to recover for a few days after a very long series of flights from Chicago. That was a great idea. She also recommended a lovely resort on Hamilton Island as the first stop of our 6 days on the Great Barrier Reef. The Hamilton Beach Club had the glamour of a South Pacific movie set. Debbie was particularly helpful when our cross-continent trip on the Ghan train was cancelled 36 hours before our planned departure from Darwin. (A freight train had de-railed and closed the tracks.) She worked late evenings to develop a list of options and prices for us. Within 18 hours, she was able to replace the Ghan experience with a stay at Longitude 131 near Uluru/Ayers Rock — a place extremely difficult to book on short notice. We really appreciated her extra effort to keep our trip literally on track. We certainly recommend Debbie and Stuart to anyone interested in going to Australia.

Stuart arranged a 9 day trip for us in Australia, specifically in Sydney and on Lizard Island this January. We began planning in July. Stuart and his colleague Tanya were extraordinarily responsive, always responding to emails within 24 hours. They were very flexible and tried to accommodate everything on my wish list. When I was struggling to choose between various GBR options, Stuart and I spoke by phone for about 45 minutes until we got everything sorted. I agree very strongly, Wendy, with your admonition to SPEAK with the travel specialists in addition to email correspondence. I was able to transmit in that call the nuance that can sometimes evade the written word. Our time was flawlessly planned. Stuart’s VIP escort service met us at the airport and brought us to our lovely Sydney hotel, The Langham. We had two beautiful connecting rooms there. At every restaurant in which we dined Stuart had magically arranged for the best table with the best view. At dinner on our first night, we were presented with a bottle of sparkling wine, courtesy of Stuart and his team. Stuart also arranged for Opera tickets, the BridgeClimb, and a surfing lesson–all of which were huge hits. When we traveled to Lizard we were upgraded, courtesy of Stuart. Our adult son who accompanied us had to work while in Australia. He was concerned with the internet connection given the remoteness of the island. We shared these concerns with Stuart who contacted the Lizard Island GM, who, in turn, generously offered his own office and landline for our son to use for certain hours each day. These are the moments (and those when you can see the Sydney Opera House through your wine glass) when one feels so very grateful to be using one of your WOW specialists! Thank you!

Stuart Rigg and Debbie Bollen arranged a 14-day trip for 5 of us to Australia. We were 2 couples and a single unrelated adult friend. We did offer a bit of complexity to deal with in that we had somewhat differing (though largely overlapping) interests. We felt that Stuart/Debbie did a good job of listening and interpreting our wishes and adjusting the proposed itinerary accordingly.

The end result was a trip where we split into 2 groups for a few days in the middle of the trip, while spending the beginning and end together. That worked very well and everyone was happy with the trip. Stuart/Debbie clearly know their territory and are connected with a good set of local providers. Our guides were uniformly good – our wine guide in the Barossa, in particular, made our day with him really special. As first-timers Down Under, we were happy to merely scratch the surface with some of the must-sees. It would have been difficult to choose sights we wouldn’t have liked, but we still felt that the choices made on our behalf were excellent. The accommodations were well chosen to suit our mix of some travelers wanting 5-star luxury and some wanting more economical lodging. We did create some of our own tension by having some of the group who wanted to be very active and others who preferred a more leisurely pace. A note to fellow travelers who might be in the same position – be sure to discuss this in advance, as we found that some of our guides were unwilling (or unable for liability reasons) to allow the group to split during tours. We did have a couple of miscommunications with Debbie before the trip and a couple of airport transfers that had not been properly scheduled.

However, since Debbie did fully document what she had booked for us, we were able to correct everything before it became a problem. All in all, we were quite happy with the experience and will be happy to go back to Stuart and his team if we head that way again.

We travelled to Australia in January, 2019, using Stuart Rigg and Tanya Knobel as our planners. From the time Stuart first talked to us by telephone and throughout the planning stages, we knew we were in good hands. Their suggestions were helpful and they listened carefully to our likes and wishes. They always answered our email queries promptly and continued to be in touch during the trip. At each location we visited, they chose excellent tour companies and guides to show us what is special about the various locales. We had a great time and wonderful experiences. We would highly recommend them.

My wife Cathy and I had the great pleasure of travelling from our home in Toronto, Canada to Australia for a three week visit from December 27th through January 17th, 2019.

Knowing that the time would fly by it was extremely important for us to get professional help in putting together our itinerary. Enter Stuart Rigg and his team, most notably Debbie Bollen, In short, they were terrific, not only in terms of suggesting and ultimately securing the various arrangements such as accommodation and tours, but also in dealing with the “changing parts” that occurred as the days unfolded. Plans change, and Debbie was able to keep pace with our litany of requests and keep things in order.

We began by spending five days at the Adina Apartment Hotel in Bondi where we rendezvoused with our daughter Christie who had moved to Sydney this past July. The accommodation proved to be just right for that stage of our visit. Bondi has a vibe to it…lots of people, lots of things happening – by no means peaceful and relaxing – and that was a good thing at this early stage! A highlight was the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk, and another was a half day bicycle tour that proved to be an excellent way to get oriented to Sydney’s downtown and waterfront area.

From there the three of us traveled to Melbourne for a few days. We stayed at the Hotel Lindrum which was conveniently located and very well appointed. A highlight was definitely a foodie tour with the very knowledgeable and passionate guide, Cam Smith. We also traveled to the Mornington Peninsula to visit a sustainable farm and restaurant, Green Olives at Red Hill, which was well worth doing. The following day we went to the Yarra Valley for some wine tasting. Beautiful scenery along the way.

From there we traveled to Tasmania for six days, including a visit to Freycinet National Park where we stayed at Freycinet Lodge in a pavilion. These rooms are beautifully appointed – a lovely combination of rugged nature meshing with all the comforts of modern living that one could possibly imagine – although we did find the operation of the new-age light system to be a bit of a challenge at first! A highlight of this portion of our journey was watching a glorious sunset at Honeymoon Bay. A “low-light” was the park itself. It appeared to be lovely but it was very busy – so much so that we couldn’t fine a parking spot for our car which was a bit disappointing. Peak season was definitely in full bloom!

From there a three hour drive back to Hobart, the quaint capital city, where we stayed at MACq01, a beautiful, modern-style hotel perfectly located right in the heart of the CBU and waterfront area. We experienced the outdoor market scene – a must do if you’re there on a Saturday. Also, if ever you do find yourself in Hobart be sure to explore the north part to get a sense of the non-touristy area. It’s reachable within a 30 minute walk or a short drive. Of course if you’re a lover of art then the MONA is a must-do – it’s the Museum of Old & New Art, one of the world’s most unique and controversial museums which houses one of the largest private art collections on the globe.

We then returned to Sydney for our final four days, this time staying at Spicers in the eclectic neighborhood of Potts Point. This boutique hotel is a gem – in a great location, we had a spacious and very comfortable room with a lovely terrace that overlooked the bustling street below. They served delicious breakfasts, and the staff were courteous, friendly and very welcoming. Absolutely top-notch.

A final highlight was a day trip to the South Coast through the Royal National Park to the Grand Pacific Drive and over the incredibly scenic Sea Cliff Bridge. It was a long day of travel, but worth it.

All in all we enjoyed this trip immensely and certainly appreciate the positive impact that Stuart and his team brought to our experience. We’d most certainly recommend Stuart and Debbie to those seeking to optimize the value of their travel down unda!

Our family of five just returned from our first visit to Australia and simply cannot say enough good about the services Stuart and Tanya provided. From the bridge climb, private tour of the opera house, surf lessons on Bondi Beach, bike tour of Sydney, personal tour of the zoo, etc. we were thrilled with the level of service we received. The guides were prompt, knowledgeable and a total pleasure to spend time with. They tailored each activity to meet the needs of my husband and I as well as our three children even going so far as to make a stop at a local grocery store to share with us some authentic Australian candies, “biscuits” and drinks which was a highlight of the trip for our children. We wholeheartedly recommend Stuart’s team and hope to have the opportunity to travel with them again in the future.

Stuart Rigg and his colleague Tanya booked every aspect of our Australia trip, and we were pleased across the board. They were very patient working with us to pack in everything we wanted to do, from Sydney, to Uluru, to diving the Great Barrier Reef, and they clearly worked with top shelf properties and special individuals throughout.

The best parts of our time are the things we would not have thought of — the private sailing tour of Sydney harbour seeing the city and properties from the water side and hearing about the history, or an afternoon spent walking the tidal flats with a native descendant, discussing both ancient ways and modern challenges.

We knew we had a non-stop agenda to see as much as we wanted to, but Stuart and his crew managed to fit it all in while leaving us just enough leisure and spontaneity.

We worked with Stuart and Danielle for our trip to Australia in October, 2018. We were celebrating my birthday. Stuart and I had an initial conversation to understand our travel preferences, interests and priorities. After the initial consultation, we were sent an itinerary which reflected everything we discussed! Stuart was very thoughtful as to what would work best for us. The trip went flawlessly! Everything was so well organized and on time. All the vendors were fantastic and some went out of their way to accommodate us. And, many left me birthday wishes and champagne along the way.

Wow! What can I say? I don’t even know where to begin. This was an amazing trip for my family! My two daughters, husband, and I had an awesome time in Australia– many thanks to Stuart for such great planning, execution, and many memorable touches! First, we loved all the activities– from biking in Sydney, the Sydney Harbor Bridge twilight climb, to the magnificent Uluru and Field of Lights dinner/walk, to snorkeling with green turtles on the inspiring Lady Elliots Island! Each accommodation was fantastic– our favorite was the Ovolo Inchcolm in Brisbane! And the Lady Elliots Island eco-resort was magical and the perfect finishing touch to an already incredible and wonderful trip! My daughters loved the sunset over the Harbor Bridge and the chance to embrace a koala. We were celebrating my husbands 50th birthday and he could not have asked for a more memorable holiday. For him, stargazing in the clear night sky was an added delight! We truly recommend Stuart and thank him for the incredible trip! And bonus points for the fruit basket waiting for us on our last night.

New Zealand— the Land of the Long White Cloud— such a magical place!   My family and I absolutely loved how beautiful and how eco-conscious this incredible place is!  It was a wonderful way to begin our journey.   Thanks to Stuart and Tom, we had plenty of time to wander and enjoy New Zealand at our own pace while still having pre-arrangements to hit all the highlights we wanted.   Auckland was charming and a great start point.   We really enjoyed the Waitomo Caves around Rotorua to Hobbiton in Matamata and the Weta Workshop in Wellington.   And the drive along the green and lush hills were breathtaking.   And of course, we were utterly taken by the breathtaking magnificence of Queenstown, the Remarkables, Milford Sound, and Skippers’ Canyon. We had the good fortune of comfortable dry and sunny weather throughout our time and we must give a shoutout for the beautiful Rees Hotel and the wonderful 2-bedroom suite with fireplace and private balcony overlooking the Lake Wakatipu.   The people were so friendly and we were pleasantly surprised and very impressed that Maori is the 2nd official language in New Zealand.   And while Queenstown and New Zealand are places of high adventure (don’t forget to do the Shotover Jetboat), we were particularly charmed by the Kiwi Wildlife Park where you learn about how New Zealand’s efforts around conservation are some of the most aggressive and yet sensible we had ever heard.   Thank you to Stuart for arranging a most magical trip for us in the Land of Kiwis.

Thank you to Wendy Perrin for connecting us to Stuart and his team. We had a wonderful trip to Australia at the end of June/early July 2018. Thank you to Stuart and Pam for all of their planning. Everything was outstanding – the hotels, tour guides, drivers, experiences, and meals. Throughout the planning process, we especially appreciated their responsiveness and thoughtfulness to each question we raised. They also expertly addressed all of our concerns regarding our daughter’s food allergy. We could not be more pleased with their services and will recommend them to anyone we know considering a visit to Australia.

Stuart and his team did two things that are very important to me – they listened to what my travel partner and I wanted out of this trip, AND they were great at communicating expediently and thoroughly. We had less than two months to pull together a two-week trip Australia and New Zealand coming from the US. They asked our budget, we requested a luxury experience, and our expectations were surpassed. We had one lodging experience that was booked to our specifications, but upon arrival did not meet our expectations. It was late evening and Pam on Stuart’s team answered our call right away and arranged new lodging within minutes without questioning our reason for wanting to change lodging. If/when I return down under I will absolutely use Stuart and his team to create another amazing itinerary.

We were in Australia 10 years ago and were excited to return to Sidney & Kangaroo Island two of our favorites. In addition to exploring for the first time Tasmania, Great Ocean Road region and Adelaide. Stuart and his staff coordinated all of our requests perfectly with lovely properties.

One day we were scheduled for an expensive full day tour and had to cancel at the last minute because of illness. The tour was nonrefundable, but he negotiated a partial refund. All our tour guides were very knowledgeable and professional. Stuart and his staff were available 24/7 and checked in with us several times. It was a wonderful stress-free vacation thanks to him and his staff’s expertise.

New Years Eve in Sydney. A bucket list item! Despite us being late In being able to make arrangements Stuart and his colleague Jane helped guide us to the perfect choice -on the water, in the middle of the action. And we had the best table right at the bow of the boat.
What a night to remember. The fireworks were everything I hoped for and more. A huge tick on that bucket list!

December 2017

Stuart Rigg and his colleague, Tanya Knobel, planned an absolutely perfect trip for me. I wanted something a little different from the typical “first time to Australia” trip, as I wanted to spend most of my time enjoying the natural beauty of Tasmania. Stuart and Tanya spent the time truly working to understand what I wanted and then delivered beautifully. I could not have planned it better myself – from the boutique hotels I love (and the complimentary upgrades I received!) to the local guides (all of whom were fantastic) to the help while on the trip to advise about a minor glitch (which was not their doing), these two are consummate professionals and the “real deal.” Thank you for the superb recommendation, Wendy!!

My husband and I spent 5 weeks in Australia in September-October 2017 on a spectacular trip planned and executed by Stuart and Debbie. We had long wanted to visit our seventh continent but quickly realized that even with 5 weeks we couldn’t see the entire country. My top priority was to see The Kimberley, a very remote area in northwestern Australia that even many Australians never get to. After phone conversations and emails, we ended up dividing our interests into two trips. For the first one, we chose to do what we called our Australia Bush Safari and we are intensely grateful we did so. Next time, we’ll do the southeast coast — what we call — “where the people live.” This trip, we went mostly to where few of the people live. If we’d done it the other (Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Tasmania) — I doubt we’d ever have gone back to do what we did this time.

There is no way we could have planned this trip ourselves. The trip encompassed 18 flights and 14 places to stay. The first week we drove ourselves south from Perth to Albany and then back to the Margaret River region. Then we flew north for stays at three different places in The Kimberley (Cable Beach Club in Broome, El Questro and Berkeley River Lodge.) Then across the top end to Darwin and a safari lodge on a cattle station (Bamurru Plains), then three places in Queensland (Cairns, Lizard Island and Silky Oats Lodge), finishing with a stay in Uluru (Longitude 131). The logistics were complicated, entailing many tiny charter planes, helicopters and lots of transfers. Once Stuart figured out what kind of trip we wanted and the kinds of places we were interested in staying in, he put together an itinerary and made all the arrangements for a trip that exceeded my expectations. All the places he chose for us were excellent. Many were among the country’s most unique and/or luxurious (Como The Treasury in Perth, El Questro’s The Homestead, Longitude 131 in Uluru); one was a B&Bs with an owner who made some of the best omelettes we’ve had and did laundry for free after I slipped off a log and got coated in mud (The Beach House at Bayside in Albany). Others while more rustic had their own charm — at Karri Valley Resort, Lincoln race Ringnecked Parrots hung over the roof edge of our lakeview terrace. The full-day birding guide Stuart arranged for us in the area of Daintree National Park — Del Richards of Fine Feathers Tours — was terrific. Even the place about which I had reservations after our arrival (Berkeley River Lodge, which has the most uncomfortable dining room chairs ever and outdoor toilets — albeit private — I could have done without) became a place I have fond memories of because of the excursions we took and the fellow guests we met. And our transfer to and from Cairns and Silky Oats Lodge was via a stretch white limo that was superbly comfortable for my extra tall husband (and had a great driver).

We could not have had a better trip. That it was topped by one of Wendy’s WOW moments (a not-to-be-missed helicopter ride over Uluru and Kata Tjuta) is just one more reason why Wendy Perrin’s trip experts are the best. The attention to detail Stuart and Debbie gave to our trip, the flawless execution of everything from hotels to lodges, private charters, drivers, airport transfers, private guides and reams of useful information ahead of time was something I was aware of before the trip — but could not fully appreciate until we were on it.

Wendy’s experts all share two essential traits — attention to detail in planning and careful execution of arrangements. I know I can trust that if I use one of her experts (and we’ve used a lot of them), their advice and planning will be excellent. But where they — and Stuart Rigg — are unmatched is in their ability to intuit what their clients want, need and most important, will delight in. Kudos.

My husband and I traveled throughout Australia for the first time, for one month in September – October 2017. We covered a great deal of distance, and although we are very experienced travelers, we felt we needed help planning this particular trip. Stuart Rigg and his staff, especially Jane Reynolds, were extremely helpful in advising us and planning a complicated itinerary, keeping in mind our very specific interests and wishes. We had one long four-way telephone call and many, many emails so that communication was easy, despite the difference in time zones. Stuart and Jane planned our air travel (a total of 10 flights within the country), our hotels, our drivers (we decided not to drive ourselves), individual guides who would be well versed in our particular interests, as well as some group tours, and some meals.

All the transfers went flawlessly, and what a difference that made in decreasing our travel fatigue! We were pleased with all of the choices that had been made for hotels. Even though we had said that we preferred to spend our money on experiences rather than on 5-star hotels, we were often given a complimentary upgrade to a better room and/or given special attention, which was clearly the result of the relationship with Stuart. We also received check-in calls from his team at the beginning, during, and at the end of our trip.

And the experiences we had requested in terms of places and guides were fantastic. For our trip to Pemberton and the visit to the areas south of Pemberton, Jane found a couple who have a small eco-tour company in Pemberton. They came and picked us up in Perth (3+ hours away without stops), drove us to a B&B in Pemberton, and then took us on an amazing group eco-tour the next day and a private tour the following day even further south to see the amazing karri, marri, and tingle eucalyptus trees, amongst other sights. They also drove us back to Perth. This couple had never before taken on such an intensive and unusual private tour, so we are very grateful to Jane and Stuart for coming up with a creative solution that allowed us to explore a part of southwest Australia without a car.

Were there any glitches? Yes, within the month, there were a few, but they were relatively minor. An example: one meal for an accompanying relative was supposed to be vegetarian, and the information had not been relayed in time. There was more than sufficient food, however, for it not to pose much of a problem.

Would we use Stuart again? Absolutely. And we are even considering a return trip to Australia, although it was supposed to be a once in a lifetime trip.

Places visited: Port Douglas – Ayres Rock – Kangaroo Island – Tasmania – Sydney – Perth – Pemberton

Queensland, Australia in October 2017.

When my wife and I decided to return to Australia after visiting Sydney and Melbourne on an earlier trip, we wanted to focus on Queensland, with a special emphasis on the Great Barrier Reef. Although we could have laid out an itinerary and made the arrangements ourselves, the logistics in this part of the country can be a bit complicated, so we decided to contact Stuart. We are very happy that we did.

After providing Stuart lengthy descriptions of our desires, likes, and dislikes, he developed a plan specifically tailored to our interests, which included snorkeling, exposure to wildlife, cultural pursuits, and Australian cooking, all fit into a 3 week package. Stuart decided on using Brisbane as our home base for several multi-day excursions, and that worked well. We enjoyed multi-day stays in each of Brisbane, the bush country, the rainforest, and of course the Great Barrier Reef.

We had two distinctly different experiences on the Great Barrier Reef. One was land-based, on Lady Elliot Island, which lies near the southern end of the GBR and can be reached only by air. The other was a 4 night live-aboard cruise that covered the north end of the GBR. If I had planned this on my own, I would not have thought of dividing our stay into two locations. Stuart’s approach gave us a superior experience.

Our itinerary provided three full days in Brisbane, two at the beginning of the trip and one at the end. I harbored an unvoiced concern that three days would be too much, but I was wrong. Brisbane is an underappreciated city with many ways to delight a visitor. Stuart understood this. He arranged a full day tour of Brisbane on our first day there, giving us an opportunity to visit some of the areas that are a little out of the way and allowing us to decide where to spend our time on the two days we had on our own. That worked very well. Later in the trip, we had a full day tour of the Daintree Rainforest/Cape Tribulation area. On both occasions, we had excellent guides that were willing to make last minute adjustments to their plans to accommodate our evolving interests.

Stuart was also careful to give us unplanned time at each location to explore whatever caught our interest upon arrival. Stuart provided a list of suggestions for each stop but left the decisions on what to do up to us. That suited us perfectly. For example, in Brisbane, we were able to spend all the time we wanted at the excellent Gallery of Modern Art and Brisbane City Hall. And up north we had the chance to spend the better part of a day getting acquainted with the colorful town of Port Douglas.

Stuart’s active involvement in making trip arrangements was evident throughout our trip. We found ourselves getting VIP treatment wherever we went. At Spicer’s Hidden Vale one of the top chefs gave us a personal tour of the Market Garden, the source of many of the ingredients for their superb cuisine. The general manager at Elliot Island greeted us immediately upon our arrival, checked in with us several times, and then gave us a personal tour of his favorite spots on the island. Our cabin on the Coral Expeditions II was the best on the entire ship. We had the most desirable treehouse(cottage) at Silky Oaks and we were able to reserve the best view table for dinner each night of our stay. Taken together, these thoughtful touches took what would have been simply a delightful trip and turned it into something quite memorable.

Our advice for anyone considering Stuart? Give him a full data dump on what you want out of your trip. Stuart and his staff can handle lots of information. Be sure to let him know both your likes and dislikes. When he comes back with suggestions, give them careful thought. We did things we would not have considered if we had planned this trip ourselves, and it all turned out beautifully.

I just returned from Australia/New Zealand and to be honest I couldn’t have been more satisfied with not only Stuart and his associate Debbie’s assistance but also with the result of our collaboration. When I arrived in Melbourne, a packet with all of the details was in my room. Catherine picked me up for my tour to see the Koalas, have dinner at Harry’s and then on to see the Penguin Parade….where I was charmed by these small creatures. She was knowledgeable and we stopped at a few places along the way that she thought I might like. All in all, she was a delight.

My Helicopter tour to see the Great Ocean Road and the 12 Apostles was divine. It was my first helicopter and I loved it! The views were spectacular and my pilot was great fun to spend time with. Every detail was well coordinated and we finished up with a sweep around the city.

Paul, my tour guide to see the Blue Mountains outside Sydney, kept apologizing because the fog interfered with the views, but I assured him that in some ways it enhanced the experience. The botanical gardens were beautiful, the Waradah Aboriginal Center was very interesting and as Paul knows some of the folks there I was able to speak with them and gain more insight into their ways. He introduced me to the gentleman who had taught all of the participants in the program to play the didgeridoo and he played for me….what sublime sounds he creates from such a seemingly simple design. I stopped into the gallery there and was provided more information about the aboriginal art. Lunch at Echo was lovely and later when I mentioned to Paul that I had not seen a kangaroo in the wild, he promptly detoured to find some for me. When we returned to Sydney, Paul did a mini-tour of the city and along some of the back streets, I never would have found on my own.

All of my tour guides promptly found out what was of most interest to me and adapted the tour based on our conversation and didn’t hesitate to alter the plan as we talked.

I have loved my time in Australia and New Zealand, and my experience has been made all the better with the help of Stuart and Debbie.

I only have wonderful things to say about Stuart Rigg and his team. All of their staff were most helpful and accommodating with any of our questions and concerns. What was also fantastic was that we were able to change our itinerary as we needed, which worked out very well. Cate in the New Zealand office & Pam in the Sydney office were both excellent to work with. The accommodations, drivers and tour guides were all excellent. We have spoken highly of your company to friends here in Canada and have suggested that they use your services, should they want to travel to this part of the world.

We would use Stuart again – our trip was outstanding and everything went off without a hitch. Great properties, people, and experiences!!

Guides were well suited for the area and wonderful to spend the day with while driving or sightseeing. They accommodated our requests and provided schedule changes as needed. A special recognition to Carly in Sydney…she made our visit extra special with her amazing knowledge and flexibility.

We enjoyed the prepaid meal structure which we had not experienced before…a nice way to do it!

To conclude, we had our first Wendy Perrin WOW Experience which happened to be a seaplane ride over the Sydney Harbor and Opera House. This is something that we would not have thought to do ourselves and would have missed out big time! An amazing and fun experience…we even happen to get to travel up the coast a bit because the seaplane company needed to drop some passengers at a small resort destination. The views were stunning and provided a perspective we would not have had without Wendys WOW. Thank you Wendy for such a magnificent addition to an already outstanding adventure.

We have never been on a more wonderful trip. It was magical. Stuart and Tanya made sure that everything was absolutely perfect and we just cannot say enough good things about their work for us. (August, 2017 trip to Hamilton Island, Daintree, Kangaroo Island, and Sydney).

Stuart and Pam on his team really got to know what kind of things interested us. Also when the resort we were going to at the barrier reef got hit by a cyclone, they reached out to us with options that were great just 6 weeks or so before we were going. They actually crafted probably the highlight to the trip by suggesting the Barrosa Valley. Also, everything they booked was really well done. There were no cutting corners.

I truly have nothing but great things to say about Stuart and Pam. I called them as we were planning several times. Always able to help. Explained things clearly. We had only good surprises on our trip. There dining choices in Barrosa were out of this world. Tour guides. Rich and Lingering in Barrosa was perfect. Richard for the hunter valley truly world class. Also, the walking tour guide really took up to parts of Sydney I would have never seen.

My wife and I had a great trip that was planned by Stuart Rigg and his team. Their impeccable planning was a key component to helping us navigate and enjoy two countries, AU and NZ, with which we had no prior experience. The hotels were great (we often got corner rooms with views for the normal price), the route was trouble free and the tours and suggestions never failed. The best item, for me, was the Abel Tasman National Park cruise. The operator was superb and we would have had to be extremely lucky to have found this small company on our own. Most people were on large, crowded boats. Ours had 4 people, and the captain was also an ecologist. I could go on… I highly recommend Stuart and his team.

My wife and I have used Stuart Rigg and his team on two occasions. On both trips, everything proceeded without a hitch—resort and car reservations all equaled or exceeded our expectations, our adventure activities guides were top-notch, and our various transfer drivers always arrived a bit early. But what really distinguished Stuart in our mind was the way he handled the “unexpected emergency” when we found ourselves stranded in Lamington National Park with the only exit road closed because of rock/mud slides and fallen trees caused by Cyclone Debbie that battered Queensland during the first days of March 2017. The resort we were staying at could do nothing more than keep us up-to-date on efforts to reopen the road. Fortunately, one call to Stuart’s cell phone late on a Friday night (i.e. it was after normal office hours) ended with him arranging for a helicopter to pick us up the next day to fly us back to Brisbane. His ability to do this was especially impressive because almost all helicopters in the greater Brisbane area had been diverted to rescue work.

We’ve traveled extensively. Most travel agents are good at doing the easy stuff. But exceptional agents like Stuart Rigg have the contacts and ability to get the traveler out of unforeseen jams.

March 2017 / Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and surrounding areas

For our first trip to Australia in February 2017, Stuart carefully considered our interests and ideas and turned this into a well-organized itinerary that was truly custom-fit. We spent 9 days in Sydney with side trips to the Blue Mountains, the Hunter Valley and Uluru. The companies he worked with for tours and activities where clearly top-notch, as were the accommodations. All the transfers and hand-offs worked seamlessly. During our trip we noticed that Stuart and his team kept in touch with the hotels and tour operators continuously to assure that we had their full attention to our needs.

I decided to look for a travel agent when planning a last minute extended trip to Australia during the holiday season. Because of the timing, I was having problems both narrowing down what I wanted to do and finding openings for hotels. After using Wendy’s site, I was contacted by Stuart who asked a number of questions that helped me focus on what I really wanted out of my trip. The itinerary he and his assistant Sophie came up with perfectly incorporated my preferences to see all I could in Sydney and have time at the spa and the beach. Given the short time frame, we only had time to exchange comments on the first draft itinerary before I arrived in Australia, so I was very impressed and grateful when Sophie called me at my hotel to talk through final changes. I had never done formal tours when traveling before and was incredibly impressed with their chosen guides/vendors. Every tour went above and beyond my expectations, whether one-on-one or in a small group. For example, instead of the usual wine tasting tour of a few varieties at several vineyards, our guide gave an instructive lesson in how to properly conduct wine tasting and the opportunity to taste almost all of the wines at a high-quality vineyard. The hotels they booked were also excellent, and I greatly appreciated Stuart reaching out to ensure things were going well during the trip. Thank you so much for the service you provide!

Stuart Rigg booked us a wonderful trip over the 2016 Christmas holidays. We took our 14 year old grandson with us and requested that the plans include events that would be enjoyable to him. We were booked at Hayman Island resort where we went open ocean snorkeling; at the Wolgan Valley resort where we enjoyed a wide variety of native animals (kangaroos by the score; wombats, etc.); and in Sydney (at Park Hyatt) where we visited the zoo and had surf lessons at Manley and Bondi beaches. We finished with New Years Eve at the Sydney Opera House where we enjoyed the amazing fireworks over the harbor. All in all a wonderful experience.

Stuart Rigg provided us with an amazing Australian experience. I would – and have – refer them to anyone, including my family and close friends. Not only were the hotels we stayed at well located, the rooms we requested for views etc were exactly what we asked for. The guides they provided were probably the best thing about our trip. They were beyond friendly and extremely knowledgeable. I would highly recommend the walking tour in Melbourne. You got a feel for the City and saw outstanding street art.

We highly recommend Stuart Rigg and his team for an Australia tour. We had a great planning experience prior to being in country for 2 weeks and good contact once we were there. We had requested boutique hotels or 4-5 star city hotels and were very pleased with the selections and treatment. Everything was planned thoroughly and every guide and driver was on time and organized.

Because of illness, we had to dial back a bit on a couple of the scheduled activities. Stuart and his assistant Debbie were great. They arranged to modify one tour to add on what we had missed a prior day. They touched base along the way. Each guide and driver said Stuart and his team were great to work with, very detailed and very thorough from their perspective, too. The private guides were exceptional. We had requested tours that omitted forts and churches and museums, preferring to get a feel for neighborhoods and culture, and aboriginal sites, and were very satisfied. We also used the Stuart’s office in Auckland to organize our week in New Zealand, also with excellent results.

Stuart Rigg and Debbie, on his team, organized an absolutely amazing trip for us! We contacted them in July 2016 to help us with our anniversary trip to Australia for October 2016. We had started doing research and planning out where we wanted to go but were having issues with the logistics of the trip. We also didn’t really have any idea for the transfers, the order of travel and how long we should stay in each place. We were a bit late in the game planning the whole thing and were worried we wouldn’t be able to stay at all the places on our list, many of which were small and in high demand.

Our initial contact with Stuart was via email, but they quickly organized a time that we could all talk on the phone to get the ball rolling, which was very helpful. We spoke for about 45 minutes, we told them what we liked and disliked when we traveled, the places we thought we wanted to go, hotels we had researched, and type of travelers we were, and they provided information about each of the places, feedback on hotel options, and answered our questions. We had round trip tickets to Sydney, Michelle definitely wanted to go to Uluru, and I wanted to make sure we went to Tasmania, and both of us wanted to go to Great Barrier Reef. The exact places, the sequencing, what we did, and how long we stayed was up in the air. The rest of the planning took place via email; despite the time difference the communication always seemed quick. We asked lots of questions and waffled on some things but the emails were always friendly and never felt short or like we were being too demanding. Based on our previous travel experiences they made recommendations for hotels and activities to quickly finalize an itinerary that ended up being spot on. We imagine putting the itinerary together to be a bit like a puzzle to accommodate openings at the various hotels and for specific activities. We had to crisscross the eastern part of the country a bit, but they fit in every single place and activity we wanted.

Execution of the trip was virtually flawless from the second our driver George met us in the airport on October 2nd to when he dropped us back off October 16th. During all of our transfers our drivers were always there before the allotted pick up time, never rushing us, but silently waiting for us to either arrive in airport or come down to lobby. We never had to wait on anyone or try and figure out when we needed to be somewhere because they had let us know ahead of time. Not having to worry about all the transfers for our 5 flights really took some of the stress of travel off of us and made the whole trip more enjoyable. And other than a weather issue in Hobart we didn’t have any issues the whole trip with activities, hotels, checkins, checkouts, or anything really. We fit a lot into a two week trip but it was the perfect amount, we honestly don’t think we could have or would have wanted to do more and it didn’t feel like we were too rushed either. Every place we stayed was spot on for us, it was a good mix of perfect locations, luxury, and privacy. Each place we stayed was aware it was our anniversary trip, and most places went out of their way to do or provide something special for us. We also had a welcome card and champagne from Stuart and his team to start our trip and a nice bottle of wine and a cheese plate for our final night.

We had communication with Stuart and Debbie throughout the trip, they helped finalize some dinner reservations and spa appointments as we went along, just as during planning they were easy to contact and quick to respond. We also had a phone call from Debbie to check in and make sure we enjoyed ourselves and we discovered they’d been checking in with hotel staff the whole trip to make sure everything was going perfectly.

We would definitely recommend Stuart and his team to anyone looking to go to Australia and hope to use them again on a return trip!

Wendy Perrin, you recommended Stuart Rigg to us and he got us the most amazing small boat cruise to see the NYE fireworks on Sidney Harbor the year before last – it had been my husband’s dream to do this! His expertise was priceless – there were many to choose from online but you don’t really know what you are getting for sure, so having an expert from the area was imperative. He got us a great one and at a better price than we could have gotten booking on our own. He also helped to book the rest of our trip – we knew a lot if what we wanted to do and he got it done and often found better choices for us on places to stay – like an amazing apartment style hotel in Sydney. Thank you!!! We recommend him highly!!! And NYE/Winter Break was the most amazing time to go to Australia! We went with our 4 teenaged kids and had a blast!

We used Stuart Rigg with Southern Crossings for our August 2016 trip to Australia. We spent time in Sydney, The Kimberly and North Queensland. From the outset, dealing with Southern Crossings was simple and efficient. Their guidance was invaluable and they handled all of the bookings for our hotels, transfers and day trips (both private and group tours). Everything up until we arrived in Australia was handled via email (much easier when there’s a 14 hour time difference between you and your travel agent), and when we arrived in Sydney, they had a representative from the company greet us at the airport and ride into the city with us. Every hotel we stayed at was lovely and in a fabulous location. Every tour they recommended was excellent. Above all, I liked knowing that I had a resource in Australia to help should any problems arise. HIGHLY recommend! They made me look like a hero to my family and we all enjoyed the trip of a lifetime.

Totally smooth and perfectly arranged.

We used Stuart Rigg based on Wendy Perrin’s recommendation. From the planning to the execution, Stuart’s team was very informative, helpful, and did their best to accommodate whatever we wanted. They gave us the restaurants we requested, and even recommended to try certain restaurants in some cities, which turned out to be really good restaurants.

Our trip was flawless and hassle free, the arrangement was perfect, and they appointed the best vendors in every city we visited. From limousine transfers to the different city tours, all the selected vendors performed their best.

Stuart gave us a call during the trip to make sure everything went well.

It was definitely one of our most memorable journies. We surely will contact them again for our next visit, and definitely recommend to our friends and families.

Thank you!

My wife and I traveled with two friends on a return trip to Australia arranged completely by Stuart Riggs. We started in Hobart staying at the very unique and comfortable Henry Jones Art Hotel and then traveled to Freycinet and were treated like royalty at Saffire, a 20 room lodge overlooking Wine Glass Bay. Our stay at Saffire was exquisite– excellent food and impeccable service. Great hiking and delicious oyster harvesting. From there we traveled to Melbourne to visit some friends and we stayed at the Park Hyatt which was very comfortable. Our traveling companions went on to Bali and we traveled to Daintree and stayed at Silky Oaks, again a very comfortable accommodation. I do wish they had a better gym, but everything else was great. Rick, our guide in the Daintree Forest was excellent. From Daintree, we flew to Lizard Island and again the accommodations, food and extremely personal service were exceptional. The diving and snorkeling was quite good but there were unfortunate evidences of coral bleaching that really did not interfere with the array of fish. One dive site which is a must is Cod Hole where you are greeted by the most incredibly docile and huge potato cod. Finally we returned to Sydney, a beautiful city which we had visited 10 years before and it had all the grace and beauty and sophistication which we had remembered. One of the highlights was staying in another Park Hyatt Hotel, overlooking the harbor and the Opera House and each night we were totally entertained and fascinated by the Vivid artistic lighting display on the Opera House structure. Stuart did an exemplary job for us. We loved our trip.

My husband and I just completed a trip, March 2016, to Australia and New Zealand with the help of Stuart Riggs at Southern Crossing in Australia. Everything went very smoothly, he gave us great options to choice from, arranged all hotel, air, transfers, most importantly he listened to what we wanted. We had speciality guides for custom private tours that were arranged specifically for us.

Our guide in the Blue Mountains, Tim Tranter took us on a 5 hour walk in the mountains and pointed out the different biospheres that we walked though and discussed the landscape. Who knew the trees didn’t lose their leaves in the fall..they lose their bark.

Lord Howe Island was just what we needed for a few days after the long flight. We snorkeled and saw so many beautiful fish and we swam with a four foot turtle!

New Zealand was equally as beautiful. Milford Sound is not to be missed and Queenstown was a delight. Darryl Gunn, our guide from Black, was a fifth generation New Zealander who was very enthusiastic about showing us the back county where you could only go with four wheel drive. That was an awesome trip, we really enjoyed Darryl’s stories regarding the area when he was growing up in Queenstown and his sharing stories from the region during his grandfathers time.

Everything was just as we wanted and Stuart’s team called us several times while we were in Australia/NZ just to check-in and let us know they were there to help if we needed anything.

I would definitely recommend using them if you are traveling to that part of the world.

All the places we stayed in were fantastic and fitted the criteria we discussed with Stuart in advance. All arrangements went smoothly as planned. The only improvement would be that normally on self drive holidays I expect a map, some driving directions and suggestions of where to stop off. None of this was in the arrival package. Some of the drives were long and I am not sure whether this could have been mitigated by using more regional airlines. However, I would not have wanted to miss any of the destinations, apart from Penola.

Stuart Rigg from Southern Crossings is The Best for planning your trip to Australia. I had a complicated trip with 14 plane flights, multiple destinations, half by myself, half with others. Stuart did the Australia portion and handled my specific requests beautifully. He kept it within budget, found me the perfect hotel and guide in Hobart, Tasmania who took care of me perfectly for 4 days, and ensured that the rest of the trip to the Great Barrier Reef with drivers and flights in between all went smoothly. Thank you, Wendy and Stuart. My trip exceeded my expectations because of you!

Stuart Rigg and Jane Reynolds with Southern Crossings helped prepare an absolutely amazing trip for my wife and I. Southern Crossings helped us experience as much of Australia as we could fit into a two week holiday, and patiently worked with us through several iterations of our itinerary as we finalized our ultimate plans. The suggested tour companies were as advertised, and the organized transfers helped us enjoy seamless travel throughout the country – from enjoying everything Sydney has to offer, to shark cage diving in Port Lincoln, diving the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns, and sailing the Whitsundays. Would recommend Southern Crossings to anyone interested in traveling to Australia.

Stuart and his team were a pleasure to work with. They organized a thoughtful itinerary that was responsive to our multiple and sometimes conflicting desires and filled with creative and luxurious elements. Logistics were handled seamlessly, as if Stuart was at our side throughout. Where problems arose (as they inevitably do), Stuart helped to address and resolve them quickly. We would gladly work with the Southern Crossings team again, and in fact already intend to.

The land travel was smooth. The day trips were well thought out and fun. The recommended hotels were perfect. The welcoming gifts were wonderful. We were delighted with our experience.

We knew we wanted to go to Australia and that’s about it. Both Stuart and Debbie were very knowledgeable and helpful when it came to suggestions of where to go and what to see; even what restaurants were worth a visit. When I had a health issue and had to cancel my trip, then turned around days later and wanted to re-book, they were understanding and quick to recapture my itinerary. We had ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS with Southern Crossings’ plans for us. Everything went off as planned. Every time we needed a driver, one was there. Even when our flights were late, someone was there to meet us. We had wonderful tours with the best of tour directors. As far as the planning and travel advice were concerned, our trip was perfection. WHEN we take our next trip down-under I will call Stuart and Debbie and no other.

Stuart Rigg of Southern Crossings put together a fabulous trip to Australia for our family. My husband and I took our sons, ages sixteen and thirteen, and there was something for each of us on this trip. We stayed at beautiful properties and had magnificent experiences. We will cherish our memories forever. We felt like we really experienced Australia. Stuart and his staff were so friendly and easy to work with, and they took our preferences into account. I would highly recommend Stuart to anyone thinking of going to Australia.

Stuart and his team did an incredible job planning our dream honeymoon. After a long wedding planning process, the last thing we wanted to do was deal with the stress and uncertainty of planning a trip to the other side of the world. After describing our travel style and preferences to Stuart, he immediately provided us with an impeccable itinerary that incorporated all of our must-sees along with other great suggestions that we hadn’t known about. It also balanced the level of luxury we were seeking with our budget as newlyweds. Not only did we have an incredible time exploring Australia and Fiji, but every detail was accounted for along the way—all of our connections, reservations, pickups and tours were executed perfectly and promptly. We can’t say enough good things about the level of professionalism and care that was provided by Stuart and everyone at Southern Crossings. Thank you!

Worked with southern crossings for a trip to Australia over the holidays. In retrospect, we are very happy that we worked with them. They did an excellent job of listening to what we were looking for and provided constructive and candid feedback. The tour guides they used were excellent. They were constantly available during our trip for restaurant reservations and the like (despite the holiday). Also were able to come up with contingency options when flight schedules changed or when resorts were shut down due to weather (Lizard Island).

Spent Thanksgiving week in Sydney on a trip planned by Stuart Rigg and his team at Southern Crossings. Marvelous from start to finish. The specialists asked us great questions (not too many, and fun questions like “what is a favorite memory from another first time trip to an international city?”). We replied and they offered us really great suggestions, so many that we had trouble picking. They gave some helpful feedback, then booked everything, from someone meeting the plane on arrival to departure. We loved every minute of the trip they arranged, some of our favorites were a seaplane tour, which landed for a divine lunch at a quaint cottage; a day with Suzanne Ackerman of Walkabout Tours seeing beach towns, art galleries and neighborhoods; a sail around Sydney harbor; and a hike with an Aboriginal expert talking about plants and wildlife. When a small problem with a vendor for a planned fishing trip arose, Stuart and the team handled it without a fuss so we could zip on to our next activity. We were particularly pleased that our travel specialists paid careful attention to our group’s needs and abilities (ranging from a 60 year old to two energetic college kids) so that everyone enjoyed every activity. The documentation Stuart’s team provided was detailed so we had contact names, phone numbers, drivers waiting, etc. every step of the way. And a 24 hour a day hot linking us to Stuart’s team was also appreciated.

Wanted to formally thank you and your staff (especially Jane) for the wonderful trip. Everything was as promised and we had “the trip of a lifetime” which will provide many pleasant memories for years to come. All properties were wonderful. Great locations, outstanding rooms and excellent service. The Park Hyatt and Southern Ocean properties were quite special. Our guides were terrific and ensured we saw and experienced as much as possible. All airport transfers and flight arrangements went well too and helped to ease the city transitions. The Sydney Bridge Climb was actually easier than we imagined and the pictures will serve to prove to friends and family members that we actually did it. Thanks for your encouragement. The flight along the Great Ocean Road coast was another special moment that will long be remembered. Of course, we have many shots of the Remarkable Rocks and our Flinders Chase adventures and that day is burned into our memory.
The country is vast and we feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to see so much of it in just under 3 weeks. We certainly hope to return one day and experience a bit more. Again, many thanks for orchestrating our fabulous adventure.

We recently returned (October/November 2014) from a fabulous three-week visit to Australia organized by Stuart Rigg at Southern Crossings. We outlined our interests (animals, nature, and history), travel preferences (including some hotels), and general guidelines on timing and budget, and Stuart came back with a thoughtful, well-paced itinerary that met our criteria. We started with three days in Sydney, moving on to Orpheus Island for three days of recovery time (Stuart’s suggested substitute when Lizard Island was damaged by the cyclone), then to the Daintree Rainforest and Kuranda, four days on Kangaroo Island, four days in Tasmania, and finally two days in Melbourne. The private tours he organized were all outstanding, led by very experienced guides. I would strongly recommend using Southern Crossings for a trip to Australia.

Our family group of six adults have just returned from two weeks in Australia on a tour orchestrated by Stuart Rigg and his staff. It was very well planned and executed and gave us a good mix of experiences to savor. All of us are raving to all we encounter about what a fabulous trip we had. We got to know and enjoy the cosmopolitan and vibrant nature of both Sydney and Melbourne while taking in the best of both cities and their environs, hiking in the Blue Mountains, traversing the Great Ocean Road and watching the penguin parade on Phillip Island were all wonderful and memorable adventures. For all of us getting to know Sydney and Melbourne through various touring experiences, enjoying our own explorations or partaking in the food and nightlife of each city were all highlights.

The snorkeling we did with the small group operator that Stuart arranged for us at the Great Barrier Reef was spectacular. Four Mile Beach is breathtaking and the rainforest excursion was so informative and enjoyable. Stuart recommended that we make Port Douglas our base for our visit to this area and it was a marvelous suggestion. Uluru was fascinating, and seeing the Rock at sunrise and sunset was breathtaking. Learning about the Aboriginal people—their history, customs and religion—was very interesting.

All in all this was a very well balanced trip that made the most of our time. Stuart put together an itinerary that was reflective of our stated interests and budget. We can all wholeheartedly recommend Southern Crossings to help you with your travel experiences in Australia.

We worked with Stuart and Debbie to create a custom tour with some difficult requirements: We needed to be in Brisbane, Sydney, Brisbane on successive weekends; we wanted a few off-the beaten-path locations; and we needed to eat in places that are accommodating to people with food sensitivities.

Stuart was wonderful. We had the smoothest vacation ever. Australia itself is terrific—friendly people, stunning vistas and a real range of options from the Outback to the Sydney Symphony, from a private cruise in Sydney Harbour to a self-driving experience fighting for a share of the road with triple road trains in the Outback. It is a magnificent country to visit, and Stuart is the perfect travel planner for whatever type of experience you want it to be.

I called on Stuart this past winter to help me arrange a trip to Melbourne, for the Australian Open tennis tourney, and then for a two-week business trip to Sydney, with a short pit stop somewhere-anywhere-in-the-country in between. He and his team did a flawless job. I’m a big DIY kind of traveler, haven’t worked with agents much, and won’t ever plan a big trip without one going forward. In Melbourne he booked me at The Olsen in Melbourne, where my next door neighbor was tennis player Serena Williams (Venus was right down the hall and I believe Lleyton Hewitt was also on the same floor—so heady location). He got me terrific tickets to the tennis, as well. Then it was on to Daylesford, which was lovely, and in Sydney he had found me a flat to rent in the neighborhood I requested. It was all perfect… (Oh, and Stuart, looks like I’m coming back…).

The bonus I didn’t expect was that Stuart’s team was so thorough and so responsive that I felt like I had friends on tap should I need them in a place so very far from home.