Sumanta Roy’s New Zealand Adventure with Thrillophilia: A Family Journey Through Middle-earth, Fjords & Starry Skies

Thrillophilia Verified Booking
PNR: BKDDSPZ611U
Rating: ★★★★★
Travellers: Sumanta Roy, Devyani Chakravarty & Mihikaa Roy
Trip Duration: 9 Days | 8 Nights
Destination: New Zealand
Trip Date: 28 March 2026 – 5 April 2026
Package Booked: All-in-One New Zealand Tour

“It was an amazing trip. It has fjords, glaciers, mountains, lakes, meadows, farms and humility. We realised how tiny we are in the larger scheme of things.” Sumanta Roy probably could not have described New Zealand better. Travelling with his wife Devyani and their nine-year-old daughter Mihikaa, he spent nine days discovering a country where the scenery seemed to get more dramatic every time they turned a corner.

There was a little bit of everything. One day had them walking through the world of Hobbits; another had them racing down a luge track in Queenstown. They sailed through Milford Sound, travelled beneath the mountains around Mount Cook and ended one evening staring into the incredible night sky above Lake Tekapo. Sumanta's review also had a special mention for Vasu, who patiently worked through his requirements and customised the trip around the family.

Auckland Was Their First Taste of the Long White Cloud

Before the mountains arrived, there was Auckland. After landing in New Zealand, the family settled into the city and spent their first full day exploring it through a hop-on hop-off experience. It was an easy way to get a feel for Auckland, with the family moving between its busy streets, waterfront areas and city landmarks at their own pace.

Then they went up. Way up. The Sky Tower gave Sumanta, Devyani and Mihikaa a bird's-eye view of Auckland, with the city's buildings, harbour and surrounding landscape stretching out below them. It was a fitting first glimpse of New Zealand, showing them that the country had plenty more waiting beyond its cities.

Hobbiton Was Straight Out of a Storybook

Imagine telling a nine-year-old that the next stop is a village filled with tiny houses built into green hills. That was essentially Mihikaa's day at Hobbiton. The family left Auckland for the famous movie set, where the rolling countryside looked almost too perfect to be real.

They wandered through the Shire, taking in the colourful Hobbit holes and the little details that made the set so charming. For Sumanta and Devyani, there was the added fun of recognising a place they had seen on screen. For Mihikaa, it was a chance to step straight into a world of fantasy. It was one of those family experiences where everyone gets to be a little playful.

Queenstown Swapped Storybooks for Speed

Queenstown changed the mood completely. After flying south from Auckland, the family found themselves surrounded by mountains and the beautiful Lake Wakatipu. Their first big outing was the Skyline Gondola, which carried them high above Queenstown for spectacular views across the lake and surrounding peaks.

Then the family got off the gondola and decided that looking at the landscape was not quite enough. They took on the luge instead. The winding track brought out the competitive side of the experience, with the three of them racing through the course and enjoying the thrill. It was the kind of activity that turned sightseeing into something everyone could actively enjoy.

Milford Sound Made Everyone Feel Very Small

New Zealand had already shown them mountains. Milford Sound showed them what happens when those mountains decide to go completely overboard. The journey into Fiordland National Park brought the family into a landscape of towering peaks, deep valleys and waterfalls.

Once aboard the cruise, the scenery became almost surreal. Mitre Peak rose dramatically beside the fjord while Stirling Falls dropped down the surrounding cliffs. The family sailed through Milford Sound with enormous walls of rock rising around them. There was plenty to photograph, though this was probably one of those moments where the camera could never quite capture the actual scale of what they were seeing.

Mount Cook Brought Out the Mountain-Loving Side

The road towards Lake Tekapo came with another change of scenery. The family travelled through landscapes dominated by the Southern Alps, with the Mount Cook excursion bringing them closer to some of New Zealand's most spectacular mountain views.

After spending days surrounded by huge landscapes, the family had another experience waiting after dark. Lake Tekapo's famous stargazing experience turned their attention upwards. Away from bright city lights, the night sky became incredibly clear, filling their view with stars. For Mihikaa, it was probably a very different kind of sightseeing. For her parents, it was a wonderfully quiet family moment after several action-packed days.

Christchurch Was the Calm After the Adventure

By the time they reached Christchurch, the family had already packed an impressive amount into their New Zealand journey. Their final stop gave them a chance to slow down after the constant change of scenery, from Auckland's skyline to Queenstown's mountains and Milford Sound's fjords.

The next morning marked the end of the adventure. Bags were packed, photographs were saved and the family headed towards their departure. In just nine days, they had travelled across the North and South Islands and experienced a remarkable range of landscapes.

Why Sumanta chose Thrillophilia for his Family Trip to New Zealand

For Sumanta, a major part of the experience was having someone willing to listen to exactly what he wanted from the holiday. He specifically thanked Vasu for patiently managing his requirements and creating a customised itinerary for the family.

The planning brought together the practical details and the experiences that mattered. Flights, transfers, hotels and sightseeing were arranged across Auckland, Queenstown, Lake Tekapo and Christchurch. That gave the Roy family the freedom to focus on the fun parts, whether that meant pretending to be Hobbits, racing down a luge track or staring at a sky full of stars.

Sumanta's final verdict summed up the journey perfectly: “Thanks to Thrillophilia for making it an everlasting memory.” And with Mihikaa discovering Hobbiton, Devyani taking in the landscapes, and Sumanta standing beneath Milford Sound's towering cliffs, this was certainly a family story worth bringing home.

Also Read: Shrabanti and Neelabh's first International Trip to New Zealand with Thrillophilia