" A few months have passed since our February cruise to New Zealand on the Sun Princess and it has been remiss of us not to have posted our testimonial earlier than this, but it is certainly not to say that we did'nt enjoy our day with Mark on a tour of Dunedin and Natures Wonders, in fact this tour was probably the highlight of our visit to NZ. Mark met us at the ship and proceeded into Dunedin Visitor Informaation Centre where we picked up a couple from America off our ship. Mark took us to numerous places of interest around Dunedin and we found him to be an excellent guide with a good personality, good sense of humour(but he knew exactly when to get us back on track) and extremely knowledgable about Dunedin and NZ.He then took us out to the Otago Penninsular passed some spectacular scenery to Natures Wonders, where we went for a ride on an Argo 8 wheel vehicle out to see the penguins and seals, this was definetly the highlight of the tour the ride in the Argo was great fun and the wildlife and surrounding scenery spectacular. The size of our group(there was only 6 of us) made for a very personal experience and you did'nt feel like just of of the crowd.We then stopped at a local Pub for lunch (Mark phoned our order ahead for us)where we tried our first lot of NZ Fush and Chups and a NZ beer all good.! Mark then took us to a few more sights of Dunedin, and then dropped us off at the ship after a very full and extremely enjoyable day. We would not hesitate to reccomend Mark and Awesome tours to anyone. We have already told friends who are travelling later this year about Awesome Tours and have also reccomended them on Cruise Critic.
Thankyou again Mark for a great day.
Fred & Robin Hollingsworth and Bob & Judy McIlwrath. N.S.W Australia
"
Robin Hollingsworth
Posted On:
Sunday, March 14, 2010
" Recently took a cruise to New Zealand on Dawn Princess. Took a tour of the Otago Peninsula with Awesome tours. It was a small group of 7 people. Mark, our tour guide was prompt, courteous, knowledgeable, and soon had the whole group feeling like old friends. The tour took us to see seals, yellow eyed penguins, blue penguins and royal albatross. Being a small group made the opportunity to watch the wild life easy and unrushed. Considering that the tour was 1/3 lower in price than the cruise tour, 3hrs. longer and much smaller in size, I can say without reservation that Awesome Tours lives up to its name.
"
larry prichep
Posted On:
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
"David is an excellent tour guide and he took us upto see the albatros and seals.
He gave us details along the way and is full of local knowledge. He went out of his way to give us an excellenr day out."
Ken and Pam Welsh
Posted On:
Thursday, February 18, 2010
"Mark,Thanks again for a wonderful tour.As we told you at the time we have experienced many tours in many parts of the world and sincerely beleive it to be one of the best ever. Your informative talks were only surpassed by Natures Wonderss and the Albatross Colony. Give our regards to your auntie!!"
Barbara & Ian Abell
Posted On:
Sunday, February 14, 2010
"
Mark,
Just wanted to thank you again for the amazing tour of
Dunedin! We had so much fun and
even though the weather didn't cooperate you still made it a
great day! We're so glad we
choose to do the Argos as that added a real 'adventure'
experience to our tour! Of all the
touring we've done this one stands out as one of the best!
Jeani & Art, Anaheim, Ca
"
Jeani & Art Adams
Posted On:
Sunday, January 31, 2010
" Hi, Mark!
My mum and I thoroughly enjoyed your Dunedin Day Tour! It was the most enjoyable shore excursion in our entire 12N cruise onboard Diamond Princess. Your service is friendly, sincere, excellent and thoughtful (like providing the stool for her to go and down the van). It is truly an AWESOME tour! Thanks for everything!
"
Fiona Chew
Posted On:
Monday, January 25, 2010
"
Dear Mark,
The South Island tour with Awesome Tours was one of the best
experiences we had.David, like a mother
hen, took us under his wings and looked after our every need. The van was very
comfortable.At Fox Glacier we woke up
to see Mount Cook with all its splendour
looking down on us.At Wanaka our room
overlooked the beautiful lake. At Punakaki, the Prince Charles look alike, old
gentleman was very friendly and helpful.The rooms at Punakaki could have been better maintained.We also appreciate the
excellent planning that you made.The
maps and everything so orderly.
The Seven Days with Awesome Tours was indeed
Awesome.
Regards,JEYASURESH JAYARAJ
"
JEYASURESH JAYARAJ
Posted On:
Thursday, January 14, 2010
" Hi Mark
Thank you for a great day out we thoroughly enjoyed the tour of Dunedin,university grounds,baldwin st, railroad station ,and downtown shops.the part we loved the most was seeing the rare yellow eyed penguin(LUCKY US) also seeing the nesting Albatross,your were full of local knowledge of the area was amazing.
We booked the tour at the tour center,the service there was great too.
Once again great day thank you.
Doug and Sue brumwell
tour of january 7 2010
"
doug brumwell
Posted On:
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
"
Mark,We are home now and our trip is memories.We loved the day we spent with you in
Dunedin. The scenery is so beautiful, and we only wish we could have spent more
time there.We especially enjoyed the
experience at Natures Wonders-the ride on the vehicles, the scenery and the
wildlife, and it was fascinating to see the albatross.We only hope we will be able to return
someday.We will definitely recommend
you to anyone we know going to your part of the world.
Jodee Hart
"
Posted On:
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
"
Hi Mark,
Please thank Pat for the tour of
Larnach Castle and grounds (absolutely beautiful), the university building,
Baldwin Street, the railroad station, the shopping in downtown Dunedin,
etc. The part we liked least was the 8-wheeled vehicle driven to see the
seals and penguins. Not crazy about the bumps and dust and, of course,
our vehicle was the one that broke down that day. Anyway, it was a good
day and Pat did a great job filling us in on the history of the area. I
recommended your tour company on Cruise Critic for future cruisers heading your
way.
Leanne Junko
tour of December 18
"
Junko Leanne
Posted On:
Monday, December 28, 2009
"Our tour with Awesome tours was Awesome. Mark was very knowledgeable and friendly. We saw the yellow eyed penguins and seals on the 4 wheel drive as well as Larnach Castle the train station and the steepest road in the world. Mark also drove us around the beautiful countryside. This was a fantastic tour and excellent value. We truly enjoyed it and Dunedin was one of the highlights of our cruise ports of call We thank you Mark for showing us Dunedin Happy New Year Sherrill, David & Sandra "
Sherrill & David Smith
Posted On:
Friday, November 27, 2009
" Hi Mark,
I refer to our day trip with you on November 18th. Thank you collecting and returning us to our ship, the Sun Princess and for a wonderful day of relaxed sightseeing and the experience in seeing the penguines and fur seals at Natures Wonders and the beautiful coastline of the Otago Peninsula.
Kind Regards
Sel and Jill
Gold Coast
Australia
"
Sel and Jill Hardy
Posted On:
Saturday, October 31, 2009
"Hi Mark,
We just took a day trip with you on October 20th. Just wanted to tell you what
a great time we had with you and Dave. You two are the nicest guys and are so
knowledgable; you made the day really fun. We absolutely loved seeing the seals
and penguins. The whole day was packed with interesting sites and activities
but we never felt rushed. It really was a hi-light of our trip.
Thanks again, for introducing us to Dunedin and its surrounds :).
Kate Beck and Donny Chu CA United States "
Kate Beck
Posted On:
Sunday, July 19, 2009
"
Ah, where should I start? The Awesome tour, The name said it all I don't think there is anything else I could add or delete from it, Mark is one of the best tour guides in NZ. He is full of knowledge and has a great sense of humour, caring and always fun being around with. He knows places that need to be visited while you are in NZ (south island) things to do and places to dine. But, ONE thing that you need to remember most when you join his tour, never ever drink coffee in front of him without getting him one. That is the biggest crime hahahahaha, Nah Mark never been nasty he just likes to tease you until you get him the Best Coffee in town, I highly recommend The Awesome tour, no one will regret it. Thank you for the amazing, fun and memorable tour in Dunedin Mark.
All the best,
Susan Kartawidjaja
Sydney
"
Susan Kartawidjaja
Posted On:
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
"Hi Mark, How are you? Hope everything good with your business. First of all I want to say a big Thank you for providing such a GREAT tour service while we were in Dunedin. We really enjoy a wonderful day tour throughout the beautiful Otago Peninsula and Dunedin area, especially with fantastic Nature Wonders 4wheel drive experience where I can see fur seals, everywhere! I just want to say that Mark was very knowledgeable, friendly and fun! I will definitely recommend you to our family and friends so they can experience the same like we do. PS Next time we will definitely bring you a cup of coffee! :)"
Antonia Indrodjojo
Posted On:
Saturday, May 23, 2009
"Having decided the trips bpoked via the Volendam were too dear, I met Mark beside the Tourist Info office on the quayside. Not only was his tour much less expensive, it was also most informative. Mark make a great guide and host. most stringly recommend him to everyone"
Hedley Hall
Posted On:
Saturday, February 28, 2009
" My husband and I booked a wonderful day in Dunedin and Otago Peninsula with Mark of Awesome Tours. This was our last port of call on our NZ cruise and truly one of our most enjoyed days. Mark was so friendly, informative, courteous and fun! We highly recommend spending a day in Dunedin with Awesome Tours! Thanks, Mark, for contributing to wonderful memories of our time in New Zealand.
"
Jack and Joanne Mills
Posted On:
Sunday, January 25, 2009
"
Mark Dixon gave us a superb full day tour whilst we were in Dunedin. He was thoroughly professional, knowledgeable and friendly & could not do enough to ensure we took away happy memories of the area.We cannot speak highly enough of our experience & would have no hesitation in recommending Awesome Tours to others"
Kind Regards
John & Sue Ensor
"
John & Sue Ensor
Posted On:
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
"Mark, our group can't say enough about how very special our tour was with you in Dunedin. Seeing the seals and the penguins was incredible. The argo ride was better than any amusement ride we have ever seen. The beautiful scenery was stunning. Best of all, however, was the your incredible warmth, making us feel welcome and giving us such great information about your lovely city and country. Thanks for making our trip so incredibly memorable. You are fortunate to live in such a beautiful spot!"
Judy McKee
Posted On:
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
"
Thank you so much for an absolutely fabulous tour of your beautiful city and surrounding area. Of all of the NZ ports, it was our definite favorite!! We loved the way your tour gave us a great overview of some of the landmarks, some awesome scenery and wildlife and also a little time to shop and see the actual main street etc. We saw as much and learnt as much about the area as you possibly could in one day!! We were only sorry we couldn't stay longer and see some more! One of the things I wrote on cruise critic was that you are a wonderful tour guide - you gave us plenty of interesting info and great insights without "droning"on and becoming boring. We were absolutely fascinated with all we learnt, as were the kids. It was great the way you included them and talked about things they'd find interesting. The kids are still speaking very excitedly about your tour. My highlight was the argo vehicle at Otago peninsula - it was the most fun I'd had in ages. I also loved being so close to the seals out on the peninsula. Seeing the baby seal that had just been born was pretty special! Dunedin railway station was gorgeous and I would love to go back and have a train ride there.
Best wishes Tanya, John, Lachlan and Annabel
"
Tanya Munro
Posted On:
Monday, January 05, 2009
"Hi Mark, we wanted to thank you again for the wonderful day we spent with you. Dispite the ship's late arrival, you still showed us all the great sights. Seeing the newly born seal pups was especially neat! You made the entire day so interesting & fun, it was our best shore excursion. Annette & Jim Gordon, Ontario, Canada "
Annette & Jim Gordon
Posted On:
Monday, December 08, 2008
"Hello Mark,
Just wanted to send along a big "thank you" for our wonderful day in Dunedin and the Otago peninsula. Your city is charming and the wildlife tour and albatross viewing was as "awesome" as advertised! We thoroughly enjoyed the personalized, professionally conducted small-group experience instead of the large bus tour typically provided by the cruise ships. The day was truly a highlight of our holiday.
Anne and Michael Dawson, New Orleans"
我們一行十一人，每人都會有不同的要求，要令每一個人都滿意和愉快，是十分不容易的，但Mark做到了。我們十分享受這次旅程，回到香港後也樂此不疲地與我們的朋友分享這次旅程的樂趣，也藉着這個機會讓大家認識這位難得的導遊– Mark Dixon.
Kitty Wong
Hong Kong
Aug 2008
"
Posted On:
Monday, September 01, 2008
"
Dear Mark,
First of all, I must say that we (our three families of ten , young and old (that's me !) did have a great time. The 7-day trip you planned for us in southern New Zealand was simply marvellous. We enjoyed the small group tour in Awesome's cosy coach. The trip down from Christchurch to Queenstown, through the wide open space of central plain, through the pictureque Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki was refreshing. Definitely a complete contrast to the hectic and noisy environment in Hong Kong.
We had a nice time in Queenstown, with the jetboat ride, horse-riding, TSS Earnslaw cruise and the gondola ride to the mountain top for the scrumptious dinner buffet. And of course the surprise birthday cake you prepared for our beautiful 'princess'. Great arrangement !
The Milford Sound cruise was magnificent. I am sure I'll remember it for a long long time. It was a pity though that we could not visit the Glowworm Caves. Well, can't have it all, right ?
For the tour in Dunedin, we all love the exciting 8-wheel drive at Natures Wonders to see the world's rarest penguins, the fur seals and the Royal Albatross. I didn't see the Cormorants though (Bad luck !). The visit to the steepest street in the world (Baldwin Street ?), the visit to the Cadbury chocolate factory and the Taieri Gorge Railway train ride were all interesting and eye-opening.
This is the first time we did a small group tour. It was really different from those package tours we had in the past. The experience was great, with the naming of places we wanted to visit and then with you planning the detailed route for us. We do hope to try it again when we have a long holiday.
Once again, a big THANK YOU. Wishing you and Awesome all the best.
George & Kitty
"
Posted On:
Thursday, August 28, 2008
"Mr Mark was the best tour guide that I have ever seen. He never let his customers feel boring or disappointed during his trip. He always bring us happiness and a sense of security. He is a good planner too. We had visited lots of places and we still have spare time to do things we wanted. He was a responsible person. I like him, I knew more about New Zealand because of him. He is a good tour guide."
Brian Wong
Posted On:
Friday, May 30, 2008
"
G'day! Remember Phyllis Glaser and Carol Miller from the Sapphire Princess? Mom and I just loved our tour with you.
I know that it has been a while since our tour, but wanted to drop you an email to let you know that....
Our day in Dunedin and on the Otago Peninsula with Awesome Tours was truly amazing..actually, it was AWESOME!. I would have to say that it was our best shore excursion of the cruise and by far, the highlight of the trip. You run an excellent operation. It's evident that you love your job and know the area & the people. It is clear that your are customer focused and want to make sure that everyone has an awesome experience. The name of your company is perfect. Everything about our day was awesome!
Thank you so very muchMark,
Carol Miller & Phyllis Glaser
Parkland, Fl
USA "
Posted On:
Friday, May 30, 2008
"
It took me 3 days to put my 200 photo album together- with our day in Dunedin as the highlight- your brochure and Nature's wonders are also in the pockets, so I take them out to show the entire experience.As Carol said, that day on the Otago Peninsula was the highlight tour and the beauty of the area will remain with us forever.
Good luck to you in all of your future endeavors. You can be sure that I will refer you to all future clients of this agency.
Phyllis Glaser
"
Phyllis Glaser
Posted On:
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
"
Dear Mark
I had travelledl along the south island many times . Nevertheless travelling with awesome tour is the great experience and the most enjoyable time for me and my group. Natural scences and wildlife are always there and these are the same every time. But Mark , you really make the difference. Your knowledge and understanding for international tourists is very extensive. Especially our group members who are very young and a little bit unconcern of many many things..Thanks for your patience with us and we are very happy .....
Kultida Earkasem from Thailand.
"
Kultida Earkasem
Posted On:
Saturday, March 29, 2008
"Dear Mark, Do you miss us yet? We are back on board the Sapphire Princess and I just wanted to tell you how much Marc and I enjoyed you, your country and our tour today. Of all the vacations, of all the continents we have travelled this has been one of the most memorable experiences ever. Thank you for showing us your home. Denise Walsh and Marc Lotz."
Denise Walsh
Posted On:
Sunday, March 23, 2008
"
Mark,
Diane and I had a great time in Dunedin with your terrific service.
Your company certainly lived up to its name.
Thanks,
Allen and Diane Moore
"
Allen and Diane Moore
Posted On:
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
"Mark,
Just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for our tour. Your pride, honesty and knowledge of your country made it really informative and special. It wass the best tour we took on our visit to New Zealand. I will recommend Awesome tours to anyone who will listen.
Thanks again,
Lori and Lonnie Minnesota
"
lori lynch
Posted On:
Sunday, March 02, 2008
"Mark, Jim here, Mary is at her Mom's and she asked me to run the test you wanted from this site. As she mentioned she had trouble getting it to go thru on AOL the internet connection we use. Hope all is well and thanks again for a great trip. Jim Connell"
Jim Connell
Posted On:
Monday, February 18, 2008
"Mark,
We didn't forget you. We just arrived home after a very long trip. Awesome Tours was awesome! Our tour with you on 1/29/08 was one of the highlights of our vacation. We loved the camaraderie, commentary and personal touches, including tasting hokey pokey. You covered everything. We enjoyed our stops at Natures Wonders in the 8x8 and the Albatross Center. Your van was most comfortable and I am enclosing a picture of it with Elliot.
Wishing you the best of luck in your endeavor,
Regards,
Connie Lipman "
Connie & Elliot Lipman
Posted On:
Friday, February 15, 2008
"Hi Mark, Your tour was the highlight of our trip to New Zealand....better than any tour the cruise ship offered.The scenery in Dunedin is breathtaking. I have the most beautiful pictures because of your tour. Thank you so very much. "
Shirley Smith
Posted On:
Saturday, February 09, 2008
"Awesome is an appropriate name for the tour. Best day we had in New Zealand, we loved the Natures Wonders and Albatross Center. We enjoyed the smaller tour group than the cruise ship offered and you were the perfect tour guide. Great to be able to hear everything you said from the back of the bus and we enjoyed your stories. We would highly recommend your tour to anyone going to New Zealand. Thanks for a memorable day."
Doug and Donna Breithaupt
GE Aircraft Engines
Posted On:
Friday, February 08, 2008
"
Hi Mark,
Just a quick note to say thank you for helping me organising a great day out for our group of advisors last week. We all had a wonderful day and Craig and I would like to thank you for joining in and being part of the success it was.
The small township of Naseby is a lovely place to visit. We thoroughly enjoyed our lunches at the Royal Hotel and Curling at the new indoor rink was even more fun than we imagined! I think our group was a little disappointed when our time was up and we had to head home.
Thanks again for your recommendations, a great day was had by all and we look forward to next time.
Best wishes
Nikki & Craig
"
Nikki & Craig
The Equitable Group
Posted On:
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
"
Hi Mark,
We returned home a couple days ago and I would like to thank you very much for the wonderful tour we had with you in Dunedin. We loved Nature Wonders experience and all other places we saw with you help. It was a great day in New Zealand. And we loved your country so much.
Thanks again.
Tatyana and Bob.
"
Tatyana & Bob
Posted On:
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
"Mark - thank you so much for a great day visiting Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula! You're enthusiasm for the area is infectious and your knowledge is nothing short of amazing!! I would definitely recommend you and Awesome Tours to anyone wanting a fun, educational and totally enjoyable time in the South Island!! Thanks again - Tracey & Maureen"
TRACEY STANDING
WORLD TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS-NOOSA
Posted On:
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
"Thank you Mark for our AWESOME tour!!!! Our family had the best day of our trip with you as our host. If you are reading these testimonials to see if this is worthwhile, I can honestly say you will get more than your money's worth! Mark is FANTASTIC!!!! Storozuk Family CANADA"
Posted On:
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
"
Hi Mark
How are you and how is your business? I hope you are doing well, and you have lots of nice guests to show the very beautiful place you live.
I think back very often at the great time I spent in New Zealand, and especially the day you showed us the very beautiful area around Dunedin. That was really great, thank you !!!!
I wish you all the best Rita Switzerland
"
Rita Oswald
Posted On:
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
"
Hi Mark,
having you as our guide for the day made the experience so much better on many levels. Because of your knowledge we were able to maximize our very brief time there and really fill the day with the best highlights. We wish we could have had more time there. Your great personality really kicked the “fun meter” up a notch. We wish you much success in your awesome endeavor. It is clear you are willing to work hard, understand business, and have a great deal of integrity. Best wishes, Janice and Charlie Scottsdale, Arizona
"
Janice Mollo
Posted On:
Sunday, February 11, 2007
"
Hey Mark.
your tour was one of my favorite parts of our trip. New Zealand doesn't need any help in being a beautiful place to see, but it really added to our trip experience to have someone as great as you showing us around!! I attached a picture of all of us if you want to put it on your site.
Thank you again for being such a great host!
Kristen Williams
"
Kristen Williams
Posted On:
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
"
Hi Mark,
Just wanted to say thank you for the "awesome" trip to the Catlins. We really enjoyed the whole experience and would love to come back for more in the future. As promised I'm sending you a few pictures. Hope you enjoy them.
Regards,
Anupam and Nandita
"
Anupam
Posted On:
Sunday, February 11, 2007
"
Hi Mark, it's Bill. Thanks for the tour. You were great. I think you should use the queen lighting the xmas tree.
I've been telling my friends I had to wrestle a croc which jump out of the water and tried to eat the tire off your van but no one believes me. Maybe I'll try a different approach. Hope things are going well for you. I'll send you some my pictures soon.
"
Bill
Posted On:
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
"Hello mark-firstly very many thanks for your lovely photos- they are very rewarding for our stock of great photos-Bunty has been quite ill since our return but will send you a personal note when she gets a bit improved- again Mark many sincere thanks for the great trip which we cannot speak too little and thanks a million- in meantime our appreciation and gratitude best wishes for the future rgrds Bunty and jack "
