Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Local Tourist Offices
»
Almost every North Island city or town seems to have a visitor information centre. The bigger centres stand united
within the outstanding
i-SITE
(
www.newzealand.com/travel/i-sites
) network - around 80 info centres affiliated with
Tourism New Zealand. i-SITEs have trained staff, information on local activities and attractions, and free brochures and
maps. Staff can also book activities, transport and accommodation.
»
Bear in mind that some information centres only promote accommodation and tour operators who are paying mem-
bers of the local tourist association, and that sometimes staff aren't supposed to recommend one activity or accommoda-
tion provider over another.
»
There's also a network of
Department of Conservation
(Department of Conservation;
www.doc.govt.nz
)
visitor
centres to help you plan activities and make bookings. DOC visitor centres - in national parks, regional centres and ma-
jor cities - usually also have displays on local lore, flora, fauna and biodiversity.
Travellers with Disabilities
Kiwi accommodation generally caters fairly well for travellers with disabilities, with a significant number of hostels, ho-
tels, motels and B&Bs equipped with wheelchair-accessible rooms. Many tourist attractions similarly provide wheel-
chair access, with wheelchairs often available.
Tour operators with accessible vehicles operate from most major centres. Key cities are also serviced by 'kneeling'
buses (buses that hydraulically stoop down to kerb level to allow easy access), and taxi companies offer wheelchair-ac-
cessible vans. Large car-hire firms (Avis, Hertz etc) provide cars with hand controls at no extra charge (advance notice
required).
Activities
»
Want to tackle a wilderness pathway? Pick up a copy of
Accessible Walks
by Anna and Andrew Jameson ($30 includ-
ing postage), with first-hand descriptions of 100-plus South Island walks. It's available online at
»
If cold-weather activity is more your thing, see the
Disabled Snowsports NZ
(
www.disabledsnowsports.org.nz
) web-
site.
Resources
Weka
(
www.weka.net.nz
) Good general information, with categories including Transport and Travel.
Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
(
www.rnzfb.org.nz
)
National Foundation for the Deaf
(
www.nfd.org.nz
)
Mobility Parking
(
www.mobilityparking.org.nz
) Info on mobility parking permits and online applications.
