New Zealand or Egypt? (have done Switzerland, Scotland, England)

Okay, first I have not been to either, although I am planning a trip to Egypt (and possibly Jordan) in early 2025. I am not sure if I will get to New Zealand but it's farther down my list. For me, the difference is history. I love history; the more ancient, the better. So choosing Egypt over NZ is a no brainer for me. I love beautiful and unusual scenery but I love history even more.

But this is your trip. So I would think about what interests the two of you. What has excited you in past trips? One thing I have done when trying to decide on a destination, or even just a basic itinerary is to look at videos and photos of the places I'm interested in. Sometimes seeing those can turn me in one direction or the other. However, I wouldn't rely TOO much on what others think (and I know you are not doing that - you're just looking for opinions). But do keep in mind that everything about travel is relative. We like what we like for a number of reasons, and in the end, it's all about our personal choices.

As a long time married man let me simplify this for you:
1. Ask your wife which one she prefers.
2. Go there.
3. Enjoy the rest of your married life together.

You'll thank me later.

We only went to Cairo so haven’t seen more of Egypt. Egypt was interesting seeing the pyramids and the Cairo museum so we were glad to see those things and I would recommend doing it sometime. When we were in Egypt, we were told not to drink the water or eat the vegetables.

We spent 3 weeks in New Zealand. We had a great time in New Zealand. It was one of our favorite vacations. I loved hiking on a glacier, sea kayaking in Abel Tasman national park, seeing the Hobbiton movie set, and Milford Sound so I would recommend New Zealand. The biggest drawback to New Zealand is the long plane ride.

Hi Andy, I was on a cruise to New Zealand and Australia in March 2020. We were able to see all of NZ but got kicked out of Australia when they closed their borders :( New Zealand was very nice. We arrived a few days early and did a great day trip to Hobbiton and the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. The highlights for us were Christchurch (devastated by several earthquakes), Dunedin (penguins), and Rotorua (native Maori people and cultural center). If you are flying that distance, try to fit in both NZ and Australia.

Can't comment on Egypt yet, we are scheduled to visit in 2025. Have you considered Norway? Beautiful scenery. Midnight Sun in the summer and (possibly) Northern Lights in the winter. Lots to see and do, have fun!

Your two choices are so different I have to ask what you are seeking in your travels.

My view is there are no “musts” when it comes to travel. You should choose based on what truly calls to you. Mountains, oceans, vibrant cities, food and wine, ancient monuments, history, culture, or whatever.

We enjoy all of the above, but base our travel opportunities on a need to stay active and indulge our love of hiking. And then we find the culture, food and wine, and other benefits. Egypt is not on our list for many reasons, which I will not go into. But we have been to New Zealand, and I can say that it is nothing like visiting Switzerland, a place we know very well (6 trips and coming up on another).

We spent 2 weeks on the South Island in January 2014, combined with time in Australia. It was a great trip, but at one point my husband asked why we came so far to end up in a place that looks just like California. Or specifically, the wine country of California. Just add sheep.

I would describe the South Island as 80% like California, 10% like Hawaii ( the north end of the South Island) and 10%l like Alaska ( Mt. Cook Aoraki National Park). We did not.go everywhere so that may be a skewed distribution. But my point is it is not exotic if that is what you seek in your travels. Maybe the North Island, with its Māori culture, volcanic landscapes, and more tropical situation, is more exotic.

The people are delightful and friendly, you can understand the language, the food and wine are excellent, the lodging choices very comfortable. It is a unique environment in the sense that it is so far from elsewhere, but still connected.

The highlight of our trip was a 5/ day/ 4-night guided inn to inn trek on the Milford Track; 3 days of walking around 10 miles a day in amazing scenery.

https://www.ultimatehikes.co.nz/multi-day-guided-walks/milford-track

The walking was not difficult at all for us; the camaraderie on the trek was great, and apart from the steady rain each day the trek was wonderful.

It is best to rent a car to visit all the best places.

I have been to both countries and enjoyed them.
Egypt would be my recommendation, especially if you are interested in history.

New Zealand is scenic and its culture is similar to the USA, whereas Egypt is very different.

Have traveled to both countries.

I am scheduled to return to Egypt in an October of this year and then in 2025 for a trip down the Nile River. When I first visited it in 1995 it was quite a cultural shock especially since it was part of my first international trip. Having traveled extensively since then I long to approach it with a significantly different perspective. I loved the history. It’s a great place for educational and cultural enrichment.

I toured New Zealand for two weeks and enjoyed it tremendously. I long to return there as well. It was very scenic, seemingly safe, and eventually welcoming. It’s quite modern and picturesque. It’s an ideal place for a relaxing vacation.

That being said, my choice would be the same as an above poster. Go where the love of your life wants to go!

I have also been to both countries and of course, both are worth a visit. NZ is lovely, enjoyed it a lot, but Egypt is fascinating. I’m finding I love visiting places with a culture very different from the US.

My trip report you may find helpful. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/egypt-5-000-years-in-13-days

Now, we need to get to the BO as we also love scenic, natural beauty and of course, mountains!

If cost is a major factor, you will find Egypt to be far cheaper than NZ. Starting with the airfare, it is not cheap to fly there. Also, hotels, meals, tours, etc. are more expensive.

Egypt is relatively cheap considering Europe or NZ. Five star hotels are much cheaper than in the West.

Well it's a Wyoming vs Manhattan comparison, but I've been to NZ twice.

It's scenically quite varied, not just mountains and coast. The vegetation is quite different if you would notice, as is the fauna. There's a strong volcanic component like Iceland or maybe Hawaii. A lot of the European vegetation is very similar to North American, e.g. both have maple, spruce, and pine species-- this will be all new stuff. There's a huge wine/vineyard angle also, and a Maori culture angle. I would say it's not really like your European selections. One thing NZ excels in is hut to hut hiking. It's easy with reservations to do lots of multi-day hikes.

But it's not a must choice over Egypt.

Andy, if you look under my profile, I also have a photobook of Egypt that you could take a peek at.

Ha ha, Robert. You aren't wrong.

But these places aren't just apples and oranges- more like apples and orangutans. NZ is likely one of the most geographically diverse and beautiful countries in the world. And while it has a westernized way of life, there is deep respect and celebration of the Maori culture, which is fascinating to explore. One can easily spend weeks doing independant travel on the 2 islands; we spent 3 weeks in 2016 and still couldn't fit in everything we wanted to see. Would love to go back for an even longer visit.

Egypt has always been near the top of my bucket list. Deferred during Covid, we are booked to go there Jan '24. I fully expect a major culture shock and wouldn't dream of doing it independently, given all the precautions that one needs to be mindful of. An organized tour with guides is what I've seen recommended over and over again. But for a dive into ancient Egypt history, covering a span of several millennia, I'm hoping it lives up to my dreams. But for me, I think it will be one and done.

No wrong answer here. I think you will be happy with which ever one you choose.(but don't ignore Robert's advice).

Egypt has a very long history, probably the second longest after that of Mesopotamia.

When the Romans conquered Egypt in the first century BC, Egypt was ancient. It has so many sites and some date back to 3500 BC.

I suggest before you visit Egypt do some reading on Egyptian History as well as the ancient Egyptian religion.

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and suggestions! Actually, my wife is open to the idea of visiting Egypt before we visit New Zealand. One of our friends who lives in Oregon said that New Zealand reminds him of Oregon and parts of California. We are both definitely interested in the cultural aspects of visiting a place like Egypt, and right now are researching organized tours.