Explore New Zealand’s stunning landscapes on the 18-day Ruru Tour, traveling from Auckland to Christchurch. Stay in comfortable twin-share accommodations, including scenic lodges and unique farm stays, while discovering the diverse beauty of both islands.
Experience iconic highlights like Te Puia Geyser by Night, the BlueBridge Ferry, and the TranzAlpine Train. Immerse yourself in Māori culture at Lake Aniwhenua and enjoy thrilling activities like cycling Old Coach Road and a 4WD Safari at Blue Duck Station. With expert guides and a small group atmosphere, this journey offers the best of New Zealand.
Days
- 18 days, 18 nights
Group size
- Max 24
Start / finish
- Auckland / Christchurch
Return
- See itinerary for details
Accommodation
- 18 nights, twin share, starting with an arrival night at the Oaks Auckland Hotel on day 0 before the touring begins. Then two nights at Distinction Rotorua, lakefront cabins at Lake Aniwhenua, two at the Blue Duck Station lodge, Powderhorn Chateau, Naumi Hotel Wellington, two at The Barn in Marahau, Hokitika, two at Franz Josef, three at the Mercure Queenstown, an alpine lodge at Mount Cook and Bealey Quarter in Christchurch. Rooms have ensuite facilities.
Transport
- A private air-conditioned coach with an expert local guide, the Cook Strait ferry across to the South Island on day 8, and a coach and cruise boat for the Milford Sound day trip.
Meals
- Breakfast every morning from day 2, one lunch at Blue Duck Station, and four dinners — a traditional hāngi with dessert at Lake Aniwhenua, two at the station lodge, and one at the alpine lodge at Mount Cook.
Route
Included experiences
- Milford Sound — a day trip from Queenstown with a scenic cruise on the fjord
- Lake Aniwhenua — a night on tribal lands with rock carvings, Mau Rākau, weaving, haka and a hāngi
- Abel Tasman National Park — a free day, walking in from the door to Cleopatra's Pools and golden beaches
- Blue Duck Station — a 4WD eco-safari to the Top of the World for Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe
- Blue Duck Station — the Kaiwhakauka waterfall hike and glow worms after dark
- Te Puia — the Geyser by Night experience in Rotorua
- Old Coach Road — a four hour electric bike ride past historic viaducts and limestone cliffs
- Cook Strait — the ferry crossing, with the Marlborough Sounds from the viewing deck
- Franz Josef — a free day at the glacier, with the Glacier Valley hike
- Lake Matheson — the mirror lake walk on the way inland
- Queenstown — three nights, with Ben Lomond, Queenstown Hill or Bob's Peak on foot
- Aoraki/Mount Cook — short walks out to the Hooker glacial lake, and stargazing
- Lake Tekapo — the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Mt John summit hike
- Kerosene Creek — a soak in a naturally hot river
- Taupo — Huka Falls and the Spa Park walk
- Whakarewarewa Forest — a walk among century-old redwoods
- Hokitika Beach — sunset on the wild West Coast
- Optional from Ohakune — the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, at extra cost
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
5.0
Based on 35 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 35 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the friendliness and knowledge of the guides, who create a welcoming atmosphere through group activities, meals and social engagement whilst imparting detailed information about New Zealand's culture and landmarks. The small-group nature of the tours and the flexibility to hop on and off at various destinations stand out as particularly appealing, allowing visitors to experience both well-known attractions and lesser-known locations that larger tour operators typically skip. Most travellers highlight the quality of accommodation options and the extensive range of included and optional activities available throughout the journey. The primary caveat raised across multiple reviews concerns the Stray app, particularly the Android version, which users describe as slow, glitchy and requiring excessive scrolling, though the reservations team reportedly helps resolve any issues. A few travellers also note that the tight seating on the small buses and the fast pace of some itineraries, with early departures and late arrivals, require a degree of flexibility and adaptation.
How we collect and publish reviews
Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour.
Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.
Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.
“So much fun!”
I had an absolutely fantastic experience exploring New Zealands north and South Island. Our tour guide Leon brought such a fun and positive energy to the trip he was incredibly funny and charming, always ready with a joke or a great story that kept the whole group engaged.
His knowledge of New Zealand was both informative and easy to follow. He also had a real passion for wine, offering great insights and recommendations.
Overall, Leon made the trip memorable in all the best ways. If you’re lucky enough to have him as your guide, you’re in for an unforgettable adventure!
If you’re looking to explore what New Zealand has to offer in a short amount of time I highly recommend this tour!
“Enchanting!”
Slightly more adventurous tour than we were expecting but fantastic as we really enjoyed everything. A range of accommodation from basic to very good and an ama…
“Fantastic!”
I was very lucky to have Whaea as my guide and driver on this amazing trip through New Zealand. She’s very friendly, funny and keeps the drives interesting with random facts her and there. She knows a lot about her country. I also want to complement the customer service at Stray as they were very helpful and kind, especially on refunds.
“It was bonkers!”
I had an incredible experience during my 18-day tour through New Zealand. In such a short amount of time, I was able to see so many amazing and different places—it was exactly what I wanted from this trip.
I really loved both the North and South Island. Each had its own unique beauty and unforgettable experiences. The landscapes were absolutely stunning, the weather was great, and the whole experience left me feeling refreshed and full of amazing memories. Although we traveled a lot, every destination was unique, and New Zealand is definitely one of the most special countries I have ever visited—probably number one on my list so far.
The group was really lovely, which made the trip even more enjoyable. Everyone got along well, and it was nice to share this adventure with such great people.
A special thank you to our guide, Leon, who was fantastic. He was always open to questions, very helpful, and also a lot of fun. He created a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere throughout the trip, and I really appreciated having him as our guide.
Did the 19-day Ruru Select tour with guide Nicole (Whaea) — an amazing experience and the best decision. I saw so many beautiful places I'd have missed travelling alone, and felt completely at ease thanks to Nicole's care. She shared great stories about New Zealand and the Maori, plus all the info on optional activities. Highly recommend both the tour and the guide.
Slightly more adventurous tour than we were expecting but fantastic as we really enjoyed everything. A range of accommodation from basic to very good and an amazing amount of extra activities to take part in at extra cost. Our guide Michael was fantastic, entertaining, efficient, educational and fun. A really good run through the north and south islands taking in culture, nature, amazing views and lots of hiking. So many highlights to the tour; as a friend said, there were several ‘wow’ moments every day.
“Amazing trip”
It was an absolutely amazing trip. Really good itinerary, we saw and experienced so much. Great group, had lots of fun together and the number one tour guide Leon, who was super funny and always motivated and full of recommendations, jokes and background informations about new zealand and wine.
“Unforgetable adventure!”
It was an incredible journey with lovely people! We had the best tour guide Leon, who made every day special, showed many extra spots, told facts about New Zealand and was up for any kind of fun all the time. Thanks for these unforgetable adventure and memories staying forever!
The 19 day Ruru tour was fantastic! We had the best small group of 10 and our guide, Nat was so knowledgeable and fun. She was really great about keeping us on schedule as well as giving us breaks during longer trips. She pointed out many things we would’ve missed. She was a really good driver as well.
All of the sites and options for activities were great.
“Trip of a lifetime”
For review number 300 of the Stray tour, I only have 1 word to describe the whole trip: WOW. Especially when your amazing tour guide points out every wow moment- Cam was so knowledgeable, funny and always giving his all to help us experience NZ in the best way possible! Cams love for the country really rubbed off on me and everyone else on the bus. Really cool group of people to make some amazing memories with every day created a highlight every corner we went around another wow moment!
Ps- if you sit in the front you get to play a game called horse(where you say horse when you see one and you get 5 points) I beat cam in horse every time and am therefore the recordholder. Have fun trying to beat my highscore!
“10/10 I wish I could do it again!”
Travelled on the Ruru Select Tour in January with guide Nat — a special experience. The itinerary included spots bigger tour companies skip, like Mount Cook and Blue Duck Station, with plenty of included meals and activities. Nat's knowledge of New Zealand and driving-day storytelling stood out, and our group grew close, pushing me to try rafting and canyoning. Made lifelong friends and I'm already planning my next trip.
“"Stray" New Zealand with us !!”
Did the 19-day Ruru Select tour, a wonderful experience thanks to my fellow travellers and our excellent guide Leon Henson. A great way to discover New Zealand with Stray.
“Stray Select Ruru-Tour: 19 days of beautiful NZ”
Just back from the November 2025 Stray Select Ruru Tour across the North and South Islands, guided by Nicole (Whaea). She was a safe, experienced driver and a caring guide, and the itinerary was thoughtfully planned with a new highlight around every corner. Optional paid activities struck a nice balance between structure and flexibility, leaving plenty of room to explore Aotearoa and make new friends.
“Kaka tour with Stray travels”
Excellent choice for a budget trip . Covered all the places we wanted to visit . The guide went above and beyond to show us places we asked .
“Fabulous Tour in New Zealand”
My wife and I took the 18-day Ruru tour from Stray Tours in January 2025. The tour itself was excellent: thoughtfully put together and organized, and covering some of the main destinations of interest people talk about when they return form New Zealand, but also to a number of far lesser known destinations on both the North and South Islands. Fascinating stuff.
Whaea-Nicole, our tour's guide/ leader/ driver was the most thoughtful, knowledgeable, friendly, and intelligent person I've ever had the pleasure to be guided by. We all lucked out by having a group of 15 travelers who turned out to fit together like the pieces of some intricate international puzzle. The group's ages included every decade from teens to 70's, so diversity of background was a given. The whole experience was a large breath of fresh air, I think for everybody on it.
Back to Nicole... it took no small amount of inherent people management skills to maintain a literally perfect equilibrium between who we each were and what we were all doing together; meaning that Nicole adapted to the entity that our group became, then took all her queues from that to somehow make it feel that everyone was getting a customized tour with customized attention! Quite incredible.
Almost two months after the tour ended, the WhatsApp messaging we used throughout the tour is still going strong, and individuals are even planning get-togethers in far-flung parts of the globe.
From a monetary standpoint, the tour was an absurdly good value. I spoke with no one who thought it wasn't. A slight surprise was that the small bus had pretty tight seating, which at first annoyed me, but by the second day, I realized that even that was just part of this particular sort of tour. A bit of healthy adaptation required. If you are the sort of person who is a bit stuffy and can't relax into a situation, you might be better off on a more standard tour, on an enormous bus filled with 42 retirees who literally might not fit on a Stray bus. How such a large bus could even navigate NZ's narrow roads and tight turns is a mystery to me.
If I could, I'd give more than 5 stars for both Stray and Whaea-Nicole.
“Fabulous Northern Light Tour”
This was my first tour and what a great experience it was! From the off Jack, Cody and Jacob took care of us. They all made an effort to get to know each and every one of us and do their very best to make sure we were having the best time possible. Be it dietary requirements, activites or song requests! Cody's planning was excellent and I felt very safe with Jack driving. The group was a great mix of ages and personalities and we all got on really well together. Be aware that this is a camping trip so expect some poor nights sleep if the weathers bad! Although most of the time there is an option to upgrade to a bed. We all chipped in with cooking prep/cleaning/putting up tents on a rota but it didn't feel like too much. The pace is fairly fast which like everything comes with its pros and cons. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone considering it.
“Best Tour ever!”
The tour is absolutely amazing. There are activities for everyone and it’s a great way to see New Zealand cause the guide knows all the places and people:)
Took the Ruru Tour around New Zealand with a group spanning ages 23 to 71, and everyone got along brilliantly. Our two drivers/guides were fabulous, making it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Would recommend to anyone.
“Had a great time”
Had a great time doing the Essentials + Far South pass with Mozzie as my driver for most of it, he made sure everyone had a good time. We went on a kiwi hunt, drank beers, had Mozzie burgers (three times), went on a bar crawl (two times) and lots more. I definitely recommend the hop on/hop off pass.
The only thing that can be improved is the app, as it is quite slow and is frustrating to use on android as you have to scroll a long way when you're getting towards the end of your trip. However once you understand how the app works, it is really convenient for booking accommodation and activities all in one place. It means you don't need to hand over cash to hostels and for activities, it is paid in advance.
Thanks Mozzie and Stray!
“Amazing time - Shoutout to PacMan!”
I had a great experience with Stray! Was tight on time so booked the essentials pass (22 days) for North and South Island; it was a great way of seeing the country, with so many beautiful destinations that other buses don't go to. We were really lucky with the weather in most places, and I got to do loads of really fun activities.
I had PacMan as a driver for most of my trip and he was incredible - he combined deep knowledge about the country and anecdotes with fun facts, as well as being always available to help, and hanging out with the passengers whenever he could. Also, his group dinners were always amazing! 5* chef.
The only things I can fault are:
1) the app (especially on Android) can use some work
2) some places were very rushed, with late afternoon arrivals and early morning departures
Other than that, I highly recommend it! Good value for money, no need to spend hours planning your NZ trip, and you'll meet some awesome people on the way!
“Great trip with Stray!”
I traveled the North and South Island with Stray in 5 weeks. I had a great time, did a lot of stuff and met many new people. For most of my trip Mozzie was my driver. He organized nice group meals and organized fun things at night so the people on the bus could get to know each other better.
“Best bus company ever!”
Shout-out to Lego, Shorty and Soxx for being fantastic drivers, great cooks, and amazing fun. I started travelling with Stray back in May 2019 and had an amazing time and met some friends for life, but had to leave New Zealand before finishing my pass, but because of the 12 month validity of the passes I was able to come back in February 2020 to finish it. Because of this I was able to see as much of New Zealand as possible and experience it in summer and winter.
The app isn't perfect as it does sometimes glitch but the drivers are always so willing to help sort it out or book things for you and give recommendations. The stray exclusive stops are so much fun and really help you bond with others on the bus and make some great friends.
I honestly cannot recommend stray enough, weather you're 18 or 80 the bus is perfect for you, travelling alone or with friends or a partner you'll be well taken care of. It's just the perfect way to see New Zealand, you get from point a-b and have a laugh doing it. Thank you Stray!
“First time with a tour bus”
This was my first time using a hop on hop off bus and I can say it was great. Everything from the towns we stopped at to the other passengers I shared the bus with were fantastic. However having a driver who went over and beyond to make sure I had the best time which I did!! So thank you Mozzie and hope you guys get him or one of the other great drivers!!
“Loved it!”
Great experience with Stray as my first time travelling alone. Made so easy and fun by the drivers throughout. Shout out to Waka, Husky and Soxx!!! :-)
“An amazing unforgettable trip!”
This is such a beautiful country and you can see so much in a limited time with this Stray Pass. We had an amazing drive, Thor, who was very amusing and very helpful whenever necessary. We loved the activities that you can do (they are expensive, but you know when you go to New-Zealand that it won't be cheap) and you have such amazing views during the bus trips as well.
I Loved New-Zealand!
“Live for the moments you can't put into words!”
Well, what can I say except WOW!!
I was a female solo traveller who was seriously anxious about the concept of travelling alone for 24 days.
As soon as I got on the bus, all anxieties disappeared! I started my trip in Auckland and were greeted by our magnificent bus driver Pacman (more about him later) and travelled the whole way to Queenstown and then added on the Deep South trip (which I would highly recommend, seeing wild Kiwi Birds was such a privilege) with another excellent driver Skippy.
The experiences that I accumulated on this trip were nothing short of life changing and I firmly believe that this was due to the incredible people I met on the bus, the ‘It’s a beautiful day to be alive’ attitude from the effervescent and sometimes totally outrageous (in a good way) Pacman and the opportunities presented by Stray. The atmosphere on the bus was friendly and fun (from bus quizzes to karaoke and a mix of great tunes!), from group dinners, to partying in the places we visited and a wealth of knowledge that we were delivered. The group, I believe, was so tight and remained together for a whole 2 and a half weeks was because of the relaxed and friendly atmosphere created Pacman.
There are too many highlights for me to mention on this trip but I do totally recommend sticking to the itinerary and do not miss out places like, Lake Aniwhenua (Ena is a legend, I learned so much about Mauri culture here and the Hangi was incredible, YUM!), Blue Duck (awesome people who run it, incredible activities like horse riding to what feels like you are on top of the world, canoeing through what feels like Jurassic park and so liberating to be without phone signal!), Tongarino Crossing (exhausting but simply incredible!), Abel Tasman (just stunning, do a sky dive!) and Franz Josef (I didn’t do it but the Heli-hike but it looked and sounded amazing!). If you have time, definitely do the deep south leg of the journey, Milford Sound was simply out of this world (not to be missed), staying at Gunns Camp is a brilliantly quirky experience and Stewart Island is so worth it to see the wild Kiwi Birds. Like I said, you are constantly offered opportunities that you may have not done if you had not known about them (definitely my case).
I will 100% be back to NZ and would not hesitate to do it all over again! It was a trip of a lifetime and I made so many memories that I will life with me for ever. Thank you to Pacman first and foremost for being ever the professional, for educating me on the wonders of New Zealand, for making us laugh on at least an hourly basis and for making the trip so exceptional (It was an absolute Ripper!), to the people who I met along the way (firm friends for life, I have lots of new holiday destinations!) and to Stray for their customer service and endless suggestions for adventure.
“Legendary trip with an awesome team!”
Did the Essentials pass, so I started in Auckland and ended in Auckland over 24 days in total. Had the legendary PacMan is our driver for just about 2.5 weeks. I recon he was a big reason why most of the Auckland group didn't hop off for the whole 2.5 weeks.
He brought the whole bus together through his hilarious banter, group dinners, participating in activities, bus quizzes, as well as knowledge and stories at stopping points and on the road. He was punctual when needed and flexible when requested.
Trust me, if you get Pacman as your driver, you're in for a treat!
As for Stray itself, the HQ team always responded quickly to my communications and questions and took the effort of booking all my busses in advance when asked. They also have a great team @ Princess Warf in Auckland.
Our bus consisted of people aged 18-33 and up, and had a perfect balance between partying while still being respectful, responsible and being a tight knit group.
All in all; I would recommend Stray in a heartbeat. the only thing that could improve is the android app as activities and booking take too much white space in the overview which makes scrolling down more and more tedious as you progress through your trip. The iOS app seems to be fine.
“The most amazing experience of my life”
After getting tired of talking about wanting to go to New Zealand for years and years and not doing anything about it, I decided to book my trip for the end of December 2018/January 2019. As a solo traveller I was naturally a little apprehensive about going to the other side of the world on my own for a month, but the staff at Stray were at the other end of an email to reassure me and answer my questions.
Within seconds of stepping onto the 24-seater bus in Auckland I was already making friends with my fellow strays and I felt completely at ease and at home.
Our driver guides Moose (North Island) and Husky (South Island) were fantastic. They made sure we all had a good time and learned about the country and culture. They arranged our trips and accommodation every day and even our meals on occasions, making our whole experience purely enjoyable and hassle-free.
I would recommend Stray to anyone wanting to see New Zealand without the hassle of arranging everything themselves. Stray makes it so easy for you, the only hard part is saying goodbye to your new Stray family at the end of the tour.
“The people make Stray worth it”
Did the South Island with Stray so far and coming back in two weeks to do the North Island. Great to meet people and see the highlights. Stray app may need some improvement, as it doesn't always work correctly, but if you work together with reservations its really easy. Shoutout to great drivers Romeo, Rhino and Mozzie, and Sig of reservations. Such nice people!
Greets Marcel
“Best experience of my life”
I did the whole tour of New Zealand with stray and it was the best thing I've done during my entire trip. Everything was amazing, the places we stayed at (blue duck, lake aniwhenua, Franz Josef, Stewart Island, gunn's camp...) the people in the bus (friends for a lifetime I hope), the drivers (thanks a million Leftie, Rolex, Lego, kakapo, Shortie...). You are really free to do anything you want, any activity, change your accommodation if the ones on the app doesn't fit you,hop off where you want, etc. I'm so happy I choose stray, it gave me the opportunity to do so many things, see so many amazing and remote places, stay in incredible locations, far away from everything. I definitely recommend it and if I ever come back, I will do it again!
“Most Amazing holiday ever”
I have recently returned from doing a 28 day tour of New Zealand with Stray. In the 4 weeks I went around both the North and South islands. I think that stray made my trip with their greatly experienced drivers. I had Mozzie who knew so much local knowledge, also Mozzie had a great positive personality which made the whole trip even more enjoyable. Finally the Stray app made booking accommodation and activities very easy, also it was dead easy to cancel activities. The app guarantees at least 2 nights accommodation at every destinations which took away uncertainty about getting a room.
If you are thinking about travelling New Zealand, there is no question about it, Stray is the best operator going.
“A wonderful way to see the real New Zealand”
I travelled on a Moe pass covering the North and South Islands, I travelled with a great bunch of like-minded people who were from a wide range of countries and of a wide age range. We bonded so much that we all stayed on the same bus as long as possible and many of us are still in touch with each other.
Our Driver/Guides were extremely knowledgeable and took every pain to ensure we had the trip of a lifetime.
“Stray :)”
Traveled around new zealand with stray for about 5 weeks and had such an epic adventure. The few destinations which make stray unique really were the selling point for me and was the highlight of the whole trip. The bus runs very easily and flexible so you never feel like your in a rush! The drivers have a lot of knowledge about nz and are a good laugh. They join in with everyone in the hostels and bring everyone together with joint meals or games. Would highly recommend travelling with stray around nz!
“Best way to travel around New Zealand.”
Thanks to Stray, I met amazing travelbuddies and had the time of my life in New Zealand. Their buses will go via all these amazing places (most of them are on your bucketlist) and the drivers tell all the stories about their culture (or just NZ culture). With my pass, I had the freedom to hop on and hop off the different busses and the ability to stay longer in one place. Besides they had different good discounts for the activities, which made it more feasible to do them as a backpacker.
“loved it”
great drivers, amazing views, beautiful destinations, lovely people... Had the time of my life in New Zealand, Stray was the best choice I could have made.
