Embark on an unforgettable 9-day adventure through New Zealand’s South Island, beginning and ending in Christchurch. Experience the breathtaking TranzAlpine train journey across the Southern Alps, explore the icy wonders of Franz Josef Glacier, and immerse yourself in the vibrant energy of Queenstown.
Discover the serene beauty of Lake Tekapo, hike amidst the towering peaks of Mount Cook National Park, and stargaze in the renowned Dark Sky Reserve. Travel in a small group, enjoy comfortable 3-4 star accommodations, and create lasting memories with new friends.
Days
- 9 days, 8 nights
Group size
- Max 24
Start / finish
- Christchurch / Christchurch
Return
- See itinerary for details
Accommodation
- 8 nights in 3-4 star hotels and motels — Hokitika Beachfront Hotel, two nights at Franz Josef Motels, three at the Mercure Queenstown, an alpine lodge at Mount Cook, and Bealey Quarter in Christchurch. Rooms have ensuite facilities.
Transport
- The TranzAlpine scenic train over Arthur's Pass to Greymouth on day 1, where you meet the air-conditioned mini bus and driver-guide for the rest of the trip. The Milford Sound day trip goes by coach and cruise boat.
Meals
- Eight breakfasts and one dinner. The dinner is at the alpine lodge at Mount Cook.
Route
Included experiences
- TranzAlpine — the scenic train over Arthur's Pass to the West Coast on day 1
- Milford Sound — a day trip from Queenstown with a scenic cruise on the fjord
- Franz Josef — a free day at the glacier, hiking through native bush and glacial streams
- Lake Matheson — the mirror lake walk on the way inland
- Haast Pass and Lake Hawea — the mountain drive through to Queenstown
- #ThatWanakaTree — the photo stop on the way through
- Queenstown — a free day, with Ben Lomond, Queenstown Hill or Bob's Peak on foot
- Aoraki/Mount Cook — short walks out to the Hooker glacial lake, weather permitting
- Lake Pukaki — the vivid blue water on the Lindis Pass drive
- Dark Sky Reserve — stargazing from the alpine lodge at Mount Cook
- Lake Tekapo — the Church of the Good Shepherd and the Mt John summit hike
- Hokitika Beach — sunset on the first evening
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
5.0
Based on 20 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 20 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the knowledgeable and attentive guides, the excellent and carefully chosen accommodation throughout the tour, and the well-balanced itinerary that combines included activities with flexibility for independent exploration. The most striking feature is how guides handled significant road disruptions caused by rockfalls and boulders, rerouting promptly and arranging alternative activities without compromising the travellers' comfort or experience. The most common criticism concerns limited legroom on the bus, with some travellers finding the space between seats insufficient for average-sized adults, and one instance where the final hotel's room placement near hostel facilities resulted in noise disturbance.
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.
Booked the Kaka tour at short notice, and both the local team and trip app were very helpful. Guide Whaea was outstanding — an expert driver with deep knowledge of NZ history and Maori culture, determined to give us a great time. Travelling with four young women made for a fun group despite me being the eldest, and the overnight stays and breakfasts were superb. Daily updates meant we never had to worry about logistics.
“The best guide in a beautiful place”
Nicole ( Whaea) our brilliant guide
Made this tour the best one I've ever done. I would highly recommend this tour and hopefully will do another with Whaea in New Zealand
Thankyou Stray and a big hug for you Whaea (Nicole)
“Fantastic tour of the South Island”
I had an amazing time on the 9 day Kaka Tour. Cam and Nat were outstanding guides. Communication before and during the tour was great. Throughout the tour they made sure we knew exactly what to expect and when. The tour was structured while also relaxed and giving us ample opportunity to go and do our own thing. It was the perfect way to experience the South Island. Customer service was also fantastic. I emailed Stray a few times before my tour asking questions and I always got a fast, clear, and courteous response. My only point of complaint is the bus. There is physically not enough legroom for the average sized adult to fit their legs between the seats.
So glad I booked the Kaka Tour with Stray after a tiring campervan trip around the North Island's winding roads. Guide Whaea-Nicole was fantastic — a skilled driver with great knowledge of NZ history and Maori culture, always focused on giving us a good experience. The bus was comfortable, lodging was top-notch, breakfasts were generous, and there were plenty of scenic stops. My first group tour, and a pleasant surprise.
“10/10 Would Recommend”
Joined the 9-day Kaka tour solo and had a fantastic time. The itinerary and group were both excellent, but guide Leon really made the trip — knowledgeable, organised and friendly throughout. Highly recommend Stray Travel and the Kaka tour.
I had the best time ever on the Stray Travel Kaka Tour! Our tour guide was Cam and he was amazing, he made the tour so fun and always made sure the group were having a good time!
The whole trip had such a good balance of included activities and optional extras, so you could make the experience your own. And if you’re thinking about adding an extra activity, you HAVE to do the stargazing/ crater experience in Lake Tekapo!
All of the accommodations were also great, some even with an hot tub or swimming pool! Everything was clean, comfy, and you could tell the hotels were picked out carefully
Overall it was such an unforgettable, amazing experience. If you’re thinking about exploring New Zealand South Island, this tour is literally perfect. Would recommend 100% and I’ll definitely be back to see the North!
“Kaka Tour - Great Tour Guide”
Did the Kaka tour of the South Island with guide Nicole, who was genuine, friendly, upbeat and looked after our group like a mother hen. Highlights included the TranzAlpine train, Queenstown, Mt Cook, and plenty of ice cream and meat pie stops. Highly recommend both the tour and Nicole.
“Select Tour (Kaka) South Island with Whaea / Nicole”
Just did a Select Tour (Kaka) with Whaea / Nicole for South Island NZ in September 2024.It was a good 9 days trip with lots of opportunities for hiking and sightseeing. Nicole is affable and a pleasant driver, with very skillful driving on the roads. Due to an unfortunate road block from rockfall, our group had to reroute on a longer journey towards Queenstown. She kept time well and still ensured that we were all comfortable and taken care of. We also had a few good pies stops (Sheffield anyone?) along our journey. The bus that we were on was pretty comfortable for 15 of us, but a tad too cold at times. Hotel stays were generally okay, Hermitage hotel was the highlight: with fantastic views and great breakfast / dinner buffets. The last hotel in Christchurch (Bealey Quarter) was an unfortunate choice, due to proximity of selected rooms near hostel facilities. Too much noise from teenagers running up and down the premises, perhaps it would have been better if other category of rooms were selected away from the dorms. All in all: a memorable trip with Stray Travels.
A wonderful tour of the South Island under the guidance of the brilliant Jacob Carr. Amazing scenery with a warm and friendly environment in the knowledgeable hands of Jacob, who ensured the requirements of the group were first and foremost.
“Enjoy Tour!”
Thank you ours guide whaea Nicole for the whole trip very enjoy
“Neariah ”
Whaea/nicole was the best guide I’ve ever met. She was funny and ensured that every one of us enjoyed our stay. She often gave really good suggestions regarding different activities and helped me out a lot since I was a solo travelers. Even though it was my first solo trip, I had a wonderful time because of her assistance. I would recommend anyone to go on this tour !
A fantastic 9-day Kaka tour with our very experienced driver-guide Whaea-Nicole. She pointed out great photo stops and local food spots, and handled a road blockage with impressively quick rerouting. A wonderful, enjoyable trip.
“Had to come back for another round”
Having loved a 21-day North Island trip six years earlier, I returned in September 2024 for the 9-day Stray Select Kaka Tour with guide Whaea (Nicole), packed with hiking and adventure. When a rockfall blocked our route from Franz Josef to Queenstown, turning a 5-hour drive into 12, Nicole arranged a detour and backup driver without missing a beat. Highly recommend Stray for adventure without the hassle of planning.
Just back home after the Kaka tour with Stray — the accommodation throughout was excellent. Our guide-driver Nicole was the best, staying calm and determined when a boulder blocked the road between Lake Matheson and Queenstown, turning a 3-hour drive into 10, with rest stops along the way. She was full of advice on food and activities. Great for hikers who like arranging their own free days. Stray is simply the best — I'll be back.
My Kaka tour with Stray was fantastic, thanks to our kind and informative guide Whaea/Nicole. She kept the trip running smoothly and helped organise all our activities. Highly recommend — and ask for Whaea as your guide if you can!
My Kaka Tour with Whaea-Nicole was excellent — she quickly rerouted and adjusted our stops after a boulder closed the road. Lucky to have such a skilled driver and knowledgeable guide, sharing details on NZ history, food, hiking and shopping along the way.
Just completed the Kaka tour with guide Whaea-Nicole, who was lovely and approachable and made sure everyone felt safe and comfortable. She gave great activity advice and shared plenty of fun facts along the way. A memorable trip thanks to her — I'd recommend travelling with her to anyone visiting NZ.
Completed a 9-day South Island trip on the Stray Select Kaka Tour with driver-guide Whaea-Nicole. Packed with hikes to Hooker Valley and Mount John for stunning views of Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo. The Hermitage Hotel stay was a highlight, right by the mountains with superb breakfast and dinner buffets, and Nicole took us to try the best pie in Fairlie. A great tour.
Went on the Stray Select Kaka Tour with guide Whaea-Nicole, who was professional and shared lots of interesting information as a safe driver. Despite roadblocks and tricky weather, she quickly found alternate activities. Hoping to travel with her again.
“Absolutely loved it!”
Had an amazing time with Stray. You meet great people and go to wonderful places. Including places you would not normally visit.
The vibe is very relaxed. At no time did I feel hurried. The drivers are extremely knowledgeable and have a great sense of humor.
Expect to encounter groups with a 70/30 mix of solo and non-solo travellers. Age of the travellers is mostly twenties / early thirties, although there were also some older and younger on my busses.
All drivers I had were fantastic, but a specific shout out to Lightening! If you do have a chance to travel with him, do ask for his rendition of Tequila. It will rock your world 😜
