Discover New Zealand’s stunning landscapes, vibrant culture, and unforgettable adventures on this epic 24-day journey. Explore geothermal wonders, golden beaches, and dramatic mountains while traveling in a small group.
We’ll visit all the best attractions: Cathedral Cove, Rotorua, Tongariro National Park, and Abel Tasman National Park. Along the way, enjoy optional adrenaline-filled activities, experience authentic Māori culture, and create lasting memories with like-minded travelers on this incredible adventure.
Days
- 24 days, 23 nights
Group size
- Max 24
Start / finish
- Auckland / Auckland
Return
- See itinerary for details
Accommodation
- 23 nights in hostels and lodges — three in Auckland across two stays, one at Hahei, one in Rotorua, one at Kohutapu Lodge on Lake Aniwhenua, one in Taupo, two in alpine chalets at Tongariro, two in Wellington across two stays, two at The Barn in Marahau, two at Rainforest Retreat in Franz Josef, four in Queenstown, one at Lake Tekapo, one in Christchurch, one at Kaikoura and one at Raglan.
Transport
- A private air-conditioned bus with your guide, a water taxi out to Rangitoto Island, the Cook Strait ferry both ways — south on day 10 and back north on day 21 — a water taxi into Anchorage Bay, and transfers to both ends of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
Meals
- Ten breakfasts. Elsewhere you self-cater or join an optional group dinner.
Route
Included experiences
- Milford Sound — a day trip from Queenstown with a cruise through the fjord
- Tongariro Alpine Crossing — one of the most popular hikes in New Zealand
- Abel Tasman National Park — a water taxi into Anchorage Bay, and Cleopatra's Pools
- Hobbiton — the movie set on the road to Rotorua
- Kohutapu Lodge — learning the haka and Māori flax weaving, then a hāngi dinner
- Rangitoto Island — a water taxi across the harbour and a hike up a dormant volcano
- Tongariro River — whitewater rafting on the way into the national park
- Kaikoura — a fur seal colony and the walk up to the peninsula lookout
- Raglan — a west coast surf town, and the beach at sunset
- Franz Josef — the glacier track, bush walks and a soak in the spa
- Lake Tekapo — the Dark Sky Crater Experience and the Mount John Observatory hike
- Hot Water Beach — digging your own hot pool in the sand
- Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Buller Gorge on the West Coast drive
- Lake Matheson — the mirror lake on the way inland
- Cook Strait — the ferry crossing in both directions, through the Marlborough Sounds
- Christchurch — the Avon River, the Riverside Market and the Botanic Gardens
- Queenstown — four nights with two full free days
- Tawhai Falls — Gollum's pool, in Tongariro National Park
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 guides and drivers for being knowledgeable, friendly and helpful, as well as the sociable atmosphere and opportunities to make lasting friendships during the tour. The itinerary stands out most often, with visitors highlighting the breadth of locations covered, the mix of well-known and lesser-known stops, and the range of included and optional activities such as adventure sports, hiking and cultural experiences. The most common criticism concerns the booking app, which travellers found cumbersome; specifically, it lacks clarity about which activities are already included in the tour, does not allow group bookings for couples or larger parties, and requires navigating to the bottom of the menu each time it is opened.
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.
“Great trip.”
We really enjoyed our Stray Tour! We lucked out with the merging of the adventure and select tour which meant we visited additional locations such as Blue Duck Station and Mt Cook. The itinerary ticked all the boxes we were hoping to visit and so much more. (We did loose a day in Queenstown which was disappointing and if had been giving the option to extend or substitute another location we would have considered it. However it didn't dampen the trip.) We enjoyed the flexibility, but without compromise of the trip. The adventure tour was value for money and we were happy with the accommodation, meals and tours included. We were very lucky with our group, and our excellent tour guide Leon - who was informative, good communicator and created a calming and fun atmosphere. We would highly recommend a Stray tour and would book again.
Just finished the Kea 23-day adventure tour and had an amazing time, with memories to last a lifetime. The itinerary was jam-packed with activities, and guide Cam made the experience — knowledgeable, patient and funny. He suggested extra activities, stopped at beautiful spots on the long drives, and was always ready to help. Thanks Cam and Stray!
“Highly recommended!”
My cousin and I booked the 23 day Adventure Tour, starting and finishing in Auckland, to travel NZ without the stress of organising it all ourselves. This tour was perfect for us and our budget; it included almost all of the sites and activities that we wanted to do for a pretty reasonable price. We had a fantastic, relatively small group and our tour leader, Leon, was amazing. You always worry about who else we be on the group and we really lucked out with this one. We travelled in April so the weather was a bit hit and miss on the North Island but we were blessed with some incredible weather on the South Island.
My only criticism would be that some of the communication we received prior to the departure was a bit contradictory - we were told we would receive access to an app to book additional activities 30 days before but, we only received it one week prior (they merged two tours, so I suspect the delay was due to this but when we followed up, there was no acknowledgment that it was delayed). Also, the app has incredible potential but is not utilised well. Included activities were not noted, so we booked an optional activity that actually clashed with one that was included. Thankfully we realised before the cancellation period and got our money back, but that did add a level of frustration that could be removed, if the app was utilised better. Our itinerary was changed slightly due to the merging of the tours, and the updated itinerary we received didn’t provide much information at all. The addition of Blue Duck Station was incredible though - definitely a highlight of the trip!
We had a fantastic time, seeing some incredible scenery with an amazing group of people, I would highly recommend Stray if you are looking for a cost effective way to travel NZ, that’s suitable for all ages.
“23 Day Kea Adventure”
Took the 23-day Kea adventure tour covering both islands — a really solid itinerary hitting the highlights. Travelling solo, I was glad most of the group were also solo travellers in their 20s and 30s. Guide and driver Cam was excellent, sharing plenty about NZ culture, history and nature. Highly recommended.
“kea adventure tour Nov 2025”
Had an incredible time on the 23-day Kea adventure tour. Leon was a great guide, and I couldn't have asked for a better trip — I saw everything I wanted and more.
Just finished the 24-day Kea tour with guide Leon and it's been one of the best experiences of my life, packed with bucket-list activities like bungy jumping, skydiving, a heli-hike and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Leon was knowledgeable and enthusiastic throughout. For the price, no other company comes close to what Stray offers — I'd book again in a heartbeat.
“Absolutely amazing camping & outdoorsy trip with Jack & Cody fro”
I’m a solo traveller and it’s always difficult to book activity just for one; it’s even harder for outdoorsy stuffs. Found Flying Kiwi Northern Light Tour and I must say it exceeds my expectations. It was fun travelling with a group of 12 and our guides Cody and Jack are amazing - they are kind, friendly and funny - but for them the trip wouldn’t have been the same. Jack is committed to high safety standards and gave us clear briefs on different activities (especially important for the Tongariro crossing which many people take too lightly) Cody took very good care of us throughout the trip especially for minors and those with special dietary requirements and physical challenges.
It’s a wild camp trip so do expect to set up / take down your own tent and help with prepping meals, cooking and cleaning. But all camp sites are well equipped with clean bathrooms, shower facilities and kitchens. Weather can be unpredictable so have an open mind - it’s fun to kayak in a sunny windy day to Cathedral Cove and it’s also fun doing white water rafting @Rotorua on a rainy day (you’ll get wet anyway!) Just chill
“24 day Kea adventure tour NZ”
I did the 24 day Kea tour and it was a wonderful experience. I saw all the highlights of NZ, like Cathedral Cove, Hobbiton, lake Taupo, Abel Tasman, Franz Josef... and did the most amazing stuff: a skydive in Franz Josef, swimming with dolphins in Kaikoura, the Tongariro crossing, kayaking...
I had a very nice group and the tourguides:Jack and Cody, we're THE BEST. They were very kind and funny and did a great job showing us around and teaching us about the Maori legends. Jack even taught me how to surf!
“Amazing KEA 24day tour”
Had a great time during my 24day Kea tour in New Zealand. Our tour guids Jack and Cody were kind and could tell a lot of interesting facts about New Zealand and Maori legends. Great itinerary, you see the best highlights of New Zealand
“North Island tour!”
Travelled from Auckland to Wellington with stray travel with some fantastic stops along the way. Great itinerary is really interesting places to visit our guide and driver Whaea-Nicole Was super. Every day she went over and above making sure we were happy sorting out what each of us wanted to do I made sure we got to everything on time and with the right gear. Thanks for that good trip made great by a brilliant guide.
“Great all round experience”
I would absolutely recommend this company. I had a great time with great company.
Just finished the Kea adventure tour and it was amazing. Guides Jack and Cody were kind, engaged and showed us so much of New Zealand — ziplining, kayaking, the Tongariro Crossing, my first skydive, swimming with dolphins and the Hobbiton set. A brilliant way to explore the country without driving yourself and meet new people.
“Great way to see NZ while having a laugh along the way!”
I cannot recommend Stray enough. We were taken to places that I would never have gone to had I drove myself. It is a sociable way to see NZ, we made so many friends along the way. The guides are great and really encourage the groups to get together in the evenings with group dinners etc, but there is also no pressure if you want to do your own thing. We had a few different drivers but the stand out for me was Pacman! He had a good balance of being informative while having a laugh and always made an effort to get involved with the groups. He was super friendly and happy to help with any app/booking issues.
Only area for improvement is the app. It would be useful to have it automatically open on the last thing you booked, as having to scroll all the way down each time gets very annoying. And also it would be useful to be able to book more than just yourself onto activities and accommodation. I was travelling in a couple and we had to book seperately through the app and then contact the provider individually to ensure we were placed together.
Overall a great experience that I would definitely do again and again!
“Amazing time in New Zealand”
I really enjoyed traveling with Stray with amazing stops all over New Zealand. The blue duck station was especially good. The bus drivers were so nice and helpful and a big shout out to Soxx who really did a good job and help me alot!
“Best bus tour ever”
Amazing trip. The drivers were amazing in helping out with activities, hostels and problems. Especially the driver Soxx was amazing. He helped us getting the activities we wanted and he helped a lot after my friend lost his passport. I'm going to miss him a lot, he made the tour extraordinary. You're the best, Soxx!
- Goku
“What an adventure!”
Traveling with Stray is an absolute blast. I've never made as many friends in as short a time. The vibe is always good, the tour is well organized, the activities are awesome, and so are the tour guides! A big shout out in particular to Mozzy and Lightning! Would recommend this to anyone!
“Strayfamily”
After 2,5 months of travelling Aussie I was finally on my way to NZ, I had the best time meeting awesome friends and the best driver, Rolex!! We had games in the bus and the whole vibe was very chill. Highly recommend this for solo travelers, couples, friends. #TEAMROLLEX
“Excellent expérience! Overall very satisfied”
I travelled two months with Stray in the South and north Islands, which was an amazing time. Stops are sometimes out of the beaten tracks, sometimes more common but it was always very nice.
Group size was okay, I think you have smaller groups in the low season which might be even better.
Our driver Chilly was very kind and cared for everyone in the bus. He gave us a lot of interesting information about the country and the kiwis, on top of that He made us an amazing group meal. I always felt safe with him.
I would recommend to plan for the far and wide Ticket at least 9 weeks because some places are really amazing and you can spend there a lot of time for hiking.
The app to book your activities bus and hostels is not the fastest one but very practical and handy.
Customer service is okay if you call them directly, email Response quite slow.
“What a trip”
Had the pleasure of having Pacman as our driver for the vast majority of my 4 week trip. Professional yet great fun. Organised but not pushy. Made sure the whole group had the best time possible and I'm so grateful for that! Something for everyone on this trip. Saw lots of different sides to NZ, couldn't have asked for a better introduction to this country! Everyone I met on the tour was a legend in their own way and I had an absolute blast getting to know everyone. It can be a party trip if you want it to be or a quiet scenic trip, you get to decide since each bus is large enough to get a broad range of people. Highly, highly recommend the Stray bus!
“Amazing trip!!! 100% Recommend”
I originally started my travels early April from Queenstown and did the Deep South then continued up to Christchurch before terminating my trip and returned back to Queenstown to work. I returned to my stray trip early October from Christchurch and continued on my travels up to the north island and around and back down to the South Island to Queenstown were I ended my trip! I hoped it on and off In various places.... so had numerous amounts of drivers and each one were incredible! The ones that stood out for me were Romeo, Pac man and Lightening! The places you go and visit are incredible and beautiful, I definitely covered the majority of Nz, well the places I wanted to see anyway! I added on the waves and caves pass too, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The activities that stray advertise on the app are all very good... well I enjoyed the ones I did, can’t say I’ve done them all though. I was on a working holiday and used stray as my mode of transport around both Islands which was perfect as never felt like I was on my own! I made great friends that will last a lifetime! So thanks Stray for the amazing job you are doing and thanks to all the drivers for answering questions and being very informative and making us laugh! If I return to Nz would use again! 100% recommend to anyone travelling solo!
