Short answer
For most backpackers the best New Zealand tour is a 9-day small-group trip with hostels, a group leader and the big activities already paid for. For the North Island, the NZ Adventure North, 9 Days from $1,999 (Auckland to Wellington, ages 18 to 45). For the South Island, the NZ Adventure South, 9 Days from $1,999 (Christchurch to Queenstown, includes the Milford Sound cruise and a jet boat). Want both islands in one booking? The NZ Adventure, 17 Days from $4,399 joins them with the inter-island flight included. If you would rather steer yourself, a hop-on bus pass such as the Kiwi Experience Buzzy Bee Pass from $709 gets you from Auckland to Queenstown in 13 days.
Prices are per person in AUD and update from our live listings.
The shortlist
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01Our top pick
NZ Adventure North, 9 Dayssmall-group tour, hostels9 days, 8 nights
from $1,999
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02
NZ Adventure South, 9 Dayssmall-group tour, hostels9 days, 8 nights
from $1,999
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03
NZ Adventure, 17 Dayssmall-group tour, hostels17 days, 16 nights
from $4,399
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04
New Zealand Highlights, 21 Daysbackpacker group tour, hostels21 days, 20 nights
from $4,569
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05
Southern Voyager, 7 Dayssmall-group tour, flash-pack stays7 days
from $1,819
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06
Kiwi Experience Northern Highlights Passhop-on hop-off bus pass6 days
from $319
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07
Kiwi Experience Buzzy Bee Passhop-on hop-off bus pass13 days
from $709
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08
Kiwi Experience Funky Chicken Passhop-on hop-off bus pass20 days
from $1,129
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09
Kiwi Experience Skippy Passhop-on hop-off bus passSouth Island loop
from $509
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10
Milford Sound Small Group Day Toursmall-group day trip13 hours
from $339
Compare them side by side
| # | Trip | Format | Length | Route | Group | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NZ Adventure North, 9 Days | small-group tour, hostels | 9 days, 8 nights | Auckland to Wellington | ages 18 to 45, group leader | $1,999 |
| 2 | NZ Adventure South, 9 Days | small-group tour, hostels | 9 days, 8 nights | Christchurch to Queenstown | ages 18 to 45, group leader | $1,999 |
| 3 | NZ Adventure, 17 Days | small-group tour, hostels | 17 days, 16 nights | Auckland to Queenstown, flight included | ages 18 to 45, group leader | $4,399 |
| 4 | New Zealand Highlights, 21 Days | backpacker group tour, hostels | 21 days, 20 nights | Auckland to Queenstown | ages 18 to 35, group leader | $4,569 |
| 5 | Southern Voyager, 7 Days | small-group tour, flash-pack stays | 7 days | South Island loop from Christchurch | average 16 travellers | $1,819 |
| 6 | Kiwi Experience Northern Highlights Pass | hop-on hop-off bus pass | 6 days | Auckland to Wellington | open to all, no group leader | $319 |
| 7 | Kiwi Experience Buzzy Bee Pass | hop-on hop-off bus pass | 13 days | Auckland to Queenstown, Cook Strait ferry included | open to all, no group leader | $709 |
| 8 | Kiwi Experience Funky Chicken Pass | hop-on hop-off bus pass | 20 days | both islands, start anywhere | open to all, no group leader | $1,129 |
| 9 | Kiwi Experience Skippy Pass | hop-on hop-off bus pass | South Island loop | Queenstown, Tekapo, Christchurch, Kaikoura, Abel Tasman, Franz Josef | open to all, no group leader | $509 |
| 10 | Milford Sound Small Group Day Tour | small-group day trip | 13 hours | Queenstown return | max 15 | $339 |
How the formats differ: a small-group tour is one booking with the beds, transport, a group leader and the main activities in the price. A hop-on hop-off bus pass covers the coach only: you choose where to stop, and you pay for activities as you go. Adventure days (rafting, caves, jet boats, Hobbiton) are bought one at a time and slot into either.
NZ Adventure North, 9 Days Auckland to Wellington, from $1,999. Day 2 is the Waitomo glowworm caves by boat and the Hobbiton film set. Then Rotorua’s Wai-O-Tapu geothermal park and the Kerosene Creek hot river, a Māori village experience with a haka, sailing on Lake Taupo and Huka Falls, and two days in Wellington (cable car and Te Papa).
Included: 8 nights of hostel accommodation, 6 meals, all transport, a group leader and every itinerary activity with no pay-on-arrival extras. Flights, travel insurance, most meals and the optional skydive or bungy are not included.
Who it suits 18 to 45s who want the North Island’s icons without planning a route. The operator is rated 4.9 on Trustpilot across 575 reviews.
NZ Adventure South, 9 Days Christchurch to Queenstown, from $1,999. Lake Tekapo hot pools under the dark-sky reserve, the Mount John hike, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, kayaking glacial Lake Wanaka, a Milford Sound cruise, and a jet boat on Lake Wakatipu on the last night out.
Included: 8 nights of hostel accommodation, 7 meals, all transport, a group leader, the Milford cruise, the Wanaka kayaks and the jet boat. Bungy and skydiving are optional extras, so you only pay for what you jump off.
Who it suits The same 18 to 45 crowd, and anyone who wants Queenstown’s big-ticket scenery with the logistics done.
NZ Adventure, 17 Days Auckland to Queenstown, from $4,399, is the North and South 9-day trips back to back, with 16 nights in hostels, 13 meals and the Wellington to Christchurch flight in the price. A working-holiday add-on (IRD number, bank account, SIM and job support) can be added after booking.
New Zealand Highlights, 21 Days from Auckland, from $4,569, is a slower run for ages 18 to 35: 20 nights of accommodation, a welcome dinner and a group leader. It includes Hobbiton, Hell’s Gate geothermal spa, a Lake Taupo catamaran cruise to the Māori rock carvings, the Te Pā Tū Māori village experience with dinner, the Interislander ferry, Kaikōura whale watching, a guided half day at Mount Cook, a Queenstown bar crawl and a Milford Sound day trip with cruise. Skydives and bungy are extra.
Who they suit The 17-day if you want one fast loop of both islands; the 21-day if you want more free days (it has two nights at Lake Tekapo and four in Queenstown).
Southern Voyager, 7 Day South Island Small Group Tour, from $1,819. A loop from Christchurch with an average of 16 travellers: Lake Tekapo’s dark sky reserve, the Church of the Good Shepherd, three nights in Queenstown, a day to Milford Sound (transport included, the cruise is optional), Wanaka, Franz Josef glacier country and Arthur’s Pass back to Christchurch.
Included: a guide and driver, flash-pack accommodation, breakfast every day, the Castle Rock Walk and the Tekapo Dark Sky Reserve visit. Private rooms are available on request at extra cost.
Who it suits Travellers who want a smaller group and a bed with more privacy than a hostel dorm, and are happy to book their own dinners and activities.
Four Kiwi Experience passes are live. Each is booked on request and confirmed within 24 hours (you do not pay if we cannot confirm).
- Northern Highlights Pass, from $319: 6 days from Auckland to Wellington. Hot Water Beach, Waitomo, Rotorua’s geysers, a free day in Taupo and the Central Volcanic Plateau.
- Buzzy Bee Pass, from $709: 13 days from Auckland to Queenstown, with a free day in Taupo, the West Coast via Franz Josef and the Cook Strait ferry ticket included.
- Funky Chicken Pass, from $1,129: both islands in 20 days. Start anywhere and finish where you began, with return Cook Strait ferries, free days at Taupo, Franz Josef and Queenstown, and Unlimited Travel to repeat sectors free within 12 months (terms apply).
- Skippy Pass, from $509: a South Island loop starting and finishing in Queenstown via Lake Tekapo, Christchurch, Kaikōura, Abel Tasman, Westport, Mahinapua and Franz Josef.
Who they suit Solo travellers on a tighter budget who are happy to organise beds and activities themselves. Longer and one-way variants (Sheepdog, Top & Tail, Kea, South & Sound, Whole Kit & Caboodle) are on New Zealand tour prices.
- Kaituna White Water Raft, from $109. Three hours, fourteen rapids, three waterfalls and the 7-metre Tutea Falls, billed as the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world. All gear and wetsuits are provided and first-timers are welcome.
- Black Labyrinth, from $149. Three hours in Ruakuri Cave near Waitomo: tube an underground river under glowworms and jump backwards off a small waterfall. Ages 12+, wetsuit, boots, helmet and headlight supplied, no cameras allowed. Transport to Waitomo is not included.
- Hobbiton Movie Set Tour from The Shire’s Rest, from $105. A 2.5-hour guided walk of the 12-acre set with coach transport from the ticketing office and a free drink at the Green Dragon Inn.
- Queenstown Jet Boat Ride, from $129. A full hour and 45km across Lake Wakatipu and the Kawarau and Shotover Rivers, up to 95km/h with 360-degree spins, leaving the Main Town Pier every hour from 10am to 6pm.
- Milford Sound Small Group Day Tour, 7:30am, from $339. Capped at 15 passengers in a Mercedes Sprinter, with a two-hour cruise and 12 to 13 hours door to door. Lunch is not included. The operator is rated 4.9 on TripAdvisor across 2,800 reviews.
- Abel Tasman 3 Day Passport, from $259. Sea shuttles drop you at a different part of the park each day across three day trips, so you sleep in your own bed each night. Lunch and accommodation are not included.
North Island vs South Island
- North Island: geothermal and culture. Hobbiton, Waitomo, Rotorua and Taupo sit within a day’s travel of each other, so it suits a shorter trip. Auckland to Wellington takes 9 days on the group tour.
- South Island: scenery and adrenaline. Tekapo, Mount Cook, Milford Sound, Queenstown and the glaciers are spread further apart, which is where a guided loop or a bus pass saves the most hassle.
- Both: the 17-day and 20-day options cover both islands, with the Cook Strait crossing by flight (NZ Adventure) or ferry (Kiwi Experience passes).
Costs for each style are in how much a New Zealand backpacker tour costs, and the extras to budget for are in New Zealand adventure activities for backpackers.
How we ranked them
We sell every tour on this page, and we ranked them on four things:
- Live price from our listings.
- What is included, from each tour’s own inclusions list: beds, meals, transport and activities.
- Group style: group leader or not, age range, group size, and whether you set the route.
- Operator ratings, only where we hold a verified figure for that operator. They are the operator’s own Trustpilot or TripAdvisor rating, not Wanderlust reviews. Where there is no figure here, we hold none.
Which one is right for you
- First time in New Zealand, 18 to 45, want it organisedA 9-day NZ Adventure, North or South.
- Both islands, one bookingThe 17-day NZ Adventure.
- Want a longer trip with free daysThe 21-day New Zealand Highlights (ages 18 to 35).
- Want your own routeA Kiwi Experience pass, then add the adventure days you care about.
- Short on time in QueenstownThe Milford Sound day tour and the jet boat.
FAQs
What is the best New Zealand tour for backpackers?
A 9-day small-group tour with hostels, a group leader and the activities included. NZ Adventure North (Auckland to Wellington) is from $1,999 and NZ Adventure South (Christchurch to Queenstown) is from $1,999. Both are for ages 18 to 45.
Is a hop-on hop-off bus pass or a small-group tour better in New Zealand?
A bus pass covers coach transport only and lets you pick your own stops, so it suits people who want to organise beds and activities themselves. A small-group tour bundles hostels, a group leader and the main activities into one price. The Kiwi Experience Buzzy Bee Pass is from $709 for 13 days; the 17-day NZ Adventure is from $4,399 with beds included.
Which is better, the North Island or the South Island?
The North Island has Hobbiton, Waitomo, Rotorua’s geothermal parks and Taupo. The South Island has Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook, Milford Sound and Queenstown. With under two weeks, choose one island. With 17 days or more, do both.
Are bungy and skydiving included on the group tours?
No. On the NZ Adventure trips and the 21-day Highlights tour, bungy and skydiving are optional extras. The NZ Adventure South tour includes the Milford Sound cruise, Wanaka kayaks and a jet boat.
Can I do New Zealand solo?
Yes. The group tours are built for solo travellers and come with a group leader. The 21-day New Zealand Highlights tour is for ages 18 to 35, and the NZ Adventure trips are for ages 18 to 45.
Is the Cook Strait crossing included?
On the Kiwi Experience Buzzy Bee Pass the Cook Strait ferry ticket is included, and the Funky Chicken Pass includes return ferries. On the 17-day NZ Adventure the Wellington to Christchurch flight is in the price. On the 21-day Highlights tour the Interislander ferry ticket is included.
How far ahead should I book?
The NZ Adventure trips and the 21-day Highlights tour confirm instantly. The Kiwi Experience passes are booked on request and confirmed within 24 hours. Queenstown activities such as the jet boat run every hour, but the Milford Sound day tour is capped at 15 passengers.
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