Hey I'm hitting Nth Island New Zeland beginning of Sept, been looking up some travel options but the Kiwi Experience looks quite expensive...are there any alternatives? I'm travellin solo so car rental isn't an option..am I better off not booking anything until I get there? do hostels offer cheaper tours?
appreciate any help or suggestions of must see places and activities, just finished 2mths in Sth America and haven't had time to properly plan NZ......
Reply to this Hi Bernie,
Welcome to TravelBlog.
Will you only have a month in NZ? Are you more into outdoor adventure activities, or city sightseeing etc?
A couple of other bus options are
Naked Bus and
Intercity, but if you're there for a while it might be worth trying to pick up a cheap used car - often backpackers leaving will be selling cheap. That would give you a lot more flexibility.
TradeMe is a good place to look for used cars.
Reply to this Yep only a month I'm afraid....no real interest in buying a car, hopin to meet more people by busing it, might hire a scooter or something for first few days just to travel north of Auckland, is that feasible or just a waste of time? must look into those other bus options though, thanks a million for gettin back to me Jo!
Reply to this Hi Bernie, I had a month in NZ and dashed around both islands. I travelled Intercity, as Jo recommends, I thought it was perfect to be honest, the drivers offer information about the areas you are travelling through and often stop for photo ops, much like a tour bus but much much cheaper. I wouldn't suggest the Kiwi Bus, you do meet people granted but unless you are partypartyparty it won't be your cup of tea. There is the Magic Bus and Stray if you want a package deal but they are quite pricey. I found Intercity great anyway!
In terms of things to see, I would recommend hiking the Franz Josef glacier, relaxing in stunning Wanaka and taking in some Maori culture in Rotorua.
Enjoy Bernie!
Reply to this I travelled on
Bottom Bus which is affiliated with Kiwi Experience, and goes round the lower South Island - had a great time and because I had independently arranged my accommodation ahead of time I completely avoided the party scene. So keep in mind, you can use their transport service without committing to using their accommodation :-)
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