If you’re planning on taking a backpacker hop-on, hop-off bus around New Zealand, you have two options: Stray New Zealand or Kiwi Experience. I’ve always recommended Stray over Kiwi, not based on experience but rather feedback from other travelers who have traveled with one or the other.
Over on Planit NZ, I’ve partnered with Stray and all of the Hop on Hop off Bus Passes you see listed there are run by Stray. Stray’s ethos of ‘getting off the beaten track’ rings true to me. Similarly, they focus heavily on responsible travel with the goal of leaving a positive impact on local communities. How can you argue with that?
I’ve just spent four nights and five days traveling around the North Island with Stray, and the experience has been fantastic. The route around the North Island travels through your NZ must-see spots, and equally importantly gets off the tourist trail and into some truly epic and inspiring destinations.
Below I’ve listed some highlights from the experience – a combination of reasons why I’d recommend Stray, but also highlights from the North Island itinerary.
Flexible travel around New Zealand.
The idea behind a hop on, hop off bus is that you can get all around New Zealand on your own terms. It’s essentially a guided bus pass, and one that allows you to hop off the bus literally wherever you want. New Zealand’s Kiwiana Town strike your fancy? No worries – hop off the bus and stay awhile.
FYI, Otorohanga is New Zealand’s Kiwiana Town – a small town in the Waikato that goes out of its way to display some of the country’s most significant cultural icons (think Marmite, the All Blacks & #8 wire). It’s also the jumping off point for the Waitomo Caves.
More fun than a public bus and less structured than a fully guided tour.
The other option for traveling NZ via bus is through the public bus system. They do go most places around New Zealand, but the downside is they do just that — they travel from Point A to Point B. Stray gets you to the majority of the main destinations around NZ, but ALSO stops off at photo stops or quick walks along the way. Unlike a guided tour, you can hop off when you want (refer to “Flexible travel around New Zealand” above). Because of that, it’s especially perfect for working holiday makers – but works even if you have two or three weeks in New Zealand.
You’ll learn heaps about New Zealand along the way.
I’ve been in New Zealand for five years, and travelled pretty extensively around the country – but I still found out so many interesting pieces of New Zealand trivia, history and Maori mythology that I otherwise would have probably never learned. This adds so much to your experience visiting a country, and this ongoing commentary is a huge advantage to a guided trip vs a self-drive tour. Cheers Panda, and thanks for sharing your passion for New Zealand with us.
Get off the beaten track.
You’ll see places in New Zealand that you didn’t know existed.
More than seeing them, you’ll get to experience them up close in personal – not just travel through briefly, but get immersed in them. Yes, you’ll go through Rotorua – and yes you can hop off if you want to spend a day/night there. You’ll also get to spend a night in a real working Marae at Mourea – experiencing Maori culture, song and dance.
You’ll get to experience Lake Aniwhenua and stay at the Kohutaupo Lodge.
Tucked away in the middle of the North Island is the small community of Murupara. Years ago, this was a thriving town with the community all involved in the local timber industry; unfortunately, as the timber mills have increasingly become mechanized, unemployment, poverty and crime have begun to take over the town.
The owner Nadine left Rotorua to move back to region, and has opened this lodge on the shores of Lake Aniwhenua with the hopes of a more positive future for Murupara. Nadine’s story and her passion for changing the local community was hugely inspiring. After a massive feed of a traditional hangi meal, the Stray bus goes to the local school the next morning and delivers meals to kids — children who otherwise often go throughout the day hungry.
You’ll get way, way off the beaten track at the Blue Duck Lodge in Whakahoro.
On the edge of the Wanganui National Park, you have the incredibly remote Blue Duck Lodge. This working sheep and cattle station is an hour down a dirt road – literally in the middle of nowhere. The owners are passionate conservationists, and actively working to control the pest population in the native bush found throughout the farm. Pests are a massive problem in NZ – stoats, rats, feral cats, goats and possums are a huge threat to our native birdlife; the hunting and trapping done at Blue Duck is giving these native birds a chance to survive.
Specifically, as you might guess, Dan & the crew at Blue Duck are working to bring the blue duck population back to the nearby rivers. On a visit to Blue Duck, you’ll get to cruise around on the quad bike and hopefully spot some of these native birds. If you’re keen, you can also go horse riding, jet boating, kayaking, clay bird shooting or even hunting with Dan. Each night we were treated to a massive dinner of freshly prepared, locally hunted wild goat and wild pig. IT WAS DELICIOUS.
When you finish your trip around New Zealand, it’s these places that you didn’t even know existed that will blow you away the most. And that’s why you should travel with Stray if you’re keen on traveling New Zealand via a backpacker bus or tour.
Have you traveled with Stray? Let me know below!
Backpacking Matt 
We only had enough time in New Zealand to do the South Island, we have to go back to NZ but for 2-3 months and make sure to visit the north island this time.
YES! Look forward to welcoming you back to Aotearoa soon!
I’ve only been to the south island so far but I need to go back too!
Yes you do!
How did you find the group dynamic? I’m weighing Haka versus Stray. I’m travelling alone and am not naturally an extroverted outgoing person, so I find the hop on hop off sometimes challenging getting to know people, but have also had really bad group tours where you’re stuck with people you don’t want to be. The one thing I really dislike about Haka is that even their longest tour seems to only visit the standard stops.
Thanks.
Stray vs Haka would offer a pretty different experience, the biggest as you’ve noted is the ‘off the beaten’ track type places that Stray travels too. If you did one of their hop on hop off passes, you’d travel with a larger group, and one that was constantly changing as people got on and off the bus. So in this sense, you’d be ‘protected’ from happening to get a bad group.
If you did the Stray Journey (all inclusive), you’d have a similar risk to traveling with Haka Tours. Both offer a great dynamic of travellers, generally slightly older than the 18-20 Kiwi Experience type crowd, and often travellers who have travelled before – so it’s not their first rodeo!
I’ve flicked you an email too, so let me know if you have other questions. It’d be great if we could arrange your booking through Planit NZ!
My wife and I are doing a stop over on the north island Feb 24 – Mar.1/ 06 on way to wedding in Sydney. Start and stop in Auckland. Want to do 1st and last night in Auckland with hop on hop off tour. Rent either a car or camper van for remainder. Looking to do glow worm caves, native cultural experience and dinner in Rotorua as well as hot springs. Possible east coast drive to Napier. Any recommendation on Camper vs rental car & best company… B&B vs hotel/motel? Also would like to do tower and dinner cruise in Auckland.
Hey Steve, thanks for your comment! I don’t quite understand how you’ll fit in the bus pass along with renting a car? I’ve dropped you an email, and will see if I can help you get things planned / booked. Cheers matt
I’m doing the south island for 1 month in March next year and was dead set on doing the kiwi experience bus pass, what does Stray offer that Kiwi doesn’t do you think? Is there much difference between the the two?
Stray has smaller buses, goes to more ‘off the beaten track’ type places and generally attracts a more diverse group of travellers, with less of a focus on partying your way around NZ. In full disclosure, I’ve never travelled with Kiwi, but that’s my understanding / their reputation!
Hi. Yes I have traveled with Stray. I just finished a 28 day tour of both islands. I had a blast and met so many new people it’s just crazy! I started the trip on Dec 24 so I ended during peak season. Would I recommend it to others? Heck yeah!
I’m doing a round the world trip and I met so many people in Europe that offered me a place to stay. I will save more on my European accommodations than I spent on Stray!!
Hey Keir, stoked you had a great time with Stray!
Hey Matt,
I’m planning on traveling in NZ for about 6 months, can you recommend a certain route or were to start and how much time to spend in a certain area? A big thank you in advance!
Hey Jade – awesome to hear of your planned trip. Are you going to rent a car or get a Stray pass?
Hi, I am about to embark on a six month trip… First one solo. I defibitly dont want to be “drinking” my way around N.Z. Stray sounds great. Any advice would be very welcome, v.excited, but also a little scared. Thanks!
Hi! I love your blog! I’m leaving for Aukland in a week to spend a month in NZ and and am still debating between renting a car and going with Stray. I would love some more info, even if you just point me to a blog post I may not have seen! I know you at one point said it’s better to buy the bus pass when you arrive in NZ. At the airport? Is this too last minute? Also, do they help you arrange hostel reservations or should I have that planned out before I leave? Thanks for any help!
Hey Naomi, sorry missed this and you’re probably already in NZ? Car or bus pass really depends on your budget and whether or not you want to travel with other people? If you’re travelling solo, I’d say a bus pass would be more enjoyable otherwise you’ll be by yourself the entire time. With Stray, they make sure there are places for you to stay along the way, so you don’t have to book in advance! Let me know if you still need help?
Hi, I’m currently in NZ on a working visa for a year. I want to see as much as possible but I also need to work pretty soon as I’m on a tight budget. Would you recommend getting the all round stray bus tour to start off with? Any help appreciated, thanks 🙂
Absolutely, it’s the perfect way to get to know the country. Spend a month or so travelling around, and you might stumble across a job or a place you just have to settle down in and work for awhile!
Hey Matt,
I am leaving for a 2 month trip to New Zealand in February. I am planning on going through stray to see the country via the hop on hop off bus tour. I really enjoy my hiking and camping, but also want the opportunity to meet others. Using the bus pass, could I bring my tent along and camp for a couple nights at some of the national parks before hopping back on the bus?
Thanks,
Ben
Hey Ben, awesome to hear of your planned trip – you’ll love it! Absolutely, bring your tent – that’s the joy of the bus pass is you can hop off and explore more whenever you wish.
how much for a stray pass. traveling solo for a month with a backpack. do they have a website with routes and towns that they stop in. VERY excited to find your website matt. also wondering what is the most efficient way to do money transactions — other than credit cards. is there something besides travelers checks?
thanks so much for your time and your excellent blog posts. thrilled!!
jacqueline