Frequently Asked Questions

You can find up-to-date departures times and locations listed here. If you would like to be picked up from somewhere not detailed on the itineraries you will need to contact the Flying Kiwi office via email or phone to find the specific time.

All accommodation is included during your tour, the only accommodation you'll need to book is pre or post tour.

New Zealand experiences extremely changeable weather.  Some days temperatures can be 30 degrees and later the same day freezing if a cool southerly wind comes in, but don't worry our trips are flexible and work well whatever the weather!

Suitcases are fine – you don’t need to walk great distances with them just between your tent and the bus. The majority of the time while you’re doing activities they will be stored away in the trailer or under the bus. Please try to limit the weight of your main bag to 20kg. A good day pack (small rucksack) or bag you can carry easily is recommended for water bottles, towels, cameras etc.

Flying Kiwi’s main priority is the great New Zealand outdoors in all its forms. In the evenings you are free to do as you choose. Due to the remoteness of some of our locations, we will generally have a bonfire on the beach, a group barbeque or just sit and watch the stars together. We do have a couple of optional big nights out on the circuit if you want to let your hair down.

The average age of a Flying Kiwi passenger is generally between the age of 20 and 45, but we really believe that age is just a number and if you want to come and enjoy the New Zealand outdoors then you are welcome on-board. No matter  your age we find we attract people who want to meet other travellers and explore! If you want to travel with younger family members please contact us as this is done on a case by case basis, although children must be a minimum age of 12 years.

You don’t have to be super fit to travel with Flying Kiwi – all walks, bike rides and activities are optional and they range from light strolls to full day hikes in Alpine terrain. Easier options or alternatives are always available. Your Tour Guide guide is always happy to discuss the level of fitness required. Or if you are happy to sit on the bus and watch the world go by that is absolutely fine too!

Our buses range from 17 seaters to 24 seaters with an average group of about 18 and a maximum per bus of 24. We keep our groups small so you can see and do more and because we find that that groups of this size simply work better.

Flying Kiwi is perfect for people travelling by themselves. New Zealand is a relatively safe country and the communal nature of our tours means that you will have plenty of chance to chat while chopping veggies for dinner or washing the dishes. Safety is of the utmost importance to us and our awesome Guides are always around to hear your thoughts or concerns if the need should arise.

The ferry crossing between islands is included on national trips only. 

When you book online you’ll receive an email booking confirmation. You don't need a ticket to show your guides at the start of your trip as they will have your name on their manifest and will be expecting you, you just need to show up :)

You’ll need to bring a decent pair of comfortable footwear that you can walk in, trainers with good grip are ideal. Hiking boots are good but not essential. It is also good to bring a pair of flip-flops, sandals or thongs (depending on whether you speak NZ English, Oz English or just English) for the camp showers.

This is completely optional but we recommend bringing warmer clothes at all times as we can experience extreme weather even in the summer.

There are walks each day which are free and bike rides are also free as long as you have hired a bike. All other optional activities have an associated cost and your driver/guide will give you a summary the night before of what is coming up the next day - you just need to let them know what you would like to do and they will take care of everything!

Charging ports are regularly available at most campgrounds!

Most of our camps have network coverage and wifi available, though you should be prepared not to have network coverage on some of the South Island as there are some areas where signal is patchy. As this is an outdoor trip, please respect that some of our passengers have come to escape and unplug. We recommend keeping your phones on silent or giving yourself a break and turning them off for a few days - you never know what you might hear instead.

Our trips include most meals, transport, accommodation, some free activities and use of sports equipment. You will need to budget for any optional activities you'd like to do, any meals not included in your itinerary and also snacks/soft drinks. Obviously this can vary according to the individual but for most people this averages out to be around $NZ50 per day.

Yes. All prices shown on our website are in New Zealand dollars.