Camping and Cabin Accommodation

Its all about the outdoors and the best way to experience this is by staying next to these stunning environments in tents or cabins. We camp at carefully chosen locations to share with you some of New Zealand’s best places and a variety of experiences. The types of places we stay are beside beaches, lakes or rivers, there are no hostels or hotels in most of these places. New Zealand is an excellent place for camping and it’s a popular pastime with many Kiwis. The good news is there are no bears, snakes, large spiders or other animals that make take a fancy to you.

Camp in fantastic locations
The popularity of camping has helped to ensure there are a huge number of well managed camp sites available from the remote DOC (department of conservation) camps to commercial camping grounds (sometimes referred to as motor camps), DOC camping grounds are ideal for those looking to get “beyond the tourist trail” and they operate over 120 campgrounds, often located in stunning spots near lakes, mountains and coasts. You will find facilities pretty basic but the prices are very affordable and most sites have running cold water, toilets and fireplaces. Payment is on a first come, first served basis and you may also find cabin and huts available in many camps for a little extra. Commercial camps and holiday parks can be found throughout the country. Facilities are generally of a high standard with communal kitchens, dining areas and many with games and TV rooms. What makes camp sites in New Zealand so appealing is the excellent locations so look carefully, you can often end up with a view far beyond anything you could expect from a hostel room! Optional Upgrades The prices quoted are based on camping; this covers the “rental” of your space at the camp site and a shared tent.

Cabin upgrade available
If the weather turns grim or you need a break from the tent there are usually cabin or dorm type options in most camp sites. The cost to upgrade varies from approximately NZ$12 to $20 per night. We can pre book cabin accommodation for you at the time of booking if you want to secure a bed. There are a few nights depending on which trip you choose that have no cabin options.

These are generally Department of Conservation camp sites but still have fresh water and toilet facilities. In the event of bad weather we generally avoid these sites.

Tents
Our hire tents are 3 person dome tents that are easy to erect. A shared tent is included in your price and we will work hard to match you with a suitable tent companion. If you fancy your own tent then for a small fee you can upgrade. We also include a comfortable foam mattress. To save money you can bring your own tent.

Tasty and healthy meals on your tour

On our active tours we know the importance and value of a good meal. We cater for all diets and meals are a great social occassion, sharing stories from your days adventures and planning the next days.

It's a welcome change from many backpackers diets of super noodles and tuna and ensures your fuelled and ready to make the most of your time in New Zealand.

Eating with Flying Kwi is one of the biggest differences between us and a backpacker bus and here's why:

We do all the shopping. Nothing to worry about for you just tell us your preferences and the guides will look after the rest.

All meals are provided. Check your itinerary for details as there are a couple of places we just cant set up the kitchen but generally everyday you will be enjoying 3 delicous meals and if not we will dine together with the locals - always a unique experience!

Tasty and healthy meals. Our guides arent Gordon Ramsay (they dont throw tantrums for a start) but they have got a plethora of fantastic  meals, menus and surprises up their sleeves for you. Whether its our famous spag bol, fresh fish, a bbq or homemade panckakes you will never go hungry with Flying Kiwi.

Escape the world of super noodles and missing milk! We all know what its like when your travelling and on a budget. Budget meals, a queue for the wok and a fridge that seems to eat your food are never great when your travelling. With Flying Kiwi we dont have these worries - the food is always there, its ready to eat and most nights you dont even have to cook!

Rota style cooking. Evening meals are prepared on a relaxed and informal rota system. Your great guides will lead things but every  4 or so nights you will be with a team of other budding chef preparing some great feasts for your fellow travellers - generally chops, another looks after veges, another cooks and someone needs to check the wine!!!

 Dinner with a view. You will enjoy meals in some of the most spectaculr setitngs you have every imagined. We set up kitchen by lakes, mountains and seas and you will sit, relax and  enjoy tasty meals with a view other pays $100s for!!!

Easy, Relaxed and Flexible Adventure Tours

The buses do a continuous loop of New Zealand, which means that you can join and finish at any point on the route.  The tours on this site have the most common departure city as the starting point.

You can choose to see the whole country with us (27/28 days) or choose a shorter trip.  There will be people leaving and joining the trip when we go through the main cities so you get a great flow of new and old "Flying Kiwi-ers" on the trip. The good news is that it is not a hop on, hop off bus so there will always be some people that you know – not a total new group to get to know every day.

If you have a longer period of time in New Zealand you can leave the trip (in any multiple of nine days), spend the time exploring a region more thoroughly then rejoin the next bus through.  There is no limit on the number of stopovers you can do so you could spread your travels over a year or two if you want!

Ages - its all about the people

Unlike other tour companies we don’t have any age restrictions so you will often find people from 16 years to 76 years enjoying the Flying Kiwi way.  From experience we have found that it does not suit children less than 10 years of age and our average age is around 28.

Healthy and tasty food

Most meals are included (check the itinerary).  The guides do the shopping and we organise you into cook groups to help with meal preparation, cleaning up etc.  On average you would help with the cooking every four days.  The cook groups are a great way to relax and make new friends whilst chopping the onions. See the food page for more details.

We cater for most diets eg vegetarian, vegan, non dairy etc.  Let us know at the time of booking if you have special dietary requirements. Our trailers contain the kitchen and all the equipment we need to prepare tasty and healthy meals.

Participation   To keep the cost of the tours down we need you to help, so you will be putting up your own tent – 5 minutes at the most for our hire tents.  The guides will show you how if you need some guidance. For more information please check out our accommodation page as there are also cabin options available.

Cycling Cycling is totally optional.  See the cycling page for more detail.

Optional Activities

New Zealand is famous for being the world’s adventure capital.  We give you the opportunity to try a lot of the activities but unlike other buses we do not pay the guides any commission to sell you these activities.  So there will be no pressure to bungy jump or skydive from the guides.  There are always cost free alternatives such as walks etc, so you will not be sitting on the bus waiting for 20 people to bungy jump. 

Gear for your New Zealand Tour

You won't need 10 pairs of t-shirts/shorts, or 5 pairs of shoes... just bring enough that you will be warm, comfortable and is practical. If you bring more you'll find that it stays in the bottom of your bag and was a waste of space anyway.

The following list is a basic guide to what you should pack, and if you find that you need something, you can always get it here in NZ! As a bare minimum, this is what you should bring:

• A good quality backpack/rucksack and day pack
• A decent pair of boots for walking
• A sunhat and sunglasses
• Woolly hat
• One weeks worth of underwear
• Thermal underwear either polypropylene or merino/silk (including vest/top and long-johns)
• 2 pairs of socks (ideally one pair of thick warm boot socks)
• One swimming costume/bikini
• One long sleeved shirt & long trousers (to protect you from mozzies at night - cargo pants are great as they are long, light and don't take up too much room)
• 2 t-shirts
• 2 pairs of shorts
• 1 polar fleece or warm jacket
• 1 waterproof jacket/raincoat with hood or rain poncho. Waterproof trousers
• Personal toiletries (including sun-cream and insect repellent)
• A towel and/or sarong
• A torch/flashlight
• Sandals/flip-flops or jandals.
• Remember, you're going to be the one carrying it, so pack light!

One last thing, if you are bringing electrical appliances like an electric razor, hairdryer or a re-charger for videos, personal CD players or mobile phones, then you will need to get an adapter. These can be bought at the airport or specialist travel equipment shops

Extending Trips 

Having so much fun that you decide to extend your trip?  Subject to availability you can add on another trip and we will give you a 10% discount off the tour fee of the extra trip.  The longer the tour the lower the average daily cost.

Pick up points for your Flying Kiwi trip
Below you can find details for the pick up points on the Flying Kiwi route. These are the major pick up points for the trips and also places where you can hop off for a short break, then jump on the next bus that comes past.

Main pick up points:
Auckland at 10.00am on both point 1 and 4 from 172 Quay Street (opposite ferry building).
Wellington 1pm, platform 9 Wellington railway Station.
Nelson 7.15am outside Visitor Information centre, cnr Halifax and Trafalgar Sts.
Picton 10.00am, outside railway station.
Christchurch 3.00pm, out side the Canterbury Museum, Rolleston Avenue.
Christchurch 7:15am (for Wild West and Reverse Traverse trips), on Atomic Shuttles, 88 Worcester St (opposite Holy Grail bar).
Queenstown 3.00pm from Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park, Brecon Street.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please find below answers to some of the most common questions about planning a fantastic Flying Kiwi trip. 

1. How do I find out the departure times for my trip?
You can find up-to-date departures times and the main pick locations from this link . 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 - we are very flexible and alternatives can easily be arranged.

2. Do I need to book my own accommodation?
No as this is a camping trip, we will pre-book all of the tent sites around the trip, all you need to do is put your tent up when you arrive. For some trips there are a maximum of 3 nights accommodation at your own expense but we will help you reserve that in advance. Unless you tell us otherwise for these nights we will book you into a dorm room. Singles and doubles are available on request and subject to availability. You are free to book your own accommodation if you wish. For more information on accommodation click here .

3. Can I hop-on and off the bus?
Flying Kiwi is not your traditional hop-on/hop off bus service. However, it is possible to take 9-day breaks within the trips to allow you to explore some more of New Zealand that isn't covered in the Flying Kiwi itinerary, catch up with friends or just relax in one place. 

4.What is the weather going to be like?
New Zealand experiences extremely changeable weather. Some days temperatures can be touching 30 degrees and later the same day freezing if a cool southerly wind comes if off the sub-Antartic. Our trips are flexible and work well whatever the weather.

5. Do I need a backpack or is a suitcase ok?
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.

6. Is it a party bus or outdoor adventure tour?
Flying Kiwi's main priority is the great New Zealand outdoors in all its forms whether you are a keen cyclist, walker, water fan or adrenaline junkie there is something for everyone. In the evenings you are free to do as you choose but due to the remoteness of some of our locations, we will have a bonfire on the beach, a barbeque or just sit and watch the stars. We do have a couple of optional big nights out on the circuit if you want to let your hair down.

7. What is the average age of travellers on Flying Kiwi?
Our trips arent really about age but more the type of person. The average age of a Flying Kiwi passengers is about 27 but the oldest last year was creeping into his 70s! The majority of people are between the age of 20 and 40 but age is just a number and if you want to come and enjoy the New Zealand outdoors then you are always welcome on-board. No matter what your age we find we attract people who want to meet other travellers, and get out and enjoy the great outdoors.

8. How fit do I have to be?
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 driver or guide is always available 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 also ok.

9. What's the average group size?
Our buses range from 20 seaters to 41 seaters with an average group of about 26. We keep them smaller so you can see and do more and because we find that that groups of this size simply work better.

10. Is it ok to travel alone on Flying Kiwi?
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 with your new friends on the bus, on hikes, during activities, around a campfire or whilst preparing a tasty meal together.

11. Is the Interisland ferry included and how much does it cost?
The Interisland ferry is included on trips that cover both islands, the Ultimate Explorer, Grand and Reverse Traverse. If your trip just covers one island then it is not included but Flying Kiwi can book this for you, you just need to contact the office.

12. If we book online how do we receive our tickets?
When you book online you'll receive email confirmation from the Flying Kiwi office. You shoudl then just print off this confirmation and take it along to the driver at the start of your trip.

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

14. It's Summer. Do I really need thermals and a fleece?
Yes! We can experience extreme weather even in the summer.

15. What does the driver/guide do ?
Your driver/guide (there are two of them) are there to provide you with a wealth of knowledge about New Zealand - history, culture, and trivia as well as recommending and booking activities, doing the shopping and helping with the cooking, and getting you from A to B each day. They are walking guidebooks always there to help and entertain! Please be gentle with them - good guides are hard to find.

16. I'm a vegetarian or have other dietary requirements - is that a problem?
No problem at all, we are used to catering for all kinds of dietary requirements and as we cook for ourselves we can easily accommodate your needs. Just let us know when you book. For more information on meals and food click here .

17. Are activities included in the price?
There are walks each day which are free. Bike rides are also free as long as you have hired a bike. We have sports gear on board such as rugby balls, cricket sets, bodyboards and a few other bits you can use for free. All other optional activities have an associated cost. These can be found on the activities section of the website or in our activity guide on board the bus. Apart from the Routeburn walk and Dolphin Swi in Kaikoura, these do not need to be booked in advance. Your driver/guide will give you the low-down the night before of what is coming up the next day and you just need to let them know what you would like to do, they take care of everything after that. For more information on activities click here .

18. Where can I charge my camera, phone, batteries, i-pod or MP3 player?
These are regularly available at the commercial campgrounds and some of the buses are also able to charge some of the appliances.

19. Is there mobile phone coverage?
Most of our north island camps have network coverage available. For approximately ½ of the camps in the south island there is no network coverage. As this is an outdoor trip, please respect that some of our passengers have come to escape the rat-race and keep your phones on silent or give yourself a break and turn-off your phone for a few days you never know what you might hear instead.

20. What is a bush camp?
A bush camp is a campsite usually in a remote or wilderness location and are generally breathtaking! They have limited facilities, usually just a long-drop toilet with a great view!! They are also usually located by the lake or sea which makes a great place for a long cooling dip.