KE FAQ

We recommend you budget NZ$100 daily to cover the essentials (accommodation and food). Accommodation costs an average of 40-60NZD per night. Activity costs do vary significantly. To give you an idea, a Hobbiton Movie Set Tour is roughly $120pp whereas a skydive can be near $400pp.

You can only book accommodation for the date you are travelling by our bus to each location. For example, if you are travelling from Wanaka to Queenstown on 24 April, you can book 3 nights accommodation in Queenstown starting on 24 April. If you are planning to stay longer, you would need to contact the hostel directly to book extra nights. You can find a full list of our accommodation partners here.

Our buses are ideal for all adventurers, for the young and the young at heart. Most travellers are between 18 and 35, but do get all ages travelling with us. You need to be at least 18 to travel with us, but there is no upper limit! Hop-On Hop-Off buses can have up to 53 people, and Small Group Tours are a maximum of 22.

Absolutely! The majority of our passengers are travelling solo. Kiwi Experience is a social experience guaranteed to leave with new friends for life from across the globe. Many past & solo travellers have made lifelong mates, and we love hearing those stories.

Passengers are allowed one 23kg suitcase/backpack and one day bag, as our buses have strict weight restrictions.

Yes, however each passenger will have their own login to the Kiwi Experience Trip Planner, so you'll just need to book the same itinerary (buses, activities and accommodation). When booking your accommodation, the form will ask if you are travelling with friends. If so, just write your friends names and the hostel will do their best to put you in the same room.

Essentials
⦁ Passport & travel documents (including visa)
⦁ Travel insurance
⦁ Credit/debit card
⦁ A mobile device with access to the Kiwi Experience Trip Planner

Clothing
New Zealand weather can be unpredictable—even in summer—so layers are key.

⦁ T-shirts & long sleeves
⦁ Warm fleece or hoodie
⦁ Waterproof jacket (a must!)
⦁ Comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots
⦁ Flip-flops/jandals (for hostel showers or beach days)
⦁ Swimwear (for hot springs, beaches, or rafting)
⦁ Quick-dry towel
⦁ Sunglasses & sunhat
⦁ Warm hat & gloves (if traveling in winter or heading to the South Island)

Toiletries
⦁ Toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, etc.
⦁ Sunscreen (the NZ sun is strong!)
⦁ Insect repellent
⦁ Basic first aid kit (plasters, painkillers, motion sickness tablets)

Tech and travel gear
⦁ Phone & charger
⦁ NZ power adapter (Type I plug)
⦁ Power bank
⦁ Camera or GoPro (for epic scenery)
⦁ Reusable water bottle
⦁ Small daypack (for hikes and day trips)
⦁ Padlock (for hostel lockers)

Wi-Fi is available at each hostel we stay in. We also recommend purchasing a local SIM card or eSim so you can connect while you are travelling. You can also pick up a free 2Degrees SIM card from the Kiwi Experience office in Auckland.

On our Hop On - Hop Off coaches, you will be able to store your big luggage in the underneath compartment/trunk. Feel free to take a day bag on the overhead compartment with you.

As for Small Group Tours, our small buses usually carry a trailer behind to store your luggage.

Remember we have a one bag, 23kg restriction, specially during busy summer times!

Our buses are not equipped with restrooms, but our drivers ensure to make all required stops for your convenience.

New Zealand law requires you to present either a New Zealand Driver License, or your passport to get into bars and purchase alcohol. Overseas Drivers licenses will not be accepted.

Our buses are equipped with air conditioning. Feel free to communicate with the driver if temperature adjustments are needed.

Yes! You can make all your accommodation bookings for the minimum time via the Kiwi Experience Trip Planner App. Remember to book at least by 7 AM two days before arriving at each destination. You’ll find the link to the online trip planner in your ‘Welcome to the Whānau’ email. If you need any help, feel free to reach out to our Customer Services Team via email or phone call — they’re happy to assist!

If you do not book your accommodation by 7am 2 days before you are meant to arrive at a location, you will need to contact the hostel directly to arrange your bed.

You can only book accommodation for the date you are travelling by our bus to each location. For example, if you are travelling from Wanaka to Queenstown on 24 April, you can book 3 nights accommodation in Queenstown starting on 24 April. If you are planning to stay longer, you would need to contact the hostel directly to book extra nights. You can find a full list of our accommodation partners <a href="https://www.kiwiexperience.com/travel-information/accommodation">here</a>.

You can change your accommodation dates by going into the ‘My Bookings’ section and clicking on reschedule. You can reschedule your accommodation as many times as you like for free, but no changes can be made within 48 hours of arrival.

We give you the freedom and flexibility to choose any accommodation style you like. However, we select the best value for money-option in each stopover (and we do recommend staying with the group); if you’d like to stay somewhere else, that’s absolutely no problem at all. This is your experience. You can make all of your accommodation bookings via the online Kiwi Experience Trip Planner App by signing up with the same email you used for purchasing your bus pass. Remember to book at least by 7 AM two days in prior to arriving at each

We only offer shared accommodation. If you want to book a private room, you will need to book this directly with the accommodation provider. A full list of our accommodation partners can be found <a href="https://www.kiwiexperience.com/travel-information/accommodation">here</a>