Tours & experiences

Tours in New Zealand

Small-group tours, day trips, cooking classes and multi-day adventures. Every tour vetted for traveller reviews first.

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Arthur’s Pass with Optional TranzAlpine Train (Private Tour)

★ 5.0 (3)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

Arthur’s Pass with Optional TranzAlpine Train (Private Tour)

When Em from our team did this private tour, we left Christchurch early and headed straight into the Southern Alps toward Arthur's Pass village. The day trades busy coach routes for a quieter, one-on-one pace with a local guide—you get snacks, lunch, and plenty of stops for photos. There's flexibility built in: skip the road journey and catch the TranzAlpine Train instead if you fancy the rails, or spend time exploring either the village itself or hiking up to Devil's Punchbowl Waterfall. The return leg swings through Castle Hill's wild limestone boulders before heading back to the city. It's a solid full-day loop through genuinely dramatic scenery.

1 dayfrom AUD $715

★ 5.0 (3)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

Coast to Coast Private Eco Tour

When Lily from our BugBitten team ran this eight-hour Coast to Coast tour around Auckland, it felt like having a knowledgeable mate drive you from one side of the city to the other without the stress of navigation. You start at either the cruise port or your hotel, head west to Muriwai Beach to watch gannets dive from the cliffs, loop back through leafy Mission Bay, and finish at the Winter Gardens. The crew handles lunch at a historic tavern, snacks, entry fees, and all the talking points—basically, you just sit back in an air-conditioned vehicle and tick off Auckland's coastal highlights.

8 hoursfrom AUD $519

Luxury Private Auckland Wine & Beach Tour with Lunch

★ 5.0 (3)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

Luxury Private Auckland Wine & Beach Tour with Lunch

When Em from our BugBitten team booked this private Auckland wine tour, we knew we were after something with a bit more polish than the standard coach job. Six hours gets you through three vineyard tastings in the rolling west-coast countryside, a shared platter lunch paired with local wines, and finishes at Muriwai Beach — all without fighting for elbow room. The vibe is small-group (just your crew and a guide), the transport is temperature-controlled, and you're moving between genuinely award-winning cellar doors set among proper vineyards and orchards. It's the kind of day that feels less like ticking boxes and more like someone's planned it specifically for you.

6 hoursfrom AUD $838

Akaroa & Giants House Garden tour ex Lyttelton (Shore Excursion)

★ 5.0 (3)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

Akaroa & Giants House Garden tour ex Lyttelton (Shore Excursion)

When Tom from our BugBitten team picked up this shore excursion from Lyttelton, it ticked the cruise-schedule box without drama. You're bundled into a small group (max 8) and driven across Banks Peninsula to Akaroa, a pocket-sized coastal town built around a drowned volcanic crater. The day clips through local history, the surreal Giant's House with its mosaic-covered sculptures, café lunch in town, and morning/afternoon tea. It's six to seven hours door-to-door — tight enough that you'll make your ship's all-aboard without sweating.

6 hours – 7 hoursfrom AUD $487

Private Auckland North Eastern Coast Tour

★ 5.0 (3)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

Private Auckland North Eastern Coast Tour

When Alex from our team ran this private tour, we wound north from Auckland's inner harbour through a string of coastal spots most tourists skip. Starting at the Viaduct, we crossed the bridge to beachy Takapuna, then tracked up the coast through Orewa and Hatfields Beach, stopping at Waiwera Hill for proper views. The route swings inland to Matakana village (farmers market on Saturdays), back out to Mathesons Bay and Leigh Harbour, and tops out at Pakiri Hill for panoramic views north and south. It's a 4–5 hour loop that feels less like a tour checklist and more like a local showing you their favourite stretches. Suitable for mixed fitness levels, though the drive-heavy format means you're really seeing the area from the car as much as on foot.

4 hours – 5 hoursfrom AUD $594

Te Ara Walking Tour Explore Māori Culture along the Avon River

★ 5.0 (3)

🛕 Culture & History

New Zealand

Te Ara Walking Tour Explore Māori Culture along the Avon River

When Sarah from our team ran the Te Ara Walking Tour in Christchurch, we got a straightforward hour-long walk along the Ōtākaro Avon River that leans hard into Māori storytelling and cultural landmarks. The river precinct itself is a mixed zone — regenerating waterfront with pockets of real heritage mixed in with post-quake rebuilding. Your guide kicks off with a traditional welcome, then walks you through local stories tied to the land, pointing out carvings and sites that matter to the community. It's pitched at families and anyone keen on understanding Christchurch's deeper roots, and every booking pumps a bit back into river restoration work.

Waitangi Treaty Ground Day Trip Private Transport From Auckland

When Tom from our BugBitten team booked a private transfer up to Waitangi Treaty Grounds from Auckland, he got a straightforward proposition: a comfortable drive in a well-maintained car with a professional driver who sorted the route and timing around his entry slot. The operator is part of the New Zealand Service brand, fully licensed and airport-approved, built for couples, families and solo travellers who'd rather skip the public transport puzzle. The round trip takes about 11 hours door-to-door, which gives you a proper chunk of time to actually explore the grounds once you're there—no rushing back to make a coach departure.

11 hoursfrom AUD $724

Black Sand Beaches & Birds Auckland Sightseeing Tour

★ 5.0 (3)

🌿 Nature & Wildlife

New Zealand

Black Sand Beaches & Birds Auckland Sightseeing Tour

When Lily from our team ran this six-hour Auckland tour, we got a solid mix of volcanic views, dramatic coastline, and native bird spotting without the tourist-mill feel. You kick off at Mt Eden—an extinct volcano cone right near the city where the 360-degree vistas genuinely justify the short walk up—then head west to black sand beaches and towering coastal cliffs where Australasian gannets nest by the thousands. The tour threads together Māori heritage, volcanic geology, and raw ocean landscape in one compact loop, finishing at a local winery before the ride back across the iconic Harbour Bridge. It's the kind of tour that lets you breathe between stops, suits most fitness levels, and wraps before you're knackered.

Bike Ferry, Dunedin Harbour Trail

When Ben from our team booked the Bike Ferry in Dunedin, we got a masterclass in how to unlock a harbour loop properly. You pedal your own bike across Otago Harbour on a custom-built vessel skippered by Rachel, a local with nearly two decades of knowledge, then ride the flat, sealed Otago Harbour Cycle Loop on the far side. It's a 10-minute ferry crossing that turns a scenic ride into something genuinely special — the kind of thing locals have been doing for years but visitors rarely stumble onto. The boat takes up to 20 people or a mix of cyclists and bikes, and you'll hear proper harbour history and ecology as you cross.

3 Day 2 Night Waiheke Walking Holiday

When Sarah from our team tackled this three-day walking holiday on Waiheke Island, we found a genuinely laid-back way to explore what feels like a different country just 35 minutes from Auckland. The island's a patchwork of vineyard trails, hidden beaches, and art installations, and this tour lets you string together self-guided walks at your own pace, with a support crew handling transport, meals, and route intel. Accommodation's comfortable without being flash, and the daily structure — walk when you want, eat what they've organised — means you're moving but never rushed.

Routeburn Guided Day Hike from Te Anau with Lunch & Transport

When Sarah from our BugBitten team tackled the Routeburn Guided Day Hike, she found herself on one of New Zealand's most celebrated alpine tracks—and it lived up to the hype. The eight-hour outing covers Key Summit via the Routeburn Track, starting from Te Anau with a scenic drive along Milford Road. Capped at 12 hikers per group, you're guided through beech forest, alpine lakes, and tussock valleys by a licensed local. Morning tea and packed lunch are sorted, the track is well-formed but genuinely steep in stretches, and the views genuinely shift with the weather—rain included.

Premium Private Transfer From Auckland Airport To Hamilton

When Lily from our BugBitten team booked this private transfer from Auckland Airport to Hamilton, she got a straightforward ride with a licensed, insured driver who knows the route cold. The 90-minute drive cuts through the Waikato region—farmland and motorway mostly—and lands you in Hamilton, a smaller city south of Auckland. The service is built on the NZ Service Trademark standard, which means professional conduct and local knowledge rather than frills. Handy if you're keen to skip the bus queue and have someone waiting with your name on a sign.

Discover Wellington’s greatest Māori waterfront experience

When Ben from our team paddled out on Wellington's harbour in a traditional waka, it felt genuinely special — the kind of experience that doesn't exist elsewhere in an Australasian capital. You're learning proper paddle technique from knowledgeable guides while drifting on one of three carved canoes, soaking in Māori culture and the waterfront's working-day energy. The two-hour-plus outing leans into waka heritage, spirituality, and teamwork (groups often book together), and you'll walk away with a commemorative t-shirt. It's active and occasionally wet, but the whole vibe sits somewhere between cultural deep-dive and accessible adventure.

Kakariki Day Time Cruise to Maori Rock Carvings

When Mia from our BugBitten team jumped on the Kakariki for a daytime cruise across Lake Taupo, she found a lively, social vibe that leans more party boat than reverential heritage tour. The 2-hour journey heads out to Mine Bay to see the 14-metre Maori rock carvings up close — carved into the cliff face in the 1970s and genuinely striking from the water. You're encouraged to bring your own food and drinks (and music through the onboard speakers), swim in the lake if you're keen, and snap photos. Multiple daily slots suit groups after a casual time on the water.

LUMA Enchanted Whimsical Sensory night walk

When Noah from our team walked through LUMA at Queenstown Kiwi Park, it was a genuinely odd evening — in the best way. You're threading through a darkened forest lit by glowing sculptures and creature installations, with a soundscape that shifts as you move. It's half art installation, half theme park, set within a working kiwi sanctuary. The whole thing runs 30 minutes to an hour, and there's a local food angle that felt more authentic than the typical tourist-trap add-on. It's designed for everyone from toddlers to grandparents, and the walk supports conservation work happening on-site.

30 min – 1 hourfrom AUD $48

Scenic Helicopter Flight, Mountain Landing & Wine Tour Queenstown

★ 5.0 (3)

🍜 Food & Cooking

New Zealand

Scenic Helicopter Flight, Mountain Landing & Wine Tour Queenstown

When Tom from our team booked this with Altitude Tours, we got the full Queenstown wine experience — minus the drive time. You start with a helicopter flight over the Gibbston Valley, landing on a mountain peak for a sparkling wine toast with proper views, then spend the afternoon hitting four cellar doors in a Mercedes with a wine-certified guide. The region's got a real energy: serious winemakers, dramatic terrain, and a mix of tourists and locals who actually know their Pinot. The whole thing runs about seven hours, and it's the kind of tour that justifies its price tag if you're into wine and scenery in equal measure.

VIP Wine Experience from Queenstown Including Gourmet Lunch.

When Em from our team did this Central Otago wine tour, we got the proper VIP treatment — private tastings across four subregions, vineyard walks with actual winemakers and owners, and a gourmet lunch at a boutique cellar. You're travelling in a luxury vehicle with a guide who knows the region's gold-rush history and wine story inside out, hitting five award-winning estates plus a heritage wine merchant for a back-vintage Pinot tasting. It's a full-on day (6–8 hours depending on how long you linger), and it feels less like a cattle-run tourist tick and more like a mate showing you around their backyard — except the backyard grows some seriously good wine.

6 hours – 8 hoursfrom AUD $1176

Wai-O-Tapu and Te Puia Day Trip Transport from Auckland

★ 5.0 (2)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

Wai-O-Tapu and Te Puia Day Trip Transport from Auckland

When Charlie from our team booked this private transport from Auckland out to Wai-O-Tapu and Te Puia, we got a straightforward 12-hour day trip with a licensed driver handling all the road work. You're looking at geothermal parks in the Rotorua region — bubbling mud pools, hot springs, and Maori cultural sites that sit about three hours from Auckland. The operator's licensed with the transport authority and airport-approved, so the paperwork checks out. What you're really paying for is the flexibility of a private car and someone who knows the route, not a guided commentary at the destinations themselves.

12 hoursfrom AUD $806

★ 5.0 (2)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

Private Tours in Bay of Islands

When Ben from our BugBitten team ran this private tour through the Bay of Islands, we found it's a smart way to see Northland without the bus-tour crowds. You pick the pace and the stops — whether that's cultural sites, coastal views, or quieter corners locals know about. The 6-hour window gives genuine breathing room to linger, and the guides are switched-on storytellers who read the room well. Up to five of you fit comfortably in an air-conditioned vehicle, which matters in summer heat.

6 hoursfrom AUD $1187

★ 5.0 (2)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

The best of Auckland city walking tour

When Ben from our team ran this two-hour walking tour, it covered Auckland's headline sights without the rushed feeling. You hit the Sky Tower (Southern Hemisphere's tallest structure), the War Memorial Museum, Parnell Village, and Auckland's oldest park—a solid intro to how the city sprawls across 50-plus extinct volcanic cones. It's the kind of tour that works for first-timers wanting to lock in the main photo spots and pick up some local knowledge without committing a full day. The pace felt relaxed, and the guide had the kind of local grit that makes the standard facts stick.

Ponsonby Road Food Tour in Auckland

When Ben from our BugBitten team tackled the Ponsonby Road Food Tour, he found himself on a leisurely 3.5-hour walk through Auckland's trendiest neighbourhood, stopping at artisan food spots and boutique shops. Ponsonby's the kind of strip where every storefront tells a story — cafes packed with regulars, independent labels, the works. The tour caps at 10 guests, so you're not herded around like a school group. You'll taste your way from ice cream to Italian to Asian-inspired fare, chat with chefs who actually care about their craft, and peek into fashion boutiques and perfumeries along the way. It's a proper sensory trawl through a neighbourhood that punches well above its weight.

3h 30mfrom AUD $199

Private Auckland West Coast & Rainforest Day Tour.

★ 5.0 (2)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

Private Auckland West Coast & Rainforest Day Tour.

When Charlie from our team ran this private tour, we got the full West Coast experience in one long day. You're picked up from central Auckland or the port and driven through the Waitakere Ranges to the Arataki Visitor Centre — the entry point to what Māori know as Te Wao Nui o Tiriwa, a sprawling native forest. From there it's black sand beaches, towering cliffs, pohutukawa trees, and a stand in front of a 1000-year-old kauri. The route then swings inland to Kumeu's wine country, where you can taste and lunch at one of 65-plus local wineries. Eight hours, private Mercedes, guides who know the region's ecology and culture.

Wairarapa Tours South Wairarapa Cultural Tour Half Day

When Em from our BugBitten team ran this half-day tour through South Wairarapa, we got a proper sense of how the landscape here—rolling hills, river valleys, the lot—is woven through with Māori history and environmental connection. The tour sits somewhere between a cultural walk and a guided story session, moving through the region over roughly three hours while a local guide unpacks the ancestral and ecological threads that tie the place together. It's pitched at a relaxed pace, so families, older travellers, and anyone keen on understanding a place deeper than a quick snapshot will find their footing here.

Shared 6-Hour Fishing Charter on Lake Hāwea

When Lily from our BugBitten team hit Lake Hāwea for a six-hour fishing charter, we found ourselves in one of New Zealand's quieter alpine pockets—less crowded than the tourist-heavy lakes further north, but just as stunning. The shared charter uses an electric trolling motor, so there's no engine roar to break the silence or spook the trout and salmon. Six hours gives you real time to work different spots, switch techniques, and actually absorb the drama of the mountains reflected in crystal water. This isn't a tick-box catch-and-release; the skipper knows the lake, you get quality gear, and if you land something, they'll clean and vacuum-pack it for you to take home.

6 hoursfrom AUD $657

★ 5.0 (2)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

Ultimate Overnight Kiwi Experience

When Ben from our team stayed at this overnight kiwi experience, he found himself alone in a wooden lodge tucked inside a nature reserve—proper isolation without the roughing it. The self-contained setup sleeps up to five across a bedroom, two singles, and a pull-out double, with full kitchen basics, laundry, and a private bathroom. You get after-hours run of the reserve, which means dawn walks without crowds and a genuine chance to clock native wildlife on their own terms. It's a solid basecamp for anyone wanting to experience New Zealand's bush without committing to a full camping trip.

1 dayfrom AUD $509

Cruise Ship Tour Dunedin City Highlights & Otago Peninsula Views

★ 5.0 (2)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

Cruise Ship Tour Dunedin City Highlights & Otago Peninsula Views

When Alex from our BugBitten team took this Dunedin cruise ship tour, we got a solid five-and-a-half-hour spin through New Zealand's southern city and the Otago Peninsula. The guide steered us through Dunedin's Victorian heritage and historic corners, then out toward the peninsula's wilder coastline — a nice mix of urban grit and coastal scenery. It's designed for cruise passengers with limited time, so pacing is brisk but not frantic. You'll see the city's character and get a feel for the region's landscape without needing to plan your own transport.

3 Day Private Photography Tour West Coast NZ Departs Queenstown

When Tom from our BugBitten team did this three-day photography tour, we were dropped into the West Coast—a genuinely wild stretch of New Zealand's South Island where the Southern Alps meet the Southern Ocean. The base is Fox, a tiny settlement that's your launchpad into rainforest, braided rivers, and glacial valleys. The appeal is obvious if you shoot: you get a professional photographer as guide, flexible routing around light and weather, and two nights to really work the landscape rather than blitz through it. It's tailored, not a cattle-truck tour.

Magical Wanderer Experience Private Tour to Te Puia & Wai-O-Tapu

When Ben from our team ran this 13-hour private tour, we left Auckland early and spent the day exploring Rotorua's geothermal spine with a local guide and a handful of other travellers in a comfortable minibus. Te Puia delivered the headline acts — Pōhutu Geyser shooting steam, bubbling mud pools, and a live kiwi bird sighting — plus a hangi lunch cooked geothermally and a Māori cultural performance. Then Wai-O-Tapu took over: a self-guided 90-minute wander through lunar-looking landscapes of orange pools, steaming vents, and volcanic craters. The whole thing felt less theme-park-y and more genuinely curious about the place and its significance to Māori.

13 hoursfrom AUD $975

Ridgeway Disk Golf Robot Shooting Axe Throw

★ 5.0 (2)

🏔 Adventure & Sports

New Zealand

Ridgeway Disk Golf Robot Shooting Axe Throw

When Noah from our BugBitten team hit up Ridgeway Play in rural New Zealand, he found a genuinely fun mixed-activity setup that swaps the usual sightseeing for axes, discs, and robot targets across four hours. It's the kind of place that works equally well for solo travellers keen to try something different, mate groups after a competitive edge, or families after a half-day escape from the beaten track. The setting is open countryside, low-pressure, and built for having a crack at activities you'd rarely get to do back home—without needing prior experience or athletic prowess.

4 hoursfrom AUD $1272

★ 5.0 (2)

🌿 Nature & Wildlife

New Zealand

Mt Cook Stargazing Experience

When Alex from our BugBitten team booked this Mt Cook stargazing session, we knew we were after something different — and this delivered. The 75-minute experience pairs serious telescope access with knowledgeable guides who walk you through planets, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies while the snow-capped Southern Alps frame the night sky. You're working in the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve, a UNESCO-recognised zone, which means the light pollution is minimal and the view genuinely stellar. The guides snap photos of you under the Milky Way as a keepsake, weather permitting. It's the kind of tour that feels less touristy and more like you've been let in on something worth staying up for.

Bullswool Heritage Farm Family Pass

When Sarah from our BugBitten team took the family out to Bullswool Heritage Farm, we found a proper hands-on introduction to working farm life without the tourist-tat feeling. You're out in the paddocks getting to know the animals up close — goats, sheep, and whatever else they've got on the day — and the whole thing unfolds at a pace that lets kids actually engage rather than just tick boxes. It's a solid 2–3 hours, the kind of visit where you leave a bit muddy and actually remembering what you did.

2 hours – 3 hoursfrom AUD $15

RiverBug – the New Whitewater Adventure near Rotorua

★ 5.0 (2)

🐠 Water Activities

New Zealand

RiverBug – the New Whitewater Adventure near Rotorua

When Sarah from our team tried RiverBug near Rotorua, she found herself paddling solo through whitewater in a craft that felt part kayak, part go-kart — and genuinely fun. The Kiwi-invented riverbug sits low on the water, nimble enough that even first-timers feel in control. Small groups (a rarity in adventure tourism) mean you're rarely sharing the river, and guides know what they're doing. The whole thing runs about four hours and hits rapids suited to various fitness levels without the sensory overload of a packed raft.

4 hoursfrom AUD $169

PRIVATE Wellington Half Day Tour including Cable Car

★ 5.0 (2)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

PRIVATE Wellington Half Day Tour including Cable Car

When Ben from our team booked this private Wellington half-day, we got the whole BMW and driver to ourselves—no squeezed minivan vibes. In 3.5 hours, we tackled the city's highlights: Mount Victoria's panoramic lookout, quirky Weta Cave in the suburbs, the iconic Cable Car climb with views from Wellington's other shoulder, the rose gardens, and Parliament grounds. It's a Wellington greatest-hits tour built for people who'd rather not navigate on foot or wait for group departures, and the local driver knows the shortcuts and context.

Kaikōura Whale Watching - Whales and Cray Tails

When Ben from our team booked this helicopter tour out of Kaikōura, we got something genuinely rare: a 2.5-hour flight combining whale spotting, a fresh crayfish lunch, and geology lessons all in one. The setup is slick — you're flying with an onboard marine biologist over the Hikurangi Marine Reserve where sperm whales hang out close to shore, then landing to grab lunch from a legendary local café and eating it at a mountain spot with views across to the ranges. The finale is a geological tour of the 2016 earthquake's aftermath — fault lines, shifted rivers, the lot. It's the only helicopter whale-watching combo like it in the country, and it reads like someone actually thought through what makes Kaikōura special rather than just bolting together generic activities.

Waiheke Island Private Guided Te Ara Hura Walk

When Charlie from our team took on Te Ara Hura, a 100km coastal circuit around Waiheke Island, we discovered a seriously impressive way to see this place. The five-day guided walk breaks the route into manageable daily segments (15–25km) that loop you through everything from the island's busy western villages through native bush, beaches, birdlife, and out to the quiet eastern edges. It's private-group only (4–8 people), so you're walking with mates, not a mob. Transport to and from each day's start and end point means you're not backpacking your kit, and a local guide walks the whole thing with you. Accommodation, all meals, and the ferry across are bundled in.

Franz Josef Small Group Bespoke Heli Hike Adventure with lunch

When Sarah from our BugBitten team booked this Franz Josef heli-hike, she got the full glacier deal: a 10-minute helicopter flight over rainforest and the glacier valley, then 6 hours on the ice itself with a small group of four. It's billed as bespoke, meaning the guide tailors the difficulty to your mob, and lunch happens right there on the glacier. The whole thing takes 7–8 hours. Franz Josef is a wild, misty corner of the South Island, and this tour lets you skip the crowds and land somewhere most visitors never reach.

7 hours – 8 hoursfrom AUD $1337

Private Mini Van Transfer From Auckland City To Auckland Airport

★ 5.0 (2)

✈️ Transfers

New Zealand

Private Mini Van Transfer From Auckland City To Auckland Airport

When Jake from our team caught a private minivan from central Auckland to the airport, it was refreshingly straightforward. You're getting a licensed, airport-approved driver in an air-conditioned vehicle for a 30–45 minute run across the city. The outfit's got the NZ Service Trademark tick, which means they're bound to a national standard around professionalism and genuine hospitality — no corporate theatre, just reliable transport when you need it. Good if you've got luggage, a group, or just prefer not to wrestle with public buses before a flight.

30 min – 45 minfrom AUD $168

Waitomo GlowWorm cave & Sanctuary Mountain Ancient Walk Tour

★ 5.0 (2)

🌿 Nature & Wildlife

New Zealand

Waitomo GlowWorm cave & Sanctuary Mountain Ancient Walk Tour

When Noah from our BugBitten team ran this tour, we tackled two bucket-list North Island stops in one day: Waitomo's glowworm caves and Sanctuary Mountain's native forest walk. You're driven through rolling farmland and rural valleys in a private, air-conditioned vehicle, with a full day to explore both spots. The caves are genuinely spectacular—bioluminescent worms dotting a dark ceiling like a starfield—and the ancient bush walk offers a quieter counterpoint. Eight hours means decent time at each location, though you'll want to fuel up before departure.

1-Hour Private Heli-Picnic Mountain top tour in Kaikoura

When Noah from our team booked this heli-picnic with Kaikoura Helicopters, we weren't sure what to expect from a one-hour experience squeezed into a helicopter seat. Turns out, it's genuinely special. You fly up into the Seaward Ranges, land at a spot the pilot picks based on the day's conditions, and eat local cheese and drinks at altitude with 360-degree views of the Kaikoura coast. The pilot talks you through the landscape — geology, marine life, township history — the whole way. It's the kind of thing that feels flash but lands differently when you're actually up there. Best on a clear day; weather calls the shots.

1 hourfrom AUD $366

12-Hour LOTR Trollshaws & Waitomo Glowworm Tour

★ 5.0 (2)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

New Zealand

12-Hour LOTR Trollshaws & Waitomo Glowworm Tour

When Tom from our team did this 12-hour tour with Hairy Feet Waitomo, we got a proper look at where they filmed Trollshaws Forest for The Hobbit. You're driven through rural farmland to Denize Bluffs, then walk around the actual film locations—nothing too strenuous, mostly gentle tracks. The guides know their stuff and genuinely want you to understand what makes New Zealand tick, not just tick off a bucket list. Fair warning: it's a long day with stretches of driving between sites, so pack patience alongside your camera.

12 hoursfrom AUD $547

Some tours listed with Viator, a Tripadvisor company. Prices and availability confirmed at checkout.