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Kiwi Experience: Review, itinerary, & what to expect

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If you’re planning a trip through beautiful New Zealand but don’t want to drive, the Kiwi Experience is a popular hop-on, hop-off bus tour that offers adventure, scenery, and social vibes. Whether you’re traveling solo, with friends, or looking to meet other like-minded adventurers, this flexible bus service covers both iconic destinations and hidden gems. I traveled the South Island of New Zealand with the Kiwi Experience and had the best time. In this blog, I share a detailed review of the Kiwi Experience, breaking down the itinerary and sharing insider tips for the best possible experience.

Kiwi Experience FAQs

What is the Kiwi Experience?

The Kiwi Experience is a hop-on hop-off bus experience in New Zealand. The company also offers small group guided tours, but the hop-on hop-off buses are what they’re known for. This is the option I chose, so this guide to the Kiwi Experience is all about the hop-on hop-off buses.

The Kiwi Experience buses offer passengers a chance to travel around New Zealand on their own time and schedule with driver guides, opt-in activities and accommodation, and a social atmosphere. As most travelers rent cars or camper vans to get around New Zealand, this can prove challenging to solo travelers or others who don’t want to drive. New Zealand has Intercity buses, but they simply get you from point A to point B. The Kiwi Experience buses offer exactly what the name promises – an experience. Not only does it get you from point A to point B, but it provides an adventure on the way. You’ll meet countless other like-minded travelers while making scenic stops on the journey, providing a much more comprehensive and satisfying experience than what you could have on an Intercity bus.

How does the Kiwi Experience work?

The Kiwi Experience offers twenty bus passes to choose from across the North, South, or both islands. Each with different minimum days, destinations, and start and end point options, there are plenty of options no matter what you want out of your vacation. Once you choose and purchase your bus pass, you’ll get access to the Bus Planner where you can book your buses. You’ll also get access to the Trip Planner, where you can book your activities and accommodation. If you’re traveling during the high season, it’s recommended that you plan in advance as buses might sell out. If you’re traveling in the low season, you can pre-book or book on the road.

What is the demographic of the Kiwi Experience?

Travelers of all ages, nationalities, and life experiences use the Kiwi Experience bus. However, the overwhelming demographic are solo travelers in their early to mid twenties. I met travelers from 18 up to 40s, but majority were in their twenties. There were some couples and friend groups, but most were solo travelers. I did the Kiwi Experience bus as a 24 year old solo traveler and felt very comfortable and easily made friends with other travelers just like me. My bus had travelers from all over the world, but the majority were from Europe.

Is the Kiwi Experience a party bus?

The Kiwi Experience bus has a reputation to be a party bus, but is this true? It depends on the bus you happen to get and the crowd onboard. When I traveled during the off-season, the bus was pretty chill. Everyone was very social and usually up for a drink (or a couple), but you could easily opt out or just socialize without drinking. In the high season, it might be less chill, but I would imagine with a large bus size you could find people who are on your same wavelength, no matter if you want to party or not.

How much does the Kiwi Experience cost?

How much it costs depends on the bus pass you choose. The Kiwi Experience costs more than Intercity buses, but you’re paying for the experience. I would say it’s definitely worth paying more for a Kiwi Experience bus pass if you want more out of your journey than just traveling from point A to point B. As of 2024, the cheapest bus pass is $159 NZD for the 2+ day Bay of Islands pass and the most expensive is $1989 NZD for the 23+ day Whole Kit and Caboodle, which goes to every single stop. Check the most current prices for all the bus passes on the Kiwi Experience website.

Pro tip: Never buy your pass full price! Start checking the Kiwi Experience website a few months before your trip, as you will almost always catch a sale.

Should I do the Kiwi Experience?

You should do the Kiwi Experience if:

  • You don’t want to rent or drive a car or camper van
  • Intercity buses don’t offer the experience you want
  • You want to meet other like-minded travelers
  • You don’t mind having less control over your itinerary
  • You’re a solo traveler
  • You want the help and guidance of a local driver
  • You don’t want to have to find your own accommodation or activities

You shouldn’t do the Kiwi Experience if:

  • You want total control over your itinerary
  • The demographic doesn’t sound like your crowd
  • You don’t want to be super social
  • You don’t want your fellow passengers to change frequently (a small group tour would be better in this case)
  • You don’t like long travel days

Kiwi Experience Review

Before we get into my Kiwi Experience review, I should tell you exactly what I’m reviewing. I did the South & Sound bus pass in September to October of 2024, which is a loop around the South Island over the course of a minimum of 11 days. I took 15 days to do mine, extending my time in Franz Josef and Queenstown. I can’t speak on personal experience doing the Kiwi Experience on the North Island, but I met many people who came from there and enjoyed it.

I traveled during the off-season, which had its pros and cons. The buses weren’t crowded and I was able to get to know everyone on my bus, which I enjoyed. I was also able to be spontaneous without worrying that buses, accommodation, or activities would fill up far in advance. I didn’t enjoy that intervals between buses were sometimes longer or shorter than I wanted because they didn’t have buses running every day in the off-season. Because of this, I wasn’t able to spend exactly as much time as I wanted in each place.

Now, let’s get into the review!

The bus

The Kiwi Experience bus is a comfortable large coach with a two by two seating arrangement. I traveled during the off-season, so we all got our own row of two seats which was especially comfortable. In the busy months when the bus is full, it could feel cramped at times with everyone and their belongings. You store your big bags underneath the bus, but you’ll want a day pack in the bus with you with everything you want to be able to access during the day. There are no USBs, so bring a portable charger!

The drivers

During my two weeks on the Kiwi Experience bus, I had three drivers. Your driver will change any time you stay longer than the minimum time in one place or if it’s a scheduled change, like at the North Island – South Island ferry in Picton. All three of my drivers were different, from one being extremely friendly and willing to help to one being more hands-off. I definitely had a favorite driver, but all three were good. They all provided lots of information about New Zealand as we drove around and helped us sign up for activities in each place, providing useful insider information. They are truly experts as they’ve done the loop tons of times, so listen to their advice and they’ll always be willing to answer any questions you have.

Pro tip: Ask the driver which side of the bus is the best to sit on before you depart for the day. Sometimes there are great views on both sides, but sometimes there is a clear better side for soaking in the beauty of that day’s drive!

The passengers

Something that is both good and bad about the Kiwi Experience bus is that people are always hopping on and hopping off, meaning that the fellow passengers on your bus will often change. This is a good thing if you haven’t found a group that you click with yet, but it’s a bad thing if you’ve found some amazing friends! I met a great group of people about halfway through my trip, so I got to spend half of the trip with them but then I left and they continued on without me. We were constantly meeting new people and saying goodbye, as well. I loved meeting everyone, especially the people I was able to get closer to, but it was a shame our time only overlapped for some of my trip. This is unfortunately uncontrollable in a hop-on, hop-off situation where everyone is on their own route and schedule.

The passengers on the Kiwi Experience bus tend to be young backpackers. The youngest traveler I met was 18, and the oldest was in his 40s. However, almost everyone was in their early to mid twenties. Most people I met were solo travelers, but I also met a couple and some friends doing the bus together. So I’d say that generally, the demographic is twenty-something year old solo backpackers. Although you’ll meet people all over the spectrum!

Everyone I met was very social and open to meeting new people. This would be a difficult bus to be on if you want to keep to yourself and not socialize. Every night, the bus got together to eat dinner, play cards, have a drink, or just hang out. You can of course opt out, and I did one night because I was too exhausted, but going into the Kiwi Experience bus with an open, social mindset will make your experience much better. One of my favorite parts was meeting some hilarious, friendly, kind people from all over the world.

Obsessed with my group <3

The accommodation

I opted to stay in all of the Kiwi Experience accommodations, and I’m glad I did. When you book the bus, they’ll reserve a bed for you in their chosen accommodation and you just have to sign up 2 days in advance. Almost everyone stays in the Kiwi Experience accommodation, so you’ll have to separate from everyone if you don’t. The bus also picks up and drops off right outside of their accommodation, making it much more convenient.

All of the chosen accommodations were good enough, and some were great. They are all backpacker dorms, so expect to share rooms with anywhere from three to seven other people from the bus. Here is a rating of each place I stayed with Kiwi Experience on the South Island:

  • Queenstown: Nomads Queenstown
    • 4/5: Great location, comfortable rooms, and lots of dorm sizes to choose from if you book separately. Just be aware that some rooms are on a very loud street and you won’t sleep well, so if that’s a concern, request a room on the quiet side of the property.
  • Lake Tekapo: Lakes Edge Holiday Park
    • 3.5/5: Rooms were tiny with hardly any room for our bags, but they were very comfortable. The common area has a great view of the lake. A little far from town and the grocery store but still walking distance.
  • Christchurch: Hotel Give
    • 5/5: The best hostel on the loop! This hostel truly feels like a nice hotel. Many people opt to stay in the nearby Haka House because it’s cheaper, but you really get what you pay for here and I highly recommend it.
  • Kaikoura: Dusky Lodge
    • 3/5: This one was just alright, as it felt a little outdated and the common areas didn’t feel super clean. The room itself was fine and comfortable but nothing fancy. There aren’t many options in Kaikoura, so this one is fine for just a night or two.
  • Abel Tasman: Kaiteri Lodge
    • 2/5: My least favorite accommodation on the loop. The hostel itself is very bare bones, but my least favorite part is that they packed eight of us into a small room when they had plenty of spare room to spread us out. There are hardly any other options nearby, so it’s okay for a short time.
  • Westport: Bazil’s Hostel & Surf School
    • 4/5: This hostel has so much character and is truly unique. I recommend booking separately if you don’t like large dorm rooms, as they put everyone who booked through Kiwi Experience in one giant room that I was extremely glad to not be in.
  • Franz Josef: Rainforest Retreat
    • 4.5/5: This is another one of my favorites I stayed in with the Kiwi Experience. The property is very nice, with a sauna and spa, nice kitchen, and laundry that takes credit card. The rooms were only four people and very comfortable. Nice on-site restaurant and bar, too.

If you’re on a budget, it’s worth checking out these accommodations on other sites like agoda.com to compare prices (linked above if you click on the accommodation name). I booked about half directly with Kiwi Experience and half on my own through Agoda because the prices were better. If you book separately, you won’t be in the same room with the people who book directly. However, on my bus, plenty of people booked separately so all of us who booked separately ended up in the same room anyway.

The stops

On the South & Sound bus pass, I had seven overnight stops in Queenstown, Lake Tekapo, Christchurch, Kaikoura, Abel Tasman, Westport, and Franz Josef. We also made plenty of daytime stops for walks, scenic points, lakes, and more as we made our way from one place to another. The noteworthy daytime stops include Lake Wanaka, Punakaiki Pancake Rocks, Nelson Lakes National Park, Lake Matheson, and Thunder Creek Falls, just to name a few that stood out. Overall, it was a great itinerary for my first time traveling around the South Island.

Kiwi Experience brings you to many major sites on the South Island between the overnight and daytime stops. However, it doesn’t bring you to all, with Mount Cook being the major one that most people felt they were missing out on. You can take an Intercity bus from Lake Tekapo to Mount Cook, so if you want to include that in your itinerary, extend your time in Tekapo and head over on the Intercity for a night or two. It’s a shame the Kiwi Experience doesn’t include this as an option.

Milford Sound is another amazing destination that some Kiwi Experience passes include and some don’t. Make sure to get one that includes it, or book it separately for your time in Queenstown! It’s a very long day trip from Queenstown, but it was the highlight of my entire time in New Zealand and many others on my bus agreed. You don’t take the Kiwi Experience bus to Milford Sound but rather go with a third party provider organized through Kiwi.

Punakaiki
Nelson Lakes
Thunder Creek Falls

The activities

While on the bus to your next destination, the bus driver will organize the activities for the day. On the Kiwi Experience Trip Planner, you can see and purchase any activities they offer. They try their best to make the activities possible for everyone who wants to do them, even if you are only staying for the minimum time. They will either schedule them for after or before the bus arrives or departs. The driver will let you know if you need extra time somewhere to do an activity.

Kiwi Experience offers almost all the significant activities in each area, but it’s worth doing some of your own research as well. I booked all of my activities separetely because I was able to find some deals and discounts by booking directly. I also found and booked some activities that weren’t offered by Kiwi Experience, so I recommend shopping around a little bit.

Kiwi Experience South Island Itinerary

Kiwi Experience allows you to start and end your bus pass wherever you want or with a set route, depending on the pass. Most people start and end in big cities, such as Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, or Queenstown. I started and ended in Queenstown, so this itinerary is in that order, but you can easily adjust it to your needs.

I did the South & Sound pass, which is only for the South Island, so this itinerary does not include the North Island. If you have two weeks or less in New Zealand like I did, I recommend only doing the South Island as it’s home to New Zealand’s best adventures and landscapes. If you have more, definitely include the North Island in your bus pass! Hopefully soon I will be back and able to update this itinerary with a North Island addition. Let me know in the comments if you’ve traveled the North Island with the Kiwi Experience and what you thought!

Queenstown: 3 days

Queenstown was where I started and ended my Kiwi Experience bus pass, as this is where I flew in and out of the country. Surrounded by remarkable mountain ranges (one is literally called The Remarkables) and beautiful Lake Wakatipu, it’s truly a magical town. Hailed as the adventure capital of the world, there is no shortage of things to do here if you’re a thrill-seeker. Kiwi Experience has a minimum of two full days here, but you might want to consider staying three, four, or even five if you’re looking for adventure.

Queenstown is where you have the option to add Milford Sound to your bus pass as a day trip, and I can’t encourage you to do it enough. It was the highlight of mine and so many others’ times on the South Island. The bus drive is long, at about four hours each way from Queenstown, but you make plenty of stops for scenery, toilets, and food. About two hours in, you enter Fiordland National Park and you’ll want to keep your eyes open from there. The scenery is absolutely magnificent. Then you’ll do a two hour cruise through the fiord where you can spot dolphins, seals, penguins, and take in the unimaginable beauty. Make sure you buy a Kiwi Experience pass with this trip included, or you can always book onto it separately (linked is the exact provider Kiwi Experience uses).

Things to do in Queenstown:

Glenorchy
Milford Sound
Queenstown

Lake Tekapo: 1 day

Lake Tekapo is a gorgeous bright blue lake with some of the best stargazing in the world. There isn’t much to do in Tekapo, so the minimum time of 1 night is enough. The bus will take you to the famous Church of the Good Shepard photo spot when you arrive before giving you free time for the rest of the afternoon. At night, you can go stargazing on your own by the lake or join a tour for an even better experience with scientists, telescopes, and hot chocolate.

Christchurch: 1 day

Christchurch is a cute, artsy city with plenty to do. If you like visiting cities when you travel, you could definitely extend your time in Christchurch. I prioritized seeing New Zealand’s nature, so I only spent the minimum time here and didn’t regret it. It was nice to explore for a day, but I was eager to spend as little time in cities as possible. There’s a chance you could start and end in Christchurch, as it’s the biggest airport in the South Island.

Things to do in Christchurch:

Kaikoura: 1 day

Kaikoura is heaven for marine animal lovers! The bus arrives in Kaikoura midday, dropping you off at a walk to see the Kaikoura Seal Colony. The walk is a point-to-point trail that takes about an hour. Then the driver picks you up on the other side so you don’t have to do the return walk. After the walk, you have free time for the rest of the day. Some activities in Kaikoura such as dolphin swimming require you to spend more than the minimum time here, but many are possible in the afternoon after you arrive.

I went whale watching with Whale Watch Kaikoura in the afternoon, where we spotted two sperm whales and tons of dolphins and seals. I loved this experience and highly recommend it! There isn’t much to do in Kaikoura, so unless you want to do the dolphin swimming, the minimum time of one night is enough.

Things to do in Kaikoura:

Abel Tasman: 2 days

Abel Tasman National Park is a coastal paradise with golden sand, marine wildlife, rocky cliffs, and its famous Coast Track. The Kiwi Experience bus stops in Kaiteriteri, a small town near the national park. Because of long bus intervals in the off-season when I was traveling, I only had one night here and wasn’t able to visit the national park. I highly recommend allowing for at least one full day here if you can time it right so you get the chance to actually visit the park.

The drive day from Kaikoura to Abel Tasman is long because you stop in Picton to pick up the people coming from the North Island. You’ll also probably switch bus drivers here.

Things to do in Abel Tasman:

Westport: 1 day

Westport is a very small town with not much to do. This stop feels more like a rest stop to break up the long driving days. However, you can surf in Westport with a local surfing legend as your teacher, which is pretty cool. I recommend only spending the minimum time here, resting or surfing before heading out the next day.

The New World grocery store in Westport is one of the cheapest you’ll have access to on the South Island, so it’s a good place to stock up on food if you need to.

Lake Mahinapua: 1 day *seasonal location*

If you’re traveling between October and May, you’ll stop at Lake Mahinapua. This stop is almost solely for the infamous Kiwi Experience costume party where everyone dresses up and parties at the local pub. There isn’t much else to do here, so the minimum time of one day is enough.

If you’re not traveling at that time, don’t worry. The bus will just proceed directly to Franz Josef.

Franz Josef: 2 days

Franz Josef is a small town that serves as the gateway to the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. Although there isn’t much to do in the town, there is so much to do in the surrounding areas. From helicopter flights and skydiving to kayaking and hiking, it’s best to have at least two days in Franz Josef. In fact, it’s one of the only places on the Kiwi Experience where the minimum time is two nights instead of one. Kiwi knows that you need at least one full day to experience Franz Josef.

The weather is extremely unpredictable in Franz Josef as it’s in a rainforest, which is why I suggest factoring in a few extra days. The weather can often cancel your plans, so having only one day leaves no room for rescheduling. I stayed for three full days and was only able to do one of the activities I planned because of the weather.

Things to do in Franz Josef:

Wanaka: 1 day

Wanaka is an unofficial stop on the Kiwi Experience bus. If you don’t stop in Wanaka, you’ll still visit it for a couple of hours on the drive day from Franz Josef to Queenstown. However, Wanaka is worth getting off the bus for one or two nights, especially if you like hiking. It’s home to one of the South Island’s most famous hikes, Roy’s Peak. It’s a five-hour return trail to a very scenic point with panoramic views of Lake Wanaka. Wanaka is an adorable town itself, which many people say is similar to Queenstown but smaller, chiller, and cheaper. If you want to stop off in Wanaka for a night, just contact the Kiwi Experience team and they will make the change to your booking.

The drive from Franz Josef to Wanaka was my favorite of the trip with so many stunning viewpoint stops. Rest up the night before so you can keep your eyes open on the journey!

After Wanaka, you’re back in Queenstown! This is where my Kiwi Experience journey around the South Island started and ended, but you might be starting and ending elsewhere. Just adjust this itinerary to your plans.

The Kiwi Experience is all about making your New Zealand adventure truly an experience. With its mix of stunning landscapes, fun activities, and social vibe, it’s perfect for anyone who wants more out of their New Zealand transportation than simply going from point A to point B. If you want an unforgettable journey full of great people, incredible sights, and unforgettable excursions, the Kiwi Experience is the way to go.

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About Hallie Pope Kielb

Hi, I'm Hallie! I'm a travel blogger from the USA currently solo backpacking the world. I recently lived in South Korea for three years before embarking on my solo adventure. I hope to encourage other travelers to travel adventurously, safely, and respectfully.

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