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New Zealand

Your starting point for planning your New Zealand tour. How many weeks to plan for a New Zealand holiday? What to do and where to go? The Stray team will take you on a virtual tour through New Zealand.

We’re a bunch of adventurous & fun travellers ourselves, so we know all the best places. Must-see places throughout New Zealand, amazing activities that will leave even seasoned thrill-seekers in awe and off the beaten path & hidden gem locations.

Hop onboard our New Zealand travel blog and start planning the best trip ever. And we’re looking forward to seeing you onboard one of our New Zealand tours so we can show you the best places of New Zealand ourselves.

Explore New Zealand on a Stray bus tour

Epic New Zealand Bus Tours

By Intern @ Stray / 26 February 2024

Picture this: stunning landscapes, adrenaline-fueled activities, and heaps of great memories just waiting to be made. That’s the #StrayWay, where we’re all about living life to the fullest, getting off the beaten track, and embracing the thrill of the unknown. We believe you shouldn’t settle for the ordinary when you can have the extraordinary. With […]

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Exploring Magnetic Island on a Stray Australia Tour

Ditch the hop, embrace the top: why our new fixed tours are your ultimate Aussie & Kiwi adventure!

By Marty / 1 September 2023

Remember when hunting for hop-on/hop-off tours was the vibe, like stumbling upon a viral TikTok track from the pre-pandemic archives? It was a jam for the ages! But let’s be real, after the wild rollercoaster of the past few years, travel’s rhythm has done a 180. It’s time to level up and dance to a […]

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Sit back and relax on Stray Tour

What is the best way to travel around New Zealand: bus, car or campervan? You’ll find the answer here!

By Marty / 28 August 2023

Ever dreamt of unraveling the wonders of New Zealand? Whether you’re cruising in a campervan, zipping around in your own car, hopping on public transport, embarking on a group adventure, or catching the next bus — we’ve dissected each option to help you discover the ultimate travel experience in New Zealand. Dive in and let […]

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Crowd at Homegrown in Wellington

Discover the thriving community of local artists offering a distinct Kiwi sound. Our favourite artists to see live.

By Lisa T / 17 March 2023

If you’re a true music lover as well as an avid traveller, then you’re probably inclined to check out the local music scene in every new destination you visit. New Zealand may be small, but travelling music buffs shouldn’t be surprised to discover the thriving community of local artists offering a distinct Kiwi sound.

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Hooker Valley Mount Cook Canterbury - Miles Holden

Can you explore New Zealand without a driving licence? Is it possible to get off the beaten path without one?

By Mike / 28 May 2022

New Zealand is one big playground. There is always something to climb on, jump out of, hike to, a path or a trail to follow… You name it, New Zealand has it! Aotearoa truly is one of the world’s ultimate travel destinations. But how do you explore New Zealand if you don’t have a driving […]

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Enjoying the beach

Our sustainable traveller’s bible will help you to live your best life – without it costing the earth

By Emily / 19 May 2022

We all share a common goal: more travel, and less impact. There’s an overwhelming amount of information (and disinformation) about how to be more sustainable, and we know that when you’re travelling, it becomes 10 times harder. We’ve put together our checklist for sustainable travellers while on the road, so you can live your best […]

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On Stray tour to Blue Duck Station - Strademark Place

Great news…. A Stray Journey tour is the best New Zealand bus pass

By Mike / 14 April 2022

If you want to discover the sheer wonder of New Zealand we’ve got some great news. Stray tours just got even better! As part of our 20th birthday celebrations, we’ve been reminiscing about the thousands of happy travellers who’ve taken our tours since 2002. Now that we can travel again, we’re determined to make up […]

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Explore New Zealand on a Stray bus tour

See how we have taken hop-on/hop-off bus tours to the next level

By Marty / 21 February 2022

For a lot of travellers in New Zealand, hop-on/hop-off bus travel has been an important part of their experience. It has been the classic way to explore New Zealand for years. But times are changing, and we have improved the classic hop-on/hop-off experience.

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10 Mind-Blowing Facts About Whales: The Most Interesting Prep for your Whale-Watching Tour

By Emily / 11 February 2022

New Zealand is a great place to go whale watching. And whales are such interesting creatures. Did you know the blue whale’s heart is the size of a Volkswagen Beetle? The mind boggles. To help you prep for your whale-watching tour in New Zealand and learn a bit more about these amazing creatures, we have […]

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Enjoy the calm and tranquillity of Lake Mapourika

Why You Should See the Franz Josef Glacier from a Kayak

By Emily / 9 February 2022

The mighty Franz Josef glacier is a highlight of many people’s South Island adventures. In this blog post, you’ll find out that one of the coolest ways (no pun intended) is to see the Franz Josef Glacier from a kayak!

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Auckland Harbour Bridge

6 ways to spend a day or two in Auckland and to have a blast in the City of Sails!

By Lisa T / 7 January 2022

Famously known as the ‘City of Sails’, Auckland is a world full of joy! With so much to see and do in Auckland, our local Stray team have selected their top 6 ways to spend a day or two in Auckland.

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Fun Card Game To Play While Travelling

4 Simple yet Fun Card Games to Play to Kill Time when Travelling

By Emily / 7 September 2021

A simple 52-card deck absolutely belongs in every backpack. Apart from being a fun solution to kill time, it is easy to carry and space-saving. Here are the best yet easy card games to play while travelling.

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Ticked off the heli-hike of your travel list? Check out the other amazing things to do in Franz Josef!

By Tara / 9 August 2021

Thanks to the incredible blue ice formations going viral on social media, the heli-hike in Franz Josef has become the ultimate thing to do. But don’t be fooled, the heli-hike isn’t all that this awesome town has to offer. Check it out!

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The best activities in Queenstown for adrenaline junkies: how to go harder & faster

By Tara / 7 August 2021

The Stray bus pulls into Queenstown… Stop number 1? The Kawarau Bridge Bungy, home of the world’s first commercial bungy jump. The faint sound of screams as people jump, leap, dive or just fall off the platform will greet your ears and mark the beginning of your adventure in NZ’s adrenaline capital.

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Your free guide to the best hiking and walking tracks in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park

By Tara / 5 August 2021

Most people fall in love with Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park as soon as they drive in – the road is famous for its stunning views of the Southern Alps and Lake Pukaki. Here are 6 awesome trails to check out while you’re there.

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Plan ahead with our New Zealand blog

You can use our New Zealand travel blog to help you plan your trip. For example, in the blog, you’ll find information and tips on what to pack and how to plan your trip. You can get ahead of the game while you’re still at home!

Most of our travel blog posts have been written either by members of our Stray team or actual travellers from their own experiences. Either way, you’re getting your travel tips from an expert, who’s been there, seen it, done it and got several tee shirts!

Right place, right time!

The blog has info and advice on the different times of the year to visit New Zealand. If you love your skiing, you don’t want to be staying in Auckland in January, but you might want to plan a trip to Queensland for June.

And if you want to do some whale watching, you can find out not just the best places to spot whales, but also the best time to catch them on their annual migratory travels.

Make sure you get a piece of the action

You’ll also find all the info you need on a host of adventure activities in our New Zealand travel blog. Whether it’s adrenaline, white knuckle rides in Queenstown or the calm tranquillity of a kayak on a glacial lake, it’s all in there.

If you want to discover NZ’s cities while you’re over here, we have blogs written by locals. It’s only after living in a place for a while that you get to know the best bars and coolest hang-outs. Live like a local and not just a tourist.

Everything you need to know about New Zealand – all in one travel blog

So take a browse through our blog posts on New Zealand. There’s a lot to learn and discover. You’ll read about the best National Parks for a hike, where to enjoy thermal hot springs, go bungy jumping or white water rafting, NZ’s top sky diving locations and of course, the best beaches, cities and sights that New Zealand has to offer.

Tell us what you think of our travel blog

Please share your comments at the bottom of each blog post. You might have a question one of our readers or team could answer, or you might know about a fantastic, secret, must-see destination from a previous visit. Either way, we’d love to hear from you and share your experiences with our Stray community.

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