Transport > New Zealand & Pacific Islands > New Zealand > Bus and coach travel > Backpackers coaches > Kiwi Experience
Kiwi Experience
Kiwi Experience (tel (09) 366 9830) is the longest established of the backpacker bus companies and boasts flash new coaches with a full-on party atmosphere.
The various passes allow travel along pre-defined routes, although the names of each route provide little idea of the destinations covered. It’s confusing to work out but there’s bound to be something for everyone among the different passes available.
National passes
START ANYWHERE
You can start the following national passes anywhere en route.
Full Monty
This pass covers pretty much the whole country and takes you to Cape Reinga at the tip of the North Island, Paihia in the Bay of Islands, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula, East Cape, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay, Rotorua, Waitomo, Taupo and Wellington on the North Island. On the South Island it goes to Picton, Nelson and Westport and then down the west coast and in to Wanaka, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford Sound, Invercargill and through the Catlins to Dunedin and then up to Christchurch and Kaikoura.
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, Curio Bay (Catlins), Dunedin, East Cape, Franz Josef, Kaikoura, Lake Mahinapua, Mercury Bay, Napier, Nelson, Queenstown, Paihia, River Valley, Rotorua, Taupo, Te Anau, Te Kaha, Waitomo, Wanaka, Wellington and Westport
Price $2202 ($2091 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 31 days
Maximum trip six months
Funky Chicken
This pass covers the North Island between Auckland and Wellington plus the South Island north of Queenstown. It takes you to Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Waitomo, Taupo and Wellington on the North Island plus Picton, Nelson, the West Coast, Wanaka, Queenstown, Christchurch and Kaikoura on the South Island.
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Kaikoura, Lake Mahinapua, Mercury Bay, Nelson, Queenstown, River Valley, Rotorua, Taupo, Waitomo, Wanaka, Wellington and Westport
Price $1143 ($1085 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 21 days
Maximum trip six months
Rangi
The Kiwi Experience Rangi pass covers most of New Zealand, although in the North Island it doesn’t include Taranaki, Hawkes Bay and East Cape or anywhere north of Paihia and on the South Island it doesn’t include Dunedin or anywhere south of Queenstown.
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Kaikoura, Lake Mahinapua, Mercury Bay, Nelson, Queenstown, Paihia, River Valley, Rotorua, Taupo, Waitomo, Wanaka, Wellington and Westport
Price $1242 ($1179 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 22 days
Maximum trip six months
Whole Kit & Kaboodle
The Whole Kit & Kaboodle pass covers most of the country except the East Cape, Hawkes Bay and Taranaki. It takes you from Auckland up to Cape Reinga, to Paihia in the Bay of Islands, to the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Waitomo, Taupo and Wellington in the North Island. On the South Island it goes to Picton, Nelson and Westport and then down the west coast and in to Wanaka, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford Sound, Invercargill and through the Catlins to Dunedin and then up to Christchurch and Kaikoura.
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, Curio Bay (Catlins), Dunedin, Franz Josef, Kaikoura, Lake Mahinapua, Mercury Bay, Nelson, Queenstown, Paihia, River Valley, Rotorua, Taupo, Te Anau, Waitomo, Wanaka, Wellington and Westport
Price $1762 ($1673 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 27 days
Maximum trip six months
START AUCKLAND
The following passes start in Auckland and finish in Christchurch:
The Kitchen Sink
The Kitchen Sink takes you from Auckland to Cape Reinga and back, then over to Whitianga on the Coromandel Peninsula, down to Rotorua, Waitomo, Taupo, Tongariro National Park and Wellington, across to Picton on the South Island, then onto Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park, Westport, down the west coast to Wanaka, Queenstown, Te Anau and Milford Sound, then down to Invercargill and through the Catlins to Dunedin, then back to Queenstown and up to Christchurch.
Starts Auckland; finishes Christchurch.
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, Curio Bay (Catlins), Dunedin, Franz Josef, Lake Mahinapua, Mercury Bay, Nelson, Queenstown, Paihia, River Valley, Rotorua, Taupo, Te Anau, Waitomo, Wanaka, Wellington and Westport
Price $1613 ($1532 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 23 days
Maximum trip six months
Joint Mullets
The Joint Mullets Pass lets you travel between Auckland and Christchurch. In the North Island it includes Mercury Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Waitomo and Taupo, plus the East Cape, Napier and Wellington. On the South Island it includes Nelson, then travel down the West Coast to Wanaka, Queenstown and up to Christchurch.
Starts Auckland; finishes Christchurch.
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, East Cape, Franz Josef, Lake Mahinapua, Mercury Bay, Napier, Nelson, Queenstown, River Valley, Rotorua, Taupo, Te Kaha, Waitomo, Wanaka, Wellington and Westport
Price $1269 ($1205 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 20 days
Maximum trip six months
Sheep Dog
This pass takes you from Auckland to the Coromandel Peninsula, down to Rotorua, Waitomo, Taupo, Tongariro National Park and Wellington, across to Picton, then onto Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park, Westport, down the west coast to Wanaka, Queenstown, then up to Christchurch via Twizel.
Start Auckland; finish Christchurch.
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Lake Mahinapua, Mercury Bay, Nelson, Queenstown, River Valley, Rotorua, Taupo, Waitomo, Wanaka, Wellington and Westport
Price $874 ($830 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 16 days
Maximum trip six months
Zephyr
The Zephyr Pass takes you from Auckland to Christchurch. On the North Island it includes Paihia in the Bay of Islands, Mercury Bay in the Coromandel Peninsula plus Rotorua, Waitomo Caves, Taupo and Wellington. On the South Island it includes Nelson, then travel down the West Coast to Wanaka, Queenstown and up to Christchurch.
Start Auckland; finish Christchurch.
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Lake Mahinapua, Mercury Bay, Nelson, Queenstown, Paihia, River Valley, Rotorua, Taupo, Waitomo, Wanaka, Wellington and Westport
Price $973 ($924 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 17 days
Maximum trip six months
START CHRISTCHURCH
The following passes start in Christchurch and finish in Auckland:
Dog Leg
The Dog Leg goes from Christchurch to Queenstown, then up to Wanaka and Franz Josef before heading back to Christchurch over Arthurs Pass, then up to Picton via Kaikoura and over to Wellington on the North Island. You then travel from Wellington to Auckland stopping en route at Taupo, Rotorua and Waitomo.
Start Christchurch; finish Auckland.
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Kaikoura, Lake Mahinapua, Queenstown, Rotorua, Taupo, Waitomo, Wanaka, Wellington and Westport
Price $894 ($849 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 14 days
Maximum trip six months
Gumboot
The Gumboot Pass takes you from Christchurch to Auckland. In the South Island it takes you down to Queenstown and Wanaka, then up the West Coast to Westport, back to Christchurch and up to Picton via Kaikoura. Stops on the North Island include Wellington, Taupo, Rotorua, Waitomo Caves, Auckland and Paihia.
Start Christchurch; finish Auckland
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Kaikoura, Lake Mahinapua, Queenstown, Paihia, Rotorua, Taupo, Waitomo, Wanaka, Wellington and Westport
Price $993 ($943 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 15 days
Maximum trip six months
Kea
The Kea pass allows you to circle around the South Island taking in Christchurch, Twizel, Queenstown, Wanaka, the west coast, Nelson, Picton and Kaikoura before heading over to Wellington on the North Island and up to Auckland via Taupo, Rotorua and Waitomo.
Start Christchurch; finish Auckland.
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Kaikoura, Lake
Mahinapua, Nelson, Queenstown, Rotorua, Taupo, Waitomo, Wanaka,
Wellington and Westport
Price $874 ($830 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 16 days
Maximum trip six months
Top Dog
The Top Dog Pass takes you from Christchurch to Auckland. In the South Island it includes Kaikoura, Christchurch, Queenstown, Wanaka, the West Coast and Nelson. Stops on the North Island include Wellington, Taupo, Rotorua, Waitomo Caves, Auckland and Paihia.
Start Christchurch; finish Auckland
Overnight stops Auckland, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Kaikoura, Lake Mahinapua, Nelson, Queenstown, Paihia, Rotorua, Taupo, Waitomo, Wanaka, Wellington and Westport
Price $973 ($924 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 181 days
Maximum trip six months
North Island passes
The following Kiwi Experience passes are restricted to travel on the North Island:
Awesome
Awesome is a quick one-day excursion from Auckland to Paihia in the Bay of Islands.
Start/finish Auckland
Price $99
Minimum trip 1-2 days
Maximum trip six months
Awesome & Top Bit
This three-day excursion from Auckland takes you all the way to Cape Reinga at the tip of the North Island with a stop in the Bay of Islands.
Start/finish Auckland
Overnight stop Paihia
Price $194
Minimum trip 3 days
Maximum trip six months
East As
This circuit takes you to the rarely visited East Cape region. It includes East Cape, New Zealand’s most eastern point, as well as Gisborne and Napier.
Overnight stops East Cape, Napier, Taupo, Te Kaha
Price $395
Minimum trip 4 days
Maximum trip six months
Geyserland
This trip goes from Auckland to Whitianga on the Coromandel Peninsula, then down to Rotorua, across to Waitomo and back up to Auckland.
Start/finish Auckland
Overnight stops Auckland, Mercury Bay, Rotorua
Price $289
Minimum trip 4-6 days
Maximum trip six months
Geyserland & Lake
This trip goes from Auckland to Whitianga on the Coromandel Peninsula, then down to Rotorua, across to Waitomo, Taupo and back up to Auckland.
Start/finish Auckland
Overnight stops Auckland, Mercury Bay, Rotorua, Taupo, Waitomo
Price $329
Minimum trip 4-6 days
Maximum trip six months
Northern Roundup
The Northern Roundup includes the North Island between Auckland and Wellington including the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Waitomo, Taupo and Taihape.
Overnight stops Auckland, Mercury Bay, River Valley, Rotorua, Waitomo, Wellington
Price $549
Minimum trip 9 days
Maximum trip 12 months
South Island passes
The following Kiwi Experience passes are restricted to travel on the South Island:
Back Paddock
The Back Paddock travel pass takes you across Arthurs Pass to the West Coast then down to Wanaka and Queenstown via Franz Josef and then back to Christchurch via Twizel.
Start/finish Christchurch.
Overnight stops Christchurch, Franz Josef, Lake Mahinapua, Queenstown, Wanaka and Westport
Price $549
Minimum trip 7 days
Maximum trip six months
Bottoms Up
The Bottoms Up pass takes you to virtually every place in the South Island.
Overnight stops Christchurch, Curio Bay (Catlins), Dunedin, Franz Josef, Kaikoura, Lake Mahinapua, Nelson, Queenstown, Paihia, River Valley, Te Anau, Wanaka and Westport
Price $1019939 ($968 HI/YHA, ISIC, Nomads, VIP)
Minimum trip 14 days
Maximum trip six months
Milford Explorer
This pass operates as a day excursion from Queenstown to Milford Sound and you have the option of a three-hour boat cruise on the Sound.
Start/finish Queenstown
Price $159
Minimum trip 1 day
Maximum trip six months
Southern Roundup
The Southern Roundup is the southern portion of the Funky Chicken pass. It takes you to Picton, Nelson, the West Coast, Wanaka, Queenstown, Christchurch and Kaikoura on the South Island.
Overnight stops Christchurch, Franz Josef, Kaikoura, Lake Mahinapua, Nelson, Queenstown, Wanaka and Westport
Price $599
Minimum trip 11 days
Maximum trip six months
Southlander – Bottom Bus
Kiwi Experience’s Southlander pass is also known as the Bottom Bus. It links Queenstown, Invercargill and Dunedin and includes the Catlins region between Invercargill and Dunedin.
Overnight stops Curio Bay (Catlins), Dunedin, Queenstown, Te Anau
Price $425
Minimum trip 4 days
Maximum trip six months
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