New Zealand Travel Information

NZ TRAVEL INFO

Preparing for your travels

What do I bring?

Sunblock, good walking shoes, a day pack, bug repellent (hey, it’s not Australia but we still have them), polar fleece and a raincoat for winter (it doesn’t get that cold but you will definitely need these), sleeping bag if you have one, YHA, NOMADS or VIP card (good for additional discounts on activities and accommodation), oh, and some clothes would be good.

How do I carry it?

There is plenty of room on our buses – but it is best to follow a simple rule. If you can’t easily carry your gear in one load – you have too much. It’s best to have a backpack and less than 18kg of stuff. Include a light daypack for your camera, jacket, water bottle etc to take on walks or other activities when you’ll leave your big backpack on the bus or at our accommodation.

What do I eat?

You don’t have to eat chicken noodles every day – we make supermarket stops so that you can self cater – and there are cheap meal options – often with local specialties (there is always a vegetarian option).

Should I reconfirm my trip?

Look on the voucher that you got from your booking agent – if it says ‘Confirmed’, and the confirmed travel date is the one that you want to travel on, then you don’t have to ‘reconfirm’. If you have a ‘Non-confirmed’ departure date or wish to change a confirmed departure date then you must contact our New Zealand office by phone or email AT LEAST 48 hours prior to a desired departure to arrange a departure date.

Where do the trips depart from?

As a general rule we depart from our ‘Gateway’ accommodation at 8.00 am. If there is no pick-up time and place shown on the voucher that you got from your booking agent or if you wish to be picked up from somewhere different – you will have to phone us in New Zealand on +64 (0)9 309 8772 to confirm a place and time at least 48 hours before departure.

How fit do I need to be?

You don’t have to be an athlete, BUT, the best way to see New Zealand is to use our vehicles as a base and trek it, bike it, walk it, kayak it, raft it, whale watch it, dolphin swim it, surf it, dive it, fish it, ski it, ride it and most importantly eat, drink and sleep it!! If this sounds like you – great! Our trips are for the ‘adventurous’, so contact us directly if you have any health questions!

How many people will I be travelling with?

We keep our groups to a maximum of 45 because it means you get more personalised service, access to more ‘further of the beaten track’ accommodation and activity options. Bus anoraks will understand the other real benefit... that 45 is the maximum group size that can be carried by a single rear axle bus - any more weight and a less maneuverable two rear axle vehicle would be required. That’s why Stray can get you further out there. Depending on the run our vehicles range from 13-45 seats with an average standard group size of 35.