Travel Info: How Stray Works

Stray trips are built so the logistics disappear: private transport, hand-picked places to stay, activities booked as you go and a crew who handle the details. This page covers how it all works, from the seats to the payments.

Transport: how we Stray

Stray is more than a bus. Depending on the trip you'll travel by private coach, train, boat and even tuk tuk, and because our vehicles are private, we go where the big coaches don't and stop when there's a reason to: bathroom breaks, meals, viewpoints and spontaneous photo stops included.

In New Zealand you'll ride in private buses seating 22 to 25, sized deliberately: small enough to keep the environmental footprint and the road-trip feel, big enough that no one is cramped. Some legs get an upgrade to the best transport for the job: the TranzAlpine scenic train between Christchurch and Greymouth, the Bluebridge ferry across Cook Strait between Wellington and Picton, and a custom RealNZ glass-roofed coach with extra-large windows and angled seating for the Milford Sound road, one of the most scenic drives on earth.

In Asia the mix is private buses (12 to 24 seats), minivans, a private long boat, tuk tuks for short transfers, and the classic overnight sleeper train between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

One thing we never do: night buses. Overnight highway travel in Southeast Asia carries real safety risks from road conditions and driver fatigue, you don't actually sleep, and you miss the scenery you came for. We'd rather travel by day and get you there awake.

Accommodation: where we stay

We've spent years securing great places to stay, chosen on four things: cleanliness, comfort, location and price. Across our destinations that spans hostels, lodges, guesthouses, budget hotels, backpacker resorts, cabins and campsites.

On Select trips in New Zealand, most nights are spent in comfortable 3 to 4 star hotels with en-suite rooms, mixed with stays at high country farms or scenic lodges by waterfronts and national parks. Solo travellers can request an own-room upgrade, subject to availability.

On Adventure trips in New Zealand, you'll stay in quality, comfortable hostels and backpackers, plus the places that make the trip: eco-cabins and gourmet organic food at Blue Duck Station, Māori hospitality and traditional hāngī at Kohutapu Lodge on Lake Aniwhenua, and stargazing from The Barn in the Marahau Valley at the edge of Abel Tasman National Park. Expect a mix of private rooms and shared social spaces; private rooms may not have en-suites, and upgrades depend on availability.

In Asia, accommodation runs from funky modern hostels and family-operated guesthouses to budget hotels and our exclusive village homestays, the nights most travellers remember longest.

Activities: what's included and what to budget

Every trip has experiences built in, plus a menu of optional extras along the route, from free scenic walks to bucket-list bungy jumps and skydives. You'll get access to the Seymour app 2 to 3 weeks before your trip begins, so you can easily browse, plan, and budget before you land, then seamlessly book as you go with our exclusive discounted Stray rates.

As a budgeting guide, optional activities range roughly as follows (NZD in New Zealand, USD in Asia):

• FREE: no charge (and there's more of this than you'd think)
• $: up to $100
• $$: $100 to $250
• $$$: $250 to $450
• $$$$: $450 to $800

Our booking promises

Book directly with Stray and we promise you:

• Flexible start dates: change your start date as many times as you like with no change fees and no questions asked, with notice before departure and subject to availability. Trips start within 24 months of purchase
• Tour swap: changed your mind? Swap your booking to a different Stray trip across New Zealand or Southeast Asia
• Book now, pay later: secure your trip with a deposit and pay the balance in instalments before departure
• No booking fees: ever. And our travel team's planning help and recommendations are always free

Full details live in our terms and conditions.

Payments and the payment plan

Lock in your trip, and today's price, with a deposit, then spread the balance over installments in the months before you travel. Full payment is due 31 days before your start date. To set up a payment plan, contact our reservations team and we'll send you a payment link.

See the full deposit terms in our terms and conditions, and our FAQs for everything else.

Questions?

Talk to our team: we're here to help you plan your ultimate travel experience, and the advice is free. Reach out at reservations@straytravel.com