Why We Changed Our Tour Names

Planning your next Stray adventure? We’ve got a little update for you, as our New Zealand tours took on new names in September 2026 to make finding your kind of adventure easier than ever. Same incredible country, plenty of places to explore and a whole lot of memories waiting to be made.

Until now, our tours carried the names of native New Zealand birds, and we’ll always have a soft spot for every one of them. The challenge was that our beloved bird names didn’t give you much to go on when you were working out which trip had Milford Sound, Hobbiton or both, so we’ve chosen names that tell you exactly what you’re in for. North Island Icons, Fire & Ice and Great Kiwi Journey say it all, which makes picking your trip quicker and a lot more fun.

Everything you love about travelling the Stray Way remains the same, and we’re still proudly New Zealand owned and operated, as we have been since 2002. Groups are still capped at 24, and our guides are still total legends who know every back road, every hidden gem and exactly how to bring a group together. More than three quarters of our travellers book solo too, so you’ll never be short of company and you’ll head home with a crew of mates for life.

Five Reasons Behind the New Names

Think of the new names as a head start on your New Zealand vision board, with each one chosen to help you say yes to the right trip faster.

Names That Describe the Journey: Deep South and Alpine Adventure paint the picture before you’ve even opened the itinerary, from the fiords of Fiordland to the glaciers and lakes of the Southern Alps, so you know exactly what kind of adventure you’re signing up for.Quicker Comparisons: With the island or the theme built into each name, it takes moments to narrow ten tours down to the two or three that fit your plans, particularly if you’re weighing up a North Island trip against a South Island loop or a journey across both.Easier to Share: Whether you’re telling the people back home, posting your plans or swapping notes with travellers you meet on the road, a name like New Zealand Odyssey or Southern Wonders is easy to remember and pass on.Simpler to Find When You Book: Descriptive names match the way people search online, so looking up the tour you have in mind takes you straight to the right page when you’re ready to book.Everything Else Stays as It Was: Book direct with Stray and every renamed tour comes with our booking promises, so you can change your start date as many times as you like with no change fees (with notice before departure and subject to availability), swap to a different Stray trip, secure your spot with a deposit and pay the balance in instalments, and never pay a booking fee. You’ll also get access to the Seymour app two to three weeks before your trip, so you can browse, plan and budget for optional activities, then book them as you go at exclusive discounted Stray rates.

Old Names and New Names

Heard about the Kea from a mate who couldn’t stop talking about it, or had the Ruru saved on your wishlist for months? You’ll find every tour formerly known by a bird name right here, alongside the name it goes by today, its travel range, its route and what it’s best for.

Find Your Tour: North Island, South Island or Both?

Volcanoes or glaciers, Hobbiton or Milford Sound, a quick nine days or the full 22? However you want to see Aotearoa, there’s a Stray tour to match, with two that explore the North Island, three that stay in the South Island and five that take on the whole country.

Not sure which one is calling your name? Try our 30-second New Zealand tour matcher quiz, which pairs you with the right Stray tour, whether you’re after rugged wilderness, cultural immersion or a perfect blend of both.

North Island

North Island Icons (Select)

Duration & Route: 9 days | Auckland to Wellington

Style: Select (comfort-led, 3 to 4 star stays)

Key Attractions: Waitomo glowworm caves, Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Blue Duck Station, traditional Māori hāngī

This tour packs the North Island’s best-known sights into nine days, with comfortable stays each night and a few days off-grid in the backcountry. It suits travellers with limited time who want the volcanic and cultural highlights of the north without long stretches on the road.

Coasts & Culture (Adventure)

Duration & Route: 10 days | Auckland to Wellington

Style: Adventure (social, quality hostels and backpackers)

Key Attractions: Hot Water Beach, Hobbiton Movie Set, tribal welcome and hāngī at Kohutapu Lodge, Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Built for social travellers, this tour mixes Coromandel beach time with Māori culture on the shores of Lake Aniwhenua before finishing with two days in the capital. It’s a great first taste of New Zealand and an easy fit for anyone planning to carry on to the South Island afterwards.

South Island

Deep South (Select)

Duration & Route: 11 days | Christchurch loop

Style: Select (comfort-led, 3 to 4 star stays)

Key Attractions: Abel Tasman National Park, Kepler Track, Franz Josef Glacier, the Wānaka tree, Milford Sound cruise

This loop covers the South Island in comfort, moving from golden beaches and glacier country to Queenstown and Fiordland before finishing under the dark skies of the Mackenzie Country. It’s ideal for travellers who want the full South Island in under two weeks, with quality hotels along the way.

Alpine Adventure (Select)

Duration & Route: 9 days | Christchurch loop

Style: Select (comfort-led, 3 to 4 star stays)

Key Attractions: TranzAlpine scenic train, Franz Josef glacier trek, Milford Sound, Dark Sky stargazing at Tekapo

Designed for travellers with less time, this loop shows off the Southern Alps from the West Coast glaciers through to Fiordland and the peaks around Aoraki/Mount Cook. Comfortable stays and a short timeframe make it an easy addition to a wider New Zealand trip.

Southern Wonders (Adventure)

Duration & Route: 11 days | Picton to Christchurch

Style: Adventure (social, quality hostels and backpackers)

Key Attractions: Abel Tasman National Park, Punakaiki’s Pancake Rocks, two free days in Queenstown, Milford Sound day trip

Starting in the Marlborough Sounds, this tour is a natural choice for anyone arriving on the Cook Strait ferry, heading down the wild West Coast before reaching the adventure capital. The pace leaves plenty of room for bucket-list moments while keeping the group social and the cost within reach.

Both Islands

New Zealand Odyssey (Select)

Duration & Route: 19 days | Auckland to Christchurch

Style: Select (comfort-led, 3 to 4 star stays)

Key Attractions: Waitomo glowworm caves, Blue Duck Station, Milford Sound cruise, Aoraki/Mount Cook, stargazing at Tekapo

This is the most complete comfort-led way to see both islands, with logistics fully handled from the north’s glowworm caves to the starlit skies of the Mackenzie Country. Travellers with nearly three weeks to spare get the full picture of the country, with the chance to bungy in Queenstown along the way.

Fire & Ice (Select)

Duration & Route: 12 days | Auckland to Christchurch

Style: Select (comfort-led, 3 to 4 star stays)

Key Attractions: Rotorua’s geothermal pools, Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Abel Tasman’s golden sands, TranzAlpine scenic train

This tour covers both islands in under two weeks, linking the volcanic landscapes of the north with the beaches and alpine scenery of the south. It suits travellers who want breadth in a shorter trip without giving up comfortable hotel stays.

Great Kiwi Journey (Adventure)

Duration & Route: 22 days | Auckland loop

Style: Adventure (social, quality hostels and backpackers)

Key Attractions: Cathedral Cove, Hobbiton Movie Set, Franz Josef Glacier, two free days in Queenstown, Milford Sound

The longest of our New Zealand tours is a full loop of the country, giving travellers with time to spare every region at a relaxed pace. The return leg through Kaikōura and Wellington brings the journey back to Auckland, ready for the flight home.

New Zealand Explorer (Adventure)

Duration & Route: 20 days | Auckland to Christchurch

Style: Adventure (social, quality hostels and backpackers)

Key Attractions: Hāngī with a local family at Lake Aniwhenua, a free day in Wellington, the Cook Strait ferry, Queenstown

This tour follows the classic route from Auckland to Christchurch with plenty of time to take in both islands. It’s ideal for travellers who want room to slow down, with free days built in to explore at their own pace.

New Zealand Highlights (Adventure)

Duration & Route: 18 days | Auckland to Queenstown

Style: Adventure (social, quality hostels and backpackers)

Key Attractions: Sea cave kayaking at Cathedral Cove, haka lessons at Lake Aniwhenua, Cleopatra’s Pools, Milford Sound day trip

Finishing in Queenstown makes this tour handy for anyone keen to stay on in the adventure capital, with the best of both islands covered in two and a half weeks. It’s built for social travellers who like plenty of activity packed into each day.

Select or Adventure: Which Suits You?

Every Stray tour comes with the same small groups and the kind of passionate local guides who turn complete strangers into a tight-knit bunch within days, so choosing a range comes down to how you like to recharge after a big day.

New Zealand Select tours are a comfort-led adventure with quality 3 to 4 star twin or double rooms to recharge in, ideal for solo travellers who want a social group with a little more comfort at night. Think adventure all day and comfort all night, with most nights in hotels with en-suite rooms and the odd stay at a high country farm or scenic lodge. Solo travellers are paired in a twin room with a fellow traveller of the same gender, with no single supplement, or can upgrade to a private room of their own, subject to availability.

New Zealand Adventure tours are our original Stray style, with quality shared accommodation, lower cost and a social group, plus more days and more stops, designed for budget-conscious solo travellers looking to build a “travel family” from day one. It’s the all-in Stray experience, with quality hostels and backpackers along the way and standout stays like a traditional hāngī at Kohutapu Lodge and stargazing from The Barn at the edge of Abel Tasman National Park.

Still deciding? Our How Stray Works guide covers transport, accommodation, activities and payments in one place.

The Birds Behind the Old Names

Each of our tours was previously called by the name of a native New Zealand bird, our little love letter to Aotearoa’s wildlife, and while the names have moved on, the birds are still very much part of the trip. Here’s where you might cross paths with each of them on the road and which tour now carries on its story, with links to the Department of Conservation (DOC) for anyone keen to learn more.

The kea, New Zealand’s famously curious mountain parrot, gave the Great Kiwi Journey its former name and is most likely to find you in the Homer Tunnel area on the road to Milford Sound, which that tour visits, as well as around Arthur’s Pass, where the TranzAlpine carries Alpine Adventure travellers across the Southern Alps.Kererū, the native wood pigeon in iridescent green and bronze with a smart white vest, lent its name to the tour now called Fire & Ice and is often heard before it’s seen, thanks to the noisy beat of its wings through the forest, so the bush tracks around Abel Tasman National Park are a good place to listen out.Long thought to be extinct, the takahē was rediscovered in 1948 in the tussock grasslands of the Murchison Mountains above Lake Te Anau, the gateway town for the Kepler Track that Deep South travellers hike, which makes it a fitting namesake for the tour.Kākā, the boisterous forest parrots behind the former name of Alpine Adventure, are increasingly found in Wellington city as well as in Abel Tasman National Park and the forests of Fiordland along the Milford Track, where predator control is helping them thrive.The pūkeko, with its red bill and legs, is as at home in farmland as it is in wetlands, so it’s worth watching for along marshy roadsides from the coach window on North Island Icons, the tour that once carried its name.The tūī fills the native bush with its mix of bell-like notes, clicks and wheezes, and Wellington has seen an eight-fold increase in tūī since the city began pest control in its parks and reserves, which makes the free day in the capital on New Zealand Explorer a good chance to hear one.The kāhu, or swamp harrier, is a large bird of prey that glides low over farmland and high country with its wings held in a shallow V, so the long scenic drives on New Zealand Highlights are a good time to look for the bird that gave the tour its former name.Bold, flightless and endlessly curious, the weka roams the Marlborough Sounds, the upper West Coast and Fiordland, all of which feature on Southern Wonders, so it pays to keep an eye on your lunch around the top of the South Island.The hihi, or stitchbird, lives in a handful of carefully managed sanctuaries, including Zealandia in Wellington, which makes a rewarding outing during the free day in the capital at the end of Coasts & Culture.The ruru, or morepork, gave New Zealand Odyssey its former name and is far more often heard than seen, with its call drifting through the forest at dusk a sound worth listening for on quiet nights at Blue Duck Station.

Looking after these birds is part of how we travel. Stray sponsors predator traps that protect the endangered whio, or blue duck, at Blue Duck Station, a highlight of North Island Icons, and more than 200 predators have been trapped to protect native birds, while more than 52,500 native trees have been planted as part of our commitment to adventure responsibly.

FAQs

What Happened to Stray’s Bird-Named Tours Like the Kea, Kahu or Ruru?

In September 2026, Stray Travel renamed its New Zealand tours so that each name describes what the trip covers. For example, the former Kea is now the Great Kiwi Journey, the Kahu is now New Zealand Highlights and the Ruru is now New Zealand Odyssey.

Is My Booking Still Valid If I Booked a Tour Under Its Old Name?

Yes, bookings made under a tour’s previous name are still valid, with the same dates, itinerary and inclusions. Stray will always honour the package as it was at the time of booking, and the team is happy to help with any questions through our contact page.

Which Stray Tours Cover the North Island or the South Island?

Stray’s North Island tours are North Island Icons and Coasts & Culture, and its South Island tours are Deep South, Alpine Adventure and Southern Wonders. New Zealand Odyssey, Fire & Ice, Great Kiwi Journey, New Zealand Explorer and New Zealand Highlights cover both islands.

Are Stray Tours Good for Solo Travellers?

Yes, Stray tours are well suited to solo travellers, with more than 75% of travellers joining on their own. Every tour travels in a small group of up to 24, so solo travellers are in good company from the start. On Select tours, solo travellers share a twin room with a fellow traveller of the same gender at no extra cost, while Adventure tours stay in quality hostels and backpackers with shared dorm rooms.

What Is the Difference Between Select and Adventure Tours?

Select tours stay mostly in 3 to 4 star hotels, while Adventure tours stay in quality hostels and backpackers at a lower cost. Select rooms are twin or double with en-suite bathrooms, and Adventure tours offer more days and more stops. Both ranges travel in small groups of up to 24 with an expert local guide.

Are Stray Tours Bus Tours?

Yes, Stray tours are guided small group road trips that travel by private coach, with a maximum of 24 travellers. Some legs are upgraded to the TranzAlpine scenic train and the Bluebridge ferry across Cook Strait, and every trip includes an expert local guide and hand-picked accommodation, with the route, transport and stays all sorted for you.

Which Stray Tours Start in Auckland?

Seven of Stray’s ten New Zealand tours start in Auckland. These are North Island Icons, Coasts & Culture, New Zealand Odyssey, Fire & Ice, Great Kiwi Journey, New Zealand Explorer and New Zealand Highlights, while Deep South and Alpine Adventure start in Christchurch and Southern Wonders starts in Picton.

Ready to Take the Stray Way?

The names on our tours are new, but every trip is still packed with hidden spots, national parks and places you won’t find in guidebooks, plus fellow travellers who start as strangers and end up as the best souvenir of the lot. With a 2026 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award and more than 2,400 verified reviews behind us, there’s a seat on the coach with your name on it, whether you’ve got your eye on North Island Icons, Fire & Ice or the full 22-day Great Kiwi Journey.

Waterfalls, road trips and new travel mates are waiting, so browse all our New Zealand tours or find your match in 30 seconds with our New Zealand tour matcher quiz. If you already know your style, explore our comfort-focused New Zealand Select tours or our social New Zealand Adventure tours, and come see more and do more with us.