Reviews and travel ratings on Kiwi Experience in New Zealand (74% from 84 reviews) Your legendary hop-on, hop-off bus adventure

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  • Description

    Your legendary hop-on, hop-off bus adventure

    Kiwi Experience is New Zealand's original hop-on, hop-off backpacker bus tour operator.

    We have an extensive network, with lots of great inclusions and some of the greatest Driver Guides in the industry. We don't call ourselves "legends of the road" for nothing!!!

    We're 20 this year, and we're quite chuffed about. As part of the celebrations, we've re launched our website: http://www.kiwiexperience.com/ check out our gnarley prizes up for grabs!!!

    ***Specials***

    This one is a bit of a mouth full but the gist of it is you'll get to travel nearly the whole of New Zealand for only $549.

    When you buy a Southern Round Up for only $549 (discount of $50), we'll give you the Northern Round Up and the Awesome passes FREE!

    Save $698! - Find out more:http://www.kiwiexperience.com/nz-bus-travel-specials.aspx

    ***facebook***

    If you're a facebook officianado, then look us up. We have a brand new Fan page at http://www.facebook.com/officialkiwiexperiencefanpage

    We look forward to reading your posts!

    If you've been here before, or coming here soon - we hope that your New Zealand experience is a Sweet As one!

  • Contact

  • Photos

    Check out our new website. Sweet as

    Check out our new website. Sweet as

  • Location

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  • Details

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Traveller Tips

  1. Auckland City
  1. Paul's avatar

    Paul

    Australia

    Tamaki Drive is a very popular place for running/ walking and if you would be into it – roller blading. This stretch of road starts at the CBD and follows the coast for 10km past bays and beaches. Plenty of ice creams along the way.

    19 November 2010.

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Reviews for Kiwi Experience

Kiwi Experience
Miron & Hendrik's avatar

Miron & Hendrik

Germany

Ranking: 4/10

Do the little tours - big ones too expensive. Some booking problems.

Do the little tours - big ones too expensive. Some booking problems.

Reviewed about 1 month ago and experienced in February 2012

Kiwi Experience
Jay Kenway's avatar

Jay Kenway

United Kingdom

Ranking: 7/10

Enjoyed the Kiwi Experience a lot but there are a few things which mean I would think twice about doing it again.

1) Ne…

Enjoyed the Kiwi Experience a lot but there are a few things which mean I would think twice about doing it again.

1) Nelson and Queenstown are the bottle necks and it is very easy to get stuck there, kiwi don't care if you have a flight to catch or how long in advance you requested it. Some way to allocate you a seat on a $1000 bus pass! In the end despite trying to reserve a bus out of Queenstown a week in advance they put us on Standby and we had to pay extra to go with a different firm. Not good enough Kiwi.

2) I was absolutely shocked at the drivers behaviour He allowed people both to sit on the floor because the bus was full and also the courier seat was used nearly everyday, both of these are illegal and the driver even commented "no sitting on the floor tomorrow guys, you'll have to get a different bus, there is a good chance I'll get pulled going into Queenstown"

3) Don't pay the price on the website. You will probably get at least 30 percent off in NZ, both islands for $420 which is less than just a one island pass for example. Majorly pissed when I realised I was the only one who paid full price.

4) The activities they take you to and do are very very very expensive

Other than that, i think they take you to more places and show you more stuff and give a lot more commentary than people make out. Yes at night it is a party bus but this wasn't forced and many people opted out of the drinking and pub crawls and had a good time. Had a really good time and I'm giving them a 7, just wanted to highlight some of the problems you can have with them and I was genuinely suprised how such a big operator didn't seem to know what was going on re bus spaces and allocating you a day to travel and the whole having people on the floor/courier seats is absolutely ridiculous considering they charge top dollar.

Reviewed 26 February 2010

Kiwi Experience
NikW's avatar

NikW

United States

Ranking: 6/10

Party bus. Really young crowd.

Party bus. Really young crowd.

Reviewed almost 3 years ago and experienced in March 2009

Kiwi Experience
DerrynL's avatar

DerrynL

United Kingdom

Ranking: 4/10

They go everywhere and do alot of fun things but they rush it. I don't like the attitude of some of the other travellers…

They go everywhere and do alot of fun things but they rush it. I don't like the attitude of some of the other travellers and drivers onboard.

Reviewed almost 3 years ago and experienced in March 2009

Kiwi Experience responds:

Sorry to hear that you didn't have a good time. We're a hop-on, hop-off service. You can take 12 months to finish your pass. Was this explained? Sorry if it wasn't. What pass did you take and when did you travel, we'll look into it for you.

Kiwi Experience
AbigailB's avatar

AbigailB

United States

Ranking: 5/10

Most buses are fully booked and you can have 10 day wait times - so you cant really "hop on hop off" at will.

Most buses are fully booked and you can have 10 day wait times - so you cant really "hop on hop off" at will.

Reviewed about 3 years ago and experienced in February 2009

Kiwi Experience responds:

Kia ora Abigail,
We're sorry to hear about that bro. When and where did you get stuck? We'll look into it and see if there was anything that we could have done better.
Haere ra,
Kiwi Experience

Kiwi Experience
HelenP's avatar

HelenP

United Kingdom

Ranking: 8/10

So far (4 weeks) They are excellent at showing the main sites and a few out of the way places.

So far (4 weeks) They are excellent at showing the main sites and a few out of the way places.

Reviewed about 3 years ago and experienced in February 2009

Kiwi Experience
BenM's avatar

BenM

United Kingdom

Ranking: 7/10

Driver guides great, friendly and helpful. Some times felt activities were there just to make Kiwi experience money.

Driver guides great, friendly and helpful. Some times felt activities were there just to make Kiwi experience money.

Reviewed about 3 years ago and experienced in February 2009

Kiwi Experience
Anna's avatar

Anna

England

Ranking: 9/10

Really great way to see & experience New Zealand. Getting a true Kiwi bus drivers perspective & meet great people.

Really great way to see & experience New Zealand. Getting a true Kiwi bus drivers perspective & meet great people.

Reviewed 07 March 2009

Kiwi Experience
Hayley's avatar

Hayley

England

Ranking: 9/10

You get history information of the towns & places you're travelling through which is interesting.

You get history information of the towns & places you're travelling through which is interesting.

Reviewed 07 March 2009

Kiwi Experience
Abigail's avatar

Abigail

England

Ranking: 9/10

Really friendly bus drivers. If ever we had a problem there was a 24hour helpline. Its a great way to meet new people.

Really friendly bus drivers. If ever we had a problem there was a 24hour helpline. Its a great way to meet new people.

Reviewed 07 March 2009

Kiwi Experience
Sarah's avatar

Sarah

England

Ranking: 8/10

Good at organising activities & getting discounts.

Good at organising activities & getting discounts.

Reviewed 23 February 2009

Kiwi Experience
Philippa's avatar

Philippa

United Kingdom

Ranking: 7/10

Didn't stop in all the places expected along the route. Otherwise enjoyable.

Didn't stop in all the places expected along the route. Otherwise enjoyable.

Reviewed 09 February 2009

Kiwi Experience
Rob's avatar

Rob

United Kingdom

Ranking: 9/10

Good crowd, helpful drivers. Great company - some office disorganisation but bus guides were excellent.

Good crowd, helpful drivers. Great company - some office disorganisation but bus guides were excellent.

Reviewed 09 February 2009