- Number of tours
- 6
- Age Range
- 10-70
- Number of reviews
- 106
- Response rate
- 94%
- Response time
- within 2 days
Flying Kiwi Reviews (107)
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Levu
Written on December 15th, 2024I'm usually travel alone. This is not my type of traveling but because of Flying Kiwi, this trip turned out amazing.- TK
Tim
Written on November 22nd, 2024Great tour with very friendly and helpful guides. I can really recommend it!Flying Kiwi commented on this review
Hi Tim. Thanks so much for your great review, we're so glad to hear you had a great time on tour with us! Kind regards, Rachael - K
Kim
Written on March 18th, 2024I would like to start by saying that the basic concept of the 23-day Total Flying Kiwi tour is beautiful! But due to terrible organisational talents of Flying K…Read moreFlying Kiwi commented on this reviewHi Kim, Thank you for leaving this review, we always appreciate hearing honest customer feedback. We have spoken at length via email about your experience of your tour last year and I would like to thank you once again for your helpful comments, and address some of your feedback in relation to our current tours. All our tents and sleeping bags are brand new, along with our camping matts and our bicycles - of which we have purchased additional units for customers. I am so sorry to hear you did not enjoy your experience at Te Puia, this is a traditional indigenous art school and a geothermal park, it’s a truly unique experience run by passionate locals and we’re very proud to support them on our tours. All our customers are able to complete the Tongariro Crossing hike during their tour, and we’ve even moved our accommodation this season into the National Park so we can get the full Ruapehu experience. We also visit Wai-o-Tapu bubbling mud and have swapped our visit to Martha's Mine to the awesome Karangahake Gorge. Our incredible Guides have been touring New Zealand for years and offer some truly wonderful insights into New Zealand nature and history as well as local culture throughout Aotearoa and we hope they continue to do so. Again Kim, thank you very much for your review. It's feedback like yours that helps us to continuously improve our products and keep showing people an amazing time in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Anonymous
Written on April 17th, 2023Good but the crew were not very friendlyFlying Kiwi commented on this reviewHi Della, Thank you so much for your rating! I am very sorry to hear about your crew, if you have any further comments to send through about this, we'd love to hear your feedback directly at info@flyingkiwi.com Kind regards, The Flying Kiwi TeamMarco
Written on February 19th, 2023The guides were great, but the cost of the tour is at least twice what it is worth, some locations of the campgrounds were terrible, audio on the speaker bus w…Read moreFlying Kiwi commented on this reviewHi Kubrik, Thank you for leaving these comments. I am so sorry to hear that some of the campgrounds we use aren't up to standard, we are making some changes for the coming season but if you'd like to leave us some more detailed feedback, please feel free to get in touch with us at info@flyingkiwi.com Kind regards, The Flying Kiwi Team- SB
Anonymous
Written on February 12th, 2023The description at https://www.tourradar.com/t/2397 has many errors. For starters, the pickup is not at the Grand Millennium Hotel. No visit to Hobbiton. Many t…Read moreFlying Kiwi commented on this reviewHi Steve, Thank you for your comment, we are very sorry that there were errors on the listed itinerary and have spoken with our Operations and Marketing teams to ensure that all information is correct and up to date for future travellers. We do hope that overall you had a fantastic time on your trip, and your Guide and Driver will be thrilled to hear that you thought they did a great job. Wishing you all the best, The Flying Kiwi team. Aija
Written on February 9th, 2023The guides did their best, but the organisation by the office was poor. Many people had asked beforehand about pre-booking activities, but were told this could …Read more- LS
Anonymous
Written on April 12th, 2021A totally mixed group (nationalities and age) with great guides. Very good experience! I would have loved to be able to continue for the whole 28 days! - RS
Anonymous
Hot Rocks Tour 10 Days - Top rated by National Geographic
Written on March 31st, 2020Guides were great along with the variety of activities available and the people you meet on tour. Will definitely do a South Island trip in the future. Great th…Read moreFlying Kiwi commented on this reviewThanks for the review Rachel, pleased to hear you enjoyed your trip. We look forward to seeing you on board touring the South Island with us sometime soon :) - NA
Nancy
Written on March 20th, 2020New Zealand is beautiful and energizing and the people we met were just great on the tour. There were many highlights to applaud but I want to point out that so…Read moreFlying Kiwi commented on this reviewThank you for your review Nancy. The farm stay is a highlight for many as they love it's rustic and remote charm. Sam and Janelle indeed do a wonderful job as do all of the team. We do include many things on our trips but items just as skydiving etc will always be optional and up to each individual to choose as to their wants and budgets. All the best Nancy in these difficult and challenging times ahead we are all facing with Covid-19.
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Questions & Answers
How much personal spending money should I bring?
As a general rule, it comes out at around NZD$30 per day, depending on the person. Things like meals, accommodation and transport along some free activities are included. There are optional activities you will need to budget for as well as some meals which are not included in the itinerary.
What is a bush camp?
A bush camp is a campsite usually in a remote or wilderness location. They have limited facilities, usually just a long-drop toilet with a great view!!
Is there mobile phone coverage?
Most of our north island camps have network coverage available. For approximately ½ of the camps in the south island there is no network coverage. As this is an outdoor trip, please respect that some of our passengers have come to escape the rat-race and keep your phones on silent or give yourself a break and turn-off your phone for a few days you never know what you might hear instead.
Where can I charge my camera, phone, batteries, i-pod or MP3 player?
These are regularly available at the commercial campgrounds and some of the buses are also able to charge some of the appliances.
Are activities included in the price?
There are walks each day which are free. Bike rides are also free as long as you have hired a bike. All other optional activities have an associated cost. These can be found on the activities section of the website or in our activity guide on board the bus. Apart from the Routeburn walk and Dolphin Swimm in Kaikoura, these do not need to be booked in advance. Your driver/guide will give you the low-down the night before of what is coming up the next day and you just need to let them know what you would like to do, they take care of everything after that.
I’m a vegetarian or have other dietary requirements – is that a problem?
No problem at all, we are used to catering for all kinds of dietary requirements and as we cook for ourselves we can easily accommodate your needs. Just let us know when you book.
What does the tour leader/assistant do?
Your tour leader/assistant are there to provide you with a wealth of knowledge about New Zealand – history, culture, and trivia as well as recommending and booking activities, doing the shopping and helping with the cooking, and getting you from A to B each day. They are walking guidebooks always there to help and entertain! Please be gentle with them – good guides are hard to find.
It’s Summer. Do I really need thermals and a fleece?
Yes! We can experience extreme weather even in the summer.
What footwear do we need?
You’ll need to bring a decent pair of comfortable footwear, that you can walk in comfortably, trainers are ideal. Hiking boots are good but not essential. It is also good to bring a pair of flip-flops, sandals or thongs (depending on whether you speak NZ English, Oz English or just English) for the camp showers.
Is the Interisland ferry included and how much does it cost?
The Interisland ferry is included on trips that traverse both islands, the Ultimate Explorer, Grand and Reverse Traverse. The other trips it is not included but Flying Kiwi can book this for you, you just need to contact the office.
Is it ok to travel alone on Flying Kiwi?
Flying Kiwi is perfect for people travelling by themselves. New Zealand is a relatively safe country and the communal nature of our tours means that you will have plenty of chance to chat while chopping veggies for dinner or washing the dishes.
What’s the average group size?
Our buses range from 20 seaters to 30 seaters with an average group of about 18 and a max of 24. We keep them smaller so you can see and do more and because we find that that groups of this size simply work better.
How fit do I have to be?
You don’t have to be super-fit to travel with Flying Kiwi – all walks, bike rides and activities are optional and they range from light strolls to full day hikes in Alpine terrain. Easier options or alternatives are always available. Your driver or guide is always discuss the level of fitness required. Or if you are happy to sit on the bus and watch the world go by that is also ok.
What is the average age of travellers on Flying Kiwi
The average age of a Flying Kiwi passengers is about 27. The majority of people are between the age of 20 and 40 but age is just a number and if you want to come and enjoy the New Zealand outdoors then you are welcome on-board. No matter what your age we find we attract people who want to meet other travellers, and get out and enjoy the great outdoors.
Do I need to book my own accommodation?
No as this is a camping trip, we will pre-book all of the tent sites around the trip, all you need to do is put your tent up when you arrive. For some trips there are a maximum of 3 nights accommodation at your own expense but we will help you reserve that in advance. Unless you tell us otherwise for these nights we will book you into a dorm room. Singles and doubles are available on request and subject to availability. You are free to book your own accommodation if you wish.
Is it a party bus or outdoor adventure tour?
Flying Kiwi’s main priority is the great New Zealand outdoors in all its forms whether you are a keen cyclist, walker, water fan or adrenaline junkie there is something for everyone. In the evenings you are free to do as you choose but due to the remoteness of some of our locations, we will have a bonfire on the beach, a barbeque or just sit and watch the stars. We do have a couple of optional big nights out on the circuit if you want to let your hair down.
Do I need a backpack or is a suitcase ok?
Suitcases are fine – you don’t need to walk great distances with them just between your tent and the bus. The majority of the time while you’re doing activities they will be stored away in the trailer or under the bus. Please try to limit the weight of your main bag to 20kg. A good day pack (small rucksack) or bag you can carry easily is recommended for water bottles, towels, cameras etc.
What is the weather going to be like?
New Zealand experiences extremely changeable weather. Some days temperatures can be touching 30 degrees and later the same day freezing if a cool southerly wind comes if off the sub-Antartic. Our trips are flexible and work well whatever the weather.
Can I hop-on and off the bus?
Flying Kiwi does not operate a hop-on/hop off bus service. However it is possible to take 9-day breaks within the trips to allow you, to explore some more of New Zealand that isn’t covered in the Flying Kiwi itinerary, catch up with friends or just relax in one place.
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