At RatPack we love abit of New Zealand and absolutely everything it has to offer, it’s THE home of adrenalin, beaut scenery – we’re talking lakes, mountains, glaciers and it’s THE spot for the adventurous and the explorers! Sammy boy spent 2 years bouncing around NZ and has seen so much of both the North & South Island and lived in the epic Raglan…. {epic little chill surf town make sure you get it on the list – yewww}
If you’re thinking of travelling New Zealand, you’ve may have heard of the Kiwi Experience. It’s a popular option for backpackers who want to hit up the many unreal spots in NZ and the epic activities it has to offer with an epic group of travellers and a driver/guide.
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Ready for an adventure?
The Kiwi Experience is an experience like NO other and we love that >>> The Kiwi Experience is New Zealand’s most popular backpacker bus company, it’s a combination of transport, trips and destinations and a really EASY way to travel. With so much to see & do in NZ they have a range of different passes to suit everyone and hit different spots & routes. You can even choose your start and end point to suit your itinerary and budget > we can even get all RatPackers 10% off all passes.. EVEN if they are on sale, saving you $ every step of the way.
How do the passes work?
The buses are ‘hop on hop off’ which means you can hop on and off as much as you like along the route, the kiwi experience is not a group tour with a set itinerary, its a bus pass which allows you to hit up the best spots and do any activity you feel like with a group of fellow travellers. You can stay in places for as long or as little as you like, the beauty of the Kiwi Exp is that it’s YOUR trip and you can be flexible if you fall in love with a place {trust us… you will}.
You have a year to use your pass, so if you get stuck in a spot, it’s all good! With all of the passes there are minimum times – so bear this in mind when checking out the passes. The buses are super comfy, modern and you’ll have informative, entertaining commentary, plus heaps of activity discounts, walks and awesome photo opportunities!
Before you go...
- Decide when you want to go to NZ {FYI – Autumn/Winter runs from March – September & Spring/Summer runs from October – February}
- Work out how long you want to spend in NZ – we recommend spending at LEAST a month if you want to properly explore both islands
- Check out all the different passes here, there are SO many different options to suit each explorer and to tick off those bucketlist experiences AKA skydiving, bungy jumping, white water rafting and more.
- Not sure which pass? Hit us UP and we can help you for sure, don’t forget that we can also get all RatPackers 10% off any pass even if it’s on sale {all about that money saving… UNO}
- Once you’ve decided which pass you want, how long you’ll travel for and your start and end point, we’ll get it all sorted for you! The Kiwi Experience will book you on to all your buses and guarantee your first night accommodation in each place. We’ll send you your itinerary and you are G to G {Good to go in RatPack speak}
When you are in NZ...
- Now all you need to do is arrive in your starting location in one of the pickup hostels and begin the adventure.
- Your bus driver will be your tour guide, activity organiser and banter provider {what a job title!} whilst you are on the bus this is your GO to person and is there to answer any questions & change your buses.
- Whilst on the bus, your driver will tell you what epic activities are available at each location, they’ll pass around a clipboard and you’ll be able to sign up – E A S Y.
- Kick back… enjoy it and make those memories!
Our favourite spots in NZ
- Queenstown
- Franz Josef Glacier
- Taupo
- Milford Sound
- Paihia
- Lake Tekapo
- Raglan
About the Author: Sammy
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From our RatPackers
Super friendly, and speedy service Anna was lovely- she went above and beyond to help us get the best deal. Definitely recommend!
Jenna was absolutely amazing! Made my booking so easy & was a mind of information about all the booking options, helping guide me & my friends on what camper suited us best for our trip. Could not be more helpful even with additional trip tips! Would highly recommend jenna to anyone who needs info / wants to book a camper! Can't wait for my trip.
Tammy was great with helping us get the best prices and packages that suited us best. We will definitely book again through them. Thanks⭐️⭐️
Jenna & George were a great help in booking our camper-van trip around NZ. They got a fantastic discount compared with going directly to the hire companies. They were very friendly and informative.
I have just booked a campervan… excellent phone service from Anna. Very clear explanations. Will write another review after our trip😀
George from Ratpack Travel was really helpful, he talked me through all the different camper options and what would suit me. He sent me links so I could look through the specs myself. Would really recommend ☺️
Ryan and Jenna were fantastic in assisting to book the right camper for our holiday. Would definitely recommend RatPack Travel.
Mikey was amazing to deal with. Super helpful and very informative. Came away with an awesome deal. Highly recommend!!
Thanks Jenna for your time and help
Jules was amazing. Very helpful and knowledgeable and made the experience completely stress free! Would definitely recommend and book through her again!
I have had the Absolute pleasure of corresponding with "George" regarding my upcoming holiday 😀 I was Very flustered in not knowing where to even start... Then I seen their post on Facebook, so thought I'd give it a go!!! Thank Goodness I did 👍 George has taken away All my stress and worries and has done all the work for me ~ how good is that 😉 My holiday isn't until September ~ yet I know if I have Any questions, I can give him a call and he will help!!! I Will Definitely be telling Everyone about this company and the Brilliant customer service I have been shown! I Cannot rate them any higher, mainly because there's only 5 stars to pick, but I rate them 100% the Best Company I have Every had the opportunity in dealing with!!! Thankyou George ~ I will Forever be a Valued, Happy Customer 😃 Kind Regards Cindy 🙏
Great experience booking with them, Anna asked about my requirements and found the best deals for my upcoming trip. Can't wait.
Ryan did an amazing job and guided me through the alternatives of different campervan rentals and helped me to find what suits me for my trip
Planning a huge trip is always a daunting experience but George managed to make the whole experience stress free and enjoyable. Everything from start to finish was personal and easy! Booking with RatPack is like being on the phone to a mate. Super informative, really friendly and we got an amazing deal. All you can ask for really. Thank you RatPack!
Huge thank you to RatPack Travel! We left it pretty late to book our campervan for Tassie and couldn't find many affordable options ourselves. I spoke to Gregg from RatPack on Whatsapp and within 10 minutes he had found us a great vehicle at an amazing price. We've just landed in Hobart and found out we've been upgraded to an even better van at the same price!! Will definitely be recommending RatPack to everyone I know who is planning to travel and see Australia the proper way! Thank you Gregg! ❤️
