Which bus? - Kiwi Experience, Flexi Bus or Stray?

Hello, I'm planning a trip with my friend to see as much as NZ as possible in 2 months after which she will say her goodbyes to leave me to venture hopefully with friends and local knowledge at this point. I'm young, but not looking for a party bus, but a really breath taking and adventure filled trip. I'd like to be confident that the bus option I choose should ensure I make friends, but see the real New Zealand too and with a long distance relationship I'm not looking to mingle too much on the bus :o. I also don't have a huge budget, but things may change if I'm able to find a second job to save up further before I go. I don't want to go with naked bus because of the bad reviews plus I'd like the flexibility to change plans. I should be going between 3 and 6 months providing I find a job in February after my friend has returned to the UK.

Whats this with the "real New Zealand"? What makes you think any of it isnt real? Naked Bus is a bus company used by plenty of local without any complaints. I suggest you rethink using them. But I'm sure if you've read a few negative reviews you would have also read reviews for the other 2 you mention. On that basis, I'm sure you can make up your mind.

I've only posted on this site because I'm asking for help, if there's one out there willing to offer advise to an inexperienced traveller struggling to make up her mind. The phrase 'real New Zealand' and the thoughts on naked bus were gathered from a series of common threads which also happen to come from Lonely Planet, backpacker compare and trip advisor. Have you been to New Zealand? If so, did you use a tour bus or local bus and did you travel alone? Thank you. :)

Perhaps it is difficult for you to understand the phrase 'Real New Zealand' particularly if you live there. I guess I'd like to experience what it's like living there, go on a bus where they see a bigger picture of the place rather than just the tourist hit spots and heavy nights of drinking. So perhaps you could help recommend what you think is the best coach and if it would be difficult for a first time solo traveler to use a local bus rather than a tour bus.

'the real xxx' is standard I'm-a-traveller-not-a-tourist babble. I've seen a lot of NZ and assure you that having checked round the back, it isn't fake scenery. :-)

use a local bus. You speak English, these buses will take you everywhere the tour buses go at a lower cost. You'll have to think more, arranging your own hostels, food and timetables, but I'm sure you can do that. The small hostels without a bar are much friendlier.

Thanks for your comment neverwinter. Yes from what I can see it looks hard to miss the scenery :). Hmm well I am happy to plan, I guess I've got three factors to consider.

The first is the 'no fixed cost' with the local travel option, what appeals with the tours is that you pay so much and you wouldn't pay more, however what's the advantage of the tour buses is it mainly the assistance and being on a crew of travelers who will stick with you as well as some tours.

The second is being alone. I haven't traveled before however my friend will be with me for two months and then I will be alone. Hopefully at this point I will know the place a lot better and feel comfortable continuing to travel around on local buses if I did take that option.

And the third: considering I will be alone, if I were to have gone on a tour bus and would like to get a job and live there for a few months, do you think a local bus could be a better option as I would meet locals who could help out and also I noted that the tour buses only go one way round.

It's interesting what you say about hostels.

Do you know anything about flexibus - intertravel working off travel hours which can also be used for activities, would this be a better way for value for money, making friends with travelers and locals and also feeling less alone? I don't expect you to have all the answers... sorry a lot of things to consider.

correct on not having all the answers - that's a new one on me!

1st question job wise; are you allowed to work in NZ? But you don't need to meet locals to get jobs, you answer ads the same as anywhere else and go from there. Then you will meet locals.

I'm beginning to wonder if OP thinks they're coming to the Wild West where we go round shooting any strangers who hop on local buses.
Take any place in UK, plonk it anywhere in NZ and for most things, it'll have similarities.

Hi

In my (limited) experience of bus tours of NZ, I would recommend Stray if you want to make friends and see NZ. I can only speak from the viewpoint of only having travelled with Stray, not any of the others as yet, but my experience with this company has been good. The drivers are really knowledgeable and I made friends by the end of my first day, although mainly once we arrived at the hostel rather than on the bus, admittedly. Over the past few days though, with my Stray companions, I have had a wonderful time in Northlands etc.

Downside of these tours is that you can feel a little rushed - I was up in Cape Reinga and already want to go back with a camper to do it for longer. The scenery is breath-taking and definitely needs more time to be explored - walking, camping, kayaking etc. That's my main gripe with an organised bus tour in any location / country though, and I did expect it before I boarded the bus, but like yourself I am travelling alone and wanted the opportunity to make friends and socialise.

Like other posters have commented, everywhere you look is 'the real NZ'. Out the bus window, at the stops you make, at the hostels, on the trips you do etc, where you work (make sure you have a WHV), all the activities you will undoubtedly do... Talk to everyone - you'll find they're all friendly and most are willing to have a chat. Don't be frightened to start conversations and comment on things you see and do whilst alone - you will be surprised how many people are alone themselves doing things!

Enjoy, whatever choice you make. Only you can make it the experience you want - no bus tour or organised trip is going to help you make friends or socialise if you're not up for it yourself. So be confident and have fun!!

Bethen.

I went to New Zealand for three weeks and used Kiwi Experience and it was AMAZING. If you are going on your own its perfect as takes away the worry of having to plan too much and the bus is always full of people so you will meet plenty of people! Everyone is there for the same reason, to see New Zealand, have fun and make friends whether they are travelling as a couple, and individual or as a group. There are lots of routes you can choose from, I went for the Funky Chicken (not sure if they still do this) as it covers both Islands and you end up where you started. With the Kiwi Experience you have the designated stops but you decide how long you stay there for, you can stay for a night or three and catch a different bus out which means meeting more new people. This is ideal as you might want to change your plan depending on what your new friends are doing. You do visit touristy places especially for the big activites like sky diving and rafting however even there you will see past the 'commercial' side of it all. We visited some beautiful places and one night we stayed in a valley in a cabin, there was nothing around for miles and it was right by the river and was so secluded we had it all to ourselves. The places like this dont have any party areas however alot of the stops do depending on which one you go for. Lots of people go out but others dont so you wouldnt be the only one not going crazy every night!

Sorry for the rambling but I hope this is of some help :)

I have not used any of the companies you are mentioning, so I can't give any specific advice relating to those, sorry, although I can give you some general advice. I spent a year in Australia and went on zero organise tours. I will be spending a year in New Zealand (WHV also), and again, I will be going on zero tours. I'm not saying that your choice to go on a tour is wrong, but they are not for me.

The first is the 'no fixed cost' with the local travel option, what appeals with the tours is that you pay so much and you wouldn't pay more, however what's the advantage of the tour buses is it mainly the assistance and being on a crew of travelers who will stick with you as well as some tours.

These travellers will only stick with you for the duration of your trip. Some may stay around afterwards in your final destination, but the majority will depart. You will then be left with a tiny percentage of the people that you met on the tour. You will meet more people staying in hostels, than what will stay after the tour ends..

You are right however, that you may be able to save money by fixing your destinations and dates, and choosing a tour. If you want rigidity and a fixed price, then a tour may be more suitable for you. If you want flexibility, and possibly more money, then taking local transport is the choice.

The second is being alone. I haven't traveled before however my friend will be with me for two months and then I will be alone. Hopefully at this point I will know the place a lot better and feel comfortable continuing to travel around on local buses if I did take that option.

This is really not as bad as people make it out to be. I went to Australia alone, and will be going to NZ alone. Once you spend 2 months with your friend from home, you may well be pleased to see the back of her. Travelling alone means you can indulge in everything that you want, whereas travelling with others, means you have to make compromises and sacrifices. It's super easy to make friends in hostels, as the majority of them are in the same boat as you, and wanting to make friends. When you get back from this trip, you will agree that making friends is very easy.

And the third: considering I will be alone, if I were to have gone on a tour bus and would like to get a job and live there for a few months, do you think a local bus could be a better option as I would meet locals who could help out and also I noted that the tour buses only go one way round.

Local buses or tour buses will not help you find a job. The chance of you meeting a local on a bus who has a job on offer is extremely slim. Your best bet to finding a job is to talk to people in your hostel, find out if they have worked/are working and go from there. I found a job through a roommate in exactly this way, and then got another friend in the hostel the same job with me also. Tour buses may say they can help you find a job, but I am quite dubious of this. They will probably have access to a job board or something, although most hostels have job boards so I wouldn't worry.

Hop on, hop off buses arent like a package tour. Simply put, you basically pay to go set routes from A to B to C with stops along the way but at your own pace. Naked Bus and Intercity also sell bus passes and these are local buses.

My girlfriend and I just finished our Kiwi experience and i've to say that i am amazed by all the people from other tours that say "kiwi experience" is all about drinking and hangovers. We've had the best time of our lives. We've been laughing, showed around and told a lot about the island. Of course, the crowd is mostly young but the drinking part is not something that Kiwi Experience is responsible of. Almost every hostel/town u visit will be visited by all the other tour operators. The "partying" finds place in the hostels/towns. We had a couple of nights where we went out with a part of the group. But most of the nights people just relaxed and enjoyed the environment, maybe with a beer or a soda.
The kiwi experience is one of the best things we did during our 7 month travel and we only did it for 15 days, which is way to short. Hopefully we can convince you to try it out, and we're sure u wont be disappointed.

Hi Again

Just had this pop up again as someone new has replied and wanted to add my two pennies worth in again now I've been here longer...

Stray was awesome. I did the South Island with Stray and it really was great, no doubt about it. I met some fantastic people and had an amazing time. But as ImfromWales points out, those people disperse. When we arrived in Wellington (my hop-off point to get a job and somewhere a bit more permanent to stay for a few months), I was left with just 5 people who I had travelled the South Island with. After a week, this dwindled to 3. After a month, down to just 1. By then, I moved into a hostel and made new friends.

That's what travel is all about - the fluidity and lack of structure, meaning good friends come and go and hopefully you'll see them again further down the road. Enjoy it - travelling alone is the most amazing thing. I did feel upset when my Stray friends left, but in the hostel in Wellington I quickly made new friends, and through work I met the girls I am now living with, which is awesome. You will never be truly alone - indeed, I've had to take myself off for a day trip or two alone just to get some alone time!!

A note on the Stray tour - I am now planning my own driving trip on the South Island, where I'll be doing it myself, rather than with the bus. It was fantastic for introducing me to this amazing country and the people here by Stray, but now I want to do it again under my own steam, stopping and starting whenever I like and seeing things I missed the first time round. So be aware of that - the main con of travelling with a bus group is that no doubt you'll want to go back and see it all again, but this time with a camper or a car!!!

I hope you're having a great time wherever you are at the moment.

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