The Best 20+ Days (3-4 Weeks) Tours of New Zealand 🧭 [2023]© Unsplash
The Best 20+ Days (3-4 Weeks) Tours of New Zealand 🧭 [2023]

The Best 20+ Days (3-4 Weeks) Tours of New Zealand 🧭 [2024]

© Unsplash

How Tour New Zealand for 20+ Days (3-4 Weeks)!

Visiting New Zealand for three to four weeks? That’s the perfect duration to see the highlights of both the North Island and the South Island with New Zealand’s bus tour companies. There are plenty of amazing bus tours showing you the sights, from backpacker tours for 18-30-year-olds to luxury tours for families and seniors. Whatever your style, there’s sure to be a New Zealand tour to suit. We go through some of our favourites in this guide to the best 20+ days (3-4 weeks) tours of New Zealand!

While you’re here, you might also be interested in The Best 10-12-Day Tours of the North Island and The Best 10-12-Day Tours of the South Island.

6 Tips for Planning a 20-Day Tour of New Zealand

  1. Allow a day or two before and after your tour to allow for your travel time to New Zealand, as well as to allow yourself to get over the jet lag in your arrival city
  2. Pack light: it might be hard for a three-week/month-long trip, but you don’t want to be the one that everyone has to make room for! See the New Zealand Packing List for more packing advice
  3. Use websites like TourRadar to compare tour companies for the exact number of days you wish to travel. Another advantage to these websites is that they have standard cancellation policies should your travel plans change
  4. Choose a few optional paid activities before your trip departs so you are able to correctly budget for your tour
  5. On a similar note, allow room in your budget for meals too, especially for those days that meals are not included – see How Much Does a Trip to New Zealand Cost? for typical food prices in New Zealand
  6. It’s a good idea to check if your chosen tour company has a Facebook Group! That way, you can meet other travellers who will be on your tour.

For more tour advice, check out the 15 Tips to Make the Most of Your Bus Trip.

G Adventures© G Adventures

G Adventures – Best of New Zealand: Mountain Biking and Black-Sand Beaches

For an adventure for the active traveller who wants to see the highlights of the North and South Island, G Adventures is for you! This 21-day tour of New Zealand starts in Auckland and ends in Wellington. The Best of the New Zealand tour has plenty of inclusion to get your money’s worth, such as some usually paid activities, accommodation on a multi-share basis and most meals. There’s more time spent on the South Island than the North Island on this tour.

For more tours from Auckland, take a look at The Best New Zealand Tours Starting in Auckland.

About G Adventures’ Tours

Age Range: 18-39-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 20
Accommodation: Hostels and lodges
Meals: 20 breakfasts, one lunch and five dinners

Destinations on the 21-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour by comparing G Adventures on Tourradar.

Luxury Gold© Luxury Gold

Luxury Gold – The Long White Cloud

A bus tour of New Zealand doesn’t mean you have to rough it. Luxury Gold offers a now reduced 19-day tour of New Zealand (originally 21 days) with a wealth of inclusions for optimum comfort and ease. The Long White Cloud tour starts in Christchurch and ends in Auckland, taking you across both islands at a slightly slower pace than other tours featured on this list. During your travels, you’ll enjoy four and five-star hotels, most meals including dinner with wine, and a selection of usually paid activities, like the TranzAlpine, a jet boat ride, sea kayak at Milford Sound and much more.

For more tours from Christchurch, check out The Best New Zealand Tours Starting in Christchurch.

About Luxury Gold’s Tours

Age Range: 5-99-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 40
Accommodation: Hotels
Meals: 18 breakfasts, one lunch and 12 dinners

Destinations on the 19-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour by comparing Luxury Gold on Tourradar.

Haka Tours© Haka Tours

Haka Tours – Legendary NZ Tour

Hit the road with Haka Tours for their small-group adventure on the Legendary NZ Tour. This 20-day tour zig-zags its way from Auckland down the North Island then loops around the South Island ending back on the North Island in Wellington. There’s a great deal of usually paid activities included in the tour, such as Te Puia geothermal park in Rotorua, the scenic ferry ride between the North and South Islands, greenstone carving in Franz Josef, a Maori canoe lesson in Abel Tasman, as well as a few free walks here and there. What’s more, your breakfasts and accommodation in dorm rooms (or private room upgrades) are included.

Check out alternative small-group adventures in The Best Small-Group Tours in New Zealand.

About Haka Tours’ Tours

Age Range: 18-49-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 16
Accommodation: Hostels and lodges
Meals: All breakfasts and one dinner

Destinations on the 20-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour, including the price, by comparing Haka Tours on Tourradar.

Flying Kiwi© Flying Kiwi

Flying Kiwi – Total Aotearoa

If you have about a month to explore New Zealand, then you might want to do it with Flying Kiwi. Their Total Aotearoa tour takes you on a full loop of the country, starting and ending in Auckland. The bus tour, which can also be used as a hop-on hop-off bus, visits a lot of destinations on both islands. They provide a more adventurous tour with mountain bikes and other sports equipment included, as well as unique accommodation in tents (or cabins) under the stars. Your tour also includes most meals, access to a bunch of free activities, and some usually paid activities like Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland, wine tasting, and the ferry crossing.

Note: Tours resume in 2023.

Discover more tours around the whole country in The Best National Bus Tours in New Zealand.

About Flying Kiwi’s Tours

Age Range: 18-65-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 26
Accommodation: Hostels, camping and cabins
Meals: 22 breakfasts, eight lunches and 14 dinners

Destinations on the 23-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour, including the price, by comparing Flying Kiwi on Tourradar.

The Best 20+ Days (3-4 Weeks) Tours of New Zealand 🧭 [2023]© Wild Kiwi

Wild Kiwi – New Zealand Discovery Tour

All of New Zealand’s hotspots are hit and then some in this epic 21-day (three weeks) tour of New Zealand. On the New Zealand Discovery Tour with Wild Kiwi, spend a few days exploring glowworm caves, geothermal areas and glorious beaches on the North Island before taking a flight from Auckland to Christchurch to explore the South Island. There are fully-guided day trips to Milford Sound and the lesser-explored Golden Bay on what could be the best three weeks of your life!

For more tours for a younger crowd, check out The Best Backpacker Bus Tours in New Zealand.

About Wild Kiwi’s Tours

Age Range: 18-35-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 18
Accommodation: Hostels and lodges
Meals: All breakfasts and three dinners

Destinations on the 21-Day Tour

Find out more about this tour, including the price, by comparing Wild Kiwi on Tourradar.

The Best 20+ Days (3-4 Weeks) Tours of New Zealand 🧭 [2023]© AAT Kings

AAT Kings – Spirit of New Zealand

This all-inclusive 21-day tour of New Zealand caters to a wide range of travellers, from family holidaymakers to retired couples from all over the world. There’s a good mix of activities included in AAT Kings national New Zealand bus tour, as well as giving passengers the opportunity to enjoy some free time along the set national route.

Because AAT Kings also appeals to the older crowd, we also list them in The 5 Best New Zealand Tours for Seniors. Plus, they also start their 21-day tour from Christchurch, making them one of The 5 Best New Zealand Tours Starting from Christchurch.

About AAT Kings’ Tours

Age Range: 5-99-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 58
Accommodation: Hotels and lodges
Meals: 20 breakfasts, one lunch and eight dinners

Destinations on the 21-Day Tour

Compare AAT Kings tours on Tourradar to get the best deal.

The Best 20+ Days (3-4 Weeks) Tours of New Zealand 🧭 [2023]© Contiki

Contiki – The Big Tiki

Contiki is an all-inclusive bus tour for travellers aged 18-35 following a set route around the country. At least one meal a day is included, as well as accommodation and some activities. Some activities are included in your bus pass, such as a Hobbiton Movie Set Tour, Maori hangi meal and more. For other paid activities you can either add them to your tour when booking your pass or book with the driver as you travel.

For more information on how Contiki works, see Contiki Vs. G Adventures: Comparison for New Zealand.

About Contiki’s Tours

Age Range: 18-35-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 50
Accommodation: Hotels, hostels and lodges
Meals: All breakfasts and three dinners

Destinations on the 21-Day Tour

Compare Contiki on Tourradar to get the best deal.

The Best 20+ Days (3-4 Weeks) Tours of New Zealand 🧭 [2023]© Kiwi Experience

Kiwi Experience – The Whole Kit and Caboodle Pass

Note that Kiwi Experience’s hop-on hop-off bus passes are set to resume from November 2022. Their all-inclusive bus tours are currently operating, which we detail in The 10 Best Backpacker Bus Tours in New Zealand.

The hop-on hop-off bus company, Kiwi Experience, follows a set route following one direction around the country. Passengers have the opportunity to “hop off” the bus anywhere along the route and “hop on” another bus at a prearranged time and date. Certain passes allow “unlimited travel” meaning you can do the route multiple times while your pass is valid (usually 12 months from your start date) as long as you travel in order and when there is availability. Although their longest tour is 27 days of travel, passes start from four days, so there’s really something for everyone.

For a complete review of Kiwi Experience’s hop-on hop-off bus tour, head to What is it Really Like to Travel with Kiwi Experience?

About Kiwi Experience’s Tours

Age Range: 18-99-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 50
Accommodation: No accommodation is included but hostels are booked on your behalf
Meals: No meals are included

Destinations on the 27-Day Tour

Compare Kiwi Experience on Tourradar to get the best deal. Plus, learn more about how it works in How Does the Hop-on Hop-off Bus Network in New Zealand Work?

Kiwi Vibes© Kiwi Vibes

[CLOSED] Kiwi Vibes – The Full Frontal

Kiwi Vibes has suspended tours due to COVID and are yet to announce its reopening. We will update this page if and when tours with Kiwi Vibes become available again. 

Spend the summer with Kiwi Vibes on their 22-day tour of New Zealand! The Full Frontal encompasses both islands with heaps of destinations on each. Kiwi Vibes is exclusively for young adults, meaning you’ll get to explore and party with like-minded travellers. Inclusions are dorm-style accommodation, all breakfasts and a few other meals.

About Kiwi Vibes’ Tours

Age Range: 18-35-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 30
Accommodation: Hostels
Meals: All breakfasts, four lunches and eight dinners

Destinations on the 22-Day Tour

  • Auckland
  • Coromandel
  • Tauranga/Mt Maunganui
  • Rotorua
  • Taupo
  • Wellington
  • Kaikoura
  • Hokitika
  • Franz Josef
  • Queenstown
  • Twizel
  • Christchurch
  • New Plymouth
  • Raglan

More About 20+ Days (3 to 4 Weeks) Bus Tours of New Zealand

That’s it for our list of the best 20+ days or 3 to 4 weeks tours of New Zealand. If these tours don’t fit the bill, be sure to check out our alternative bus tour comparisons:

Plus, you might like to see how a bus tour compares to our New Zealand in Three Weeks: Road Trip Itinerary. Finally, find out more about exploring by bus in Travel by Bus in New Zealand: The Ultimate Guide.

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

Robin C.

This article has been reviewed and approved by Robin, who is the co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. With more than 15 years of experience in the New Zealand tourism industry, Robin has co-founded three influential tourism businesses and five additional travel guides for South Pacific nations. He is an expert in New Zealand travel and has tested over 600 activities and 300+ accommodations across the country.

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