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The 10 Best New Zealand Tours Starting from Auckland ???? [2025]© Backyard Roadies
The 10 Best New Zealand Tours Starting from Auckland ???? [2025]

The 9 Best New Zealand Tours Starting from Auckland

© Backyard Roadies
Article Single Pages© NZPocketGuide.com
Article Single Pages© NZPocketGuide.com
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Last Updated: 17 November, 2025

The Top Bus and Coach Tours of New Zealand From Auckland

Written By Real Travel Writers; Not Algorithms

Auckland is where most of us arrive when visiting New Zealand. It’s the cheapest airport to arrive at, so it only makes sense to start a tour from there. Luckily, there’s a huge range of tour companies starting their tours in Auckland, whether it’s a one-week loop of the North Island or a full tour of New Zealand. Furthermore, there are tours to suit all types of travellers, whether you want to travel with a small group, jump on a party bus or be with like-minded travellers on a luxury tour. We list some of our favourite New Zealand tours starting in Auckland right here.

Alternatively, see The New Zealand Tours Starting in Christchurch, The New Zealand Tours Starting in Queenstown and The New Zealand Tours Starting in Wellington. Plus, find out more about exploring by bus in Travel by Bus in New Zealand: The Ultimate Guide.

Table of Contents

5 Tips for Starting a Tour From Auckland

  1. Allow a day or two before and/or after your tour for your travel time to New Zealand, as well as get over the jet lag and explore Auckland – see 10 Auckland Must-Dos
  2. See if your tour includes airport transfers, as most tours depart in Auckland city centre, which is around 45 minutes drive from the airport – see Cheapest Airport Transfer Options for Auckland Airport
  3. Be sure to budget for meals throughout your trip, including your first and last nights in Auckland where many of the tours don’t have meals included – see How Much Does a Trip to New Zealand Cost?
  4. See if your chosen tour company has a Facebook Group. That way, you can organise to meet fellow travellers in Auckland before your tour departs
  5. Note that not all tours that start in Auckland end in Auckland. Either choose a tour that loops back to Auckland or book a domestic flight or coach trip from your tour’s end city to get back to Auckland.

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

G Adventures© G Adventures

G Adventures – North Island Multisport

For the traveller who prefers to experience a place by “doing” more than just “seeing”, G Adventures offers an epic adventure on their North Island Multisport tour. The tour conveniently starts and ends in Auckland, taking active travellers to highlights like Rotorua, Tongariro and Whanganui National Park taking part in activities like mountain biking, hiking and canoeing. You’ll also get most meals included too, as well as accommodation in a mix of hotels, a Maori village and lodges.

Tour Highlights

Tour Length: 8 days
Age Range: 12-99-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 16
Accommodation: Hotels, Maori village and lodges
Meals: Five breakfasts, three lunches and three dinners

Destinations

Find out more about this tour by comparing G Adventures on Tourradar. See more week tours of the North Island in The Best 7-Day Tours of the North Island.

Wild Kiwi© Wild Kiwi

Wild Kiwi – Northern Voyager

Explore the North Island with other young travellers on the Wild Kiwi adventure tour. This tour with a difference takes to some of the highlights of the North Island in a luxury Mercedes van in a small group. Accommodation is included in dorm-style rooms and also includes all breakfasts. You’ll also have a few usually paid activities included in your trip, such as Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Park, surf lessons in Raglan and more. The trip starts and ends in Auckland, making it easy to arrange flights.

Check out a complete review of Wild Kiwi over at What is it Really Like to Travel With Wild Kiwi?

Tour Highlights

Tour Length: 7 days
Age Range: 18-35-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 18
Accommodation: Hostels and lodges
Meals: All breakfasts and one dinner

Destinations

Find out more about this tour by comparing Wild Kiwi on Tourradar. See more small-group adventures like this in The Best Small-Group Tours in New Zealand.

AAT Kings© AAT Kings

AAT Kings – Iconic North

A tour for all ages, but mostly seniors and families, Northern Discovery with AAT Kings is well worth considering to visit the North Island. The slower-paced 7-day tour allows travellers to spend more time making the most of each location visited. Stay in luxurious hotels in each destination and enjoy the ease of airport transfers and some dinners with wine. The tour starts in Auckland and ends in Wellington.

Tour Highlights

Tour Length: 7 days
Age Range: 5-99-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 50
Accommodation: 4-star and 5-star hotels
Meals: All breakfasts, one lunch and three dinners

Destinations

Find out more about this tour by comparing AAT Kings on Tourradar. See more 7-day trips of New Zealand in The 10 Best 7-Day Tours of New Zealand.

The 5 Best New Zealand Tours Starting From Auckland ???? [2023]© Haka Tours

Haka Tours (Haka Plus) – Northern Trail

From Auckland to Wellington, zig-zag your way through the North Island with Haka Tours. Their all-inclusive Northern Trail Haka Plus tour has you visiting the surfer town of Raglan, checking out the Waitomo Caves, watching a Maori cultural performance in Rotorua, seeing kiwi birds and the super-clear Te Waihou Springs, staying in the Tongariro National Park and much more! This small-group adults-only tour includes some breakfasts and dinners, as well as accommodation in a mix of three and four-star hotels, motels and lodges. Note that there is also a “reverse” itinerary of this tour, should you want to start in Wellington and end in Auckland instead.

Tour Highlights

Tour Length: 10 days
Age Range: 30-70-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 16
Accommodation: Hotels, motels and lodges
Meals: Five breakfasts and two dinners

Destinations

Find out more about this tour and prices on the Haka Tours page of Tourradar. Check out more small-group adventures in The Best Small-Group Tours in New Zealand.

The 5 Best New Zealand Tours Starting from Auckland ???? [2023]© Exodus Travels

Exodus Travels – Trekking in New Zealand

Explore both New Zealand islands with a small group on the Trekking in New Zealand tour. This 19-day hiking tour with Exodus Travels starts in Auckland and ends in Christchurch, taking you to hiking highlights like the Tongariro National Park, Milford Sound and the Fox Glacier. All activities listed in the action-packed itinerary are included in the tour, such as a heli-hike in Mt Aspiring National Park, a short flight between Wellington and Nelson, and a water taxi cruise in the Abel Tasman National Park. All meals and accommodation are also included in the rate.

Tour Highlights

Tour Length: 19 days
Age Range: 16+ years old
Maximum Group Size: 11
Accommodation: Hotels, lodges, cabins and huts/camping
Meals: 16 breakfasts, 17 lunches and seven dinners

Destinations

Find out more about this tour by comparing Exodus Travels on Tourradar. Plus, check out more tours with a small group count in The Best Small-Group Tours in New Zealand.

The 5 Best New Zealand Tours Starting from Auckland ???? [2023]© Flying Kiwi

Flying Kiwi – Northern Light

Explore the heart of the North Island on the Northern Light Tour with Flying Kiwi. This 5-day bus tour starting in Auckland and ending in Wellington takes active travellers on an adventure to the Coromandel where you’ll dig your own thermal pool, to the geothermal Rotorua and its geysers at Wai-O-Tapu, to the Tongariro Crossing or opt for some mountain biking, and much more is included in the itinerary!

About Flying Kiwi’s Tours

Tour Length: 5 days
Age Range: 16-65-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 26
Accommodation: Camping or cabin
Meals: Four breakfasts, two lunches and three dinners

Destinations

Find out more about this tour and prices by checking out the Flying Kiwi on Tourradar. Plus, learn more about how Flying Kiwi works in That New Zealand Hop-On Hop-Off Bus You’ve Never Heard Of.

The 5 Best New Zealand Tours Starting from Auckland ???? [2023]© Inspiring Journeys

Inspiring Journeys – Inspiring New Zealand

Combine sightseeing on the North Island with exploring the south of the South Island with Inspiring Journeys. The 10-day small-group tour, which appeals to the more active mature crowd, starts in Auckland. You’ll journey to the geothermal and Maori hub of Rotorua then onto New Zealand’s capital, Wellington. Catch a flight to Queenstown (not included) where you’ll have the ease of an airport transfer and the opportunity to cruise Doubtful Sound and explore Queenstown your way. Tours also include luxurious hotel accommodations, most meals and more.

Tour Highlights

Tour Length: 10 days
Age Range: 12-99-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 20
Accommodation: Hotels
Meals: Eight breakfasts, two lunches and six dinners

Destinations

Find out more about this tour by comparing Inspiring Journeys on Tourradar. Plus, see more tours for seniors in The Best New Zealand Tours for Seniors.

The 5 Best New Zealand Tours Starting from Auckland ???? [2023]© Trafalgar

Trafalgar – Iconic North

A tour for all ages, Trafalgar‘s Iconic North tour takes passengers to the North Island’s bustling hubs of Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua and Wellington. This tour is slower-paced compared to others featured on this list, allowing you more time to explore each destination at leisure and join your tour guide for city sightseeing tours. Accommodation is included, featuring upmarket hotels, while all breakfasts and a few other meals are also part of the tour.

This tour also appeals to an older crowd, so take a look at The Best New Zealand Tours for Seniors to see how it compares.

About Trafalgar’s Tours

Tour Length: 7 days
Age Range: 5-99-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 48
Accommodation: Hotels
Meals: All breakfasts, one lunch and three dinners

Destinations

Find out more about this tour by comparing Trafalgar on Tourradar.

The 5 Best New Zealand Tours Starting from Auckland ???? [2023]© Contiki

Contiki – Sun & Steam

Hit the road with other young travellers on the Sun & Steam tour with Contiki! Contiki offers an alternative itinerary of the North Island, getting you to explore the ancient kauri forest and beautiful beaches of Northland and the Bay of Islands, before making your way to the geothermal hotspot of Rotorua. You’ll be staying in shared rooms in hostels with your tour mates, as well as enjoying breakfast included each morning and a couple of dinners. What’s more, this tour actually lasts six days, so you’ll have time to relax at either the beginning or end of your tour.

About Contiki’s Tours

Tour Length: 6 days
Age Range: 18-35-year-olds
Maximum Group Size: 45
Accommodation: Hostels
Meals: All breakfasts and two dinners

Destinations

Find out more about this tour by comparing Contiki on Tourradar.

More About New Zealand Bus Tours Starting From Auckland

That’s it for our list of the best New Zealand tours from Auckland. If they didn’t quite meet your criteria, how about these other tour listings?

Now that you know the best New Zealand tours starting in Auckland, find a place to stay using The 50 Best Accommodations in Auckland.

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

Laura S.

This article has been reviewed and published by Laura, the editor-in-chief and co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. Laura is a first-class honours journalism graduate and a travel journalist with expertise in New Zealand and South Pacific tourism for over 10 years. She also runs travel guides for five of the top destinations in the South Pacific and is the co-host of over 250 episodes of the NZ Travel Show on YouTube.

About Laura About Our Team

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