Oz & Kiwi Experience

TonyD79

Can anyone recommend doing the Oz & Kiwi Experience? Im either thinking of getting a bus pass or paying extra for this service as I will only be on the East Coast for 3 weeks approx and New Zeland the same. Im travelling on my own but at the same time heard from another traveler in South America that everyone was 19/20 on them and Id prefer to be meeting more mature people 23-40 age group as per South America.

Larianne

You'll be lucky to meet that age group on either the Oz/Kiwi experience. Not saying their won't be people in their late 20's+ on those buses but they will be mainly 18-25 yr olds.

I did neither but met people who used them and bumped into the buses while travelling in a Wicked van in NZ. Out of the buses in NZ - Stray and Magic had a better mix of age groups on the buses from what I saw.

I hardly ever saw Oz Experience buses and never spoke to anyone who used them. So no info on them.

Just remembered! If you're into surfing or think you are research some surf schools who do 5 day tours from Sydney up to Byron Bay (or they may do the opposite way aswell). Just another option. Mojo surfers is the only one I can think of.

My advice if travelling alone, in NZ use one of the buses Magic or Stray as it's difficult enough to get around in NZ on public transport. On the east coast of Oz, use the bus passes. There are so many single travellers in Oz you'll bound to hook up with someone or a group of people.

elambra

I went on the kiwi Exp around the North Island for 2 weeks and from my whole RTW trip I have to say that it was one of the highlights... Not just because of the wonderful country of NZ, but because of the people and the craic I had on the bus. I'm late 20's and yes most of the people were 23-25 but it was certainly more mature than the rumors you hear (eg the big green f*ck bus etc.)

I heard the Oz Exp bus is full of 18/19 year old english middle class gap year kids who are very clicky and I have to stress the Kiwi Exp bus is not like that..

In saying that though, I met a lot of people in NA who done the Magic and Stray buses and they said they were very good too... enjoy!

TonyD79

Mite go with Stray after looking at their site. Gonna go with the greyhound bus in OZ. Im thinking of doing the 16 day Southern Island pass and then spend 5/6 days up north around Auckland. From what people have told me its the South Island thats the place to concentrate on and not the North Island?

majiktripp

South Island definately is more busy now than the North when we were travelling, I wont say I enjoy it more though. Certainly its more scenic but the North Island has its good bits too. The Coromandel Penninsula is fantastic and Mt. Taranaki too but these are off the bus route tours so would be a bit hard to get too. North of Auckland is a bit bland, bar Cape Reinga but you could skip it and not miss much. We were on the move around Christmas time so got to see a lot of fairs and the likes which made the smaller towns fairly cool. But since hitting the south island its nothing but Maui's, Britz vans , and German's..