The 14 Best Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours in New Zealand

1.Ferry & Hop-On Hop-Off Explorer Bus Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,311 reviews · 1 day · from $59Our pick

Take the ferry from Auckland’s Quay Street terminal to Waiheke Island, then use the Explorer Bus to visit 16 stops at your own pace. Expect winery views, beaches, galleries, shops, and nature walks, with helpful guides such as Ruth, Aaron, Minnie, and Chris sharing island stories along the way.

“Fun and easy way to see Waiheke without the expense of a private tour. Stop off as much as you like, do a few wine tastings (we just walked in-no reservations) and see the sights. Note we did make a reservation for lunch at The Heke which we also highly recommend!”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Auckland Explorer: Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,180 reviews · from $43

Explore Auckland by air-conditioned hop-on hop-off bus, with optional open-air seating, English commentary, and stops at the Sky Tower, Auckland Museum, Mount Eden, Parnell, Bastion Point, Kelly Tarlton’s, and Auckland Zoo. Choose a one or two-day pass and build your own route.

“Easy to redeem voucher at one of two places in the city. Great way to get around and learn about a new city.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Hop-On Hop-Off Explorer Bus Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,064 reviews · 1 day · from $38

Use Auckland’s Explorer Bus for one day of flexible sightseeing. The Red route runs year round through downtown, Parnell, Newmarket, Bastion Point, and Kelly Tarlton’s. From October to April, the Blue route adds Mt Eden, Auckland Zoo, and MOTAT. English commentary, WiFi, and wheelchair access are included.

“Great to do our own thing & visit the tourist attractions”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Christchurch Hop-On Hop-Off Tram

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 841 reviews · from $24

Use an all-day ticket on Christchurch’s restored vintage trams, boarding at 18 central-city stops. Hear live commentary from the driver, ride the full loop in about 50 minutes, or hop off near the Avon River, Canterbury Museum, Riverside Market, New Regent Street, and the Botanic Gardens.

“Great tour of the city in a vintage tram, with very interesting and informative driver. Good value for an all day ticket that gives you an insight into what the city has to offer.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Hop-On Hop-Off Tour by Vintage Tram

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 717 reviews · 1 day · from $23Best value

Use a one-day pass to ride Christchurch’s vintage trams around the compact city centre. Hear live commentary from drivers, complete a 50-minute circuit, then hop off at the Botanic Gardens, Canterbury Museum, Riverside Market, and Cathedral Junction. Arrive anytime during operating hours.

“There needs to be a warning that there are 2 steep steps to board the tram and anyone with mobility issues may not be able to readily get on or off. (This may already be in the advertising, I’m not sure.) The commentary was excellent.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Hop on Hop off Wine Tours Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 350 reviews

Spend 5 to 7 hours touring Queenstown’s wine country by air-conditioned hop-on hop-off bus. Choose from wineries, breweries, Arrowtown, gin tasting, pubs, and adventure stops. Drivers such as George, Kerry, and Pete offer useful local guidance, while the one-way route rewards careful planning.

“The hop on hop off wine bus was the best way to experience New Zealand’s beautiful wine country, without the hassle of a potential DUI! We did a little bit of research beforehand and went to Amisfield (best wine), Gibbston Valley Winery and Brennans (beautiful orange wine!). The stop in Arrowtown for an explore was also a great way to ease into a day of wine drinking. Hot tip: we saw a newly opened winery across from Brennans called Waitiri Creek and what a surprise it was! It wasn’t on the list, but had the best views of the whole day and brilliant staff. The Chardonnay and Pinot noir is…”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Waiheke Island Hop-On Hop-Off Explorer Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 315 reviews · from $58

Explore Waiheke Island by ferry and hop-on hop-off bus, with commentary from hosts such as Ash and Simon. Choose from wineries, beaches, galleries, shops, and trailheads across 15 listed stops. The bus runs from Matiatia about hourly, giving you freedom without needing a car.

“You have, when you hop off, an hour to wait for another bus. Sadly if you hop.off at a winery which was closed it is an hour of boredom as you are miles from anywhere and no coffee shop nearby. Make sure place is open before you get off”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Queenstown & Gibbston Valley: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine Tours

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 113 reviews · 1 day · from $77

Spend a full day following a one-way route from Queenstown through Arthur’s Point, Arrowtown, and Gibbston Valley. Hop off for tastings, lunch, gold-mining history, breweries, or adventure stops, then use the timetable to continue. Drivers such as George and Harry offer local tips along the way.

“It was great. Harry was a great driver and provided good care and commentary. Timetable was easy to read and allowed you to make your own itinerary easily.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.CRUISE SHIP DAY Marlborough Hop On Hop Off Wine Tours

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 88 reviews · from $80

From Picton, ride air-conditioned buses through Marlborough’s wine region and choose your own stops. Taste at wineries such as Cloudy Bay, Spy Valley, Hunter’s, or Framingham, or visit Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, vintage cars, breweries, cafés, and Makana Chocolate. Tastings, meals, and museum admission cost extra.

“Better then expected - great service. We had a group of 10 from cruise and company owner ordered large buss to accommodate all of us. We were able to see what we wanted and test wine in 3 locations. We have enjoyed our tour and it is better organized then specified in some past reviews. You will NOT miss going back to your cruise - relax and enjoy”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Hop on Hop off Wine Tours Marlborough

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 46 reviews · from $80

Start at 10 a.m. and shape a half-day or full-day outing through Marlborough wine country. Air-conditioned transport links cellar doors, museums, aviation displays, pubs, chocolate makers, and food stops. Driver Pete is known for useful local suggestions, while English, German, Chipese, Japanese, and French tours are available.

“A great way to explore a few different vineyards without having to drive and be able to enjoy the local produce. Our driver, Pete, was great - friendly and able to answer our questions/advise on what would be best for our day. Good local Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Marlborough: Hop-On Hop-Off Wine, Brewery, and Wonders Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 35 reviews · 1 day · from $77

Spend a day linking Marlborough wineries, breweries, museums, restaurants, shops, and activity centers by coach. Start in Picton or Blenheim, use the map and timetable to plan your stops, and get local tips from drivers such as Pete and Erin. Tastings, meals, and drinks cost extra.

“Great options for stopping…town centre, museums, beautiful wineries and a gin distillery. We stopped at Allan Scott Winery for lunch and it was delicious! Overall a great day”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.CRUISE SHIP DAYS – HOP ON HOP OFF – Wine, Beer, Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 9 reviews · 8 hours · from $77

Use Picton as your starting point for an eight-hour, self-guided hop-on hop-off tour through Marlborough. Choose from 26 wineries, breweries, cafés, museums, shops, and activities, with expert local drivers, a printed timetable, and wristband discounts. Tastings and meals cost extra.

“The initial reaction was chaos when we got to the office. Only one lady seemed to know what she was doing and the stress on her was horrible. She handled it well if not abruptly. We didn’t really know what we were supposed to be doing. Once we finally got to a bus things improved.”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Queenstown Hop-on Hop-off Evening Beer Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $80Top rated

Start at 5pm with a mobile ticket, map, and wristband, then ride between Queenstown, Arrowtown, Gibbston, and nearby venues until 10pm. Guides including Lorena, Juliana, and Robbie add local insight and good banter. Tastings and dinner cost extra, but drink discounts help keep the evening affordable.

“I loved this tour! We Have already done the full day wine tour but the evening beer tour was great fun. We had a really fun and knowledgeable driver Lorena and we were spoilt for choice on our stops. It’s a great way to see some awesome Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.CRUISE SHIP DAY LYTTELTON Hop On Hop Off Wine Tours to Waipara

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $80

From Lyttelton, choose your own North Canterbury day among more than 20 wine, food, beer, and shopping stops. Spend about five hours riding an air-conditioned shuttle between places such as Pegasus Bay, Greystone, Black Estate, Waipara Springs, and Brew Moon. Guides may include JJ, Warren, or Pete.

“This excursion was one of the highlights of our trip. We had such a fabulous time. Pete, our driver, was informative and fun. He really watched after us and made sure we were on time to every one of our stops. The wineries were outstandinRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review