New Zealand · SELF-GUIDED TOURS

15 Self-Guided Tours in New Zealand: What to Book First

40 tours · from $12 a head

The shortlist you would text a friend before they leave: 15 self-guided tours that hold up, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the catch nobody mentions.

If you only read one bit

The one to say yes to Queen Charlotte Track: Cruise & Self-Guided Hike from Picton 8h 30m · ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.8 from $66 Check availability →

The cheapest way in Half-Day Self-Guided Ride and Wine Bike Tour from Arrowtown ★★★★★★★★★★ 5.0 from $25 Check availability →

The one to splash out on Abel Tasman National Park: Sailing and Self-Guided Walk 8 hours · ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.8 from $80 Check availability →

Boat Tours in Marlborough, Cruises & Boat Tours, Guided, Hiking & Trekking, Marlborough & Picton Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Self-Guided Tours in Marlborough, Tour Reviews

Queen Charlotte Track: Cruise & Self-Guided Hike from Picton

1.Queen Charlotte Track: Cruise & Self-Guided Hike from Picton

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 383 reviews · 8h 30m · from $66Our pick

Review of the Queen Charlotte Track cruise and hike from Picton, with route choices, costs, fitness advice, timing, wildlife, and practical tips.

“We missed out on the 5 day Queen Charlotte walk as it was full but the one day walk from Furneaux lodge to Punga Cove was 14 kms and a great compromise as we now have more time to explore the South Island. Communication was excellent and the staff were very attentive.”

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Bike Tours in Marlborough, Cycling Tours, Guided, Marlborough & Picton Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Self-Guided Tours in Marlborough, Tour Reviews, Tours, Wine Tours, Wine Tours in Marlborough

Self-Guided Wine Tours by Bike with Lorelle & Greg

2.Self-Guided Wine Tours by Bike with Lorelle & Greg

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 304 reviews · from $43Top rated

Explore Marlborough’s wineries by bike with Lorelle and Greg, including shuttle pickup, maps, wine panniers, and flexible cellar door visits.

“Just the most amazing way to see the local wine cellar doors. Lorelle and Greg are fantastic hosts and they really know how to put you at ease even if you haven’t ridden a bike for a while. Don’t think about it, just do it. We were picked up froRead more”

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Guided, Hiking & Trekking, Rotorua Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Rotorua

Volcanic Valley Self Guided Walking and Hiking at Waimangu

3.Volcanic Valley Self Guided Walking and Hiking at Waimangu

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 248 reviews · from $46

Explore Waimangu Volcanic Valley near Rotorua on a self-guided hike with steaming lakes, Inferno Crater Lake, shuttle buses, and forest trails.

“Wonderfully rich experience of flora, fauna and geothermal activity in a spectacular historic and dynamic landscape”

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Boat Tours in Nelson, Cruises & Boat Tours, Guided, National Park Tours in Nelson, National Parks, Nelson Tours, Sailing, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Nelson

Abel Tasman National Park: Sailing and Self-Guided Walk

4.Abel Tasman National Park: Sailing and Self-Guided Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 238 reviews · 8 hours · from $80

Sail Abel Tasman’s golden coast, spot fur seals, then walk from Anchorage Bay to Marahau on this flexible 8-hour outing.

“Great day in Abel Tasman National Park. Fantastic ‘guides’ Nick and Claudia, very personable and knowledgable, and a great laid back atmosphere on board. I highly recommend this trip.”

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Marlborough: Full-Day Self-Guided Biking Wine Tour

5.Marlborough: Full-Day Self-Guided Biking Wine Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 221 reviews · 1 day · from $41

Cycle Marlborough’s flat vineyard roads, visit nearby cellar doors, and enjoy a flexible self-guided wine day with hotel transfers from Blenheim or Renwick.

“Great day, total freedom as to where you visit and all the wineries are within a very close distance to each other”

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Self-Guided Biking Wine Tour (full day) in the Marlborough Region.

6.Self-Guided Biking Wine Tour (full day) in the Marlborough Region.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 206 reviews · from $43

Cycle Marlborough’s flat vineyard roads on a self-guided wine tour with hotel pickup, bike hire, maps, bottle service, and e-bike options.

“A very good way to do the tastings. pre-Bookings at vineyards just needed for lunch or at Cloudy Bay and Fromm.”

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Geothermal & Hot Springs, Guided, Self-Guided Tours, Taupo Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Self-Guided Geothermal Tour in Orakei Korako

7.Self-Guided Geothermal Tour in Orakei Korako

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 178 reviews · from $35

Explore Orakei Korako near Taupo on a flexible self-guided walk with geysers, silica terraces, mud pools, a cave, and ferry rides.

“Very different experience to thermal pool site previously visited. Less touristy a good alternative to the Rotarua site. Small cafe onsite but be warned no toilets on explore site. The crossover by boat provides a good view of the area. The site is Read more”

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Bike Tours in Queenstown, Cycling Tours, Guided, Queenstown Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Wine Tours, Wine Tours in Queenstown

Queenstown: Self-Guided Gibbston Valley Wineries Bike Tour

8.Self-Guided Gibbston Valley Wineries Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 128 reviews · 5 hours - 450 minutes · from $56

Cycle Queenstown’s Gibbston Valley wineries with shuttle transport, bike hire, river trails, tastings, alpine views, and flexible stops.

“We had a great day biking around the wineries. We managed to fit 2 into the half day tour enjoying a wine tasting at the first one. Highly recommend the e bike as it is a fair ride to the first winery.”

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Cycling Tours, Guided, Half-Day, Maori Cultural Experiences, Maori Cultural Experiences in Rotorua, Rotorua Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews

Half-Day Self-Guided Mountain Bike Journey through Whakarewarewa Redwood Forest

9.Half-Day Self-Guided Mountain Bike Journey through Whakarewarewa Redwood Forest

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 124 reviews · from $34

Explore Rotorua’s redwood forest by bike with quality gear, flexible trails, staff advice, and four hours of self-guided riding.

“The outfit you with bike and helmet. Remember to bring gloves and water bottle. The mountain biking here is the best I’ve ever experienced, and I only did one percent of the trails. I can’t wait to come back someday and try different trails. The 3 to 4 hour experience was a great idea and Viator was great and communicating and for a reasonable price.”

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Guided, Milford Sound Cruises, Self-Guided Tours, Southland & Stewart Island Tours, Tour Reviews, Walking Tours

Milford Sound: Self-Guided Milford Track Day Walk

10.Milford Sound: Self-Guided Milford Track Day Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 114 reviews · 3h 30m · from $44

Walk a gentle section of New Zealand’s Milford Track to Giant Gate Falls, with a short water-taxi ride, rainforest scenery, and practical tips.

“Self guided. Our boat guide was awesome, kind, helpful with information, a great driver and treated people as individuals with great respect!”

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Bike Tours in Queenstown, Cycling Tours, Guided, Queenstown Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews

Queenstown: Self-Guided Bike Ride on the Arrow Bridges Trail

11.Self-Guided Bike Ride on the Arrow Bridges Trail

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 96 reviews · 4 hours · from $56

Ride from Arrowtown to Gibbston on a self-guided 15 km trail with river gorges, suspension bridges, bike hire, and return shuttle.

“It was a great ride, extremely picturesque and fun to do with our Adult kids! We could’ve had an extra hour or two to enjoy the other wineries.”

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Bike Tours in Napier, Cycling Tours, Guided, Napier & Hawkes Bay Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Self-Guided Tours in Napier, Tour Reviews, Tours, Wine Tours, Wine Tours in Napier

Hawkes Bay Wineries Self-Guided Bike Tour

12.Hawkes Bay Wineries Self-Guided Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 83 reviews · from $40

Ride flat Hawke’s Bay wine trails at your own pace, stopping at wineries near Hastings with bike hire, maps, helmets, and summer wine pickup.

“Fabulous bike rental company in the middle of Hawke’s Bay wine region. Great bikes which were easy to ride on the flat bike paths. Fabulous scenery and close to lots of wineries.”

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Great Escape Self-Guided Scenic Cycle Winery Tour from Napier

13.Great Escape Self-Guided Scenic Cycle Winery Tour from Napier

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 75 reviews · from $49

Cycle Napier’s coast, wetlands, Tukituki vineyards, and four wineries on a flexible self-guided tour with a 4pm shuttle.

“This bike tour is an excellent way to enjoy some of the Hawkes Bay countryside up close. A fine day (pretty common for the region) made it a truly enjoyable experience. Do start early so you are not pressed for time with tasting at the wineries. Ideally, the pickup point would be the furthest winery - Te Awanga - and it would be possible to pick up purchases from all three sites rather than just Elephant.Hill. The bikes were excellent - gear changing very easy.”

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Cycling Tours, Guided, Half-Day, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Wine Tours

Half-Day Self-Guided Ride and Wine Bike Tour from Arrowtown

14.Half-Day Self-Guided Ride and Wine Bike Tour from Arrowtown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · from $25Best value

Ride 14 kilometers from Arrowtown to Gibbston Valley, crossing bridges, viewing mountains, and finishing with wine tasting and cave tour.

“Great track. Spectacular views and swing bridges across the gorge. Service from Queenstown bikes was very good.”

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Guided, Marlborough & Picton Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Self-Guided Tours in Marlborough, Tour Reviews, Walking Tours

Self-Guided Queen Charlotte Track Walk from Picton

15.Self-Guided Queen Charlotte Track Walk from Picton

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 70 reviews · from $59

Walk the Queen Charlotte Track from Picton with boat transfers, sound views, wildlife, three route choices, and practical timing advice.

“Beautiful track with small elevation gain so the 17km are easy to do; lodge at the end where you can buy food or drinks; boat ride to the starting point was fantastic and full of amazing views .”

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