The 9 Best Private Shore Excursions in New Zealand

1.Private Tour Rotorua Shore Excursion up to 8 Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews Our pick

Travel from Tauranga to Rotorua in a private vehicle with guide Wendy, stopping at Mount Maunganui, kiwifruit and avocado farms, Whakarewarewa Forest, Kuirau Park, and Te Puia. The six-hour route can be adjusted for your group, but Te Puia entry, lunch, and other optional attraction fees cost extra.

“We really had a fun day with Wendy as our guide. There were 5 of us on this trip. It advertises 8 but we never would have fit in the van with 8. Wendy was organized and ready for us to have a good day. She took us to see the geothermal geysRead more”

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2.Private Shore Excursion Rotorua/ Tauranga Maori culture, Geyser & concert

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews

Travel from Tauranga Port to Rotorua in a private air-conditioned minivan with a local guide. Visit a kiwifruit orchard, Whakarewarewa’s geothermal village and Polynesian concert, Rotorua lakes, native forest, and Okere Falls. Guides including Toby, Steve, and Thierry have led past tours, with time to adjust the route to your interests.

“Absolutely fabulous day with Toby — Fantastic overview and information from Toby !!! Highly recommended!!!!”

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3.Tauranga Private Shore Excursion: Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews

Travel by private vehicle from Tauranga to Rotorua with a guide, walk among Wai-O-Tapu’s colored pools and mud vents, watch Lady Knox Geyser, then visit Government Gardens, Kuirau Park, the lakefront, and more. Guides may include Marina, Steve, or Phillip. Wai-O-Tapu entry costs extra.

“Our private shore excursion was an incredibly fun little adventure through beautiful forests, Kiwi fruit orchards, and geothermal wonderlands of the North Island, between Tauranga and Rotorua. Our driver, Marina, was an excellent tour gRead more”

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4.Wellington Shore Excursion: From Cave to Coast Highlights Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $159Best value

Spend five hours with a private local driver-guide exploring Wellington’s lookouts, bays, Wētā Cave, Shelly Bay, and the southern coast. Your tour includes pickup, a café lunch with a drink, and flexible stops. Guides such as Athena, Phil, Gary, Aaron, and Tom have led this route, with cable-car and Old St. Paul’s visits optional.

“What a wonderful day with Phil. It was so easy to walk off the ship and get picked up. The multitude of sites he covered on our 5 hour tour was amazing. There were so many picture perfect stops. The lunch provided at Chocolate Fish was great. He was an excellent driver and always felt safe as well as very informative with his knowledge. Thanks Phil!!”

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5.Akaroa & Banks Peninsula from Lyttelton(Private Shore Excursion)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $496

Travel from Lyttelton to Akaroa through Banks Peninsula with a private local guide. Stop at historic viewpoints, enjoy morning tea in Kaituna Valley, browse Little River, visit the Giant’s House, and spend three hours in Akaroa. Guides such as Jared, Gemma, and Ollie tailor the day to your group.

“The scenery was amazing. Morning tea and lunch was good with attention to detail. A little more information about the area would have been great as there were a few lulls in conversation”

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6.Auckland Private City Tour. Cruise port or Hotel pick up.

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2 reviews · from $345

See Auckland with a private local guide and port or hotel pickup. The four-hour route includes Mount Eden, Auckland Domain, Parnell, Tamaki Drive, Holy Trinity Cathedral, the Harbour Bridge, and Wynyard Quarter. Guide Mike may also offer time in Devonport or a ferry return from the wharf.

“Tour locations and vehicle were great! Mike, our guide and driver, was excellent and fun. Good way to start our trip to Auckland with this four hour tour.”

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7.Private Cruise Ship Passengers Tour, Sightseeing in Christchurch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews

Join a private group of up to two on a powerful 5700cc Chevrolet trike, traveling from Lyttelton through Sumner, Christchurch, and the Port Hills. Your driver handles the transport while you choose between the gondola, museums, gardens, shopping, lunch, or a tram ride. Attractions are paid separately.

“Very nice experience. We saw breathtaking scenery. The driver was careful and very kind. He knows his subject.Auto-translated”

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8.Private Castle Hill & Inland Canterbury Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $496

Leave Lyttelton with a private guide and air-conditioned vehicle for Darfield, Springfield, Porters Pass, Lake Lyndon, and Castle Hill/Kura Tawhiti. Guides such as Lachie and Anna lead the day, with lunch, snacks, tea, and coffee included. You can walk among the boulders, try bouldering, or simply enjoy the setting.

“Perfect day spent with Anna! Easy pick up at the port of Lyttleton and headed out of town to Darfield Bakery. Best meat pies ever! And nice selection of GF baked goods.”

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9.Catlins Cruiser Private Tour from Dunedin Cruise Port

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 2 reviews · from $297

You’ll travel by private vehicle from Dunedin’s cruise port to Tunnel Beach, the Awakiki Bush Track, Kaka Point, and Nugget Point Lighthouse. A local professional guide leads the day, with port pickup and drop-off included. Expect about 6.5 hours on the road, including a long return drive, short walks, wildlife chances, and an optional takeaway stop.

“We were very disappointed as it cost a lot of money and we spent the majority of the time in the van traveling and not much time actually doing stuff or being told about any of the sights.”

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