Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Using the companies above, you can rent cars for as little as $25 USD per day. You can find tons of
travelers selling their old cars too.
By getting other travelers to come with you and using these vans for accommodation, you can drastically
reduce your housing and transportation costs. Sites like Gumtree NZ (auckland.gumtree .co.nz) and hostel
message boards host inquiries from travelers finished with their trip and looking to make some of their
money back by selling their vehicle. This is a good way to get a car cheaply. Within hours of arriving at my
hostel in Auckland, I was offered about three cars by people looking to sell.
Flying
Flying around New Zealand is expensive, despite the short distances flown. New Zealand only has two
countrywide carriers: Air New Zealand (airnewzealand.co.nz) and Jetstar (jetstar.com/nz/en/home). Since
there is no competition, fares stay high. However, on heavy traffic routes, like from Auckland to Christch-
urch or from Christchurch to Queenstown, you can find very cheap fares. The two airlines really fight it out
for customers, and between big cities you can find fares as low as $50 USD.
While I think New Zealand is best seen from the ground, if you are short on time, flying would be just as
cost-effective as taking a bus from one end of an island to the other or the bus and ferry between islands. I
flew from Wellington to Christchurch during the holidays, and it was only $40 USD. It was a much quicker
and more economical route than the bus and ferry. But on the other end of the spectrum I flew from much
smaller Nelson to Auckland and the ticket cost me $200 USD. Time but not money was saved.
You can refer to Part One for tips on how to find cheap flights.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is also very popular in New Zealand and a relatively safe method of travel. As with hitchhiking
anywhere in the world, you need to use common sense when getting into a stranger's car, especially if you
are a solo female traveler. Not everyone will feel comfortable doing this, but if you are thumbing it by the
side of the road, you'll find plenty of people will pull over and give you a lift.
ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS
Activities in New Zealand will really drive your costs up. This country revolves around outdoor activities,
and its tourism industry markets this place as one of the top adventure travel destinations in the world. Since
the activities here are so popular and in such demand, most tend to cost between $100 USD and $300 USD.
For example, the Waitomo Glowworm Caves and a Maori cultural show are both around $80 USD, and bun-
gee jumping is typically $150 USD. Skydiving costs about $300 USD.
Even though New Zealand is a young country, there are still a few museums and historical attractions
worth seeing here. The main museum in the whole country is Te Papa in Wellington, the capital. It's free.
However, most other history or art museums in the country cost around $5 USD for an entrance fee.
Occasionally, you'll find special offers from the companies that offer activity tours (see Appendix A for
a list of companies), and you can sometimes get discounts through travel agencies or hostels. You may also
find activity discounts if you buy a lot of tours at once.
The BBH, ISIC, VIP, and Mad cards discussed in Part One all offer some discounts for selected providers
of up to 10 percent. If you are using any of the backpacker buses, they also have partnerships with tour op-
erators for similar discounts.
