The Prices of Outdoor and Nature Tours to New Zealand
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Discover the thrill of the outdoors in New Zealand's breathtaking landscapes! Whether you're an adrenaline junkie, a nature enthusiast, or an explorer of untouched wilderness, these expertly curated nature, adventure, and outdoor tours are crafted to offer you the perfect balance of challenge and awe. From towering mountains to deep forests, experience New Zealand like never before.
We've coupled our deep travel cost and analysis experience in New Zealand with our love for nature to find the absolute best outdoor tour experiences for your next trip. We've analyzed all of the tour options, visited dozens of destinations in New Zealand, and reviewed all of the tour operators. Now, you can see the overall costs and top tours to help you get on the best possible guided tour for your next vacation. Below you can find all of our analysis around the costs of these outdoor and nature tours, as well as the highest rated and recommended tours.
Why does New Zealand appeal to outdoor enthusiasts?
New Zealand appeals to outdoor enthusiasts due to its diverse and beautiful landscapes, offering something for every kind of adventurer. Fiordland National Park, Queenstown, and Nelson are world-renowned for hiking, with gorgeous trails and stunning natural landscapes. Paihia, Nelson, and Napier are popular with beach lovers. Skiers and snowboarders love Queenstown, Taupo, and Arrowtown because of the thrilling runs and stunning views. Whether you're exploring on foot, two wheels, or just admiring the scenery, New Zealand offers something for everyone.
How much do Outdoor Tours in New Zealand cost?
The average price per day for outdoor and nature tours in New Zealand is $338, based on our analysis of 21 tours. While the overall prices can vary greatly, when we look at the daily price of these tours, the costs range from $124 to $741 per day.
Budget-friendly tours average around $182 per day, while higher-end luxury tours average about $536 per day.
Budget tours will usually provide less luxurious accommodation, have larger group sizes, and visit less expensive destinations. They will also sometimes have you pay for more activities on your own instead of including everything up front.
Mid-range tours often provide a step up in accommodation and transportation, and include more guided activities.
Luxury tours usually provide the highest levels of service, luxury hotels, more gormet food choices, comfortable transportation, and offer more all-inclusive payment options.
We partner with TourRadar because they offer the world's largest selection of multi-day organized tours, offering seamless travel experiences while supporting local businesses. It's the perfect way to explore new destinations with ease and confidence.
The Best Tours in New Zealand
Budget-Friendly Tours
Budget-friendly and affordable outdoor and nature tours in New Zealand average $182 per day, with daily prices from $124 to $224. Budget tours usually include hotels, meals, and activities that are not quite as nice as other tours. Often, they might only include transportation, lodging, and some activities, leaving you on your own to pay for meals and other attractions during the tour. This can be a very convenient and economical way to visit France without spending too much money, as it gives you control over the amount you spend on meals and extra services. If you're looking for a really great option, check out 11 Day 'Takahe' South Island Select Tour here.
Mid-Range Tours
For typical outdoor and nature tours in New Zealand that fall in the middle range of prices, the average cost is $295 per day. Daily prices range from $224 to $421. Taking this step up in price from the cheaper tours to mid-range will often get you plenty of extra amenities and service for a great price. These tours usually include very comfortable hotels, meals at delicious local restaurants, comfortable transportation, knowledgable guides, and entry to many of the top attractions. One of the best tours is New Zealand Grand - 14 Day Self Drive Tour.
Luxury Tours
Luxury outdoor and nature tours in New Zealand average around $295 per day, with daily costs ranging from $423 to $741. At this price, you'll be very well taken care of and pampered on your journey through the scenic destinations. Knowledgable guides, the best accommodation options, the finest restaurants, comfortable transportation, and quick entry into attractions are all part of the itinerary. Every luxury and detail has been planned and thought about so that you don't have to deal with any hassle, you simple show up and enjoy your vacation. One of the best luxury tours here is Premium New Zealand South Island (12 destinations).
Which tour companies offer outdoor and nature tours?
A number of fantastic tour companies offer outdoor and nature tours in New Zealand. These are a few of the best, because they offer the highest rated service, provide the best overall quality, and have the most five-star guest reviews to prove it.
Discover New Zealand
Discover New Zealand is a smaller tour company that focuses on New Zealand. While the prices may be a bit higher than average, the group size is usually small, giving travelers a more personalized experience. The company appeals to travelers of all ages, with many tours focusing on families with children. Many of the tours fall into the mid-range price category. Wildlife viewing tours are their specialty, so you'll know that you're signing up for a fun experience.
See All Tours from Discover New Zealand
Haka Tours
Haka Tours is a smaller tour company that focuses on New Zealand. The small group sizes, often less than 15, make for a very personal experience. A large number of their tours fall within in the mid-range price category.
Stray Travel
Stray Travel is a smaller tour company that focuses on New Zealand. Many of their tours are priced in the mid-range category.
See All Tours from Stray Travel
Thrifty Tours
Focusing on New Zealand, Thrifty Tours is a smaller tour company which provides a personalized level of service to customers. Some of their offerings cater to families with children. Many of their tours are priced in the mid-range category.
See All Tours from Thrifty Tours
Outdoor Destinations in New Zealand
Wondering where outdoor tours visit in New Zealand? With a variety of stops and destinations along the way, there's something for everyone.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city on New Zealand's South Island. It's a nice city with amazing hikes and biking trails. There are beautiful outdoor spaces, parks, and gardens. Many visitors enjoy the city's rich English heritage, and punting along the Avon River is a favorite activity.
Queenstown
Queenstown is located on the banks of Lake Wakatipu near the Southern Alps in New Zealand. It is a high adventure destination with many activities for thrill seekers. There are also vineyards in the area, bungee jumping, and world class hikes. Whether you want to enjoy skiing in the winter or boating in the summer, there is no shortage of activities here.
Wellington
Wellington is the small and vibrant capital city of New Zealand. It's located on the southern end of the North Island, and many visitors pass through it on their way from one island to the other. The city is surrounded by rolling hills and there are many beaches in the area.
Auckland
Auckland is a waterfront city that is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in New Zealand. It's spread out between the Manukau Harbour and the Waitemata Harbour, and there's a compact city centre with a number of landmarks and attractions. For many visitors, it's the point of arrival or departure to the country.
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Other popular destinations for outdoor tours through New Zealand include Wanaka, Franz Josef, Hokitika, Coromandel, and Greymouth.
Outdoor and Nature Tours vs. Independent Travel: Pros and Cons
When deciding between a self-planned trip and an organized tour, remember to evaluate the key features of each travel style.
Organized Tours
Pros- Some outdoor activities and adventure sports are best enjoyed in a group.
- Local guides know the best areas and the top rated activities.
Independent Travel
Pros- Many people enjoy the peacefulness of nature, which is best enjoyed independently with a few friends or family.
- Traveling independently means you'll be able to move at your own pace and enjoy the activities that mean the most to you.
- If transportation is limited and you don't have your own vehicle, it can be hard to get outside the major cities and towns and truly enjoy nature.
Which is cheaper?
Is independent travel cheaper than guided outdoor and nature tours? The answer is not simple. Tours provide many of the services that you would otherwise pay for yourself on an independent trip. Hotels, transportation, food, entry tickets, guides, and activities are provided on organized tours, whereas you would pay for everything separately on your own. To deterine the difference in price, you would need to compare the combined price of everything in a tour with everything you would book separately. Sometimes you might want to stay in a cheaper hotel, or eat at a more expensive restaurant, so the price of a tour could be more or less than what you would otherwise pay on your own. Make sure you know what is included before making your comparison.
Also, before booking a tour, make sure you know exactly what is included as tour companies sometimes change their itineraries or included amenities to keep them updated with seasonal changes and customer interests.
More Tour Options
See also The Best Family-Friendly Tours to New Zealand, The Best Wildlife Tours to New Zealand, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in New Zealand, The Best Historical Tours in New Zealand, The Best 10-Day Tours in New Zealand, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in New Zealand, The Best 3-Day Tours in New Zealand, The Best 2-Week Tours in New Zealand, The Best 3-Week Tours in New Zealand, The Best Bicycle Tours in New Zealand, The Best Christmas & New Years Tours in New Zealand, The Best Coach Bus Tours in New Zealand, The Best Adventure Tours to New Zealand, The Best Eco Tours in New Zealand, The Best Thrill-Seeking Tours in New Zealand, The Best Art History, Museums, and Cultural Tours Tours in New Zealand, The Best Sightseeing Tours in New Zealand, The Best Cultural Tours in New Zealand, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in New Zealand, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in New Zealand, The Tours for Animal Lovers in New Zealand, The Best Photography Tours in New Zealand, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in New Zealand, The Best Self Drive Tours in New Zealand, The Best Walking Tours in New Zealand, The Best Luxury Tours to New Zealand, The Best Budget Tours to New Zealand, The Best Tours for Seniors to New Zealand, The Best Contiki Tours to New Zealand, or The Best G Adventures Tours to New Zealand for more tour ideas. With so many options, there's a guided tour or vacation package for every type of traveler.
Also, if you're departing from a specific destination, see The Best 3-Day Tours from Auckland, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Auckland, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Christchurch, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Wellington, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Queenstown, The Best 10-Day Tours from Christchurch, The Best 10-Day Tours from Auckland, The Best 10-Day Tours from Wellington, The Best 2-Week Tours from Auckland, or The Best 2-Week Tours from Christchurch for more package tour options.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
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