New Zealand tours & holidays

Most nationalities will need either a visa or a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) to enter New Zealand.

To enter New Zealand you may need:

• A passport valid for at least three months after the date you exit New Zealand
• A visa or a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)
• A return or onward ticket from New Zealand
• Proof of funds to financially support yourself while travelling in New Zealand
• Health and character requirements
• Documentation supporting the purpose of your stay, like accommodation or tour booking.

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. It's important to understand that each country you visit may have its own specific entry requirements, and some destinations mandate travel health insurance for all foreign travellers, regardless of their nationality.

We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation, but minimum coverage may differ from trip to trip, so make sure you check the Travel Insurance section in your Essential Trip Information. You will not be permitted to join the group until your leader has sighted your insurance policy number and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number, and these details will be recorded on the first day of your trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is an essential part of every journey.

For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or the USA, the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However, the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form, recognising personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise.

Read more about travel insurance

Tipping isn’t mandatory in New Zealand; however, rounding up the bill or leaving spare change is common practice. Restaurant staff, taxi drivers and other service workers welcome tips for good service.

Depending on the time of year, the climate in New Zealand boasts both warm summer weather and snowy winter weather, so you’ll need to ensure you’re packing for the season. However, it’s always a good idea to pack a warm layer.

Many people come to New Zealand to enjoy its great outdoors. It’s recommended you pack quality outdoor shoes, rainproof gear, breathable, sweat-wicking fabrics, a reuseable water bottle and sun protection including a good hat and sunglasses.

If you are camping or doing specific outdoor activities, you’ll need more specialised gear which can be found in the Essential Trip Notes.

Drinking water from taps in New Zealand is considered safe, unless otherwise marked. For environmental reasons, try to use a refillable water bottle rather than buying bottled water.

Internet access is widely available in most parts of New Zealand, with internet cafes and Wi-Fi hot spots commonly found in urban areas. Access to Wi-Fi and mobile phone data may be limited or patchy when you're out on the hiking trails in more remote areas, but it should work whenever you reach a town or village. 

Mobile phone coverage is excellent in most parts of New Zealand, especially in large cities and urban areas. Remote, rural and mountainous places may have limited to no coverage, so be aware of this before venturing away from the city. Ensure global roaming is activated before leaving your home country if you want to use your mobile.

You'll find Western-style flushable toilets in most parts of New Zealand.

New Zealand legalised same-sex marriage in 2013 and is by and large welcoming of gay and gender-fluid communities. While the big cities such as Auckland and Wellington are accommodating towards LGBTQIA+ travellers, caution should be used in rural areas where conservative views are more prevalent (as in any developed country).

If you are travelling solo on an Intrepid group trip, you will share accommodation with a passenger of the same gender as per your passport information. If you don’t identify with the gender assigned on your passport, please let us know at the time of booking and we’ll arrange the rooming configuration accordingly. A single supplement is available on some tours for travellers who do not wish to share a room.

The Maori people are the Indigenous people of New Zealand. Originally from eastern Polynesia, they settled in what is now known as New Zealand (or Aotearoa, the ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’) over 1000 years ago.
The Maori are a tribal people with many different facets to their culture, including a strong sense of kinship, warrior roots, sacred spaces (such as the marae, or meeting place), facial tattooing, and the concept of manaakitanga (showing respect). 

The Maori language (Te Reo Maori) is unique to New Zealand, spoken only in this part of the Pacific. Though most Maori people today live a modern European-style life, a small number of Maori still live a traditional life.

We take the health and safety of our travellers seriously and take every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and inclusive for everyone. When you travel with us, you have access to our global support network and local on‑ground leadership, and you can rest easy knowing we have a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination.

We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure. The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.

Travelling from Australia?

Go to: Smart Traveller

From Canada?

Go to: Canada Travel Information

From the UK?

Go to: UK Foreign Travel Advice

From New Zealand?

Go to: Safe Travel

From the US?

Go to: US Department of State

Learn more about safe travels with Intrepid

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. In fact, we make a donation on behalf of every traveller. Trips to New Zealand directly support our foundation partner, Forest & Bird 

Forest & Bird

Forest & Bird is a leading conservation organisation who are giving nature a voice - protecting wildlife and wild places in Aotearoa, New Zealand by advocating for conservation on the ground and at a government level. Donations help them conserve New Zealand's indigenous biodiversity by supporting their legal campaigns for change, land restoration and tree planting efforts.

Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

Find out more or make a donation

We believe travel should be accessible to everyone. Although some destinations and itineraries may be more accessible than others, we'll do our best to accommodate your needs, make reasonable adjustments where possible or guide you toward the most suitable trips. Get in touch with our friendly adventure consultants to chat about your options.

Our Tailor-Made team can also help you plan a customised trip just for you.