NZ Backpacking Destinations
To help you plan your travel, here’s a map showing some of the most popular New Zealand backpacking destinations. You can visit all of them with a New Zealand bus pass. Click on a destination to read our backpacker guide, complete with ideas on what to see and do there and how to get there.

Cape Reinga
Bay of Islands
Auckland
Hokianga
Coromandel
Hobbiton
Waitomo
Tauranga
Rotorua
Taupo
Gisborne
New Plymouth
Hawke's Bay
Wellington
Nelson
Christchurch
Mt Cook
Invercargill
Franz Josef
Fox Glacier
Queenstown
Dunedin
Milford Sound
North Island
- Cape Reinga
- Paihia & Bay of Islands
- Hokianga
- Auckland
- Coromandel
- Waitomo Caves
- Hobbiton Movie Set
- Tauranga
- Rotorua
- Taupo
- Gisborne
- Hawke’s Bay (Napier & Hastings)
- New Plymouth
- Wellington
South Island
- Nelson
- Christchurch
- Mt Cook
- Dunedin
- Franz Josef Glacier
- Fox Glacier
- Queenstown
- Milford Sound
- Invercargill
Remember, this is just a shortlist of the many beautiful and interesting places New Zealand has to offer! If you want to get off the beaten track, you can start by asking the locals where they would recommend, or checking out our blog.