Our Story

Guided. Personal. Authentic.

We’re Cheeky Kiwi - experts in small-group, fully-guided tours who bring the magic of New Zealand to life, with personality, passion and a pinch of cheek.

Our Story

From day one, Cheeky Kiwi has been about more than just seeing the sights, it’s been about feeling Kiwi hospitality in every moment. We started with one simple idea: make every tour personal, authentic and unforgettable.

Our founders wanted to build a tour company that doesn’t just transport people, but guides them, with local insight, warm service and the kind of little surprises that spark a smile.

Over time we’ve grown, but stayed grounded in that vision: small groups, expert guides, premium quality, and a genuine love for Aotearoa.

Our Mission & What We Believe

01.

Authentic Journeys, Genuine Connections

We believe travel is more than ticking destinations off a list, it’s about sharing laughter, stories and unexpected moments in small-group settings. From driver-guides who treat you like friends to surprise detours that become memories, our tours are made human, personal and unforgettable.

02.

Care for Country and Community

New Zealand’s landscapes, wildlife and people are the beating heart of everything we do. We believe it’s our responsibility to tour with respect, honouring culture, protecting nature, backing sustainable practices and offering you an experience that leaves a positive footprint, not just footprints.

03.

Premium Comfort, Friendly Vibes

We believe you deserve more than “just a bus ride”. With our comfortable, custom-designed vehicles, small-group sizes and passionate guides, you’ll enjoy premium service without losing the friendly, kiwi-style charm. Expect comfort, reliability and cheeky fun in equal measure.

04.

Memories Over Matter

We believe that the “extra little things” make the biggest difference: impromptu photo stops, stories you’ll tell long after the tour, connections with fellow travellers and guides, and the kind of genuine warm-hearted moments that turn a holiday into a story worth sharing. Because for us, the journey is the destination.

Meet the crew

The Team Behind the Cheeky Kiwi Magic

Our passionate guides are the heart of every adventure, famous for their stories, laughter, and genuine Kiwi spirit. Backed by a dedicated crew behind the scenes, we’re the team that makes every Cheeky Kiwi journey seamless, personal, and unforgettable.

Meet our crew

Our commitment to sustainability

Travelling Responsibly For Now and the Future

Cheeky Kiwi Travel is committed to sustainable tourism through its environments and procurement actions. We strongly believe that if New Zealand’s precious natural environment is allowing Cheeky Kiwi to operate as a business, it is only right that we practice Kaitiaki (guardianship) and do what we can to protect it through:

Restoring Nature & Giving Back
Carbon Reduction
Reducing & Eliminating Waste
Responsible Procurement

Our sustainability practices

Our guests know best

Stories worth sharing

Over 5000 5-star reviews

Award winning New Zealand Experiences

Trusted by global adventurers

4.9

(326 reviews)

3/12/2026

Our Cheeky Kiwi Auckland City Tour was really a great experience. Glad we did it! A highlight we will remember

A great tour. Well paced, diverse and informative. Our tour guide, Jeff, was a gentleman, welcoming and knowledgeable. He checked in regularly with us throughout the tour to make sure we were comfortable and to ask if we had any further questions about what we were seeing. His recommendations for exploring further on our own was much appreciated. Certainly a tour guide Yoda worth 10+ stars!

Phase3Retirement

12/23/2025

Highly recommended

Enjoyable tour with well-planned interinary despite change in weather. Very friendly helpful guide Pearl & Trent who are flexible & approachable. Highly recommended

Road61873960935

9/23/2025

Fantastic!!

I’m a tourist from South Korea, and I joined the Cheeky Kiwi Tour during my son’s school holiday to create some special memories. It turned out to be a truly moving experience in many ways. 1. Quick Response I had originally booked the all-day tour, but it was cancelled because some places were closed and not enough people signed up. Matilda from Cheeky Kiwi quickly found us an alternative schedule and took care of everything we needed. I was so grateful! 2. Friendly Service Our guide Matt greeted us with a smile from start to finish. Despite the bad weather, he did his best to guide us. I already knew New Zealanders are especially friendly, but Matt was simply the best! 3. Thoughtful Care for Customers Since there were only a few people on this tour, Matt customized the route to match what we wanted—it was amazing! We were probably just lucky! Also, knowing that we weren’t native English speakers, he spoke slowly and explained things at a level we could understand. We really appreciated that. It was our first time using Cheeky Kiwi, and if anyone is hesitating, I would recommend them without a second thought!!

Sora Yun

9/5/2025

Awesome tour!

We had Jeoff as our tour guide for this small group tour. He was excellent. He shared this tour (Auckland city highlights) was his first but had been to other tours.. he was impressive with his history about the Maori’s and civilization of New Zealand. Very patient and even dtopped us to the place we wanted to be dropped off. Highly recommended.

mj b

6/13/2023

Hobbiton is one of the best beautiful spots to visit if you are a fantasy fan of the Lord of the Rings.

It was amazing tour under the guidance of John and Nicholas.We learnt lots of behind the scenes information through them.

Freedom28408254116

5/6/2026

Wonderful day!

It was a wonderful day! I highly recommend this tour!

Nicko

5/4/2026

Awesome guide!

We had an amazing day exploring the Coromandel Peninsula and Hot Water Beach with Dave. As a local, he shared so many great insights, and he was friendly, caring and super easy to spend the day with. The beach he took us to for lunch was absolutely stunning such a highlight! He is well-travelled with lots of interesting knowledge and stories to share. Highly recommend it!!

Helin X

5/4/2026

Highly recommend

Highly recommend doing this tour with cheeky kiwi travel. Dave was exceptional and even included extra stops to make our day even more memorable including taking our lunch to a beautiful hidden beach. Small group which is always my preferred. Dont hesitate, just book it!

Emily R

5/2/2026

Great Tour, Great Guide, Great Company - highly recommend!

Matt was an awesome guide, very knowledgeable and super friendly! It was my birthday and the team went out of their way to make my day special. Scenery was absolutely spectacular. We couldn't have asked for more. It was everything we hoped for and more. Thanks for looking after us today Matt, and many thanks Cheeky Kiwi Travel for being a great company to deal with!

Toni D

4/27/2026

Must Try Experience

Tour Guide was very friendly and all the places were too good

Vinayak N

4/23/2026

Awesome day with Trent

Had such a good day with Trent as our guide. Super easy to get along with and shared heaps of interesting stuff along the way without it feeling like a lecture or anything. He also showed us some really beautiful spots I definitely wouldn’t have found on my own.

Razvan A

4/18/2026

Timmy was excellent

Our guide Timmy was excellent, really nice, funny and cool. Best experience

Wendy I

4/15/2026

Trent - awesome

Trent was awesome super fun, layed back and knowledgable gave us a great insight to our surroundings making everyone had a great time

Joe Tuck

4/15/2026

Go Trent

Trent was so lovely and knowledgeable about the area! A great day out :))

Kate M

4/6/2026

Fantastic Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach tour

We had really nice trip to Coromandel Peninsula and Cathedral Cove aBeach today with our guide Simon. I really enjoyed the tour. Simon has very good sense of humor that invigorates the atmosphere. He was very informative and knowledgeable about things we saw and very caring. We got really lucky with weather as it was rain forecasted, but it rained once we re in the van. We had tremendous sunny moments at the beach that made it really memorable. The Cathedral Cove is spectacular and makes an impression. The Hot water Beach was amazing as it is an incredible experience to feel the hot sand and water knowing that beneath only 2,5km is real volcanic magma flow. It is just out of this world. Further the tour was good organized, on time, perfect pick up and drop off besides the heavy traffic back to Auckland. The van was comfortable what made the whole day touring very pleasant experience. I am happy that I will be going with Cheeky Kiwi on more tours in New Zealand. I highly recommend the tour, the company and their drivers. Well done 👍

Katharina P

5/23/2026

Trent won’t disappoint!

Our Cheeky Kiwi tour yesterday was absolutely fantastic. Trent, our driver, was prompt, incredibly friendly, and went out of his way to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable. He was always available for questions and shared helpful information throughout the day, which really enhanced the experience. The vehicle was spotless, comfortable, and very well maintained, and the safety briefing at the start was thorough and reassuring. The entire tour felt organized, professional, and genuinely enjoyable from beginning to end. Highly recommend Cheeky Kiwi and especially Trent for an unforgettable experience in New Zealand

Sheila

5/23/2026

Best time ever

Tour guide Trent absolutely made this excursion unforgettable. He was fun, knowledgeable, engaging, and kept the entire day running smoothly from start to finish. Along the way he shared great stories, local history, and interesting facts about New Zealand that made the drive just as enjoyable as the destinations themselves. As an added bonus, he even included an extra stop at a kiwi sanctuary, which was such a special experience and showed how much he genuinely wanted everyone to have the best possible day. The entire excursion from Auckland to Rotorua exceeded expectations. Hobbiton Movie Set was pure magic — beautifully maintained and incredibly immersive. Walking through the Shire and enjoying a drink at the Green Dragon Inn truly felt like stepping into Middle-earth. The glow worm caves were equally amazing. Drifting quietly through the cave beneath thousands of glowing lights was surreal and one of the most unique experiences I ever had. This was easily one of the highlights of my New Zealand trip, and I highly recommend it — especially if you get Trent as your guide!

Terry C

5/23/2026

Don’t think..,just book.

We had Trent as our guide and thoroughly enjoyed the time. Trent was warm, knowledgeable and you can tell he genuinely enjoys connecting with people and sharing about New Zealand. The stops on the tour were great! Informative, the right amount of time and best of all…FUN! Highly recommend this tour if you’re considering it.

Dee C

5/12/2026

Tim of the Long Mane

Tim of the Long Mane picked us up at Adina Brittomart & took us to Hobbiton to visit Hobbitholes & have a flagon at the Green Dragon. Then it was off to Te Puia Rotorua to watch the earth spew! He is a great guide who loves his job and relates to his passengers more like new friends. The trip was terrific and we enjoyed the day! We spent just the right amount of time at each venue and Tim kept us entertained even during the long drives. Knowledgeable & funny! Took us to a great little town to see the corrugated steel art & have some local ice cream! Definitely a big recommendation to Cheeky Kiwi & Tim! The only issue I had with Tim was that I was jealous of his hair! Just kidding 🤣😂🤣 chadsamelsieberni

Jim H

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