Our 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 the crew

Our Legendary Guides

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I love esoteric things, nature and a dip in the sea mid winter

This cheeky kiwi loves to snowboard which makes winter worth it. Otherwise i would be paddle boarding all the time. I think the scenery in my tours is the best office!!!

Cheeky Simon an (almost) original guide since 2018. A love for NZ regional food and drink. Life mantra "Be yourself everyone else is already taken".

I love being out in nature, swimming, paddle boarding, adventuring with my mates. My personality is warm and bubbly and what makes me cheeky is my humour.

“No door is too big to open” I love showing our stunning country to our overseas visitors. I enjoy all sports and travelling.

Loves travelling to the unknown places and where he can find a spot for some wild swimming. Can often be found at the top of a mountain, or falling off a bike.

The Magic Makers

They may not be in the spotlight, but our behind-the-scenes crew keeps every Cheeky Kiwi adventure running smoother than a freshly brewed flat white. From planning to logistics, they’re the quiet legends turning big dreams into effortless experiences.

As GM, Rhys keeps the Cheeky Kiwi wheels turning and occasionally reattaches them when things get bumpy. He loves getting out from behind the desk to meet guests and partners in person, proving that good business starts with good yarns. Outside work, he’s usually chasing fish, snow, or fresh air, ideally all in the same weekend.

General Manager

Heading up our Reservations Team, Kelly is the go-to for smooth travel plans and unforgettable experiences. A South African turned Wānaka local, she’s a well-travelled adventurer who loves capturing moments, mountain life, and the occasional 90’s hip hop verse (when no one’s watching).

Reservations & Capacity Manager

Outdoor adventurer, foodie, and self-proclaimed wine connoisseur who somehow made chatting for a living my dream job.

Business Development Manager

A lifelong traveller who still thinks New Zealand is the best place on Earth - just add good coffee and great company.

North Island Operations Manager

Aviation enthusiast Has never broken a bone One day wants to visit Antartica

Christchurch Operations Manager

Born and bred in the Aussie outback with dogs and horses by my side, now embracing the outdoors and new adventures under New Zealand’s sometimes-sunny skies.

Product & OTA Manager

Always after morning hues, strong coffee, and a little more time for all the books that keep piling up even when there's plenty to read. Happiest when exploring new places, being outdoors, skiing, and a big ol' soft spot for a cold Corona.

Bookings Team

Came to Aotearoa to find love - stayed for the mountains, craft beers, the Jet planes and the people! Life mission? To live in a Hobbit Hole

Bookings Team

My happy place to be is either: anywhere in the wilderness, far away from the madding crowd OR a bustling piazza in Italy, drinking espresso and observing the madding crowd!

Accounts Payable & Payroll Administrator

Originally from Switzerland, I have a passion for travel, great food, and hospitality. I’ve fallen in love with New Zealand’s stunning landscapes and friendly vibe, and I’m always keen to explore new places and local flavours. At Cheeky Kiwi Travel, I’m excited to help others discover the best of this amazing country

Bookings Team

Our guests know best

Stories worth sharing

Over 5000 5-star reviews

Award winning New Zealand Experiences

Famously passionate guides

4.9

(3434 reviews)

5/4/2026

Hobbit Trip

Our trip from Auckland to the Hobbiton Movie Set was seamless and so much fun. Trent, our driver, made the whole experience—he had our tickets ready at arrival, played great music, and shared fun stories about New Zealand along the way. The set itself feels like stepping into The Lord of the Rings—absolutely magical. Highly recommend!

Jorida C

11/27/2025

Hobbitton tour experience

Grant was amazing. He took great care of us, including keeping us safe, great information about the region and the tour, and really wonderful local tips. He was fun and very attentive. I highly recommend it.

Richard B

11/18/2025

Hobbiton Day Trip

Great day out. Our guide Grant was excellent. Good commentary and very friendly. A beautiful drive even in the rain. Highly recommend.

Michele S

9/18/2025

Great for “Lord of the Rings” Enthusiasts or Just for Fun

Cheeky Kiwi Travel certainly provided us a safe trip out to The Hobbiton movie set, by Nickey. This was an anticipated destination for my husband while we visited New Zealand. We very much enjoyed the countryside on our way to & back from the Hobbiton movie set, and the tour on site of the Alexander Farm was truly fun & enjoyed. It provided our first full day in Auckland with a lovely memory. If you’re looking for something a bit different… then take in this tour. The “Shire” is so cute and interesting!!!

Time2Travel

7/29/2025

Amazing, even on a stormy day

Amazing trip! Even on a very rainy day our tour guide filled us with positive energy. Our guide gave us an overview into everyday life in New Zealand and how our trip was going to look like. The tour at Hobbiton which was operated by the local Hobbiton guide was great! He told us about small secrets of hobbit holes and all kinds of different ways the area was utilised during filming. Had a complimentary drink at the Green Dragon and also due to construction work happening at the site we got ''compensated'' with an amazing Green Dragon steins. This was very kind of them. On the way back we got even closer to our original driver who offered us some cassava chips and told us more about the history and legends of the local people. Also got to stop to try the famous New Zealand ice cream and try the Hokey Pokey flavour. Overall the tour was a 10/10 and would definitely reccomend it to every Middle-Earth fans like us.

Arlet L

3/11/2025

A MUST do excursion when visiting New Zealand

Honestly, it's a 10/10 trip! Simon our 'Cheeky Kiwi' was great, super friendly and knowledgeable about New Zealand. He was great at engaging with the tour group. Loved our chats about British telly, made the 2 hour bus journey fly passed. The Hobbiton film set tour was amazing, 2 1/2 hours and we loved every minute. Plenty of time to take pictures and embrace the Hobbit environment. Big thumbs up to our tour guide Mike, really knows his 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Hobbit' facts, shows he loves his craft. The cafe was great, the pies are a must and we loved the drinks in the Green Dragon at the end.

Tasha

2/10/2025

Highlight of my New Zealand Trip

Wow, this was an amazing excursion for me. Just loved being on the set of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Grant our guide was very knowledgeable of Auckland and gave great information en route. The cafe there had great pies and cakes. The best part was being able to visit the inside of a hobbits cottage. How quaint and cosy and I could just move in and live in the beautiful Hobbiton Village. Long travel to get there but it was so worth it. Love Loved it! A need to do if loved the movies.

Ruth H

7/26/2024

Hobbiton

From start to finish the day was first class. Greg was the best, made the 2hr drive seem like nothing. Highly recommend ☺️

Relax47090767221

6/15/2024

Excellent experience

We had a very safe and enjoyable trip. Our driver/ historian , Don was exceptional with his introduction to island!’s history , culture, music made the journey fun. He was kind and accommodating as we showed up a day early for the tour ( sorry jet lag). Thank you for an exceptional service.

Tourist08104663170

6/1/2024

Great tour to Hobbiton

After another provider cancelled at the last minute I was able to get onboard the Cheeky Kiwi day tour of Hobbiton (from Auckland). Our guide, Grant, was fantastic and full of useful information along the way and included a few tips to get the most out of the tour around Hobbiton. I will definitely look to use Cheeky Kiwi on my next trip to NZ.

Jason M

5/23/2026

A proud Kiwi's experience in our country. Loved it!

Wow! An unforgettable memorable experience. A Kiwi, born and bred in NZ from Auckland I booked this small group tour for my other half, first-time in Sth Island. We were very impressed with the tour especially our tour guide Danny. His affable and disarming nature eliminated the need for an ice breaker. He was sincere and accommodating fir everybody on the mini van. Their were different age groups and cultures but he made us all feel included. I enjoyed the way he queued his music to set the theme fir his commentary at different spots he visited. As a Kiwi, he was on point with commentary even we learnt some new things about our country. We are also proud of Danny, he expressed the importance of our Maori culture to our country and to respect its land. Our small group of 12, got to mix easily with these lovely people from around the world. The minivan and smaller boat was worth it. We were able to drive to extra locations unlike the large buses who were limited. Same with the boat, we were able to get closer to the shore. A beautiful day, we stopped at a lot of photographic areas on the way in to our boat, and then a straight drive. And a bonus was our packed lunch. Thank you so much Danny, keep up the amazing work you do, sharing about the beauty of our country the views, story and our music. Book this tour guys, you will love it!😀

Margs N

5/23/2026

Wonderful intro to NZ!

We absolutely enjoyed our tour with Kristina who was a wonderful storyteller regaling us with the stories of the land throughout. The 13 hours flew past with so many beautiful pictures of gorgeous places which she stopped to show us along the way! She's also a fantadtic photographer. What a wonderful way to start our holiday in New Zealand!

636chiay

5/22/2026

Great experience, great guide!

Our excursion to Milford Sound was absolutely incredible, and Danny made the experience even better! From start to finish, he was extremely friendly, professional, and provided outstanding customer service. He was even early for our pickup, which made the start of the day smooth and stress-free. Danny was very knowledgeable about the area, history, and scenery, which added so much to the experience and made the journey just as enjoyable as the destination itself. One of the highlights was definitely his playlist — it kept the energy up the entire time and made the ride so much fun. The lunches provided were also delicious and a great added touch to an already amazing day. You could tell Danny genuinely cared about making sure everyone had an unforgettable experience. Highly recommend this tour, especially if you get Danny as your guide!

Rolando Q

5/17/2026

Recommended tour cheeky kiwi

Very happy and satisfied using cheeky kiwi Very informative and helpful from the tour guide. Big thanks for Paul Very helpful and responsive of customer service make the trip even superb Thank you cheeky kiwi

Mei i

5/17/2026

Milford sound visit

This trip was great, because the landscape and spot to visit and because the organization. The driver Danny, was fantastic in explain every details of the visited places. Cruise was Simply amazing, due to the place and because we meet dolphins. The price was a great valute for the service proposed (van, Picnic and Cruise).

Andrea M

5/16/2026

A Perfect Day

We had an incredible time on our Milford Sound trip! Pickup was on time and easy to locate. Our tour guide was amazing, extremely friendly and helpful. We had carefully thought out stops along the way with snacks and water too! It’s around a 13 hour trip but the vehicle was comfortable. Lunch being provided means we didn’t have to worry about that, also our entrance fees to our Milford Sound cruise were all in with the price. Being a smaller tour group gives you a better experience and atmosphere in my opinion as you can ask more questions to your guide etc. It was a perfect, stress free day and I would definitely recommend, thank you!

Emma F

5/16/2026

Wonderful trip in New Zealand

Excellent experience visiting the magnificent Milford Sound. Truly amazing and breathtaking scenery. Special Thanks to our wonderful Martin drive cum guide making trip so enjoyable .

Footprints827132

5/16/2026

The Gods were smiling:)

What a MAGIC day. Truly…all the Gods were smiling upon us. The weather was absolutely magnificent! Our driver Danny was a heap of fun and found just the right rhythm of ‘chat’ and ‘quiet time’. We stopped at some fantastic spots for pics and Danny’s photo skills secured some great memories for all of us. We truly enjoyed the day.

Passenger499869

5/15/2026

Perfect Day with Benny

We had the most fantastic experience with Benny. It was a wonderful day, and amplified by how beautiful the scenery was, but it was Benny who made it special. Charismatic and knowledgeable, Benny made the 4 hour drive so fun and interesting. He knew absolutely everything and had a fun fact for every way of the trip. He made such an effort to stop along the way to ensure we all saw what we were after - including finding a Kea bird for us all to see on two occasions! The lunch was also great (it’s not small by any means) and I can’t give enough credit to everyone at Cheeky Kiwi for putting together such a great day. Thanks guys!

Ama S

5/14/2026

A fabulous experience by Cheeky Kiwi Tours

WOW!!! What an experience. We were picked up close to our accommodation which took the stress out of getting to the office and parking. Our guide Sonya was fabulous, not only was she very knowledgeable along the way but she was also a very good driver. After telling us about the cheeky Kea birds we got to experience first hand how these birds act especially with vehicles. The lunch that was provided was plentiful. Thank you!!!

Cheryl W

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