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

Jono leads the marketing and brand magic at Cheeky Kiwi, fuelled by his love for travel, family adventures, and beach days with sandy toes and big smiles. He makes sure the world knows why travelling with Cheeky Kiwi is anything but ordinary.

Head of Marketing

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

(3069 reviews)

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

5/23/2024

Hobbiton

We really enjoyed our trip to Hobbiton !! The driver was great and very informative. We had an appropriate amount of rest breaks. It was an all around pleasant trip and we got some great pics !!

michael k

2/6/2026

Wet and wild and so worth it

Woke up to a weather forecast of showers at 100%..."bummer," I said to my co-conspirator, wife. However, our tour guide, Andy was upbeat saying we would be in for a treat as the rain meant waterfalls during our journey. WOW, he was right! He later told us as he conversed with other guides at Milford that they too had never seen such a sight. So, take heart if the weather is wet. Intelligent, witty, and well-versed...Andy was exceptional. Additionally, the box lunch on this excursion was the best I have ever eaten. I can't say enough good things about the experience.

DnM D

2/6/2026

Exceptional tour.

Our driver and guide Raghav was an exceptionally knowledgeable young man, his knowledge of NZ culture and country was far superior to mine and I’m a Kiwi! . I was unwell and he was kind and thoughtful and an excellent driver. We would be very lucky to have him as a tour guide again. 11/10 Raghav, and The best stone skimmer 8! Brand new buses, everything provided.

255100SusieQ61

2/5/2026

Danny is the best tour guide

Danny was the best tour guide we’ve ever had! He was kind, funny, attentive, knowledgable, and had amazing music to accompany the amazing views. Loved the Lord of the Rings, Hunger Games, Avatar, GOT songs, indie pop etc. He made the day go so smoothly and fast — didn’t feel like a drag! 10/10 review!!!

Kevin W

2/4/2026

360 degrees of sublime beauty

I travelled with Cheeky Kiwi to Milford Sound today and it was absolutely mind-blowing and sublime. Our tour guide Benny was super cool, honest, told good stories, and kept us on time. We stopped at several locations (6-7, I think?) on the way to Fiordland Nat'l Park for photo ops, including Te Anau Downs, Eglinton Valley, a gorgeous waterfall near Milford Sound, and more. There were also a couple of photo stops on the way back to Queenstown. Milford Sound is breathtaking, and the boat cruise was excellent. The boat we were on had two deck levels. We were able to stay inside and toasty warm, or brave the wind out front, or on the sides. There was AMPLE time for videos and photographs. A sweet tour guide offered to take my photo in front of a waterfall, since I was flying solo at the time. The lunch was fantastic too, and we could eat it wherever we wanted. There was free coffee on the cruise, which was also a bonus. You probably know all that from reading other people's reviews. Let me tell you something they don't say: Everything is 360 degrees of epic from start to finish. There is not one second of this tour that isn't lovely. Our tour had international guests from Hong Kong, Finland, Australia, Canada, and US (Texas). We were varied in age, and Benny made it easy and enjoyable for all of us. I can't recommend it enough. It's easily worth every penny be use it's just hours of nonstop heaven.

Chelsea P

2/4/2026

Wonderful tour. Very beautiful locations. Comfy van and great cruise.

Our guide Raghav was knowledgeable and funny. He took good care of us and was very friendly. We stopped at several beautiful locations. While the bus ride was long it was comfy with lots of good snacks and conversation. The vistas were awe inspiring. The tour was truly beautiful and grand.

Carlos Eli

2/4/2026

Wonderful day traveling to and enjoying Milford Sound.

Danny was an excellent tour guide and driver. Our tour to Milford Sound was so much fun and the scenery was out of this world! Danny took great care to make sure we were all attended to and had everything we needed. Danny had all the stories to tell and his Playlist was perfect at every stop. The drive doesn't feel long as Danny kept us entertained with playing games like a quiz of things we learned and movie soundtrack game. The cruise was excellent on a small boutique boat with free tea, coffee and cookies. The provided picnic lunch was yummy and we were able to get vegetarian. We really liked Danny, so friendly, professional and knowledgeable. Kia ora and thanks for a great day out!

Brett H

2/4/2026

10/10 highly recommend

Our Milford Sound Trip was an absolute highlight of our New Zealand travels. Faolán was a brilliant tour guide, who made sure everyone felt included and informed. It was clear he was passionate about the area and was very informative about local history, while having a funny edge that made the long journey feel short. The boat itself was fantastic, due it being a small vessel which insured no one was fighting for the perfect picture - there was even complimentary drinks!! Highly recommend to anyone! Thanks 🙏🏻

Catherine S

2/4/2026

Scenic Adventure, Amazing Guide, and Milford Wonders

I love Cheeky Kiwi! This was my second time using this tour service, and my group went to Milford Sound with Joseph. He is a wonderful guide—skilled at driving, attentive, and full of knowledge. Along the way, he pointed out highlights, shared fascinating stories behind the scenery before we reached Milford, and even introduced us to the local birds. It was such an awesome experience. To top it off, Joseph arranged a delicious picnic lunch for us, which made the day even more cool. The boat ride was also incredible—we got to see seals and dolphins along the way. Truly unforgettable! A must visit destination in the South Island and take a tour if you are not driving there.

Joy

2/3/2026

Beautiful scenery along the way in addition to the legendary Milford Sound. Excellent tour.

Wonderful guides full of information & anecdotes. The sun didn’t smile on us, so we missed out on the scenic flight return, but the Sound was stunning even in the mist.

Lynne S

2/3/2026

Great Tour Guide and Experience

It was great experience, beautiful and stunning views! Mary is very informative and friendly also a great story teller. We stopped at multiple nice view spots along the way to Milford Sound. The van was comfy and lots of drinks and snacks provided. Do remember to gear up for the weather and water fall and keep warm. Highly recommend the tour and trip!

Kate Z

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