Stray Travel

Stray Travel

Stray Travel is the newest of the three big backpacker coach companies, but they use older buses. They have an excellent coverage of the South Island including the Catlins and Milford Sound on their standard passes (other backpacker coach operators sell these as an additional add-on pass). However they miss out on Mount Cook and their coverage of the North Island is more limited, for instance they do not go to Hawkes Bay, Gisborne, East Cape or the Taranaki region; although they include Raglan, which the other coach companies miss out on.
Stray have an emphasis on active outdoor activities such as walking and spotting wildlife, so they may not be the best option if this isn't your thing.
Like Kiwi Experience, Stray's passes have cute names that don't give you any clue where they go. The ferry between Wellington and Picton is not included in Stray passes.

Dave
Dave includes all the South Island, plus the drive between Wellington and Auckland on the North Island.
Starts Christchurch or Picton, finishes Auckland.
Overnight stops Auckland, Barrytown, Christchurch, Dunedin, Franz Josef, Haast, Invercargill, Kaikoura, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Picton, Queenstown, Te Anau, Wellington.
Cost $945.
Minimum trip 17 days ex Christchurch, 15 days ex Picton.
 

Max
Max is the most extensive of the Stray Travel passes and goes to all Stray destinations south of Auckland.
Starts/finishes Auckland, Christchurch or Wellington.
Overnight stops Auckland, Barrytown, Christchurch, cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Dunedin, Franz Josef, Haast, Hahei, Invercargill, Kaikoura, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Ohakune, Queenstown, Raglan, Taupo, Te Anau, Wellington.
Cost $1260.
Minimum trip 21 days.
 

Moe
Moe covers the North Island between Auckland and Wellington with stops at Raglan, Waitomo, Hahei, Rotorua, Taupo, Tongariro National Park. On the South Island, it covers transport from Picton to Nelson, Abel Tasman National Park, the west coast between Westport and Haast, plus Wanaka, Queenstown, Te Anau, Milford Sound, Invercargill, through the Catlins to Dunedin and up to Christchurch.
Starts Auckland, finishes Christchurch.
Overnight stops Auckland, Barrytown, Christchurch, cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Dunedin, Franz Josef, Haast, Hahei, Invercargill, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Ohakune, Queenstown, Raglan, Taupo, Te Anau, Wellington.
Cost $1105.
Minimum trip 17 days.
Passes covering the North Island only include:
 

Jack
Jack is an excursion to Paihia in the Bay of Islands.
Starts/finishes Auckland.
Cost $95.
Minimum trip 1 day.
 

Jill
This pass covers most major destinations between Auckland and Wellington including stops at Raglan, Waitomo, Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Taupo, Ohakune and Wellington.
Starts/finishes Auckland.
Overnight stops cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Hahei, Ohakune Raglan, Taupo.
Cost $475.
Minimum trip 7 day.
 

Pete
This pass visits Raglan, Waitomo, the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Taupo and Ohakune (near Tongariro National Park). From Ohakune you have the option of taking an express coach to Wellington or back to Auckland.
Starts Auckland, finishes Auckland or Wellington.
Overnight stops cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Hahei, Ohakune, Raglan, Taupo.
Cost $380.
Minimum trip 6 days.
 

Tom
This pass covers return travel from Auckland to the main spots in the central North Island including the Coromandel Peninsula, Rotorua, Taupo, Raglan and Waitomo.
Starts/finishes Auckland.
Overnight stops cultural stop (north of Rotorua), Hahei, Raglan, Taupo.
Cost $300.
Minimum trip 5 days.
Passes covering the South Island only include:
 

Q
The Q pass covers travel on the southern half of the South Island. It includes an express coach across Arthurs Pass to Barrytown on the West Coast and then travels down the coast to Wanaka and Queenstown, to Te Anau (with an excursion to Milford Sound), down to Invercargill, through the Catlins to Dunedin and back up to Christchurch.
Starts/finishes Christchurch.
Overnight stops Barrytown, Christchurch, Dunedin, Franz Josef, Haast, Invercargill, Queenstown, Te Anau.
Cost $780.
Minimum trip 9 days.
 

Ron
Ron includes both the east and west coasts and covers the whole South Island including Nelson and Abel Tasman National Park, the west coast between Westport and Haast, Wanaka, Queenstown, Milford Sound, the Catlins, Dunedin and Christchurch.
Starts/finishes Christchurch or Picton.
Overnight stops Barrytown, Christchurch, Dunedin, Franz Josef, Haast, Invercargill, Kaikoura, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Queenstown, Picton, Te Anau.
Cost $835.
Minimum trip 13 days ex Christchurch, 14 days ex Picton.
 

Willy
This pass includes the east coast of the South Island between Christchurch and Picton, then heads to Nelson and the Abel Tasman National Park and down the west coast to Wanaka and Queenstown with an express coach between Queenstown and Christchurch.
Starts/finishes Christchurch or Picton.
Overnight stops Barrytown, Christchurch, Franz Josef, Haast, Kaikoura, Marahau (Abel Tasman National Park), Queenstown, Picton.
Cost $535.
Minimum trip 9 days ex Christchurch, 10 days ex Picton.

Below is the full list of Stray Travel trips and prices, please contact them for further details. www.straytravel.com