Why Book Minibus Hire In New Zealand For City Tours?

Often, you see huge tour groups on large buses taking visitors to various tourist attractions throughout the day. They are usually part of a tour group organised by a travel agency, where the itinerary is almost always predetermined by the organisers. However, this may not be the most sensible option for you if you wish to travel in a smaller group, or you prefer to plan your own itinerary! Getting around by public transport is going to be even more inconvenient for your group, and cause logistics problems too. So, why not go for minibus hire in New Zealand for the best mix of convenience and customisability for your travelling group on holiday? Here are some of the benefits you can gain.

Great Option for Travelling as a Group of Friends or a Large Family

You know how hard it is to be a shepherd if you’ve ever tried to bring a group of people you know out on a trip. Think back on all the time spent looking for each other as you walked from the bus stop to the train station, frantically searching for one lost person only to discover they had stopped at the nearby news stand for some cigarettes. And let’s not forget the kids getting distracted by the candy store. The moment they slip into a shop past another bunch of people, it’s nearly impossible to find them amidst the crowd – and then find the group again once you’ve managed to grab hold of the naughty child! A minibus eliminates the need for all that stress and worry.

Not only is it the most convenient way to pack people up and get them moving from one place to another, with a convenient way of doing a quick head count once everyone is in their seats, but the vehicle itself is a great landmark so anyone who managed to lose the group can always find their way back to the meeting point.

You are the Master of Your Own Itinerary

While joining a large tour group may save you some money as compared to other options, it certainly comes at a cost of time and flexibility. Large tour groups are not able to afford you much time to spend visiting each tourist attraction, and they certainly cannot accommodate the whims and fancies of every single individual who may wish to visit this souvenir store or that art museum. As a result, your group will have no choice but to follow the plans as set by the tour agency.

With a charter minibus, you set your own travel plans. You want to do a bungy jump at the last minute? No problem, the minibus can wait for you. Someone spotted a photo opportunity at a heritage building you didn’t notice while planning your trip, but you just happened to drive past on the minibus? There’s nothing to it, just make a quick stop and you can be on your way once you have those cute pictures taken!

It Really Saves a Lot of Time

With a minibus, you only need to wait for your small group – not a huge number of people to all board a big bus. That cuts down on a lot of waiting time, precious time that could be spent doing some actual sightseeing. Parking is less of an issue because a minibus, being smaller than a regular bus, can find more options and often parking spots relatively near to the place you want to visit, for your added convenience.

A smaller bus also means less time stuck in traffic, or even the ability to take smaller lanes or cut through some shortcuts that would have been an impossibility in a large bus. And also, minibuses can usually drive a little faster than big buses, which have lower speed limits due to the hazards involved in transporting large groups of people.

There is No Lane Too Small for Your Minibus

Well, that may be an exaggeration – but it is true that tour buses have a harder time of travelling on busy roads as compared to minibuses. Especially in the city centre which tends to be congested with traffic during peak hours, which would you prefer, a large bus that gets caught in traffic at every turn, or the minibus that zooms past with comparative ease?

Furthermore, there tends to be greater restrictions on large buses accessing certain areas of the city, so sometimes large buses have to drop groups off at a convenient and less crowded location which could be some distance away from the attraction to be visited, thus wasting travel time where groups have to walk to and from designated drop off and pick up points. In comparison, a minibus would not usually have such restrictions and it should be less of an issue for your group to quickly stop and get off on the pavement next to the church your group wants to visit.

Emergencies are Much More Quickly Attended to

If in the occasion that someone falls ill, gets food poisoning, suffers from get stroke or fatigue, or even gets into a minor accident, the minibus can immediately pick them up wherever they are and take them to get medicine or see a doctor if necessary. The person can even simply rest in the minivan, where refreshments can be stored. There is no need to travel a distance to get to the large bus, or to incur personal costs hailing a taxi in the street, as the minivan is essentially chartered to personally attend to the need of your group. You’ll be glad for that if and when the need arises, and you really need some personalised attention!

Your Own Personal Tour Guide

A minibus of course is not just a vehicle with a driver; the driver can also be a tour guide of sorts, drawing on his or her experiences to offer your group suggestions and recommendations that you might all enjoy for your holiday. In particular, if it is your first time visiting New Zealand, it pays to have someone with local knowledge to recommend the best times or days to visit certain attractions, or to choose the most ideal routes to hit up the best spots in an area. Your driver could even bring your group to small hidden bars or restaurants that you may not have known of, which could do a lot to add to your positive experience of your holiday in New Zealand.