Hop-on Hop-off Tours Auckland

Explorer Bus: Auckland Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour

Auckland Explorer Bus staff assisting tourists with city tour brochures.

Passengers on Auckland Explorer Bus viewing city street.

Auckland Explorer Bus on a sunny day with tourists on the upper deck.

Auckland Explorer Bus on a scenic route through lush greenery.

Explore at your pace

Choose your entry time, stay as long as you like

4.2/5(454)

Karen S

Couple

Verified booking

Apr 2026

It was great to be able to stop and get off at different points and then to move on to another place. We found an awesome spot for dinner! This was a great experience!

Hilda K

Couple

Verified booking

Mar 2026

Loved it. Easy to book and pay last minute online, we were picked up from Skytower Auckland punctually, and the 2 attendants were so helpful with all enquiries. Pleasant double decker open buses, we experienced 3 helpful and polite drivers each time we hopped on/ off. It covered many Auckland landmarks, we chose only 2 however we could have done at least 2 more. This beats a chartered tour bus as you decide how long you spend at a site and then wait for the bus which comes around every 30 min. We had our own time to visit Mt Edna, then Auckland Zoo for as long as we liked instead of being given a time limit. Just be tolerant that sometimes you have to wait longer than 30 min for your connection as buses are caught in peak hour jams. The on board commentary was loud, clear and well synchronised. After we terminated at Skytower, we could have gone on one last round loop tour without getting off if we wanted. We liked this better because we got to choose where to explore unlike a structured sightseeing tour that covers places you are not interested in. Overall a happy experience which has made us want to do more Hoho bus tours in future.

Darcy J

Couple

Verified booking

Mar 2026

Great time, informative, open air on the back of the top of the bus. Easy locations to. Get on and off, well marked! Wonderful commentary, nice driver.

Barbara T

Couple

Verified booking

Mar 2026

Interesting trip through attractive suburbs. Only problem was that the commentary volume on one of the buses was too low, resulting in people not hearing it and talking over.

Monica M

Couple

Verified booking

Feb 2026

Nice and clean. A mix of covered and open seating. The audio was pretty good for most of the trip, some parts got lost on the highway. Easy online ticket purchase and redemption. It was my first time ever using a HOHO and because of this experience, I would do it again.

Kristen L

Couple

Verified booking

Feb 2026

This is a relaxing and interesting way to see the city. We bought a 2 day pass. Day 1, took the full tour, about 2 hours. Day 2 - go back to a few areas that looked interesting.

Discover Auckland'’s Māori heritage and portside charm as you explore the city on this hop-on hop-off bus. This is the ideal way to experience Tamaki Makaurau.

Fresh buses arrive every 35 minutes across 14 stops on two prime routes, so you can explore Auckland’s landmarks with a short stroll to the sights!

Tune in to English audio guides as you take in panoramic city views from a double-decker or glass-roof bus, turning each landmark into a story.

Dive into the Art Gallery’s Maori artworks, see all of Auckland from the Sky Tower, and visit the War Memorial Museum honoring New Zealand’s past.

Fun fact: With more boats per capita than anywhere else in the world, Auckland is known as the "City of Sails."

24/48-hour unlimited hop-on hop-off pass

Access to Red & Blue routes

Audio commentary in English

TOTAL DURATION70 minutes
FREQUENCY35 mins
MODE OF TRANSFERA/C Bus
FIRST DEPARTUREDowntown Auckland at 9:00 AM
LAST DEPARTUREDowntown Auckland at 4:00 PM
Timeline
Map
1. Downtown Auckland
Get direction
2 attractions
Auckland Ferry Terminal
9 minutes walk
Britomart
3 minutes walk
2. Sky City
Get direction
2 attractions
Sky Tower
3 minutes walk
St Patrick's Cathedral
2 minutes walk
3. Art Gallery & Queen Street
Get direction
2 attractions
Auckland Art Gallery
5 minutes walk
Civic Theatre
8 minutes walk
4. Newmarket
Get direction
2 attractions
Westfield Newmarket
1 minute walk
Highwic House
4 minutes walk
5. Auckland Museum
Get direction
2 attractions
Auckland War Memorial Museum
3 minutes walk
Auckland Domain
3 minutes walk
6. Holy Trinity Cathedral
Get direction
2 attractions
Holy Trinity Cathedral
1 minute walk
Kinder House
1 minute walk
7. Parnell Village
Get direction
2 attractions
Parnell Village
La Cigale French Market
3 minutes walk
8. Okahu Bay, 12 Tamaki Drive
Get direction
2 attractions
Okahu Bay Beach Reserve
1 minute walk
Okahu Bay Wharf
9. Takaparawhau, Bastion Point Lookout
Get direction
2 attractions
Bastion Point Lookout
Michael Joseph Savage Memorial
10. SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium
Get direction
2 attractions
SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium
Okahu Bay
1 minute walk
TOTAL DURATION50 minutes
FREQUENCY35 mins
MODE OF TRANSFERA/C Bus
FIRST DEPARTUREAuckland Museum at 9:30 AM
LAST DEPARTUREAuckland Museum at 3:30 PM
Timeline
Map
1. Auckland Museum
Get direction
2 attractions
Auckland War Memorial Museum
3 minutes walk
Auckland Domain
3 minutes walk
2. Wintergardens
Get direction
2 attractions
Wintergardens
4 minutes walk
Duck Pond
2 minutes walk
3. Mt Eden/Maungawhau
Get direction
2 attractions
Mt Eden Summit
2 minutes walk
Mt Eden Village
3 minutes walk
4. Eden Park/Kingsland
Get direction
2 attractions
Eden Park
3 minutes walk
Nixon Park
1 minute walk
5. Auckland Zoo
Get direction
2 attractions
Auckland Zoo
Meola Reef
6 minutes walk
6. MOTAT
Get direction
2 attractions
Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT)
6 minutes walk
Western Springs Park
1 minute walk

These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

454 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
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Guests from United States, Australia, Canada and over 17 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Cassia S
Couple
Verified booking
2 weeks ago
Having the audio guide only in English is not good enough. There should be more languages available with ear phones available. I also suggest an app to track the bus times or a website with information to better plan the drops on and off.
Karen S
Couple
Verified booking
Apr 2026
It was great to be able to stop and get off at different points and then to move on to another place. We found an awesome spot for dinner! This was a great experience!
Irene L
Solo
Verified booking
Apr 2026
The commentary was very good. Buses were punctual to pick us up. My favourite places were Mt Eden, Panels Village and Bastion Point.
John M
Solo
Verified booking
Apr 2026
Easy and enjoyable. Totally worth it.
Hilda K
Couple
Verified booking
Mar 2026
Loved it. Easy to book and pay last minute online, we were picked up from Skytower Auckland punctually, and the 2 attendants were so helpful with all enquiries. Pleasant double decker open buses, we experienced 3 helpful and polite drivers each time we hopped on/ off. It covered many Auckland landmarks, we chose only 2 however we could have done at least 2 more. This beats a chartered tour bus as you decide how long you spend at a site and then wait for the bus which comes around every 30 min. We had our own time to visit Mt Edna, then Auckland Zoo for as long as we liked instead of being given a time limit. Just be tolerant that sometimes you have to wait longer than 30 min for your connection as buses are caught in peak hour jams. The on board commentary was loud, clear and well synchronised. After we terminated at Skytower, we could have gone on one last round loop tour without getting off if we wanted. We liked this better because we got to choose where to explore unlike a structured sightseeing tour that covers places you are not interested in. Overall a happy experience which has made us want to do more Hoho bus tours in future.

What's not allowed

Large pieces of luggage are not allowed onboard. However, you can carry small bags like handbags and backpacks onboard the bus.

Accessibility

Most buses are wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible. Please contact the operator in advance of your trip to ensure they can best accommodate your needs.

Tour Details

Red Inner Tour

First bus: 9am from stop #1 (Downtown Auckland)

Last bus: 4pm from stop #1 (Downtown Auckland)

Frequency: Approx. every 30 mins

Popular stops: Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell Village, Bastion Point, and SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium

Summer Bonus Blue Tour (Oct to Apr)

First bus: 9am from stop #1 (Downtown Auckland)

Last bus: 4pm from stop #1 (Downtown Auckland)

Frequency: Approx. every 30 mins

Popular stops: Wintergardens, Mt. Eden/Maungawhau & Eden Park/Kingsland

Please click here for a detailed route map and its boarding points.

You can join the tour at any stop and hop on and off for the duration of your ticket.

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

Ticket redemption points

Stop #1

Redeem your voucher at Downtown Auckland

Address: 23 Customs Street East 9 (St Pierres Sushi), Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

Get directions to the redemption point

Stop #2

Redeem your voucher at Sky Tower

Address: Victoria Street West, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

Landmark: Outside the Sky Tower, on corner of Hobson Street & Victoria Street West

Get directions to the redemption point