Your interests come first!
From wild coastlines to mountain trails, with a dash of local food, we focus on what you’ll enjoy most.
Personalised New Zealand trip planning
Your New Zealand adventure, built around you.
Personally researched by a born-and-raised New Zealander, for the way you actually want to travel. North Island, South Island or both.
Kia ora, I’m Troy. I build every guide myself—using local knowledge, plenty of research and a lifetime spent exploring New Zealand.
North Island, South Island or bothNZD $225Delivered within seven days
Beyond the obvious
Less searching. More anticipation.
Planning a New Zealand trip should feel exciting, not overwhelming. Southern Guides personally researches the options and turns them into a clear, flexible collection that fits the way you want to travel.
Your pace sets the trip!
Full days, slow mornings or room to follow the weather—we build the guide around the way you love to travel.
Your comfort matters!
A proper challenge or a gentler adventure—every recommendation fits your confidence and comfort.
A local perspective
A guide shaped by a lifetime of exploring.
I keep the process simple and personal. Instead of handing you an automated itinerary or a list of the same places everyone sees, I research every guide myself and choose ideas that genuinely make sense for you.
I was born and raised in New Zealand and have spent my whole life travelling around it—climbing, hiking, working in tourism and getting to know the smaller places in between. That local experience is the heart of Southern Guides.
Whether you are planning a North Island escape, a South Island road trip or one adventure across both islands, the aim is the same: a trip that feels like yours rather than a generic itinerary.
Your kind of adventure
How wild do you want to go?
Choose one level or a mixture. This is not about proving anything—it simply helps me understand the kind of days that feel exciting to you.
2
Half-day adventures
Active & curious
A lively mix of half-day walks, uneven ground, local experiences and slower moments in between.
Inside your guide
Everything useful, nothing rigid.
Personal map
Your selected places, gathered together for easy access on the road.
Handpicked adventures
Experiences matched to your ability, interests and sense of adventure.
Places to stay
Accommodation and camping options chosen to suit your needs.
Food and local finds
Cafés, restaurants and smaller recommendations worth knowing about.
Practical alternatives
Wet-weather options, useful context and room to change the order.
Direct links
Current supplier and information links so you make your own bookings.
A simple process
From first conversation to open road.
Human-curated, personally checked and ready within seven days.
Tell me about your trip
A questionnaire and 30-minute conversation uncover what matters to you.
I research and curate
Every recommendation is personally selected and checked against your brief.
Receive your guide
Your personalised guide and map are delivered within seven days.
Make it yours
One revision is included so the final guide feels right for you.
Your guide, made personal
See what a personal guide can look like.
This complete 13-page South Island example was created around two travellers’ interests, pace and comfort. It brings together a considered route, handpicked local ideas, practical alternatives, safety context and a realistic budget.
- Research shaped around your trip
- Organised clearly by region
- Built to stay useful on the road
A look inside the complete 13-page example
This is an illustrative example; supplier details, prices and conditions should always be reconfirmed before travelling.
Meet your guide
Kia ora! I’m Troy.
I’m a born-and-raised New Zealander. I’ve spent years working, exploring and having some pretty wild adventures throughout New Zealand and other parts of the world.
I’ve travelled in some fairly unique ways—from living in a tent for months at a time to travelling by van and hitchhiking across unfamiliar places. Those experiences taught me both the brilliant and complicated sides of travel: plans change, weather does its own thing, and some of the best moments are the ones you could never have planned.
Back home, I’ve worked as a mountain and hiking guide, a climbing instructor and with some of New Zealand’s leading tourism businesses. I love rock climbing, good wine, a cold beer and finding the local food worth travelling for. To me, travelling the local way is the authentic way to experience a place—and that is what I want every Southern Guides trip to feel like.
Troy Southern Guides
Simple all-round pricing
Your personal New Zealand guide for NZD $225.
Personally researchedDigital guide + Google MapOne revision includedNo booking commissions
Personal guide price
NZD$225
- North Island, South Island or both
- Up to one month and two travellers
- 50% deposit to begin
- 50% before final delivery
- One revision included
Good to know
Questions before we begin.
Start the conversation
What would make New Zealand unforgettable for you?
Share your dates and the kind of adventure you are looking for. There is no obligation—just a personal reply about whether Southern Guides is the right fit.