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

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

(3361 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

4/22/2026

Great trip with Rob

Very early start, but, well worth it! Our host for the day was Rob, a real gentleman. He kept us entertained with anecdotes and lots of local information. He engaged very much with the group, and encouraged us to engage with one another. A real ‘ice breaker’! Milford Sounds lived up to all its hype, and the drive from Queenstown was just magnificent. We had a glorious day for our journey, but as a result, missed out on some of the myriad of waterfalls! Thanks Rob for a very enjoyable day.

Christine C

4/21/2026

Premium Milford Sounds Excellent Tour Guide Danni

The Premium Milfred Sounds Tour was so much more than expected, our tour guide Danni from Cheeky Kiwi was outstanding. Highly recommend.

Todd M

4/21/2026

Exceptional

"I am so glad we opted for the small group tour over the massive coaches. From the moment we were picked up, the experience felt personalized and relaxed. Our guide, Hanna was incredibly knowledgeable, sharing local legends and stopping at hidden gems along the Milford Road. She took care of us in every possible way and made the trip memorable.If you want to actually hear the birds and the waterfalls rather than a hundred other tourists, this is the way to do it. Worth every penny!"

Coastal65367255901

4/21/2026

Absolutely incredible experience with an amazing guide: Sonya

I wanted to do a Milford Sound trip during my last visit to New Zealand 12 years ago, but sadly I was unable to due to landslides. I finally did the trip today and boy was it worth the wait! I was blessed with glorious weather and shared the experience with such a lovely group of people. The trip was made by our amazing guide Sonya. She was absolutely fabulous and so knowledgeable. Her great sense of humour and positive energy really elevated the tour, and the stops along the way to the sound were breathtaking! It really is worth booking one of the small group tours, if only to beat the crowds to each photo stop (and the public loos). The packed lunch provided was also delicious. I can't wait to come back one day and visit Milford Sound in the rain for a completely different experience.

Emily H

4/21/2026

Colin was a great guide

Wonderful experience ! Warm van with water and snacks, nice stops for additional food / drink and bathroom breaks. Provided lunch was tasty ! Colin was especially considerate of our comfort. He also stopped on the way back to show us the stars since it was a clear night. Told us a lot of history and facts about New Zealand we didn’t hear anywhere else. Milford Sound was lovely of course.

L G

4/17/2026

Wind & waves equals excitement

We didn’t have the best weather but our wonderful driver/tour guide Olly made up for all of that! He was delightful, informative, funny (standing there in the rain with the shell of his umbrella after the wind blew it it bits was one of the funniest sights I have seen) & nothing was too much trouble. Our cruise on Milford Sound was quite dramatic with huge waves & rough waters but amazing at the same time. Thanks Cheeky Kiwi & especially Olly for making my day!

Jill G

4/17/2026

Amazing experience and very helpful staff

There were similar packages provided by a few operators. I finally chose Cheeky Kiwi because of the positive feedback on TripAdvisor and the previous good experience with Cheeky Kiwi for the train+bus tour from Dunedin to Queenstown. Timing: Punctual pick-up, with many stops for photo taking, still on schedule to catch the boat. Staff: Raghav is very friendly, responsible, and knowledgeable. The guide put a lot of effort into researching the background material for this route. Along the way, it was not only the beautiful Southland scene but also his commentary that brought so much enjoyment. Crowd size: decent. 14 pp as a small bus tour group. Weather: We picked up one of the worst weather days in Milford Sound. Lucky that because Cheeky Kiwi's cruise partner provided a small boat with an experienced captain, Craig, and helpful staff, Sofia and Faye. We saw the waterfalls going up, though most of the cruise was cancelled later on due to the extreme weather. I suffered boat sickness badly in the middle of the water. Cruise staff Sofia and Faye were so kind and helped me get medical support from Helen once we were settled. Faye stayed with me till the end. When it rains, it pours. I left my bottle on the boat, then, thanks to Cheekykiwi again, I will let the next day's tour guide bring it back. Definitely choose Cheeky Kiwi. If there are more places I want to visit in New Zealand, I will check on Cheeky Kiwi's website first.

Yuting W

4/16/2026

Milford Sound & Rain show!

Sonia was fantastic and full of positive energy. Despite the insane rains, she kept us cheerful. We managed to get on to the cruise even as others were getting cancelled. But it had to be cut short midway because of the weather. They reimbursed us fully and that was very very generous. This was our second trip with Cheeky Kiwi and they have been very impressive.

Safari299147

4/16/2026

Beautiful Scenery - All Day!

Our guide James did a great job with answering all questions from our small group all the way to Milford Sound. He is very knowledgeable about the area and made stops along the way for walks and opportunities to take pictures. We had a perfect guide for a perfect journey...took lots of pics!

Mark S

4/16/2026

Fantastic experience at an amazing value

Dean was fantastic as our driver and host. The tour group ended up being a lovely group. The value of this tour is incredible, from the pick up to driving to lunch to the sights.

Jonny L

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