Wellington's Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour Is Operating for Free Until the End of July

Now, more than ever is the perfect time to support local and see what the country has to offer. To help you rediscover the capital and its much-loved sights, Wellington's largest independent tourism operator, Rover Tours Group, is offering its hop-on hop-off bus service for free. From Queen's Birthday weekend until the end of July the guided service will take visitors on a 90-minute loop visiting nine key Welly destinations.

Starting at Te Papa Tongarewa, the route heads to the Mt Victoria lookout for a scheduled photo stop where passengers have five minutes to snap 360-degree views of the capital. From there, you'll have the opportunity to stop at Wellington Zoo and get up close and personal with over 500 exotic animals, before carrying on to the Cuba Quarter for an afternoon of cafe hopping. The hit-list continues with stops at the Wellington Cable Car, Zealand Ecosanctuary and Botanic Garden. After stopping by New Zealand's parliament buildings and Wellington Museum, the hop-on, hop-off tour lands back at Oriental Bay.

RTG was founded in 1999 with a vision to fill a gap in the Wellington tourism market. The company now operates five tourism brands in the region and remains 100 percent locally owned. Owner Scott Courtney says supporting Wellington's tourism operators is the right thing to do during these tough times. "We are all part of the same tourism eco-system. That's one of the major reasons why we decided to deliver locals and visitors to their doors for free."

The hop-on, hop-off service will operate daily rain or shine, departing from Te Papa at 9.30am, 10.15am, 11am, 11.45am, 12.30pm, 1.15pm, and 2.30pm.

Rover Tours Group's hop-on hop-off bus service will be free from Queen's Birthday weekend until the end of July. For more information and to book your tour, visit hoponhopoff.co.nz.

Image: Lesley Wild.