Who Are we?

About Wicked Wanders

History

About

“Wicked” A New Zealand colloquialism meaning ‘Amazing’, ‘Fantastic’ or ‘Astonishing’. Established in 2015 Wicked Wanders is a boutique tour operator specialising in providing personalised history and tasting tours of the greater Tauranga area. We are a Silver rated Qualmark sustainable tourism awarded business, which is an assurance from Tourism New Zealand that we offer quality tours and deliver a quality visitor experience. Russell Christian is the owner/operator of Wicked Wanders Tours. He has lived and worked in Tauranga for ten years and is passionate about the history and culture New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty region has to offer. Having spent twenty years working in the hospitality industry both here and overseas Russell provides a high level of customer service. He is also a member of the Tauranga Land Search and Rescue team and is very comfortable working in the outdoors. Through his experiences and training as part of Tauranga LandSAR Russell is confident in managing risk in the outdoors and providing a safe experience for those in his care. You can rest assured that your safety is of the utmost importance to us.
Russell Christian

Russell Christian

owner/operator
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Why Choose Us?

At Wicked Wanders our promise to you is to create an experience that will enable you to immerse yourself in the magic of the diverse landscape, culture, heritage, flora and fauna right here in our backyard. We take pride in the uniqueness of New Zealand and strive to create an experience that visitors will share and talk about with friends, family and other visitors. To do this we work with other like minded people that share a passion for New Zealand, its people, culture and heritage. Our tours are not rushed and are in groups of no more than 11 people. If our planned tours are not for you we can tailor an itinerary that is specific to your needs. If you are looking for worry free leisure time whether it be for a tour, guided walks or private hire then give Russell a call and he will work with you to make it happen.
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Our Mission Statement

To provide a safe and fun environment that encourages as many people as possible to explore the uniqueness of New Zealand’s diverse landscape, history, culture, flora and fauna.

Our Conservation & Cultural Promise

We take pride in the uniqueness of the New Zealand outdoors and strive to educate as many people as possible from all over the world to appreciate and share their experiences about the environment and our culture. To do this we will ensure the stories we share about our history and conservation are based on fact and respect the cultures and traditions of New Zealand.

Reviews

Our Happy Customers

  • star rating  What a fantastic tour guide Carol was can't fault her, very informative and also has a sense of humor which can be hard to come by these days

    Taneika S
    February 20, 2016

    star rating  The sites are lovely. Russell knew his history. Disappointed about the tea stop being closed but the elms were fascinating

    758debbier
    December 28, 2022

    star rating  excelent attention to detail, small group of 10 Water bottles placed on each seat. Mobility an issue & a step for entering & exit the minibus, just there... read more

    johntalbot4
    December 11, 2022
  • star rating  Small group tour with Russell being very responsive in replies in enquires. Great, smooth and not rushed in timing which were good. A secret local lunch hideout (you will need... read more

    jayj2015
    February 25, 2023

    star rating  My wife and I have been lucky enough to do a tour with carol today around Tauranga this lady is fantastic her knowledge of the area and itinerary is great... read more

    markbN2432WO
    January 19, 2017

    star rating  We really enjoyed our 4-hour tour. Interesting and fun. The town is very near the port so you can walk in or take the ship shuttle. We were met at... read more

    barbarasimon1
    March 3, 2020
  • star rating  Had a fantastic tour in Tauranga, Russell was superb on the tour and I would recommend this tour over the excursions offered by the cruise lines. He takes you to... read more

    Jk K
    December 28, 2022

    star rating  This was a terrific way to see Tauranga and the surrounding area. Russell was extremely knowledgeable and lots of fun too. All the stops were great and so was the... read more

    emB5262RV
    February 21, 2020

    star rating  We were on the Queen Victoria and we absolutely loved this tour! So happy our daughter booked it and happy we didn’t book with the cruise company such a better... read more

    rpoli12
    February 26, 2023
  • star rating  Russell from Wicked Wanderers met our cruise ship on time for the 4hr scenic tour of Tauranga. Small group, very comfortable air conditioned van. Tour commentary was excellent & well... read more

    V933YZsueb
    January 6, 2023

    star rating  Wow! Awesome day spent with Russell! Highly recommend this tour. We covered the area of Mount Maunganti in the Bay of Plenty and all around Tauranga.... read more

    katbY1619SF
    January 27, 2023

    star rating  Very worthwhile tour for cruise passengers. Carol is very informative and friendly. Had a lovely time and still had time for a walk round.

    Brian T
    February 13, 2019
  • star rating  Our guide, Nicolle was excellent: professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. She kept us on track to ensure we didn't miss our ship. The tour was terrific: entertaining, educational, and beautiful.

    heckc2015
    February 5, 2023

    star rating  We were looking for an affordable excursion getting off the cruise ship. We found Wicked Wanders which offered a four hour tour provided by Carol and was very affordable.... read more

    Wendi B
    March 9, 2016

    star rating  Had a tour with Russell and it was fantastic!

    Saw lots of interesting stuff, learned plenty of cool facts about what we were seeing, and had a great... read more

    DR0PB34R
    December 28, 2022
  • star rating  All the trip was fantastic couldn’t fault it. Love Russell he was tops with everything would recommend this tour to anyone who wants a relaxing and interesting tour on Tauranga.... read more

    nataliebL644KB
    February 6, 2023

    star rating  This was a really enjoyable and informative experience! Russell's encyclopedic knowledge and engaging personality made it a relaxed and interesting trip.

    T6728BIjuliank
    April 21, 2022

    star rating  Russell was our knowledgable guide who took us in our mini van round all the points in the tour. He was informative and entertaining. We enjoyed learning about the kiwi... read more

    Viv451
    March 8, 2020
  • star rating  Our tour guide, Russell, picked us up at the dock as soon as we arrived. We drove to Hobbiton and had a delightful time visiting the movie set followed... read more

    Joanne G
    January 17, 2023

    star rating  We were on a cruise that unexpectedly visited Tauranga for 2 days. The fist day we did a hop on & hop off bus tour around Tauranga. The second... read more

    MargotK621
    March 14, 2020

    star rating  I enjoyed this tour quite a bit. Russel was very well informed and professional. The stop at the Elms was great. The history of Tauranga was very informative and the... read more

    Sharyn C
    January 7, 2023
  • star rating  Russell has a van that holds 6 people. It is a perfect size for a four hour tour. The atmosphere was relaxed, Russell was knowledgeable and friendly; he provided very... read more

    alexis s
    February 29, 2020

    star rating  This small group tour was very informative and we had the opportunity to see a selection of locations that had important historical significance. The guide was knowledgeable & able to... read more

    Olive R
    March 3, 2020

    star rating  Russell Picks you up from where the cruise ship docks. He is very knowledgeable and makes the whole experience very interesting. We were lucky enough to be the only two... read more

    Dolly502014
    March 5, 2020
  • star rating  I took a private tour of the Karangahake Gorge, Minden outlook and the Owhanga Falls, with lunch and a little train ride. I really got the feeling that there is... read more

    miles_semple
    February 6, 2016

    star rating  Our guide Russell was a local man who was at the pier to greet us. The tour showed us around the town of the "Mount", beaches, harbour, the adjoining... read more

    Gail52018
    February 26, 2020

    star rating  This was a veryinformative tour. Our guide was wonderful! We found out a lot about Tauranga and it's surroundings!

    DebbieMcKinley
    October 26, 2022
  • star rating  Cruising New Zealand on Celebrity and booked the trip with Wicked Wanders on line before we arrived - though you could book on the day.. Meet and greet well organised... read more

    Ian M
    February 20, 2017

    star rating  When cruising it is easy to book excursions directly from the ship. We have found these can be very expensive and very impersonal. You have 50 on the coach and... read more

    Barbara N
    March 24, 2019

    star rating  If you arrive by cruise ship with no plans for Tauranga, check out Russell Christian's Wicked Wanders tours. He's on the Pier (when his small group, mini van... read more

    AnnArborMHT
    January 22, 2023