Tour comparison New Zealand lets you see the land of sparkling blue lakes and powder white peaks, enough adventure sports to satisfy Felix Baumgartner-level thrill-seekers and Fergburger, whose controversial claim to make the best burger in the world has sparked many a social media debate.
Nature, culture, history, fab food and a killer rugby team all await on these two magical islands, which offer plenty to please any traveller.
To help decide what to include on your itinerary, we’ve compiled a list of the best experiences the Kiwis have to offer.
1.) Get your yearly dose of adrenalin
Whether it’s bungy jumping, skydiving, whitewater rafting, canyon swinging or Black Water Rafting under a canopy of glow worms in the Waitamo Caves, New Zealand is the place for it. In fact, the low-key sport of tying an elasticised cord around your ankles and jumping off a bridge was first made a commercial venture available to the public by New Zealander A.J. Hackett, so if you’re going to try it anywhere, it might as well be at the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge which you know has seen thousands go before you.
If you prefer a plane to a bridge, New Zealand offers an almost excessive number of options for skydiving. Float from the sky above Lake Taupo for the best view money can buy of the country’s largest freshwater lake.
2.) Step into Frodo Baggins’ world
The film franchise that catapulted Orlando Bloom and Games Workshop into superstardom left a permanent mark on the soft rolling hills of the middle of nowhere, New Zealand. Hobbiton, in all its round-doorway glory is a very real place. Or at least, it is a physical location where you can explore hobbit holes, pose creatively for pictures in front of Bilbo Baggins’ cosy abode, and enjoy a rather unhobbit-like light meal at The Shires Rest Cafe.
LOTR fans will also find a number of filming locations, along with set and prop workshops, in Auckland.
3.) Learn about Maori culture at Rotorua
Nestled in the heart of the North Island next to the lake of the same name is Rotorua, a hotbed of geothermal activity where you can wander among – and unavoidably smell – geysers and hot mud pools. Many of the geysers and mud pools are found within Maori villages or feature cultural performances of some kind, giving you extra bang for your buck. Some offer geothermal Hangi meals – usually the same sort of ingredients as a traditional Sunday roast, but cooked with the Maori method using heated rocks buried in a pit oven.
4.) Soak up the cities
It’s true that New Zealand is full of natural wonders, but for those that prefer to pound the pavement there are exciting cities to explore. Auckland is the biggest and most populated city in New Zealand, but perhaps it’s more enticing claim to fame is that it is a perennial favourite on lists of the best and most livable cities in the world. Points of interest here for travellers include the Sky Tower, Auckland Art Gallery and Auckland Botanic Gardens.
Other cities worth a stop in the land of the long white cloud include Wellington, Christchurch and breathtaking Queenstown – though the latter deserves a section all to itself…
5.) Activities for everyone in Queenstown
Queenstown offers a spectacular setting, built around an inlet on Lake Wakatipu with views of nearby mountain ranges including The Remarkables and Cecil Peak. Its position makes Queenstown a popular destination for winter sports, but there are also plenty of summer activities such as the famous Shotover Jet ride, which sends visitors hurtling through the narrow Shotover Canyons jutting off the lake at a thrilling/alarming speed, bungy jumping, mountain biking, paragliding, sky diving and more.
Another must in Queenstown is a visit to Fergburger, where many claim you can salivate over the best burger in the world. You be the judge.
6.) Tread lightly on Franz Josef Glacier
This epic 12km glacier is found in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the west coast of the south island. Franz Josef Glacier and neighbouring Fox Glacier, 20km to the south, descend to 300 metres above sea level, which is apparently pretty unusual for those glacier newbies playing at home.
The glacier is situated in a World Heritage Site park, and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in New Zealand. Walking on the glacier is possible, but these days requires a helicopter flight to get to the area deemed safe for boarding.
7.) Watch greenstone carving and sheep shearing demonstrations
Chances are even if you haven’t been to New Zealand you’ve seen a greenstone (pounamu in Maori, or NZ jade) or bone carving hanging on a black string around someone’s neck. Pounamu and bone carvings are symbols with a deep meaning linked to the older life of the Maori, though nowadays they are also used as fashion for homesick Kiwis tramping the world. Pounamu hails from a small town called Hokitika, where carving demonstrations and specialty shops await in abundance. Travellers can even try their own hand at carving.
As for the second item on this agenda, we know we don’t need to justify why New Zealand is the place to watch a sheep shearing demonstration. Whether they like it or not, New Zealanders have a reputation for knowing their sheep – and after you witness the astounding speed at which shearers trim the excess wool from these placid little animals you’ll believe it.
The award-winning Agrodome in Rotorua is a great place to see a sheep shearing demonstration first hand. If pounamu is more your thing, you can learn more about it and where to find it here
Author’s Bio: Courtney Gahan is a serial expat, traveller and freelance writer who has bartered with Moroccan marketeers, seen the sun rise at Angkor Wat and elbowed her way through crowds on NYE in NYC.
