5 amazing adventures to have in New Zealand

New Zealand is a real bucket list destination for experienced travelers, adventure seekers, and families alike.  The country is located just 1000 miles south-east of Australia and consists of 2 main islands; North and South.  There are also several small islands but the majority of visitors focus on the 2 main islands which offer a car ferry to get between the two.

One of the things that keep people from traveling out to the South Pacific is the travel itself. From most areas of the USA it is quite a long trip and when thinking of doing long-term travel the idea of getting all your belongings there can seem daunting. But if you ship some of your belongings ahead of time with something like Shiply and keep an eye out for a good deal (I swear even to New Zealand there are some great deals every now and then) then you can minimize the anxieties around such a big trip.

New Zealand is a beautiful country ripe with opportunities to explore, relax, and adventure.  A trip to either island is well worth the time, money, and effort it takes to get there. It offers nearly every landscape you can think of offering the traveler or adventurer too many activities to pick between. A good problem to have in our opinion. Many people we have spoken to even say it is the best spot in the world to do an extended road trip. With so many opportunities to explore we thought we'd break it down for you into 5 of the most amazing adventures you can have while there.

Jet Boating on North or South islands
We all first heard about jet boating from a friend that had experienced it in New Zealand.  It sounded so amazing that we decided to try it for ourselves while in Sydney.  It was great fun but nowhere near as exciting in Sydney Harbor as it sounds to be as you zip down Shotover River in Queenstown.

The boats were originally created to maneuver through the shallow windy rivers on the south island but since they maneuver easily and can move at high speeds it was discovered early on what fun and excitement this could bring to tourism. As someone who has experienced this adventure, I can assure you it is well worth the cost.

Best Ice Cream in the World
One of the coolest things to do while visiting New Zealand is to explore the North Island. Starting off in Auckland there is no shortage of death-defying adventures that can be had. Everything from bungee jumping to skydiving to swimming with sharks and so much more can be achieved while visiting this beautiful area of the country.
One of the most unique experiences in New Zealand is a sweet one. Auckland is home to one of the most ingenious and fascinating spot in the world to eat and enjoy ice cream; The legendary Giapo Ice cream. Which is quoted as having the best ice cream in the world.

This gem is situated on Gore Street, downtown Auckland in the Britomart precinct, and it is ideal if you are going for a walk in the city or a quick tour of Auckland. Giapo gets quite busy but trust me their ice cream deserves all the attention.

While their flavors are not just vanilla and chocolate, what these guys have done to ice cream is unprecedented. Ice cream here is not like you would have in your local gelato ice cream shop with some creative flavors. Here it is served in Yorkshire pudding, Traditional Maori bread, Roti, it is served as an accessory, wherein example your finger nests perfectly inside a cone, just like a finger puppet, these are the wereable cones. Giapo is the home of the selfie cone and the colossal squids.
Their service, is kind and attentive as you would expect in a Michelin restaurant at first you are welcomed by one of their kind hostesses, then you are offered a tasting degustation where the host guides you through the flavors, then you are wowed by the masterpieces that come to you. 

Anything you know about ice cream or gelato gets a new meaning at Giapo and we get it!

Giapo is a bit like an art museum, with surreal sculpture like cones and the most incredible ice creams creations ever. If there is only one thing you can do in Auckland, this is the one.

What a cool way to enjoy ice cream! Sure to please adults and children.

Heli-biking, heli-fishing, heli-hiking
I don't know about you but for me, I really love the adventure of hiking and biking but truth be told I often wish that the uphill component simply didn't exist and I could enjoy the peak of the ride/hike and then enjoy the thrill and rush of the downhill. Well in New Zealand there is no end to the types of Heli sports you can do. Basically, a helicopter flies you up to a summit and you can enjoy the peak and then the rush down. For some of the adventures, you simply heli up and enjoy then heli back down. Takes away the hard work but for many of us, that's just perfect.

Obviously, you can also enjoy any number of regular hiking and biking as well as countless lakes streams and rivers where you can fish to your heart's content but add the heli component and the adventure and thrill-seeking go up a few notches!

Caving in Waitomo

Caving of any sort always inspires us. You feel a sense of times past and enjoy the heart-racing excitement at the same time. Caving in New Zealand is world class and comes with many many options.

In Waitomo caves, you can hike or raft through. When you opt for the black water rafting you actually crawl and float through the caves on a personal tube. Another highlight of these caves is the unique glow worm attraction where it appears to show you a twinkling night sky deep inside. For the hardcore adventurers, you can even abseil or zip line through the caves. Something for everyone I suppose.

Explore Milford Sound
No New Zealand list of any kind can be complete without mentioning this stunning area of the country. As seen in the photo at the top of the article this beautiful sound is home to one of the most photographed locations on the planet.

Aside from taking stunning photographs you can cruise around the lake, hike, rent a kayak, go fishing, and even scuba dive. There is also an observatory where you can learn about what is going on under the water in the sound without having to get scuba certified!

No matter what you choose to do there is no doubt it will be a stunning adventure.


There you have it, our list of the top 5 amazing adventures to have in New Zealand! Get out there and get exploring. Let us know below in the comments if you have any other must do adventures in New Zealand!


Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter!

Sharing is Caring

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

0 comments:

Post a Comment