The best thing about visiting New Zealand is the sheer volume of places to see and activities on hand. For such a small country, New Zealand is blessed with some truly stunning terrain that plays host to a wide variety of things to do and enjoy. The ideal destination for those who love the great outdoors, New Zealand is a first class vacation getaway for the active soul. Here you can enjoy a variety of well known activities as well as some more unique ones.

Aerial Sightseeing & Sky Diving

A great way to see and experience New Zealand’s amazing topography is by going aerial sightseeing or sky diving. Hot air ballooning is also quite popular here and gives you a bird’s eye view of your surroundings.

Bird watching & Wildlife watching

New Zealand plays host to a number bird species, most of which are endemic, while others migrate here from the north to avoid the cold. Kiwis which are the national bird are the most sought after birds to see, along with the royal albatross and the yellow-eyed penguin. One of the most unique animals to see on New Zealand is the tuatara, which is a lizard that is closely related to the dinosaur.

Bungy Jumping

Invented by a New Zealander, bungy jumping is very popular throughout the country. One of the best places to go bungee jumping in New Zealand is Queenstown

Canoeing, Kayaking & Whitewater Rafting

New Zealand offers some excellent canoeing, kayaking and whitewater rafting opportunities all over the country. You can enjoy some excellent sea kayaking in the Hauraki Gulf and some good canoeing on the Whanganui River

Caving

Auckland, Waitomo and Westport offer some of the best caving in the country. One of the best caving sites is the Lost World Cave near Waitomo.

Fishing

New Zealand offers some world class fresh water and off shore sport fishing. Here you can catch a variety of game fish including Atlantic salmon, snapper, John Dory and hake.

Golf

It may come as a surprise to you but New Zealand has an abundance of golf courses. There are more than 400 courses found throughout the country with Paraparaumu considered as the best course to play on.

Horseback riding

Horseback riding is very popular in New Zealand, because of its diverse terrain. You can horseback ride almost anywhere in the country; however, the national parks offer some great horse riding trails.

Jet Boating

Invented in New Zealand, jet boating is a great way to get around. Offering a thrilling ride, one of the best places to enjoy jet boating is in the Bay of Islands.

Mountain biking

With its hilly rugged landscape, mountain biking is excellent in New Zealand. One of the best places to enjoy mountain biking is at Redwood Groove in Rotorua.

Cycling

Cycling is very popular in New Zealand and is a great way to get around. You will find plenty of cycling opportunities across the country as the roads here are in excellent condition.

Mountaineering & Rock Climbing

The mountaineering and rock climbing is world class with many high mountains to scale in New Zealand especially in the Southern Alps. Mount Cook is one of the best mountains to climb in the country.

Paragliding

You can find plenty of paragliding opportunities available throughout New Zealand particularly in the central Otago region and Queenstown.

Sailing

You can find some superb sailing opportunities in New Zealand. One of the best places to go sailing is Auckland, which is often referred to as the City of Sails.

Scuba diving

With its incredible coastline, it is of little wonder that New Zealand offers some spectacular scuba diving. The Poor Knights Islands is said to have the best diving in the country.

Surfing & windsurfing

The surfing and windsurfing in New Zealand is world class with some awesome swells and breaks to contend with.

Skiing & Snowboarding

New Zealand is recognized as one of the best ski and snow boarding destinations in the Southern Hemisphere. You can find of top notch skiing opportunities all over the country.

Tramping

Tramping is a kiwi word for hiking or trekking. You can find seem truly magnificent tramping tracks throughout the country and in most of the New Zealand’s national parks.

Other Extreme Activities

New Zealand is a fantastic destination for those who enjoy extreme sports and activities. Parabungy jumping, zorbing, mountain boarding, cave rafting and kite boarding are very popular adventure sports out here.