My favorite country that I have visited, New Zealand has it all. Mountains, glaciers, beaches, ocean, lakes, forests, geothermal activity, unique animals, gorgeous landscapes, incredible Maori culture and history, adventure sports, and SO much more! With so much to do in New Zealand there was no way I could do it all with my one week there a few years back. Here is a list I have compiled of the things I still need to do in New Zealand.
Table of Contents
North Island
Sail around the Bay of Islands. Subtropical islands known for gorgeous and undeveloped beaches, every photo I have ever seen of the Bay of Islands are simply stunning. I would love to pack a picnic, then spend a day sailing and wandering around the islands.
Climb Rangitoto Island, New Zealand’s youngest volcano. Only a 25 minute ferry ride from Auckland, this is New Zealand’s youngest, yet largest, volcano. It rose up from the sea 600 years ago and I think that is just so cool.
Take a day trip from Auckland to Waiheke Island. Another quick trip from Auckland, this island looks beautiful!
Make it down to Wellington. Wellington was a huge miss for me my first time in New Zealand. I wanted to get there so badly, but things just weren’t working out for that. But I have researched this city so much, and it looks like the perfect place for me. And I could geek out over LOTR here because Peter Jackson is from Wellington, and lots of the filming for LOTR was done with the green screen in Wellington.
Finally make it to the Tongariro Crossing. This is such a popular activity, as Tongariro is both New Zealand’s oldest National Park and a Heritage site, and if you’re a LOTR fan then you know that this is where Mordor is located. I had tried to do this two days before I left New Zealand. Knowing that this hike is often cancelled due to weather, I gave myself an extra day to reschedule if needed. Unfortunately the next day was just as bad weather wise, so I never got to do this activity.
South Island
Go Beach Hopping around Abel Tasman National Park. Have you Google Imaged Abel Tasman? If not, please do. Green grass, bright blue water, kayaks all over, this is one National Park this is a must do if you’re in the area.
See the Moeraki Boulders. I’ve seen photos of these boulders and they always look so mystical. This is what New Zealand dot com says about them
“Moeraki is now most famous for its boulders; mysteriously spherical stones scattered across a beach. Each boulder weighs several tonnes and is up to two metres high. Scientists explain the boulders as calcite concretions formed about 65 million years ago. According to Maori legend, the boulders are gourds washed ashore from the great voyaging canoe Araiteuru when it was wrecked upon landfall in New Zealand hundreds of years ago.”
I love mixing history, nature and legend together and there is just something about these boulders that intrigue me.
Explore the Caitlins. Famous for the waterfalls, the Caitlins have been on my radar for years. I would love to spend a few days chasing waterfalls and exploring the forests of the area.
Hopefully see the Southern Lights. Living in Canada you would think I have had the opportunity to see the Northern Lights. No such luck! I hope to go to the Northern Territories some time to see the Northern Lights (or Churchill Manitoba!) but you don’t hear nearly as much about the Southern Lights in New Zealand. I think seeing the Southern Lights would be just as incredible.
Spend a few days in Queenstown. This was the hardest part of not going to the South Island when I was in the country a few years back. I had wanted to do the Nevis Bungee Jump (NZ’s highest bungee jump) and the Nevis Swing, and eat at the famous Fergburger. I think a few days would be the perfect amount of time in Queenstown, giving plenty of time to do adventure sports, eat all the food and just experience the beauty.
Cruise both Milford Sound AND Doubtful Sound. Why choose one when you can choose both?! Two of the most popular fjords to cruise while on the South Island, an overnight cruise with the chance to hike and kayak would be the ultimate dream to get my fjord fix.
Walk the Milford Track. This is one of the most popular hikes in the country. Nestled in the mountains and surrounded by rain forest, it’s easy to see why.
Go Glacier Hiking on either (or both!) Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier. I feel like this point needs no explanation, because what could be cooler than hiking on a glacier? Oh right, nothing.
Things To Do Again
I may have done these activities before but they were so fun I need to do them again!
- Explore Hobbiton
- Check out the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves
- Back to Rotorua to explore the area more
Have you ever been to New Zealand?
What would you most want to do?
25 Responses
Wow, it looks amazing! I’d love to go! Great post!
Thanks Emma! If you ever get the chance to go, do it! New Zealand truly has something for everyone.
Wow, I’d love to go! I’d be geeking out too xx
I have done 4/5 of your top island ones…Didn’t get to Rangitoto. The rest are amazing and so worth the trip back!
That’s awesome! I think New Zealand is a country that will always be worth the trip 🙂
Ah I’ve just submitted by application for a New Zealand WHV! Fingers crossed we will be spending the next year here and all of these things sound incredible! After getting around a lot of Australia in a year I’m hoping we get chance to do anything and everything in New Zealand giving the size difference! Thanks for sharing!
Having traveled around both Australia and New Zealand I can say, it is MUCH easier to get around in NZ since it’s so small compared to Australia. I hope you get approved and have an incredible year!
Love this post. I would love to go to New Zealand one day. It looks so beautiful and of course, I want to see the LOTR locations too.
x
Bettie
http://www.thewildflowerhippie.com
Thank you Bettie! NZ is the best 🙂
I have friends who moved to New Zealand about a year ago. They seem to love all the hiking and outdoorsy things that they can do. It seems like a great country to experience.
It really is! It’s the perfect country for hiking.
My son is headed there in a week! Saving this post to share with him 🙂
Oh how fun! I hope he has the best time!
These are such exciting things to do. NZ is really so high on my bucket list. I wish I can get there sometime soon 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! NZ is so beautiful and fun. I really hope you get there sometime!
I am obsessed with the hobbit house in NZ and so badly want to visit!!
The Hobbit houses are the cutest! I hope to go again one day. I hope you get to go!
Well, I still need to do all of these things too – I haven’t even been yet! Thanks for making me even more excited about finally making it to NZ 🙂
Hi Kimmie! NZ is such a fun country to visit, I hope you get to go one day!
I skipped the Tongariro Crossing on my road trip haha it sounded intense! And I still need to make it to the South Island, so much to see in NZ!
Haha the Tongariro crossing really does sound intense! There is so much to do in NZ, I still need to make it to the South Island also!
Excellent post! I can’t wait to go to New Zeland and see the hobbit holes 😀
Thanks Nyxie! Love your name btw!
I know hardly anything about New Zealand and what to do there, I just know everywhere looks stunning!! These all sound absolutely amazing, and they would all be on my list too. I think I’d love to travel to NZ and stay there for at least a few months. I love reading posts like these though, getting to know about the great places to visit and things to do. I wish I could just travel the world!
Chloe xx
I would LOVE to spend a few months travelling in NZ, that would be such a beautiful trip!
I feel you, I wish I could just travel the world also.