New Zealand Highway Journey Itinerary: Information for 1st-Time Guests

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The enjoyable continues on this New Zealand highway journey itinerary as we bought to find the next cities stuffed with distinctive actions!

• Waitomo is a village that’s well-known for its intensive underground cave techniques, and as a customer, you’ll be able to both do the next…
  • Go to Waitomo Glowworm Cave = (NZ$50~) Do you need to see stars up shut — or higher but, see a galaxy of ‘tiny dwelling lights’? With this tour, you’ll be gliding silently on a ship by way of Waitomo River as you undergo the “starry” wonderland of the Glowworm Grotto which has hundreds of tiny glowworms (Arachnocampa luminosa) that radiate a luminescent bluish mild at nighttime. Thoughts you, these creatures are distinctive to New Zealand solely!
  • Go to Ruakuri Cave = (NZ$70~) Very similar to the principle Waitomo Glowworm Cave, Ruakuri Cave gives the magical expertise of sighting glowworms up shut; however greater than this, you’ll be winding your means by way of spectacular limestone formations and crystal tapestries.
  • Go black water rafting by way of glowworm caves = (NZ$140~) If you would like a extra adventurous expertise, that is your best option for you as you abseil, weave, soar, climb and float by way of the gorgeous underworld of Ruakuri Cave and some waterfalls too.
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• Taupo is a city that’s quite distinguished by its lakefront setting in addition to the next…
  • Do jet boating = (NZ$115~) That is an adrenaline-pumping exercise that was invented by New Zealand. So in the event you like pace, spins, and thrills mixed with marvelous water surroundings, occurring a jet boating exercise can be price your whereas! I’ve gone by way of this expertise myself and it was a great deal of enjoyable!
  • Sail on Lake Taupo = (NZ$50~) Numerous crusing corporations not solely take you to the unimaginable waters of Lake Taupo, however it additionally takes you to the ‘Mine Bay Maori Rock Carvings’ which is also known as one of many nation’s most extraordinary artworks that towers 14 meters above deep water. Apparently, this has been sculpted over the course of 4 years and depicts the face of Ngatoroirangi, a ‘visionary Māori navigator who guided the Tūwharetoa and Te Arawa tribes to the Taupō space over a thousand years in the past’.
  • Huka Falls = (FREE admittance) This highly effective but astonishing set of bluish waterfalls on the Waikato River drains onwards to Lake Taupo. It’s stated that per second, the amount of water flowing by way of it usually approaches 220,000 liters!

Backside photographs by: Shutterstock

From the second that we stepped into the geothermal city of Rotorua, I grew to become nostalgic for my first go to right here again in 2016 as I smelled the all-too-familiar scent of the sulfur-rich air. This can be a hotspot within the North Island of New Zealand and there are heaps to do right here:

• Geothermal Parks: Naturally, Rotorua is filled with a number of geothermal parks; but when I’ll recommend, select from any of those high 3 locations (after which metal your sense of odor!)
  • Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland = (NZ$32~ / FREE with Wild Kiwi Excursions) This showcases New Zealand’s most colourful and distinctive energetic geothermal components which have been sculpted by hundreds of years of volcanic exercise.
  • Te Puia = (NZ$54~) Aside from being a Maori cultural village, Te Puia is legendary for its geothermal exercise, particularly that of its Pōhutu Geyser which is alleged to be the biggest geyser within the southern hemisphere. It additionally erupts a couple of times each hour at heights that might attain 30 meters!
  • Hell’s Gate Geothermal Park and Mud Spa = (Begins at NZ$20~) Aside from witnessing boiling swimming pools and erupting waters, you might additionally get pleasure from their scorching spring providers which are coupled with a therapeutic mud and sulfur spa.
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• Redwood Forest: (FREE admittance) Spend the day away mountain climbing or biking by way of this towering forest that’s simply on the sting of Rotorua. Relaxation assured, there’s an array of trails that you would be able to select from, irrespective of your stage of health or expertise.
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• Luge: (Begins at NZ$45~) Considerably of a combination between a go-kart (with out the engine) and a toboggan (with out the snow), Rotorua’s “Luge” is a enjoyable and fast-paced journey exercise that’s nice for folks of all ages! I loved this a lot and lots of people even say that this place is healthier than the Luge exercise present in South Island’s Queenstown, so go and provides this a strive!
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• Zorb: (Begins at NZ$39) Additionally referred to as ‘globe driving’, this includes a ‘ball of enjoyable’ the place you roll down a hill inside an enormous inflatable ball. Invented in 1994 in New Zealand, this has develop into one of many ‘must-do’ actions when within the nation and it usually provides you the possibility to decide on the form of path that you just’ll undergo — could or not it’s zigzag or straight!
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• White Water Rafting: This can be a great point to do with your loved ones or mates in Rotorua! This is among the issues I did along with my companion and it was a unprecedented expertise! We went by way of steep native bush canyons and over 14 rapids and three waterfalls, together with the world-renowned 7-meter Tutea Falls which is the ‘Highest Commercially Rafted Waterfall within the World’! Reality be advised, this was my first white water rafting exercise of all time and it was completely an awesome first.

For at the present time, there are 2 issues that we made positive we did NOT miss:

• Go to the Hobbiton Film Set: (NZ$114~) For the ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit‘ film followers like me, that is your once-in-a-lifetime likelihood to enterprise off into your personal Center-earth journey! In any case, that is the well-known 12-acre film set of the long-lasting village of the Shire. As a customer, you’ll be guided by way of a two-hour strolling tour to the completely different hobbit gap homes (e.g. Sam and Frodo’s home) and different quintessential landmarks just like the Mill and the Inexperienced Dragon Inn (the place you can even seize a complimentary drink that’s brewed solely in Hobbiton!).
  • TIP: One other place to think about for LOTR followers is a go to to the well-known Weta Workshop!
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• Go to a Maori Cultural Village: (Round NZ$100~) Rotorua and its surrounding cities arguably have the very best focus of Māori villages. With that in thoughts, it’s a should to go to at the least one with a view to immerse your self within the historical past and customs of the Maori folks in New Zealand — a tradition that the nation is extremely pleased with. We went to among the finest villages, Tamaki Maori Village, and a number of the many superb issues that you just’ll expertise and which I personally liked have been witnessing the highly effective haka (conventional warfare cry), studying concerning the Maori historical past, partaking in a hangi (conventional Maori feast), and extra.

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To mark our final day on the North Island for our New Zealand highway journey itinerary, we first went on a hike to Cathedral Cove (Te Whanganui-A-Hei) Marine Reserve which is one more spotlight of our go to to the Coromandel Peninsula.

With its stunning white sand, turquoise waters, and towering rock formations, this place was fairly a sight! To not point out, there’s a pathway right here that’s well-known for being the opening scene from the film Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

As soon as we had our fill of the magical surroundings, we went to pack our luggage and journeyed again to Auckland in preparation for our flight to Christchurch in order to mark the beginning of our South Island journey.

NOTE: If you wish to keep again within the North Island, it’s advisable to fly over to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.

For at the present time of our New Zealand highway journey itinerary, we’re lastly making our solution to the ‘adrenaline capital’ of New Zealand — Queenstown! It’s a little bit of a drive although, so earlier than we arrived within the metropolis, we handed by the next locations first.

• Lake Matheson: This lake gives awe-inspiring mirror reflections of Mt. Cook dinner (the very best mountain in New Zealand) and Mt. Tasman. It mainly includes a brief circuit stroll, and if I’ll share a tip, it’s finest to hike right here throughout daybreak or nightfall with a view to see the most effective lake reflections of the encircling snowcapped mountains.
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• Haast Move: A mountain move discovered within the Southern Alps that’s brimming with stunning brief walks, rainforests, and waterfalls. A few of the breathtaking waterfalls now we have seen have been Fantail Falls and Thunder Creek Falls.
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• Wanaka: We stopped on this resort city to take a quick driving break, and it was such a serene place to lounge or have a picnic in! It was additionally an interesting expertise to see the ‘lately well-known’ Wanaka Tree (a fence submit that has now changed into a web based sensation — and it’s straightforward to see why as a result of this lone tree was completely backdropped by the alps and the encircling terrain).
  • NOTE: In the event you occur to have a full day to spare in Wanaka, I recommend doing the 16km return observe to Roy’s Peak that grants views over Lake Wanaka, Mount Aspiring/Tititea, and its surrounding peaks.

TIP: Once you arrive in Queenstown round night time time, drop by Fergburger for dinner. That is New Zealand’s most well-known burger joint and it helps to notice that it’s NOT a sequence — you’ll solely discover them in Queenstown, so it’s a should to offer them a strive. Certain sufficient, they do have great-tasting burgers. (However in order for you a much less crowded place, Satan Burger is a superb different!).

For our final day in Queenstown on our New Zealand highway journey itinerary, we made positive to fill it up with adrenaline-pumping actions! A few of my companions went bungee leaping and others did canyon swings. As for me…? Like I’ve already talked about earlier than, I made it my purpose to do sky diving in Queenstown in order that it may assist me overcome two of my high fears: heights and flying in a airplane…

…and so I did: I jumped out of a perfectly-functioning airplane at 15,000 toes and boy, it was probably the most superb factor that I’ve ever completed in my life!

For an entire checklist of motion actions, you are able to do, see under…

• Sky Diving: (Begins at NZ$330~) Queenstown is alleged to be the birthplace of tandem skydiving; due to this fact, there’s no higher place to do it than right here! And in order for you the finest supplier potential, do it with NZONE Skydive. With their years of operation and highly-trained dive masters, you’re positive to be in good palms while you soar out of an plane at 12,000 or 15,000 toes (your selection). The joys of free falling for about 60 seconds as you plummet in the direction of the bottom at 200kph is a sensation that you just’ll without end bear in mind and cherish. I’ve completed this myself and I’m so glad that I did it with NZONE!

READ: My Skydiving Expertise

• Bungy Leaping: (Begins at NZ$60~) That is New Zealand’s highest bungee soar at 134m above the Nevis River, and it gives 8.5 seconds of pure free fall! Although this seems harmful to your eyes, be assured that your security is wholly assured as a result of AJ Hackett has been working this since 1988 with over 1.5 million jumpers who now maintain the bragging rights. (NOTE: If in case you need some added ‘oomph’ to your journey, you can even package deal this with a roundtrip helicopter trip).
  • Combo = Mix this bungee leaping exercise with a Nevis canyon swing for the last word adrenaline rush!
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• Ledge Swing: (NZ$160~) One more daredevil affair, the Ledge Swing will set you flying 400m throughout and over Queenstown! Situated on the high of the Skyline Gondola, the Ledge Swing will first take you on a soothing panoramic trip up and after you’re strapped in, they may pull the ‘set off’ to ship you swinging over the mountain.
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• Jet Boating: (NZ$150~) That is an adrenaline-pumping exercise that can be invented by New Zealand. In the event you like pace, spins, and thrills mixed with marvelous water surroundings on the Shotover River, then occurring this Queenstown jet boating exercise can be price your whereas!
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• Quad Biking: (NZ$240~) That is the most effective enjoyable you’ll be able to have on 4 wheels! For this, you’ll be supplied with a full set of protecting tools and clothes gear as you go on a 2.5-hour trip by way of the panoramic vistas of Queenstown.
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• Luge: (Begins at NZ$45~) Considerably of a combination between a go-kart (with out the engine) and a toboggan (with out the snow), “Luge” is a enjoyable and fast-paced journey exercise that’s nice for folks of all ages!
  • NOTE: It additionally already features a gondola trip).
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• Lord of the Rings Tour: (Begins at NZ$185~) Journey by way of Center-earth and go to the ‘cinescapes’ from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies on this superb half-day tour. A few of the locations you’ll be visiting are “Isengard”, the 12-mile Delta, Misty Mountains, Pillars of the Kings — and extra! Definitely, this can be a deal with for the franchise followers (like me!).
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• Helicopter Tour: (Begins at NZ$800~) Soar excessive above Queenstown as you make your solution to the UNESCO-listed space of Te Wahipounamu which encompasses Mt. Cook dinner, all the best way to Milford Sound which has acres of dense forests, streams, lakes, and towering mountains. From this chook’s eye view, you’ll positively have a uncommon entry view of the landscapes you’ll be seeing — and that’s not all, as a result of additionally, you will expertise a snow touchdown within the secluded Southern Alps!
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• Skyline Gondola: (Begins at NZ$30~) Decelerate and get on the Skyline Gondola which provides you among the finest vantage factors within the metropolis. For the most effective views and photographs, go right here when the solar units, and if the sky occurs to be clear, it’s essential to seize the possibility to go on their stargazing tour.

We stated our goodbyes to Queenstown at present for our New Zealand highway journey itinerary, however we shook away the blues as a result of we knew that we have been heading off to the long-lasting Mt. Cook dinner which is New Zealand’s highest peak (at 3,724 meters!).

As a lot as we’d have liked to climb the summit, we have been joyful sufficient to do a hike within the valley and one of many fashionable trails that results in Mt. Cook dinner was the Hooker Valley observe. This can be a 3-hour hike that goes by way of beautiful alpine sceneries and you are able to do it by your self or with a educated information.

Now… if I say so myself, this has bought to be one of the superb mountain climbing trails that I’ve ever completed in my travels, so don’t skip out on this!

As soon as the night time falls, don’t additionally overlook to exit and do some stargazing within the stunning Aoraki Mount Cook dinner Nationwide Park.