Whether you enjoy adventures on land, air, or water, New Zealand has outdoor adventurous experiences to cater for all tastes. Furthermore, you get to experience some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet. Here are five must-try activities all adventurers should consider trying in NZ.
Move any mountain: Go canyoning
To fully explore New Zealand’s natural landscape close-up while pushing yourself to the limits, you will love going canyoning. In remote mountains around Auckland, Nelson, Canterbury, Coromandel, and Wanaka, you can slide and scramble down rocks, leap off waterfalls, and abseil, while finding spectacular natural sites like secluded pools and sculptural rock formations. If you’ve never tried canyoning before, it’s about time you did.
Mission Possible: Jump off the Sky Tower
Tom Cruise has done it, and so can you. This mission is far from impossible, as long as you have the courage. It involves taking a leap of faith, by jumping off the tallest building in New Zealand with nothing except a wire between you and the ground, nearly 630 feet below. In the eleven seconds it takes to fall from the SkyCity Auckland hotel and casino’s Sky Tower, you will pass fifty-three floors at a speed of around 53 miles per hour.
Once you’ve safely reached the bottom, you can continue your adrenaline rush by playing games like craps and roulette in the SkyCity Auckland casino. Alternatively, you may just want to chill out after such an exhilarating ride. So, you could always check into a hotel room and play games like online blackjack at a live casino from the comfort of your bed.
A higher thrill: Jump out of an aeroplane
If you want to fall from a higher ascent but at a slower pace, you can enjoy the excitement of skydiving in various locations around New Zealand, including Auckland, Lake Taupo, the Bay of Plenty, Wanaka, and Queenstown. Most skydiving companies give you the choice of going solo or tandem. Unlike the fast-paced Sky Tower jump, skydiving by jumping out of an aeroplane lasts longer and it has the added bonus of offering breath-taking views of New Zealand’s natural beauty. When you jump out of the plane, you will fall for about a minute before gliding back down to earth for a further five or six minutes.
From air to water: Swim with dolphins
For something a little calmer but equally as adventurous, you can swim with dolphins in Kaikoura on the South Island. You’ll head out to the open sea by boat and within minutes you will find yourself surrounded by Flippers.
Simply put on your snorkel and jump into the water to experience the wonder of swimming with one of the most intelligent aquatic mammals on earth. You will find plenty of tours operating in the summer, with boats regularly leaving throughout the day. If you have never experienced swimming with dolphins before, there’s no better place to do it than in the natural beauty of New Zealand’s waters.
Rolling on the river: Go kayaking
Whatever level of kayaking skill you are at New Zealand has waters to suit, from gentle grade one rapids to more extreme grade fives. There are numerous rivers where you can kayak. Some of the best are the West Coast rivers and Tongariro River in Lake Taupo. Another option is to go with small family-run kayaking tours in Anakiwa, where you also get to learn about the animals and nature of the surrounding area. But for the uttermost kayaking thrill, check out the highest commercially rafted waterfall on the planet in Rotorua.
Featured image: Pixabay
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