New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary: Guide for 1st-Time Visitors

Photos by: Shutterstock

The enjoyable continues on this New Zealand street journey itinerary as we received to find the next cities crammed with distinctive actions!

• Waitomo is a village that’s well-known for its intensive underground cave techniques, and as a customer, you may both do the next…
  • Visit Waitomo Glowworm Cave = (NZ$50~) Do you need to see stars up shut — or higher but, see a galaxy of ‘tiny living lights’? With this tour, you’ll be gliding silently on a ship via Waitomo River as you undergo the “starry” wonderland of the Glowworm Grotto which has 1000’s of tiny glowworms (Arachnocampa luminosa) that radiate a luminescent bluish gentle at nighttime. Mind you, these creatures are distinctive to New Zealand solely!
  • Visit Ruakuri Cave = (NZ$70~) Much like the primary Waitomo Glowworm Cave, Ruakuri Cave gives the magical expertise of sighting glowworms up shut; however greater than this, you’ll be winding your method via spectacular limestone formations and crystal tapestries.
  • Go black water rafting via glowworm caves = (NZ$140~) If you need a extra adventurous expertise, that is the only option for you as you abseil, weave, soar, climb and float via the gorgeous underworld of Ruakuri Cave and some waterfalls too.
    .
• Taupo is a city that’s reasonably distinguished by its lakefront setting in addition to the next…
  • Do jet boating = (NZ$115~) This is an adrenaline-pumping exercise that was invented by New Zealand. So should you like velocity, spins, and thrills mixed with marvelous water surroundings, occurring a jet boating exercise will likely be price your whereas! I’ve gone via this expertise myself and it was a great deal of enjoyable!
  • Sail on Lake Taupo = (NZ$50~) Quite a lot of crusing corporations not solely take you to the unimaginable waters of Lake Taupo, nevertheless 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 area over a thousand years ago’.
  • Huka Falls = (FREE admittance) This highly effective but astonishing set of bluish waterfalls on the Waikato River drains onwards to Lake Taupo. It is alleged that per second, the amount of water flowing via it usually approaches 220,000 liters!

Bottom images by: Shutterstock

From the second that we stepped into the geothermal city of Rotorua, I turned 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 is 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 prime 3 locations (after which metal your sense of odor!)
  • Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland = (NZ$32~ / FREE with Wild Kiwi Tours) This showcases New Zealand’s most colourful and distinctive lively geothermal components which were sculpted by 1000’s of years of volcanic exercise.
  • Te Puia = (NZ$54~) Other than being a Maori cultural village, Te Puia is known 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 few times each hour at heights that might attain 30 meters!
  • Hell’s Gate Geothermal Park and Mud Spa = (Starts at NZ$20~) Other than witnessing boiling swimming pools and erupting waters, you could possibly additionally get pleasure from their scorching spring providers which might be coupled with a therapeutic mud and sulfur spa.
    .
• Redwood Forest: (FREE admittance) Spend the day away climbing or biking via this towering forest that’s simply on the sting of Rotorua. Rest assured, there may be an array of trails you can select from, irrespective of your stage of health or expertise.
  .
• Luge: (Starts at NZ$45~) Somewhat of a mixture 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 individuals of all ages! I loved this a lot and lots of people even say that this place is best than the Luge exercise present in South Island’s Queenstown, so go and provides this a strive!
  .
• Zorb: (Starts at NZ$39) Also referred to as ‘globe riding’, this includes a ‘ball of fun’ the place you roll down a hill inside an enormous inflatable ball. Invented in 1994 in New Zealand, this has turn out to be one of many ‘must-do’ actions when within the nation and it usually offers you the possibility to decide on the sort of path that you simply’ll undergo — could it’s zigzag or straight!
  .
• White Water Rafting: This is a good factor to do with your loved ones or associates in Rotorua! This is among the issues I did along with my companion and it was a rare expertise! We went via 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 in the World’! Truth be instructed, this was my first white water rafting exercise of all time and it was completely a terrific first.

For this present day, there are 2 issues that we made positive we did NOT miss:

• Visit the Hobbiton Movie Set: (NZ$114~) For the ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit‘ movie fans like me, this is your once-in-a-lifetime chance to venture off into your own Middle-earth adventure! After all, this is the famous 12-acre movie set of the iconic village of the Shire. As a visitor, you will be guided through a two-hour walking tour to the different hobbit hole houses (e.g. Sam and Frodo’s home) and different quintessential landmarks just like the Mill and the Green Dragon Inn (the place you can even seize a complimentary drink that’s brewed solely in Hobbiton!).
  • TIP: Another place to think about for LOTR followers is a go to to the well-known Weta Workshop!
    .
• Visit a Maori Cultural Village: (Around 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 a minimum of one with the intention to immerse your self within the historical past and customs of the Maori individuals in New Zealand — a tradition that the nation is extremely happy with. We went to among the finest villages, Tamaki Maori Village, and a few of the many superb issues that you simply’ll expertise and which I personally liked had been witnessing the highly effective haka (conventional struggle cry), studying in regards to the Maori historical past, partaking in a hangi (conventional Maori feast), and extra.

Photo by: Shutterstock

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

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

Once 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 need to keep again within the North Island, it’s advisable to fly over to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.

For this present day of our New Zealand street journey itinerary, we’re lastly making our option 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 (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 the intention to see one of the best lake reflections of the encompassing snowcapped mountains.
  .
• Haast Pass: A mountain move discovered within the Southern Alps that’s brimming with lovely quick walks, rainforests, and waterfalls. Some of the breathtaking waterfalls we have now seen had been Fantail Falls and Thunder Creek Falls.
  .
• 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 enchanting expertise to see the ‘recently famous’ Wanaka Tree (a fence submit that has now was 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 encompassing terrain).
  • NOTE: If 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: When you arrive in Queenstown round evening time, drop by Fergburger for dinner. This is New Zealand’s most well-known burger joint and it helps to notice that it’s NOT a series — you’ll solely discover them in Queenstown, so it’s a should to offer them a strive. Sure sufficient, they do have great-tasting burgers. (But if you would like a much less crowded place, Devil Burger is a good different!).

For our final day in Queenstown on our New Zealand street journey itinerary, we made positive to fill it up with adrenaline-pumping actions! Some 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 objective to do sky diving in Queenstown in order that it may assist me overcome two of my prime fears: heights and flying in a aircraft…

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

For a whole checklist of motion actions, you are able to do, see beneath…

• Sky Diving: (Starts at NZ$330~) Queenstown is alleged to be the birthplace of tandem skydiving; subsequently, there’s no higher place to do it than right here! And if you would like 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 fingers if you soar out of an plane at 12,000 or 15,000 ft (your alternative). The thrill of free falling for about 60 seconds as you plummet in the direction of the bottom at 200kph is a sensation that you simply’ll ceaselessly bear in mind and cherish. I’ve completed this myself and I’m so glad that I did it with NZONE!

READ: My Skydiving Experience

• Bungy Jumping: (Starts at NZ$60~) This is New Zealand’s highest bungee soar at 134m above the Nevis River, and it gives 8.5 seconds of pure free fall! Though this appears 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 bundle this with a roundtrip helicopter trip).
  • Combo = Combine this bungee leaping exercise with a Nevis canyon swing for the last word adrenaline rush!
    .
• Ledge Swing: (NZ$160~) Yet one other daredevil affair, the Ledge Swing will set you flying 400m throughout and over Queenstown! Located on the prime of the Skyline Gondola, the Ledge Swing will first take you on a calming panoramic trip up and after you’re strapped in, they’ll pull the ‘trigger’ to ship you swinging over the mountain.
  .
• Jet Boating: (NZ$150~) This is an adrenaline-pumping exercise that can be invented by New Zealand. If you want velocity, spins, and thrills mixed with marvelous water surroundings on the Shotover River, then occurring this Queenstown jet boating exercise will likely be price your whereas!
  .
• Quad Biking: (NZ$240~) This is one of the best enjoyable you may 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 via the panoramic vistas of Queenstown.
  .
• Luge: (Starts at NZ$45~) Somewhat of a mixture 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 individuals of all ages!
  • NOTE: It additionally already features a gondola trip).
    .
• Lord of the Rings Tour: (Starts at NZ$185~) Journey via Middle-earth and go to the ‘cinescapes’ from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies on this superb half-day tour. Some of the locations you’ll be visiting are “Isengard”, the 12-mile Delta, Misty Mountains, Pillars of the Kings — and extra! Without a doubt, this will likely be a deal with for the franchise followers (like me!).
  .
• Helicopter Tour: (Starts at NZ$800~) Soar excessive above Queenstown as you make your option to the UNESCO-listed space of Te Wahipounamu which encompasses Mt. Cook, all the way in which to Milford Sound which has acres of dense forests, streams, lakes, and towering mountains. From this fowl’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!
  .
• Skyline Gondola: (Starts at NZ$30~) Slow down and get on the Skyline Gondola which supplies you among the finest vantage factors within the metropolis. For one of the best views and images, go right here when the solar units, and if the sky occurs to be clear, you have to seize the possibility to go on their stargazing tour.

We stated our goodbyes to Queenstown right now for our New Zealand street journey itinerary, however we shook away the blues as a result of we knew that we had been heading off to the enduring Mt. Cook which is New Zealand’s highest peak (at 3,724 meters!).

As a lot as we might have liked to climb the summit, we had been pleased sufficient to do a hike within the valley and one of many fashionable trails that results in Mt. Cook was the Hooker Valley observe. This is a 3-hour hike that goes via 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 received to be one of the vital superb climbing trails that I’ve ever completed in my travels, so don’t skip out on this!

Once the evening falls, don’t additionally neglect to exit and do some stargazing within the lovely Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.