Journey in New Zealand

New Zealand’s far away location ensures that its natural beauty is protected from the hordes of tourists who would overwhelm this place if it was easy to get to. True, New Zealand’s greatness has been exposed to the world by movies like Lord of the Rings but, surprisingly, few people make their way down here. But, with places and activities like those listed below, New Zealand is clearly worth any journey:

Abel Tasman National Park

Stepping into Abel Tasman is in some ways like stepping into Thailand. The beautiful beaches and azure blue water feel like they belong in the tropics not New Zealand. The hiking is beautiful with giant ferns, trees and a great climate. There are a lot of one to three day hikes here. But if you really want to see this park, kayak around. This lets you explore the tiny little coves and beaches that make the area so special.

Glacier Trekking

There aren’t many opportunities to hike glaciers in the world and trekking up to the Fox and Franz Joseph glacier is something that just about every traveler should do. While the glaciers are heavily touristed, the experience lives up to the hype (though the Fox Glacier is a little less touristy). Yes, you are walking on ice but it’s surprisingly a cool experience and you can even climb down and through tunnels in the glaciers.

Extreme Sports

New Zealand is the adventure capital of the world. From bungee jumping to sky diving to white water rafting, most people come visit New Zealand and blow their budget on a wide range of activities that excite as much as drain your wallet. There are a million activities and if you are unlike me and love adrenaline pumping activities, New Zealand is your dream destination.

Tongariro Crossing

Considered the best day hike in all of New Zealand, the crossing takes you where they filmed Mordor from Lord of the Rings. The 19.4 km walk is easy at parts and steep at others, especially after “Mount Doom.” But despite the sore legs you will have after, walking through this space like environment of volcanoes, earthen land, and sulfur was the highlight of my whole time in New Zealand.

Maori Culture

Maori culture is a fascinating and important part of New Zealand life and history. My love of their culture started with the movie Whale Rider and I’ve loved learning about their history, culture, and situation. Maoris are a friendly and proud people and there wasn’t one I met I didn’t like. My only regret is not spending more time learning about the culture.

Wellington

Wellington has character. Everyone talks about Auckland (which, contrary to popular belief, is not the capital), but the real magic takes place in Wellington (the capital). The architecture and eclectic vibe give this city a great personality that should not be missed. There’s a great nightlife, a concentrated center, and a beautiful harbor. I’d choose Wellie over Auckland anytime.

Glow Worms

Definitely one of the coolest things I did while in New Zealand, the Waitomo glow worm cave is hyped and touristy but amazing as you walk or abseil down into darkness and float down the river staring up at caverns covered in “lights.” I found the 3 hour trip long enough for me but, if you like to abseil, you should consider the five hour trip.

Queenstown

Everyone hypes up Queenstown. Everyone. But Queenstown is everything they say it is and move. I can not express my love of Queenstown enough. Queenstown looks more like a mountain town in Canada than a town in New Zealand. It’s surrounded by beautiful mountains, has an amazing lake, and tiny little pedestrian streets. There is such a great vibe and energy in this city. It’s wonderful.

Taupo

Taupo has a lot of great hikes, a beautiful lake for fishing, and is the jumping off point for the Tongariro crossing. It lacks the energy Queenstown does but is certainly not lacking in beauty.

This list only scratches the surface of what there is to see and do in New Zealand. In a country filled with adventure and wildlife, everyone will find something here. Travelers rarely have any bad things to say about the country and, as you can see, there is good reason for that.