7 Epic things to do in New Zealand

If you’re planning a trip to New Zealand, you may be wondering where your first stop should be. The country offers an unbelievable array of experiences, from visiting movie sets to boating through the wilderness.

Cruise through the Milford Sound

You can start your journey in the Fiordland National Park and cruise through the Milford Sound. This region, which has been used in many movies, features breathtaking, towering peaks that plunge into pristine waters, with multiple waterfalls marking the route. Taking a boat cruise brings you up close and personal with this rugged landscape in a way that hiking alone usually can’t. There are also opportunities to see fur seals and dolphins.

Go to Hobbiton

If you’re a Lord of the Rings super fan, you can also use a visit to New Zealand as an opportunity to see Hobbiton, the purpose-built village made for the Lord of the Rings films. The movie set in Matter Matter still features all of the original construction and props used in the movie, and you can see exactly where Bilbo and Frodo walked as they embarked on their adventures.

We suggest taking a guided tour of the set and the meticulously maintained Shire so you can see the effort that went into producing the backdrop of one of the best films of all time. There are 44 unique hobbit holes, including Bag End and the Green Dragon Inn.

Go to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves

If you’re somebody who loves Lascaux and Lascaux 2 in France, you’ll love the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. These are illuminated by thousands of tiny bioluminescent glowworms, making it one of the most magical experiences that you can have in the country.

The best way to visit is on a guided boat ride that glides silently through the glowworm grotto. The subterranean experience is completely pitch black, other than the fact that there are millions of glowworms floating above your head, just like a dark night under a starry sky.

Go for some free food

There are also sometimes opportunities to enjoy free food if you are planning a trip to New Zealand. In fact, there are lots of options for free stuff in the country. 

Start by checking out some websites to see what’s available. If you can find an aggregator, you can often find a lot of deals laid out for you without the hassle of doing all of the research yourself. This fact alone helps to bring down the cost of visiting the country significantly.

If 100% free food isn’t available, you can often find vouchers or discounts, or even get samples at food festivals. Just make sure you plan your trip for the right time of the year.

Go to Queenstown, New Zealand’s capital of adventure

If you’re looking for an adrenaline-pumping experience, you might want to take a trip to Queenstown, the birthplace of commercial bungee jumping. This is essentially where it all started.

As you might imagine, this facility offers some of the most experienced guides and instructors in the world. You can get full training before you take your jump. If you’re not interested in leaping off a bridge, you can also take a high-speed jet boat through nearby local canyons, enjoying the Remarkables mountain range. There are also gondolas that snake their way up different approaches to mountain passes for taking shots of panoramic views.

Go whale watching in Kaikoura

The Southern Ocean is home to numerous whales, and you can often see them off the shore of Kaikoura. This region has a nutrient-rich environment, which attracts large marine species to the area to feed. Taking a boat tour allows you to reliably spot giant sperm whales and many other species, 

You can also take a scenic flight off the coast to view these enormous species. Pilots fly low to the ocean to provide better views.

Go to the Te Papa Museum in Wellington

If you’re heading to New Zealand’s major city of Wellington, then you might want to visit the Te Papa Museum. This world-class institution is dedicated to art history and the natural environment of the country, featuring hyper-realistic, larger-than-life sculptures in the Gallipoli exhibit.

What’s more, general admission is free. You can walk around the museum courtesy of the New Zealand government.

So there you have it: some epic things that you might want to try out in New Zealand. This is a country that’s well worth exploring, at least once, if it’s not on your bucket list already.

Thanks for reading xxx

*This is a collaborative post*