New Zealand Travel Guide - Desiree Renee Travels

What to Do

Whakarewarewa Village Guided Tour

This is one of the best informational tours I’ve ever done. You get to explore a Māori village with a local guide and learn how they live using the geothermal activity in the area. You’ll also get to observe the Pōhutu geyser erupt (NZ is 1 of only 5 countries with active geysers). The tour is 1 hour, affordable, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Glow Worms

Call me crazy but seeing the glow worms in Waitomo was on my bucket list. I chose to do a black water rafting tour through the caves and it was thrilling. If floating through a dark cave with glowing worms on the ceiling isn’t your thing (no idea in the world why it wouldn’t be) you can see them by boat or by walking.

Hobbiton

So there’s the completely hidden gem here called Hobbiton that almost nobody knows about. Just Kidding, this is obviously a main attraction for the country and is cool to visit whether you’re a Lord of the Rings nerd or not.

Hiking

This country is big on hiking, so much so that many of the locals will put you to shame. Mt Taranaki, Tongariro, Meuller Hut, Ben Lomond, and Roys Peak are popular ones to name a few. I did not do any of these as frankly, I did not think I could handle them without wanting to die, but I did complete the Upper Tama Lakes, Roberts Point, Sealy Tarns, and Hooker Valley and lived to tell the tale.

Wineries

Wine country here is amazing with famous regions such as Martinborough and Marlborough. If you like wine make it a priority to stop for a tasting. You can do bike tours from winery to winery which sounds sooo fun if you have others to do it with!

Adventure Activity

Adrenaline Junkies unite here. Nearly every adventure activity you can think of (Jet Boating, Sky Diving, Bungee Jump, Canyon Swing, etc.) you can do in NZ. The south island around Queenstown is the main place you can check these activities off. I did Jet Boating because I was too chicken to do any of the others but it was still exhilarating.

What to See

Coromandel Peninsula

Come here for stunning and iconic beaches such as Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove.

Tongariro National Park

Many come here to complete the Tongariro Crossing, one of the most popular day hikes in the country. You trek past volcanoes and lakes, and if you feel like you’re in Mordor from LOR it’s because you basically are.

Napier

An Art Deco town that was rebuilt after the Earthquake. It has great local shops and the buildings are cool enough to just wander around and look at. If I had more room in my suitcase I would have went wild in those stores.

Abel Tasman National Park

This tropical area in the northwest corner of the south island is underrated, to say the least. Those that have been will agree it’s worth a visit to see the sandy beaches and bright blue water with a long hiking trail along the coast and kayaking being popular here.

Franz Joseph and Fox Glacier

The glacial area was more impressive than expected. It has a good backpacking community and if you are solo you are likely to find people to do some hikes with.

Queenstown

Let me tell you this is one fun town. FULL of travellers, young backpackers, and people working abroad the vibes here are so high. Some find it too touristy but I found it lively with lots to do.

Milford Sound

These fjords are truly impressive (unless you’re from Norway according to some girl at my hostel). The geography, wildlife, and waterfalls are best seen by boat so book a little cruise on the water and you won’t regret it (unless maybe you’re Norwegian?)!