My Top 10 experiences in New Zealand

If you are the person who loves adventure and adrenaline rush, New Zealand is the place you must visit. From kayaking, bungee jumping and river rafting to sky diving, New Zealand offers a complete package of fun and thrilling activities that you can enjoy. Places such as Queenstown, Auckland, Rotorua, and Glenorchy are treasures of New Zealand.

Here you will get an experience of a lifetime. Breathtaking mountain views, glaciers, waterfalls, lakes, hiking, walking trails, and adventure activities, the list is endless.

Here are the top 10 experiences in New Zealand. Counting from number 10 to the best!

10. Savoring Fergburger’s burgers & Cookie Monster’s Cookie & Shake in Queenstown

A favorite brand of locals since 2001, Fergburger is a must to add to your itinerary. The line was so long in front of this outlet, we thought a brawl had broken out!

You can visit Fergburger in Shotover Street in Queenstown. The place is known for its delicious and delectable burgers. From beef burger, chicken burger to lamb burger, falafel, and cod, it is a place for ultimate food lovers. On the menu, it has Little Lamby and Sweet Bambi served with Thai Plum chutney. The locals are in love with Fergburger’s recipes.

Just a few metres away you will find Cookie Time’s outlet. In addition to the fresh and scrumptious cookies, they also serve shakes. After enjoying exhilarating experiences in Queenstown, these two outlets will give you the ultimate satisfying meal!

9. Staying in a Lake House in Rotorua

There are a lot of cute Airbnbs located in Rotorua next to the Rotorua lake. They give splendid staying experiences with the stunning lake right in front of your porch. Depending on where you are staying, you can enjoy beautiful views of sunrise or sunset at the lake’s distant edge.

We stayed at Shula’s lake house and had a great time. The airbnb was right at the lake and for the two mornings that we woke up here, we were greeted by ducks and a warm sunshine bouncing off the peaceful lake.

8. Visiting Champagne Pool in Rotorua

Champagne Pool is a geothermal area located at Waiotapu of North Island, New Zealand. Champagne Pool is 27 kilo meters from Rotorua. It is named Champagne Pool due to an abundance of CO2. It is quite similar to the champagne glass of bubbles. This hot spring was created 900 years ago. It has a depth of 62m filled with geothermal fluid.

The panoramic view of the hot spring is breathtaking. The deposition of minerals and silicate create vibrant colors. Due to carbon dioxide underground, the colored waters form bubbles near the surface.

Read about my Rotorua experience here. I have written in detail about the Town full of geothermal activities.

7. Relaxing in Polynesian Spa, Rotorua

It’s a perfect place to relax and rejuvenate in the deep pool of geothermal mineral waters. The water of the Polynesian pool is from two natural springs. It refreshes your mind, body, and soul with spa and therapies. This little acidic water is capable of relieving pain and stress from your body. The alkaline waters of the Rachel spring can nourish and bring glow to your skin. The Polynesian bathing retreat gives a soothing experience to the visitors. Sourced from Rotorua, the healing waters are very distressing.

6. The Sunset at Muriwai Beach, near Auckland

From Auckland, it is a one hour drive to Muriwai Beach. The magical sunset at the beach is unforgettable. The orange streaks in the sky will leave you mesmerized.  The best time to visit the destination is between August and March.

At this time, the Gannets come here to lay eggs from Australia. There are only three Gannet colonies in the world. Muriwai beach is one of them. Muriwai beach becomes a unique attraction when the gannets approach. During the sunset, the chirping sound of thousands of Gannets fascinates the visitors.

Read about my experience of visiting Muriwai Beach experience here.

5. Luge Ride at Queenstown

Another great attraction at Queenstown is the Luge Ride. It is a fun activity suitable for all ages. It is a must-do activity where you enjoy a thrilling downhill ride. From the top, you can see the mesmerizing Lake Wakatipu.

Situated on the top of Gondola, sit on a Luge cart to enjoy curves and bumps on over 800 meters track. There are two tracks; one is fast and the second is slow. You can begin with the slow track following the safety rules. These tracks are smooth, full of curves, and jumps. It’s a family activity where dads can enjoy the rides with their kids.

4. Driving from Fox Glacier to Queenstown, South New Zealand

Driving in New Zealand is definitely one of the most exciting experiences. I found the South Island better for the driving experience. Through out the New Zealand trip, the most fascinating stretch was Fox Glacier to Queenstown.

The 3 lakes; Lake Wanaka, Lake Hawea and Lake Wakatipu will come together to create stunning & breath taking sights for you. It would be really difficult to keep your eyes on the road when the accompanying sights are so magnificent!

The azure lakes really had us stop multiple times along the way.

Read my entire 15 day kick ass New Zealand itinerary here.

3. Flight and Cruise Experience at Milford Sound

Milford Sound has fascinating natural beauty and scenic landscapes. Located in Fiordland National Park, Milford Land is a perfect place for hiking from December to February. The destination offers a fly-cruise-fly trip from Queenstown. It starts from a 50 minutes one-way flight from Queenstown, then a 2-hour cruise in Milford Sound and a 50 minutes return trip to Queenstown. The blue waters, pristine waterfalls, and beautiful mountains would mesmerize you during the cruise trip. Milford Sound has stunning locations such as Humboldt Falls, Sutherland Glaciers, Sterling Falls, Key s Summit, and Mitre Peak.

Read about my experience of paying Milford Sound a visit here

2. Skydiving at Glenorchy, near Queenstown

Situated at the Lake Wakatipu, Glenorchy is a “The Gateway of Paradise”. It is just 45 minutes from Queenstown. Glenorchy is a mesmerizing place. With its scenic locations, Glenorchy is perfect for skydiving. It’s the ultimate opportunity to conquer fears. Skydivers can get a super adrenaline rush by diving from a height of 9000ft to 12000ft. Within 65 seconds, you jump at a speed of 200 kmph.

From the bird’s eye, you see magnificent views of Mt. Aspiring and glaciers. A team of experienced instructors with high-quality equipment manages the skydiving activities. A minimum of 30kg and a maximum of 115 kg are eligible for skydiving.

1. Bungy Jumping at Nevis Bridge

Get the feel of adrenaline rush with Bungy jumping at the Nevis Bridge. It is the highest 134m Bungy and has a free fall of 8.5 seconds.You can get on the bus from Queenstown that departs daily. The activity is done with all the safety precautions. The highly experienced instructors will help you to conquer your fear. You can either go for Newis Swing, Nevis Catapult, or Nevis Spectator. Definitely one of my top 10 experiences in New Zealand.

Read about my Queenstown experience here. It has all the details about Bungy jumping and other experiences in and around Queenstown.

So yes, that’s my list of top 10 experiences in New Zealand. The trip to this beautiful country was a fantastic experience for us. All these 10 points are must do suggestions from my side.

Please feel free to ask me questions if any!

You may also check out my post on Exploring the Longest River in the World the Nile.