Adventure Awaits: Get Your Adrenaline Pumping on a Holiday in New Zealand

Catch a catamaran to check out some of the 144 unspoiled enclaves that make up the remarkably scenic and aptly named Bay of Islands. After linking up with the team at Barefoot Sailing Adventures, you’ll be taken on a grand island-hopping adventure as you learn about the region and even get a chance to sail the boat.

Stopping at several awe-inspiring spots along the way, you’ll have plenty of time to snorkel, swim, paddleboard and hike at each destination.

Poor Knights Islands/Tawhiti Rahi is a celebrated spot for snorkelling and diving off the coast of the stunning Northland region. As scenic as the setting is above sea level, the underwater network of caves, cliffs and tunnels is renowned too. So much so, the area has been name-checked as one of the top ten dive spots in the world by Jacques Cousteau.

The experts at Dive! Tutukākā are more than happy to show you the delights that await under the water’s surface, with adventures for experienced and newbie divers alike. As a protected marine reserve, the Poor Knights brims with sponge gardens and gorgonian corals alongside an eclectic mix of colourful fish.

Get up close to some of the most enchanting landmarks in and around Rotorua by heading out on Track & Trail’s North Island Cycle Tour.

Spanning five days and covering an impressive 175 kilometres, with all accommodation and meals organised, all you have to do is marvel at the immaculate scenery on this off-road extravaganza. The trails will take you across the volcanic plateau, from hydro dams and geothermal systems to waterfalls and ancient wonders.

New Zealand is the home of bungy jumping — and the adrenaline-pumping activity isn’t limited to bridges, with clifftops also making for an ideal launching pad.

The AJ Hackett Bungy Taupō is New Zealand’s highest cliff-top bungy jump — it’s located 47 metres above the Waikato River, which is also New Zealand’s longest. Before you take the plunge into the pristine waters below, you’ll have a true bird’s eye view of the sensational surroundings, which you’ll soon be dipping into.

Be the first person to see the sunrise in New Zealand, with a 4WD journey to the summit of Maunga Hikurangi, the highest non-volcanic mountain on North Island.

Considered sacred by the Ngāti Porou people, this site is where the sun first peeks over the horizon. Plus, it’s adorned with nine Māori carvings depicting Māui – the Polynesian adventurer.

To reach this fascinating vantage point, you’ll cross rural farmland and pastures, learning about the region’s significance in Māori culture along the way.

Experience gold mining country aboard the Buller Canyon Jet, where you’ll traverse pink granite canyons at 85 kilometres per hour in the back of a V8-powered jet boat. Surfing across rapids, ripping beneath waterfalls and hanging on for dizzying 360-degree spins are just part of this thrill-seeker’s dream.

Even reaching the boat jetty offers plenty of adventure, with travellers needing to cross the swingbridge — stretching 110 metres above the white-water rapids below in Buller Gorge Swingbridge Adventure and Heritage Park.

Departing from The Hermitage Hotel in the Aoraki / Mount Cook village, this two-and-a-half-hour tour with Glacier Explorers takes you on a short hike through alpine scenery, before you experience a jetboat trip across Lake Tasman and have a sensory encounter with some icebergs.

You’ll walk through glacial moraine and National Park, board a MAC boat to cruise the ‘terminal’ Tasman Lake (meaning there’s no outlet for the water except through evaporation or seeping into the ground), and you’ll even get to touch and taste centuries-old ice crystals.

Soak up Glenorchy’s most charming scenes with the Dart River Wilderness Jet Experience.

On an exhilarating jet boat ride, you can expect to cover 90 kilometres of alluring landscapes on this half-day experience. Heading deep into Mount Aspiring National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage area with ancient beech forests that are 80 million years old — autumn is an exceptional time to visit as the foliage bursts to life in myriad warm tones. Plus, if you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, keep your eyes peeled for several locations from the movies.

Take to the skies, then explore the best of Wānaka‘s mountain bike trails through a multi-legged adventure with Southern Lakes Helibike.

Kickstarting this journey, travellers will climb into a helicopter for a mesmerising scenic flight with incredible views over the mountainous landscape. Then, depending on your adventure, you’ll touch down amid a scenic trailhead or private lakefront, where an expert guide will take you on the next cycle-bound stage of this luxe expedition.

Keen for a spine-tingling experience you’ll never forget? Swimming with sharks might not be everyone’s idea of fun, but if you’re someone committed to thrills, climbing into a cage to get up close and personal with great white sharks might be high on your bucket list.

A trip to Bluff is the perfect chance to make it happen with the team at Shark Experience. From Bluff’s port, you’ll head into the idyllic surroundings of Foveaux Strait and the Tītī/Muttonbird Islands, which are prime waters for submerging yourself on a viewing platform to see what creatures lurk beneath the waves.