Dreaming of your next big adventure? Despite the borders being closed you can still make those dreams more real and get planning now. Without booking anything non changeable or refundable your next big adventure can step just that little bit closer!
Winetasting in Marlborough Hiking Hokitika Gorge Helicopter tour, Milford Kieran Scott Sound. Fraser Clements
Think big for your next expedition, from private helicopters to a Southern Alps mountaintop to wine tasting by bike.
From rugged alpine terrain to shimmering waters of subtropical coves, New Zealand’s diverse landscapes are home to some of world’s top adventure experiences. It’s a place that feels made for laid-back luxury in the great outdoors.
Known in Maori culture as manaakitanga, the country’s traditional warm welcome crops up in, for example, the way you’re treated as a regular while lodge-hopping across the North and South islands. The handful adventures below are just a sample of what awaits in Aotearoa, as the Maori call their homeland. Take to the skies, hit the trails, grab a fly rod, and explore the Pacific coastlines to get the most from time in New Zealand. Virtuoso travel advisors’ connections throughout the country help them tailor trips to nearly any outdoor pursuit.
Roy’s Peak Track, a popular and heart-pumping ten-mile hike on the South Island. Miles Holden
A View from Above
Whether you’re looking for prime helifishing spots or scenic views of New Zealand’s mountains, volcanoes, lakes, and coastlines, seeing the country by air provides a refreshing perspective.
From the four-room Minaret Station, guests can explore rain forests and Fiordland National Park’s Dusky Sound by helicopter, with stops to fish and view wildlife. Don’t be surprised if the pilot makes a surprise detour: When Virtuoso travel advisor Jane Essenburg visited, the chopper stopped for a glacier-top Champagne break with views of Milford Sound.
GCH Aviation offers private helicopter flights throughout the islands, such as an outing along the Kaikoura Coast to view sperm whales and deep-sea canyons formed over hundreds of years, as well as flightseeing in the Southern Alps to New Zealand’s tallest peak, Mount Cook.
Down to Earth
To discover what makes New Zealand so popular with outdoorists, you’ll need to get off the beaten path. Virtuoso advisors can arrange expert guides for everything from trekking to horseback riding, e-biking to ATV adventures, and more. And just because you’re outside, it doesn’t mean you have to rough it (although there are plenty of opportunities for that too.)
“Would you consider biking from vineyard to vineyard ‘exploring the bush?’ If so, I’ve done that in Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, and Queenstown,” says Essenburg, calling out some of the country’s most famous wine regions. Be sure to taste the pinot noirs.
For a thrill, bungy jump at Lake Taupo. Mead Norton
Coastal Perspective
“My favorite memory from New Zealand was the trip to Abel Tasman National Park, on the coast of South Island,” says Virtuoso travel advisor Kristi Marcelle. “My stay there included riding in a waka ama (canoe), kayaking in blue-green waters, and seeing glow worms at night.”
Travelers can also try their skill at trout fishing during a stay at Glenorchy’s 17-room Blanket Bay or the 25-room Huka Lodge in Taupo. After the an exciting day on the river, return to the properties where chefs will prepare your catch for dinner.
Images courtesy of Tourism New Zealand.
Credit: Blog produced by Virtuoso with Tourism New Zealand