HIGHLIGHTS

The following is my personal list of HIGHLIGHTS I consider as a must do while you’re here. If you need help in planning your perfect holiday please don’t hesitate to contact me at info@amazingnz.com  I can also assist you with reservations for accommodation, excursion and vehicle hire at very competitive rates, saving you not only time but money as well. Having local knowledge is invaluable in creating the perfect itinerary. Also visit my Great Excursions and Great Walks pages if you require more inspiration!

 1.        Discover the ‘birthplace of the nation’ at Waitangi, where the Treaty with the Maori was signed. While there take a cruise around the Bay of Islands, swim with the dolphins, or take a wild trip up Ninety Mile Beach to Cape Reinga.

2.        Admire the view, climb the mast, bungee jump from the tower or just have dinner in the revolving restaurant at Auckland’s Sky Tower.

3.        Auckland’s wild West Coast is, well - wild. Lush bush, deserted beaches, countless waterfalls and a local guide await you only half an hour from Downtown. The gannets at Muriwai are a 'must see'.

4.        Go Black Water rafting or Glow Worm spotting through Waitomo’s caves, or for the ultimate underground experience try the "Lost World" or "Haggis Honking Holes" extended underground adventures.

5.        Visit the active volcanic White Island complete with steam vents, boiling mud and spewing craters. Alternatively take a 4x4 tour up Mount Tarawera for awesome tectonic views.

6.        Rotorua has its own Devils Home, be mesmerized by bubbling mud pools and champagne pools in Wai-o-tapu, try a traditional Hangi feast, take in some Maori culture and ride the luge while you’re there.

7.        Walk the Tongariro Crossing, North Island’s best walk, as well as being the location of Mount Doom and Mordor.

8.        Sea kayak and walk as much or as little as you like along the Abel Tasman National Park’s golden beaches - the boat can pick you up. Be the first to leave footprints at sunrise at beautiful Wharariki Beach.

9.        Tour the vineyards of Hawkes Bay, Martinborough and/or Marlborough enjoying some high class cuisine under the vines accompanied by some world class wines.

10.     Go whale spotting, either by boat or from the air along the rugged Kaikoura Coast, before heading inland to the hot springs at Hanmer.

11.     Enjoy the amazing contrasts of scenery in the Rangitata River Valley - home of Rohan. Farm-stay at a remote mountain sheep station, then explore Narnia and Middle-Earth rolled into one.

12.     Play golf on some of the most scenic and serene courses in the world! Several of our courses are on the ‘Top 100 Golf Courses in the World’ list. If you are not a member of a club at home, don’t worry, as many of the courses here are open to the public and even hire out golf clubs and carts.

13.     Experience the mind blowing scenery of the Coromandel Peninsula, kayak to Cathedral Cove, followed by a soak in a freshly dug hole on Hot Water Beach.

14.     See elegant Albatrosses, lazy Fur Seals, rare Hooker Sea Lions, near extinct Yellow Eyed Penguins, and the 160 million year old fossilized forest all in one day in the remote Catlins. Few have the chance to experience the abundant birdlife and beauty on Stewart Island.

15.     Walk the Franz Josef or Fox Glaciers, or better still take a flight over the top and circle Aoraki, the highest mountain in New Zealand. This magnificent ride will be the highlight of your lifetime.

16.     Walk the ‘Rob Roy’ near Wanaka, to the foot of a glacier right on the edge of the rainforest. Central Otago has the bluest skies in the world - the reflections are a photographer's dream.      

17.     If you’ve ever wanted to try canyoning, tandem skydiving or paragliding,  Wanaka is the place to do it. Or how about off-road rallying, or mountain biking down the ski slope of Cardrona in summer.

18.     Wanaka also offers the Siberia Experience of 3 thrills in one day – fly into the Mt Aspiring National Park, hike/tramp over the hill to the Siberia River and jet-boat back out. Wow!

19.     Next door is Queenstown - the Adventure Capital of the World. The list of activities available here is mind-blowing, but as a start you can try bungee jumping, sledging or horse riding, or steam along Lake Wakatipu on S.S. Earnslaw to Walter Peak Station for an insight into high country farming.

20.     Paradise does exist, in the Dart River Valley. Jet boat to the source and raft back down. Many of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ scenes were filmed here.

21.     Experience the sound of silence on board your boat once the tourists leave Milford Sound – the eighth wonder of  the world. Kayak with the dolphins under the many waterfalls.

22.     Discover the true meaning of the word fishing, whether it is for giant trout on remote rivers, hauling up huge snapper 2 at a time on the Waitemata, marlin fishing around Northland’s beautiful coast, or plucking fresh crayfish from the crevices and mussels from the rocks.

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