TOP 10 Things to Do in New Zealand 🏞️ [2023]

1. Hike on a Glacier

New Zealand is home to some of the fastest moving glaciers in the world, Franz Josef and Fox Glacier on the West Coast of the South Island. Hiking on these ever-changing glaciers is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with a stunning helicopter flight over the glacier valley onto the glaciers themselves. Explore ice caves and narrow crevasses with an experienced guide through the New Zealand glaciers. If you miss the West Coast glaciers, be sure to check out New Zealand’s longest glacier, the Tasman Glacier, in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park.

Find out more ways to see the glaciers in the 5 Ways to Take on New Zealand’s Glaciers or book your heli-hike on the Franz Josef Glacier on Viator or Klook, the Fox Glacier on Viator or Klook or the Tasman Glacier on Viator.

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2. Visit a Geothermal Wonderland

New Zealand is a hotbed for geothermal activity, the North Island in particular. Visit mind-blowing geothermal parks between Rotorua and Taupo with multi-coloured hot pools, geysers and bubbling mud that used to be used by the early Maori for therapeutic hot pools and for cooking food.

Choose from the 10 Best Geothermal Parks in New Zealand & Rotorua and discover more North Island experiences in the 51 Best Things to Do on the North Island.

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3. Do a Multi-Day Great Walk

New Zealand is famous for its breathtaking scenery and one of the best ways to experience these landscapes is by hiking. To showcase some of the best scenery in New Zealand, there are the 10 Great Walks of New Zealand. These multi-day hikes have hut accommodations and well-formed trails making them approachable even for beginners.

However, if you are looking for more “budget” multi-day hikes, then check out these 10 Awesome Alternatives to the New Zealand Great Walks.

Join the Social Nature Movement for a Guided Hiking Adventure

Make memories with like-minded travellers and discover underrated places of magnificent beauty on a guided hike with Social Nature Movement. From two-hour tramps to multi-day forays, there’s a wide range of hiking expeditions to choose from! Get in touch with the team and see how they can curate the perfect hiking adventure for you.

Find out more about guided hiking tours at socialnaturemovement.nz.

© Social Nature Movement

4. Immerse Yourself in the Maori Culture

The Maori were the first settlers in New Zealand well before the first Europeans, bringing with them a fascinating Polynesian culture. There are opportunities to learn about the Maori culture from the cultural shows and traditional “Hangi” dinners in Rotorua in the North Island to learning how to carve greenstone on the West Coast of the South Island.

For more ways to immerse in the Maori culture, check out these 10 Places to Experience Maori Culture in New Zealand. Plus, for more South Island experiences, head to the 51 Best Things to Do on the South Island.

© NZPocketGuide.com

5. Do a Bungy Jump

Did you know that bungy jumping was invented in New Zealand? New Zealand is a country of adrenaline, so one of the best places in the world to experience the thrills of free-falling is right here. Jump from the world’s first commercial bungy site at the Kawarau Bridge Bungy or do the highest in New Zealand at the 132 m (433 ft) Nevis Bungy.

There are far more bungy jumps to choose from in the 10 Most Epic Places to Bungy Jump in New Zealand.

© Tourism NZ

6. See a Kiwi Bird

New Zealand is home to many fascinating native species of birds and marine life, but the one everyone wants to see is the unusual kiwi bird. You’ll be lucky to see one of these elusive nocturnal birds in the wild though, so your best shot is to see the birds in conservation kiwi houses around the country. (Although, we consider seeing a kiwi bird in the wild much more rewarding).

See our guide, Where to See Kiwi Birds in New Zealand to learn more.

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7. Cruise in Milford Sound

Often described as the most beautiful place in New Zealand, Milford Sound is made up of towering glacier-carved mountains emerging from the sea. It lies in Fiordland National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Area meaning it’s a pretty big deal. Ways to see Milford Sound include cruising, kayaking, hiking, scuba diving and scenic flights.

Learn more about Milford Sound in 15 Best Things to Do in Milford Sound.

© Tourism NZ

8. Get Your Hobbit-On

The Lord of the Rings might have first come out in 2001 but the Middle-earth magic is still alive in New Zealand with scenery clearly visioned in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movie trilogies. While there are many tours and free Lord of the Rings locations to visit, the most popular is The Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata. Book tickets for Hobbiton on Viator or Klook and check out How to Get the Best Hobbiton Discount.

Start finding the Lord of the Rings locations in The Lord of the Rings Location Guide.

© NZPocketGuide.com

9. Stargaze in a Dark Sky Reserve

New Zealand is home to some of the “darkest” skies in the world, especially in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve on the South Island. This is where the Southern Hemisphere stars appear at their most vivid. What’s more, the South Island is one of the few places in the world where you can see the colourful phenomenon of Aurora Australis, a.k.a. the Southern Lights.

See the stars at these 15 Best Places & Tours for Stargazing in New Zealand and check out the selection of stargazing tours provided by Social Nature Movement.

© Miles Holden - Tourism New Zealand

10. Sip on New Zealand Wine

It turns out that New Zealand is one of the world’s top wine-making countries, so there are lots of opportunities to try the local produce. Take a tour or pop into the cellar doors of the vineyards of Marlborough or Otago in the South Island, or the wineries of Hawke’s Bay or the Wairarapa in the North Island.

There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to wine experiences, so get started with the 10 Best Wine Tours in New Zealand.

© ATEED