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Extreme Sports & Adventurous Activities in New Zealand New Zealand is, without a doubt, the extreme sports capital of the world. They invented bungy jumping, zorbing, and plenty of other risky, dangerous, and plain suicidal past-times. We think it’s because they’ve got so many mountains - once you’ve climbed all the way up them, the only real option left is to jump off them. The real question is - where are the sites, and can they be fitted into your trip? 1. Bungy jump - Queenstown The appeal of bungy jumping is a constant mystery to most folks. It’s a fancy rubber band and a very long way to fall. The AJ Hacketts jump site near Queenstown was the world’s first bungy site, and has been in business for almost 20 years. At 43 metres it isn’t the tallest, but it’s a piece of history you can’t miss out on. (NZ$140/£50 per jump) 2. Zorbing - Rotorua This is where the latest New Zealand phenomenon began. With sites in England, Australia and the States, the desire to roll down a hill in a ball has clearly been a long-buried facet of the human psyche just waiting to break free. Wet and dry rides available to those who enjoy a little variety. (NZ$45/£16 for the first ride, $29/£10 for a second) 3. Jetboating - Queenstown Queenstown hosts plenty of high-speed sports that don’t involve falling from things - one of their most popular is a jetboat trip up the Shotover canyon , including their trademark 360˚ spin to put your adrenaline levels through the roof. (NZ$85/£30 per ride) 4. Scuba diving - Marlborough Sound On the northern coast of the south island, Marlborough Sound is considered New Zealand’s best dive sites. With cave systems near Nelson and wreck diving in the Sound, it’s the total opposite of the Barrier Reef of nearby Australia. Great diving can also be found at Kaikoura, north of Christchurch. (NZ$160/£56 for a one-day guided dive tour) 5. Skydiving - Nelson/Taupo Regardless of which island you’re exploring, there’s always somewhere a little bit higher to jump from. Various tour operators offer both solo and tandem skydiving, and the Nelson and Taupo sites offer the best of each island. At Nelson you’re granted unbelievable views of the Southern Alps and of the Abel Tasman National Park, while Taupo allows you the vista of the Tongariro National Park, complete with Mount Doom, and an unprecedented view of Lake Taupo, NZ’s largest lake. (NZ$220/£76 for a 12,000ft jump; NZ£315/£109 for a 15,000ft jump) 6. Rock Climbing - Auckland/Arthur’s Pass As you’d expect from a country with more moutains than common sense, there are rock-climbing sites abound all over the country. Auckland will be easily accessible to most backpackers, while Arthur’s Pass, although a little more tricky to get to, offers a higher altitude the substantially better scenery of the Southern Alps. What better way to get high downunder? (Climbing trips usually need to be self-organised; Arthur’s Pass in particular is recommended for experienced climbers only) 7. Caving - Nelson/Waitomo It’s been mentioned already, but it must be stressed that the caving in New Zealand is fantastic. Whether it’s black-water rafting or regular caving/canyoning at Waitomo, the glow-worms will provide you with a memory you’ll never forget, while the Takaka cave systems at Nelson are among the longest and deepest in the world - perfect for the budding explorers out there. (Waitomo - NZ$90/32 for the Black Labyrinth Tour; Nelson trips are self-organised) 8. Mountain Biking - Auckland/Rotorua/Queenstown An alternative to descending a mountain that doesn’t involve a terminal velocity or a parachute (for a change), NZ offers unparalleled mountain biking in the exotic forests of Auckland, the challenge circuits of Rotorua or the alpine ridges of Queenstown. Whatever style pushes your pedal, there’ll be something there for you. (NZ$75/£26 for 3-day mountain bike hire; NZ$120/£42 3-day ‘performance’ bike hire) 9. Hiking - Everywhere If you don’t tramp a single route while you’re in New Zealand, you can pretty much consider it a wasted trip. Even going down to the shops in a rural area feels like the beginning of a great expedition, and the fantastic thing about this country is that everywhere has something to offer, not just the national parks. The real hikers out there should be taking the multiple-day trips in Milford or Tongariro, but there are plenty of day trips and tours to secluded spots that’ll still allow you get as close to nature as you feel necessary. Toilets not necessarily included. |
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