Active New Zealand

New Zealand’s breathtaking panorama of lakes, forest, coastline and snow-capped mountains adds an unforgettable dimension to outdoor activities of every description.

It’s no surprise that New Zealand is such a popular destination – visitors have such a variety of fantastic activities to choose from, ranging from sightseeing by land, air and sea to the most challenging of all sporting activities – mountain climbing. Even if you’re only on a short visit, make sure to take advantage of some of the many wonderful activities on offer. Try mountain biking in a pristine forest, heli-skiing on a glacier or taking a white-water rafting or jet boat trip on one of New Zealand’s many rivers. You can get close to whales or swim with the dolphins, view endangered penguins and migratory seabirds, fly over (or even ski on!) an active volcano or hike through mountain valleys, alone or with a guide.

Adventures on offer

4WD adventure Hire a quad bike or a 4WD vehicle and get off the beaten track.
Bungy jumping From Auckland’s Harbour Bridge to a night bungy in Queenstown.
Caving Abseil into an immense cavern or slide down an underground waterfall.
Heli-skiing Fly into the mountains to ski or board untracked powder.
Ice climbing Experience a climb on an incredible glacier with a guided tour.
Jet boating Jump into a jet boat and head for the river rapids in the country where these powerful boats were invented.
Mountain biking Trails range from entry-level to remote and extreme.
Paragliding Leap off a cliff and admire the scenery as you glide all the way down!
Rafting Take on the white water in a river valley – or try black-water rafting underground!
Skydiving This extreme thrill is even better against a backdrop of stunning scenery.
Sledging Grab onto a body board and hurtle head-first down thrilling rapids.
Zorbing Participants are strapped into a plastic ball and rolled down a hill.

Qualmark quality assurance

An excellent way to choose a quality activity operator is by looking for the Qualmark. Activity operators that carry the Qualmark as an Endorsed Visitor Activity have met quality standards in safety, facilities, equipment and customer service, so you can be assured that you will enjoy a positive experience.