The Ultimate New Zealand Bucket List For Nature Lovers
New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and a nature lover’s dream. Its diverse scenery, incredible wildlife and relaxed (and safe!) atmosphere make it an ideal destination for travellers.
To help inspire your trip, I’ve put together an ultimate New Zealand bucket list featuring all my favourite things to do.
This guide focuses on all the best nature, wildlife and sustainable travel experiences so if you’re looking for adventure, hiking, honeymooning or simply a laidback holiday, this one is for you.
Without further ado, here’s my ultimate New Zealand bucket list for nature lovers!
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Original Travel, luxury sustainable travel specialists. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I know and trust.
A note on travelling around New Zealand
The best and most flexible way to travel around New Zealand is to do a road trip. You can do a small group tour, hire a vehicle or make use of local transport – which is a little limited, to be honest!
If you want the freedom of your own itinerary without the hassle of organising accommodation, transport and activities, Original Travel can help.
The travel specialist offers tailor-made trips personalised to you and your preferences. That means you can get full control of where you stay and what you want to tick off your bucket list.
The trips are self-guided with the help of local experts to ensure you have an authentic experience. What’s more, you have access to an app with all your itinerary details and a 24-hour helpline in case of emergencies.
What I like most about Original Travel is that it’s open about travel’s carbon footprint and it’s taken steps to tackle it. 100% of the carbon footprint generated by clients and staff is absorbed by its financial support of the Livelihoods Carbon Fund (find out more here).
It also promotes responsible travel through its Travel Less, Travel Better initiative.
The ultimate New Zealand bucket list
From stargazing to whale watching, here are the bucket list things to do in New Zealand:
See where oceans collide
Where: Cape Reinga
Visit the northernmost tip of New Zealand to see where the Tasman Sea collides with the Pacific Ocean.
It’s a spiritual place in Maori culture as it marks the spot where the souls of the dead travel to embark on their journey into the afterlife.
Look out for the Cape Reinga lighthouse!
Read More: Ultimate Three-Day Bay of Islands Itinerary for the best Stay
Photo credit: Canva
Visit the glow worm caves
Where: Waitomo
The Waitomo Caves are a series of underground caves home to thousands of glow worms which light up the dark like a starry sky.
One of the most magical experiences in New Zealand, you can admire them from a gentle boat ride or go black water rafting.
Photo credit: Canva
Go sandboarding
Where: Cape Reinga
Did you know there are sand dunes in New Zealand? The Giant Sand Dunes or Te Paki Sand Dunes are an incredible sight to see.
It’s a 10km long coastal strip of 150-metre high sand dunes that look like you’ve stepped through a portal to the Sahara Desert.
The best thing to do here? Sandboard!
Editor’s tip: you can rent a sandboard for about 15 NZD on the spot. There’s no entrance fee to see the dunes.
Do a Milford Sound cruise
Where: Fiordland National Park
Milford Sound is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is said to be one of the great wonders of the world.
Taking a cruise is the best way to experience it. Enjoy a panorama of mountains, waterfalls and lush green rainforests.
Milford Sound is an excellent place to go wildlife spotting too. Look for dolphins, penguins, seals and kea – the world’s only alpine parrot!
Go stargazing
Where: Lake Tekapo
Lake Tekapo’s Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve is the largest one in the Southern Hemisphere. On a clear night, you can get uninterrupted views of the stars.
Do a guided tour and learn about mythology and astrology and then soak it all up in a hot pool under the stars. If you’re a photographer, make sure you bring your camera to take a picture of the Milky Way.
If you’re lucky, you might even see the Southern Lights – aka the Aurora Australis!
Editor’s tip: Between March and September at midnight is the best time to see the Southern Lights.
Photo credit: Unsplash
Book a wine tour
Where: Waiheke Island
New Zealand is well-known for its world-class wine so if you like a tipple, make sure you do a wine tasting tour before you leave!
You can do wine tours all over New Zealand, including Central Otago, Marlborough and Gisborne.
My favourite place to do a wine tasting is Waiheke Island in Auckland. It has award-winning wineries in a stunning location. What more could you ask for?
Go whale watching
Where: Kaikoura
Located near a deep water trench, Kaikoura attracts a wide variety of sea life, including whales!
The most common whales you can see here are the resident sperm whales. You can sometimes see orca and blue whales too.
Take an ethical whale watching boat trip out on the water and keep an eye out for marine life.
You can also swim with dolphins in Kaikoura. It’s ethical too!
Read More: The Best Place to See Whales in New Zealand
Photo credit: Unsplash
Learn about Maori culture
Where: Tamaki Maori Village, Rotorua
You can’t visit New Zealand without learning about Maori culture. Head to Tamaki Maori Village in Rotorua, voted one of the top 10 experiences in the world.
The attraction is a replica of a traditional Maori village and you get an interactive experience through games and performances such as the Haka.
Make sure you try a hangi, a traditional Maori feast cooked in the ground. It’s delicious!
Read More: New Zealand North Island Itinerary: The Best 2 Week Road Trip
Photo credit: Canva
Watch a geyser erupt
Where: Te Puia Geothermal Reserve
New Zealand’s geothermal activity is legendary. One of the best places to see it in action is Te Puia Geothermal Reserve which is the home of the largest geyser in the Southern Hemisphere!
Enjoy the geyser eruption and bubbling mud pools from the viewing decks. See Maori carvings and learn about the kiwi bird conservation. It’s an eco-friendly attraction too!
Visit Middle Earth
Where: Hobbiton
The Lord of the Rings franchise was filmed in New Zealand so no trip is complete without visiting the Hobbiton Movie Set. Just outside of Matamata, the lifelike set looks like a real working village.
Explore Bag End, enjoy the picturesque scenery and finish the tour with a pint of your choice at the Green Dragon Pub.
Read More: The Ultimate Guide to the Hobbiton Movie Tour in New Zealand
Take a dip in a hot pool
Where: various locations
Mention Hot Water Beach
Thanks to New Zealand’s geothermal activity, you can really make the most of hot pools all over the country.
For a unique experience, head to Hot Water Beach where an underground river of hot water flows into the Pacific Ocean.
Two hours on either side of low tide, you can find hot water bubbling through the sand. Grab a spade and make yourself a makeshift pool!
Editor’s tip: hot water is no exaggeration. It does get VERY hot so be careful not to scald yourself. Check the tide times here to help you plan your visit.
Go skydiving
Where: Various locations
If you’re an adrenaline junkie then skydiving in New Zealand is an absolute must!
Test your mettle by jumping out of a plane in Queenstown, Taupo, the Bay of Islands, Abel Tasman and more.
Franz Josef has the highest skydive in New Zealand at 20,000 ft. The views make it 100% worth pushing through those nerves.
Photo credit: Canva
Take a photo of Cathedral Cove
Where: Coromandel Peninsula
Cathedral Cove is a striking stone arch that connects Hahei Beach with Mare’s Leg Cove.
This stunning natural sight has been featured in films including the Chronicles of Narnia. You might even recognise it as a Microsoft screensaver!
Go kayaking, swimming, cruising or simply sit on the beach and admire the view.
Photo credit: Unsplash
Hike the Tongariro Crossing
Where: Tongariro National Park
Epic volcanoes, sacred lakes, LOTR’s Mount Doom and an otherworldly landscape make the Tongariro Crossing one of the most dramatic hikes in New Zealand.
Dried up lava flows mark the rocky landscape, interspersed with geysers and boiling mud pools. It’s perfectly safe as long as you stick to the well-marked track!
One of the best things to see on this 12-mile day hike is the twin emerald crater lakes.
Editor’s tip: You can do this hike in winter but I recommend going with a guide as the entire park is coated in a blanket of snow. It was one of my top New Zealand experiences. Find out why here.
See fur seals at Abel Tasman
Where: Abel Tasman National Park
Abel Tasman is the perfect place to visit for nature lovers and bird spotters. It’s known for its golden sandy beaches, high granite cliffs and native rainforest.
Take an eco boat tour to Anchorage Bay, keeping an eye out for Split Rock, the most photographed rock in New Zealand.
See a colony of fur seals at Adele Island Bird Sanctuary. Other wildlife include Little Blue Penguins, dolphins and orca!
Photo credit: Canva
Heli hike on a glacier
Where: Franz Josef Glacier
The Franz Josef Glacier is a bucket list activity in New Zealand. A helicopter takes you up to the top of the glacier where you’ll go on a guided tour of this otherworldly landscape.
Get to know the glacier inside and out (quite literally!) as you explore its caves and learn about its history.
Editor’s tip: You can do the heli hike in both summer and winter. Your gear is included in the tour.
Photo credit: Canva
See the lonely willow tree
Where: Wanaka
Wanaka’s willow tree is iconic. It’s located close to the shoreline in the waters of Lake Wanaka with a gorgeous backdrop of mountains behind.
It’s an amazing spot for a photo. Protect it by taking photos from the beach rather than wading in and touching it as branches have been damaged this way!
Photo credit: Unsplash
Climb Roy’s Peak
Where: Wanaka
Roy’s Peak is one of the top hikes on New Zealand’s South Island. The track leads you up the mountain offering stunning views of Mt Aspiring National Park and Lake Wanaka below.
The hike is about 10 miles and the views are breathtaking even if you don’t make it all the way to the top.
Photo credit: Unsplash
Have a Queenstown adventure
Where: Queenstown
Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand. It’s home to the Nevis Bungy, the highest bungy jump in the country. You can do a catapult and swing here too.
Surrounded by lakes and mountains, the town is a fantastic place to go skydiving. On the ground, you can throw yourself into the beauty of its canyons on the Shotover River Jet Boat.
If you visit in winter, make sure you head up the Coronet and Remarkable mountains for skiing!
Do a Great Walk
Where: Various locations
Tick one of New Zealand’s 10 Greak Walks off your bucket list and spend up to six days in the heart of nature.
The shortest hike is the Routeburn Track in Fiordland National Park. The longest is the Whanganui Journey in Ruapehu which involves kayaking for some of the route!
Other popular trails are the Abel Tasman Coast Track and Milford Track.
Editor’s tip: The best time to do these hikes are in summer when the weather is clear. Some of the trails require you to book huts for staying in overnight. Check out the Department of Conservation to find out more.
Read More: 14 Incredible Hikes On the South Island of New Zealand
See a kiwi bird
Where: Stewart Island
New Zealand’s national animal is an elusive flightless bird. You can see them in conservation centres all over the country, but your best chance of finding them in the wild is Stewart Island off the coast of the South Island.
Kiwi birds outnumber humans here but they’re shy birds so make sure you keep 5 metres away so you don’t disturb them.
Editor’s tip: Kiwi birds don’t tend to like human-inhabited areas so you’ll probably need to go deep into nature. They’re nocturnal creatures but they can be spotted during the day on Stewart Island too.
New Zealand bucket list: Final thoughts
Without a doubt, New Zealand is a bucket list destination offering the very best wildlife and nature experiences.
Thrill-seekers are spoilt with its multitude of adrenaline-inducing bungy jumps and skydives; hikers have a playground of national parks to explore and animal lovers are treated to endless opportunities to go wildlife spotting.
Most of all, New Zealand’s unspoilt beauty gives you an unforgettable experience whatever your travel style.
What’s on your New Zealand travel bucket list? Let me know in the comments below!
Looking for more New Zealand travel inspiration? Check out these posts!
- Best Places To Stay In New Zealand (2022): Insider Guide To The Top Hotels
- Best Wine Tasting in New Zealand: Waiheke Island vs Central Otago
- Your Ultimate New Zealand Packing List for Every Season (In 2022)
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