Adventure
sports
Queenstown is generally known as the adventure capital,
however not all adventure sports are held here.
The Awesome Foursome is an adrenaline trip that combines a bungee
jump, a helicopter flight, whitewater rafting, and high speed jet
boating all in one day.
Bungee jumping
was first commercialised by New Zealanders, and their country is
still known for this sport. Famous jump off points include the Kawaru
River Bridge, the Pipeline, Hanmer Springs (which is in the South
island), the Bungee Rocket (which is at New Brighton Pier), the
Skippers Bridge, the Ledge (near Queenstown), and Taupo and Mangaweka
(in the North Island).
Rap jumping is
a sport which consists of abseiling headfirst down a cliff and is
also currently popular in Auckland, Queenstown, Bay of Islands and
Wanaka.
River sledging is a sport that
involves riding down a river holding to a polystyrene sledge or
boogie board This activity is available in Queenstown (which is
on the South island), and on the Rangitaiki river (which is near
Rotorua on the North island).
Beginner's courses
for paragliding (a sport that is a cross between parachuting and
hand gliding and is the closest equivalent to flying)
are available near Wanaka and Queenstown, whilst experienced paragliders
tend to head to Wanaka, the Daney Pass or Christchurch.
One of New Zealand's other inventions is Jet boating,
which takes place on a special powered boat. It consists of a high
speed boat trip, and some of the country's best known rivers
are renowned for this sport. As it is available for a wide range
of ages, this sport has become very popular.
The best locations for surf rafting (which invites
visitors to accompany skilled rafters through crashing waves while
simultaneously being offered a commentary on the coastline
nearby) are Piha Beach (near Auckland, which is on North island)
and the Otago Peninsula (near Dunedin, which is on South Island.
Another adventure New Zealand invented is zorbing.
This involves being strapped into a transparent, cellophane, inflatable
ball which is then rolled onto a river or down a grassy hill. The
home town for this sport is Rotorua and Paihia.
Water
Sports
New Zealand’s coastline stretches for a total of about 16,000
kilometres (10,000 miles), so the conditions for swimming
and diving are perfect. A lot of dive spots are easily
accessible from the shore, particularly those in North Island. The
Poor Knights Islands which are near Whangarei, are particularly
renowned among divers (Jacques Cousteau quoted them as one of the
world’s top diving destinations).
There are many different types of diving and these
are all available in New Zealand:
 Kelp
forests, which are at Stewart Island (home to the huge Paua shellfish)
Black
and red coral which is in the Fiordlands
Wreck
diving, which is at the Rainbow Warrior, the famous Greenpeace boat
which was sunk off the Bay of Islands.
Divers will need to bring their diver’s certification cards,
and many dive stores offer support facilities and equipment rental.
A detailed brochure with information on New Zealand’s
best dive sites can be obtained from:
Address: New Zealand Underwater, PO Box 875, Auckland
Telephone: (9) 623 3252
Facsimile: (9) 623 3523
Website address: www.nzunderwater.org.nz
The long coastlines also offer excellent opportunities for
surfing, with some of the best breaks located at Palliser
Bay (near Wellington), Murawai, Mahia Peninsula (near Gisborne),
Piha and Raglan.
Swimming with dolphins
is possible in Whakatane, the Coromandel Peninsulathe, Bay of Islands
(which is north of Auckland), and Kaikoura (which is on South Island).
Advance booking is recommended as numbers are limited.
Whale watching is also possible, on the eastern
coast of South Island, all year round (the greatest number of sightings
are in winter, from April to August). For further information and
details of prices, please contact Whale
Watch.
Auckland, or as some people
know it, 'the city of sails', is one of the top
locations for sailing and yachting. Charters with a skipper and
crew can be hired to sail just around the coast, as far as the Pacific
Islands, or to the remote maritime reserves in the Hauraki Gulf,
Bay of Islands and Marlborough Sounds.
Many rivers, including the Wairora (which is near Tauranga), and
the Mohaka (which is in Hawke’s Bay) are the perfect
spots for whitewater rafting trips ranging from a couple
of hours to five days. The Kaituna (which is near Rotorua), which
also features the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall
at 7m (23ft is another popular location for whitewater rafting.
Windsurfing is mainly popular around
Auckland, Wellington, Taupo, and the Bay of Islands, while kayaking
is broadly practised on rivers throughout New Zealand.
Winter Sports
New Zealand offers good snowboarding and skiing,
the ideal conditions are from June to October. The resorts tend
to be less crowded than the European ones.
The best ski regions on the North island are Turoa and Whakapapa(both
located on Mount Ruapehu). Other good ski slopes can be found in
Mount Hutt (where the season is from late May to early November),
and in the Southern Lakes region (particularly Queenstown and Wanaka).
Heli-skiing trips are available in Queenstown, Mount Hutt and Wanaka,
and cross-country skiing is possible on a 26 kilometre (16 mile)
trail through the Pisa range near Wanaka. Glacier skiing and glacier
walking can be enjoyed at the Franz Josef, Fox, and Tasman glaciers
in the Southern Alps.
Mountaineering
Climbers are advised to hire a commercial guide or contact a local
alpine club before attempting New Zealand's mountains, some of the
highest peaks in the southern hemisphere.
Caving
The Waitomo Caves are the most visited, ones of
these being the ‘Lost World’ cave which can be abseiled
into through shafts of sunlight.
Tubing or cave rafting are other ways to explore New Zealand's many
underground caves. Participants for tubing are provided with a wetsuit
and helmet (with light), then float through the cave system on custom
made tyres.
Golf
New Zealand has more than 400 golf courses, and
green fees are relatively low compared to other countries. Most
clubs welcome visitors, but it is best to telephone in advance,
particularly at weekends. For further information, contact:
Address: The New Zealand Golf Association, PO Box 11842, Wellington
Telephone: (4) 385 4330
Facsimile: (4) 385 4331
Email address: nzga@nzga.co.nz
Website address: www.nzgolf.org.nz
Walking
An assortment of walks are available in New Zealand,
many of these footpaths pass through protected forest areas or national
parks. Trails are categorised according to 4 different types:
Paths
(which are easy, suitable for all ages and fitness levels including
wheelchair users)
walking
tracks (which are easy)
tramping
tracks (which are more demanding and require good fitness)
routes
(which are very challenging and for experienced hikers only)
The Department of Conservation (DOC) has singled
out 8 different walks which are generally the most popular and best
known, including:
The
Abel Tasman Coastal Track (which is New Zealand’s most widely
used recreational track)
The
Lake Waikaremoana Track (which is in The Urewara National Park)
The
Milford Track (which is the country’s most famous track in
World-Heritage listed Fiordland Park)
the
Rakiura Track (which is a remote walk on Stewart Island to New Zealand’s
southern parts).
These tracks normally take from 1 to several days, with accommodation
provided en route, either basic camping and huts, or comfortable
lodges. Walkers attempting tramping tracks (a network of these exists)
should be well prepared and able to use a compass and read maps.
In most cases, a Great Walks Pass must be obtained from the Department
of Conservation. This has local offices throughout New Zealand,
For further information, contact the Department of Conservation
in Wellington:
Telephone: (4) 471 0726
Facsimile: (4) 471 1032
Website address: www.doc.govt.nz
Fishing
The fish that are particularly popular are Brown and Rainbow
Trout.
Salmon fishing is best
in the Waitaki, Rakaia, Waimakariri and Rangitata rivers on the
East Coast (the season lasts from mid December to late April). Permits
are only required for trout and salmon fishing, there is a special
Tourist Licence (only available from the Tourism Rotorua Information
Office) which allows holders to fish anyplace in the country for
a one month period. For further details contact:
Address: The New Zealand Professional Fishing Guides Association,
PO Box 16, Motu, Gisborne
Telephone: (6) 863 5822
Facsimile: (6) 863 5844
Email address: murphy.motu@xtra.co.nz
Website address: www.nzpfga.com
Wildlife
Many animal and plant species are unique to New Zealand,
as the country was separated from other land masses about 100 million
years ago. This is particularly accurate in the case of birds, which
attract bird watching enthusiasts from all over the world.
Due to the lack of predators, many of New Zealand's birds never
fully developed wings so, live on the ground. The best known native
bird is the kiwi, which is also the country’s
unofficial national symbol. Others include the weka and kea, as
well as the endangered kakapo, the world’s
largest parrot.
The emu, originally from Australia, is also found
here, as New Zealand’s own native equivalent, the moa, has
now become extinct.
New Zealand has many famous bird watching points,
these include Taiaroa Head (which is near Dunedin), known for colonies
of royal albatrosses, and Stewart Island, where kiwis can be seen
at night.
Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay is the only gannet colony
in the world, and is well worth a trip at low tide, when
it is possible to get a tractor ride or walk along the beach.
New Zealand is also home to the world’s largest insect,
the weta, which is a mouse sized cricket. Another unique part of
wildlife the country's home to is the tuatara, which is a reptile
whose ancestry stretches back to the dinosaurs.
Other
The national
sports of New Zealand are rugby, cricket and netball.
Other sports particular to New Zealand include sheep dog
trials and lawn bowls, which is a popular
sport played from September to April with greens in most towns.
A number of triathlon races and endurance events
are held throughout the year.
Bicycles can be hired
easily and special tours offer lifts up to volcano tops
(notably at Mount Ruapehu, the Remarkables Range, and the Otaga
Peninsula). Most buses and trains allow bicycles on board and bicycle
helmets are essential. |
