A trip to New Zealand offers everybody so much to do, whatever age you are. So we’ve found some fantastic New Zealand experiences for all ages to enjoy.
Whether you’re young, old or old enough to know better, New Zealand is a wanderlust worthy destination with more things to do, see and appreciate in a single holiday. Bursting with bucket-list goodies and sneaky side-trips only local knowledge can reveal, sightseeing in NZ may get your island adventure started, but there’s more in store for you… as the experiences highlighted below will reveal. Harness your sense of adventure, stretch those over-worked limbs and get ready to ooh, ahhh, sigh and scream your way through our best of list for every age and stage.
1. Whale Watch Your Way to Serenity
Whale watching is a simple lesson in everything that makes our planet truly spectacular. It’s just you, the boat, a few strangers and the sea, watching for the tell-tale spray of a whale’s breaching breath.
Between Dusky dolphin sightings and fur-seal photo opportunities, you’ll spend time with jump-happy Humpbacks and enormous sperm whales, making plenty of memories in minutes – our tip? Be quick on the camera. Whales rarely encore on your terms.
Where to Whale Watch: Kaikoura
2. Warm Up, Relax, Unwind
Settle in and soak for a few hours, days or weeks, exploring the best geo-thermal resources in New Zealand… natural pools, man-made spas, steamy stops and resorts designed just for a quick sit – solo, coupled or kids, there’s something to suit everyone.
From the oh-la-la status of The Lost Spring in Whitianga to the come as you are pools of Oropi in Tauranga, you could find yourself building a holiday around a daily dip. You wouldn’t be the first!
Where: Bay of Plenty, Coromandel, Rotorua, Waikato, Taupo, Canterbury, Franz Josef, Tekapo and many, many more!
3. Get on your bike
Another great way to experience the breath taking landscapes and beauty of New Zealand is by bike. New Zealand is a cyclist’s heaven with a range of trails from a gentle, scenic ride to extreme mountain biking.
It’s a great activity for couples and families, and an easy way to get some exercise while you are sightseeing. North Island highlights include Hawke’s Bay, the Great Lake trails and the long distance Hauraki Rail trail.
In South Island, the Queenstown Trail offers a range of trail options that include everything from a lakeside pedal to more challenging cross country routes. You can even take in a winery tour by bike. Our South Island bus tours offer a free day in Queenstown, so if you fancy an activity slightly less adventurous than bungy jumping or white water rafting, cycling on the Queenstown trail could be for you.
Where: The Queenstown Trail, 5 minutes from Queenstown.
4. Under the Dome
Before your sink your teeth into the delicious delights of the region, go back to where it all begins and book a tour of the 350 acre Agrodome. How exciting can farm be, though? If you’ve yet to meet a lamb in real life, cuddle up to cute little calf or measure a Clydesdale from shoulder to wither, while learning about history, agriculture and food, you’ll soon find out.
Teeming with life and full of action, this isn’t a sleepy tour with boring commentary and a few cute photo ops – you’ll learn a lot, laugh a lot and consider the hours well invested.
Where: Ngongotaha, Rotorua
5. Channel Your Inner Spiderman
Auckland is home to many must-dos, but the Sky Tower stands above them all. Start your North Island escorted bus tour with a BANG. Needling the sky at 220m, it’s easy to believe people – travellers like you – thrust themselves off a steel platform, attached to a secure harness. Why is it easy? New Zealand is a country of daredevils and limit-testers. And they invite you to be part of it. And if you think you’re too old for that sort of thing my mother who just turned 70 took up this challenge 5 years ago and LOVE it.
For those with a faint heart or maybe a justifiable fear of flying through the air without an aeroplane, there’s the less scary SkyWalk, the completely safe and enclosed SkyDeck and a café that requires no amount of bravery… just pure enjoyment. See it at your own speed.
As well as a packed and varied itinerary on your Kirra tour, you’ll also have free time to try some of these fantastic New Zealand experiences for all ages. Check out this season’s tours here and start planning your experiences.
