Ziplining is another rope-based activity that you should keep on your radar. You don’t need to look too far out to find the ideal place to glide through: venture into the forests of Waiheke Island to whizz past the trees as you bask at the picturesque Auckland Harbour; head to Rotorua for a three-hour zipline through the massive wilderness; fly through the treetops of Queenstown’s Bob’s Peak to tap into the steepest ziplines in the world; or make your way over to the South Island’s West Coast to immerse yourself in the forests while also catching sight of some glowworms.
Waitomo’s wondrous cave systems are world-renowned – not just for their stunning glowworms, but also for the narrow passageways and awesome limestone formations that make them some of the country’s most desirable spelunkingdestinations.
Nelson is another place that offers plenty of caving opportunities, as well as being an optimal location to try some canyoning. Right on your doorstep you’ve got the canyons surrounding Abel Tasman National Park, Kahurangi National Park and Mt Richmond Forest Park. Expert cavers should take a look at Harwoods Hole; everyone else should check out the Ngarua Caves on Takaka Hill.
Queenstown and Wanaka are also great go-tos for canyoning. Wanaka in particular is notable for its deep canyon tours that incorporate everything from hiking to swimming, rock climbing and rappelling.
