New Zealand's North Island; Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour/Oyster
Ahh, New Zealand. Never has a place made it so easy to jump out of planes, off bridges, through canyons (backwards, strapped to a chair), and from the tops of mountains.
There’s no denying that this is the place for adrenaline junkies, but where exactly should you go and what activities should you do to get your kicks the next time you visit the land of the long white cloud? We’ll show you.
Zorbing
Where: Rotorua, North Island
If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to be inside
of a large plastic ball as it rolls down a mountain at 30 miles per hour, zorbing is for you. You’ll get the option of doing it wet or dry, alone or with someone else inside — but any way you choose, you’re sure
to end up laughing.
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Canyon Swing
Where: Queenstown, South Island
Shotover Canyon Swing is the ultimate thrill; it’s similar to
bungy jumping, except you’re wearing a harness around your waist, as opposed
to your feet, and you can jump in a variety of ways: backwards, forwards,
strapped to a chair, tied to someone else — you name it. Swinging in Shotover
Canyon means a 60m freefall and a killer rush.
Abseiling
Where: Waitomo, North Island
If scaling down the side of a vertical rock face into a dark
hole makes you tingle with excitement, it doesn’t get any better than abseiling
in Waitomo, where you can combine your absail with caving and see some glow
worms to boot!
White Water Rafting
Where: Rotorua, North Island, Kaituna River
There are dozens of rivers and rafting opportunities in New
Zealand, but the Kaituna River is the big kahuna of them all. These grade 5
rapids will have you bumping and bouncing as you cruise your way down river to
a 7-meter drop down Tutea Falls, the highest commercially rafted waterfall in
the world.
You Might Also Like: 11 Amazing Riverside Hotels
Bungee Jumping
Where: Queenstown
You can’t talk about adrenaline in New Zealand without
talking about bungee jumping. This is, after all, where AJ Hackett and Henry van
Asch set up the world’s first commercial bungee jump from the Kawarau River
bridge. These days New Zealand is known as the home of the bungee, and people
come from all over the world to tie their legs together and check out some of
the highest jumps in the world, like the Nevis, a 134m-high jump that has an
8.5 second freefall.
Ready to check out New Zealand? Take a look at our 10 best hotels first!
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