TZNew Zealand, apart from being known for its beautiful landscapes, is also known as the place for adrenaline-packed activities! A place for adrenaline junkies, and also for anyone wanting to immerse in the adrenaline-filled atmosphere.
I’m personally a fan of such activities but at the same time, there is that underlying fear that’s always there. However, it feels really great when you overcome it, and I always feel so accomplished after completing such activities.
1. Jumping off Kawarau Bridge
You cannot miss Bungy Jumping in New Zealand if you’re up for adrenaline packed activities! If you’re not aware of the first Bungy Jump that just popped up in Singapore very recently, that’s also by the same company AJ Hackett that pioneered the whole technology of Bungy Jumping in the world. If you’re an adrenaline junkie and looking to go for crazy Bungy experiences, check out the Nevis Bungy that makes you jump off one of the tallest structure in New Zealand or you can try getting kicked off a chair on the Flying Fox Bungy.
I did the Karawau Bridge Bungy as it was the first commercial bungy in New Zealand and I thought that held some significance to it! One other reason is because it’s only at 43m high, HAHAHA! I was more confident jumping off at this height than anything more. My little heart will probably burst out from my chest if I pushed it any higher.
2. Swinging off 139m in Nevis, Queenstown
This became super popular at least in Asia after Running Man did this back in 2017 as a penalty for losing a game. Few years later, I’m actually standing right there ready to swing off this 139m tall structure not as a penalty, but all on my own accord. Crazy 😂
The scary part wasn’t the initial free fall, but rather that moment before the drop. You get buckled up nicely and you’re asked to sit on the harness. At that point in time, you’re just dangling in mid-air with just the harness holding onto your life. I was 139m above a mountain valley, with nothing below me and just my life hanging on a “thread”. The machine would pull you about 1m away from the platform while you anticipate that drop. THAT was the part that sort of killed me a little inside. Talk about adrenaline packed!
3. Dropping Down Waterfalls at Rotorua
White water rafting is a water sport that includes dropping off waterfalls, being caught in little whirlpools and bumping into many boulders or rocks. I did it in Rotorua then during one of my longer breaks while working in the North Island. We had a long weekend to spare and off we went!
I did mine with Kaitiaki Adventures and we dropped through three waterfalls and countless rapids in the entire trial. It included a free fall down the world-renowned 7 metre Tutea Falls, the Highest Commercially Rafted Waterfall in the World. I was literally grabbing on to every rope I could find on the raft to avoid flying out. The guide even said we might overturn and capsize if we’re unlucky during the drop. I’m so grateful that all ended well as we landed on the raft’s bottom despite that crazy last drop. We took a victory shot then while my guide happily pushed me backwards into the water at the same time . HOORAY!
4. Rafting in the Dark at Waitomo
I initially thought Black Water Rafting was rafting in literally, black waters. How naive. It basically means sitting on a tube and exploring the caves in the dark! I did mine at Waitomo Caves with the Legendary Black Water Rafting Co. as we did some cave exploration then tubing in the dark admiring the glow worms.
I remembered it was really cold since we were there around December, when the weather was gradually turning cooler. However, once we were in it, the adrenaline from exploring underground caves in the dark just made me forget how cold I was. There were times we had to crawl on our belly to get through tight tunnels, and also times when we had to wade through water up to chest level to move forward. The trial was challenging yet full of surprises. It ended with us casually tubing down the dark cave, admiring the beautiful glowworms overhead. An iconic adrenaline packed activity you can consider adding to your itinerary!
5. Parasailing with The Remarkables
I did this during winter with Paraflights Queenstown. HAHAHA! Thinking back, I have no idea why I did this despite it being winter. I literally glided for less than 3 minutes but it felt like eternity when I was freezing so bad up in the sky. To make it worse, the weather was so unpredictable then it even drizzled when I went up. OH MY OH MY.
That view of the Remarkables so up close felt like I was immersed in a painting. The Remarkables is the iconic mountainous range visible from the heart of Queenstown. It’s a popular skiing ground too during winter when the snow is really deep. Give me another chance to parasail again under the drizzle and freezing weather and I’ll still do it for that view!
6. Horseback Riding in Isengard
Riding on a horse through Lake Wakatipu, Glenorchy may not be the most adrenaline-packed activity in the sense of making your heart race. Rather, it’s the interaction with the horses and watching them walk you to the gorgeous Lake Wakatipu that’s enough to make you gasp at its beauty. Just look at that view above! I promise that view you see above is barely edited and is exactly what you’ll get with your naked eye!! Glenorchy is also the land of Isengard, if you’re a fan of Lord of The Rings, you would know what I’m talking about 😀
I would completely recommend doing this if the weather allows. We even joined the horse owner in preparing the food for the horses and feeding it to them after. It was really fun because it’s my first time up close with a horse. If you’re an animal person, you’ll probably love this experience too like I did!
7. Hiking in Knee-Deep snow on Ben Lomond
Ben Lomond is a hike located in Queenstown, the city of all things adrenaline. I’m not sure if others would see this as an adrenaline-packed activity but to me, it was the only hike so far I’ve ever contemplated to give up ascending mid-way. The trail was full of unexpected danger points that to me, it required that burst of adrenaline to push myself through. I knew I could do it but for a moment, I let my fear get to me because of the unpredictable conditions of the hike. The higher up I went, the more it deviated from my expectations and the worse was I didn’t have the proper gear to trek in knee-deep snow, something I didn’t even expect.
However, when I finally reached the summit, all was worth it. Overcoming my own fears and eventually getting rewarded with what I would rate as one of the top few views of snow-capped mountain terrains was exhilarating. Till today, that view I saw is still as clear as ever in my memory. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that feeling of overcoming my own fears physically.
8. Diving Out from a Plane into the Skies
I’ve always wondered how it felt to be jumping out of a plane and into the sky. Would my face be distorted with that wind? Would I scream till my voice got hoarse? Would I have the courage to even do it? To me, skydiving was an iconic acitivity of New Zealand and I just had to check that off my bucket list when I was there in Wanaka.
Wanaka is such a beautiful and serene location perfect for skydiving as you’ll be able to get an eagle’s view of Lake Wanaka from the top! See my drunk-alike expression above as I was just so happy that I finally did it without much hiccups. Apart from being super super nervous from gearing up, to getting on the tiny propeller plane and finally getting pushed out of the plane by my guide, all was great. Definitely an activity I did with ZERO regrets!!
Lastly, do check out my other articles on All You Need to Know About Your New Zealand Working Holiday if you’re planning your own one too! All the best to creating your own adrenaline packed holiday in New Zealand!
