Fun is good for your health, and it’s even better for your holiday. Have you ever had a bungy jump? Do you want to do a loop the loop in an aerobatic plane? What does it feel like to roll head-over-heels down a hill inside a giant plastic ball? When it comes to crazy stuff, New Zealand is a mad, mad world.
Inspired by the land divers of Pentecost Island and daring leaps made by the Oxford University Dangerous Sport Club, New Zealander A.J. Hackett turned bungy jumping into a business in 1988. Working with his friend Henry van Asch, Hackett engaged scientists at Auckland University to fine-tune the art of bungy. Today he has jumps in Auckland and Queenstown, including the wickedly-scary Nevis Highwire - an 8.5 second free-fall above the Nevis River.
As well as bungy jumping, there are other original ways to get some fresh air on your New Zealand holiday. In Auckland you can do a base jump off the Sky Tower - 192 metres straight down in 11 seconds; Queenstown has the Shotover Canyon Swing, which is a bit like being in a playground that’s 35 storeys off the ground; and the Mokai Gravity Canyon in the Manawatu region has a giant bridge swing - a mind-blowing thrill that begins with a 50-metre freefall.
Nelson’s special gravity-powered experience is the Skywire, which is a cross between a flying fox and a chairlift. This crazy ride will have you whizzing over a forest valley at speeds up to 100kph.
For the really adventurous traveller, a tandem flight in a paraglider is a chance to soar like a bird and squeal like a 10-year-old. You’ll find paragliding operators in Queenstown, Christchurch, Nelson, Havelock North and Auckland.
Wet and wild
Surrounded by ocean and riddled with rivers, New Zealand is a fantastic place for water fun. In Taranaki you can try dam dropping - a plunge down 30 metres of rushing water. This particular kind of madness is a form of river sledging, where you conquer white water rapids armed only with a body board, helmet and flippers. In Eastland you’ll find another kind of river fun at Rere Falls. Here you can slide down a 60-metre natural water slide - "Woohoo!" doesn’t begin to describe it.
Adventure takes many forms in New Zealand. You have to expect the unexpected.
Invented in New Zealand, because we seem to be world-leaders when it comes to bizarre pastimes, zorbing is a head-over-heels activity that will have the folks back home gasping with disbelief. A zorb is a large, inflatable ball that rolls downhill with a person inside it. Warm water is often added to make the experience even more fun. Rotorua is the place for zorbing.
Dune surfing is another way to let off steam. On the giant sand hills of Cape Reinga and the Hokianga, gravity will show you a very good time. The walking up is hard work, but the zooming down is a total blast.
Petrol-head passion
On a quad bike safari you’re in charge of a roaring beast that can blast over and through almost anything. Zoom through the forest, along beaches and across farmland - you’ll see parts of New Zealand that can’t be reached by road. Top quad-biking areas include Northland’s Ninety-Mile Beach, the Woodhill Forest and Muriwai Beach in Auckland, the Gannet Colony at Cape Kidnappers, and Hanmer Springs in the South Island.
In Christchurch you can drive a military tank, the ultimate off-road machine. The ‘big daddy’ of the collection is the V-12, 650bhp Centurion, weighing in at a staggering 52 tonnes.
If aviation fuel is your particular petrol-head passion, Nelson has an aerobatics pilot you can give you a taste of loop-the-loops over the Abel Tasman National Park. Or get behind the joystick of a modern light sport aircraft and see Wanaka’s amazing scenery from the air - no previous flying experience required!
Jet boating, a different kind of motorised madness, takes place on many of New Zealand’s major rivers. Propelled by a water jet system that was invented by a Kiwi, these boats can navigate shallow, fast-running rivers at amazing speeds. A 360 in a jet boat is an unforgettable experience that’s certain to leave you just a little damp.
Less daring but still crazy
You don’t have to be a daredevil to have a crazy time. In Queenstown you can hire a Segway Personal Transporter and roll serenely along the lake’s edge. And if you have a sweet tooth, you can’t pass up a tour of Dunedin’s chocolate factory. Learn about the process of chocolate making and marvel at the chocolate waterfall, then stock up on delicious treats at the shop.
Puzzles and mazes
Every summer, mazes are planted in Whakatane and Sanson, so that intrepid explorers can come and get lost. The Sanson Maze runs fright nights for those who like a touch of terror.
At any time of the year you can give your brain a workout at Wanaka’s Puzzling World. As well as a 3D labyrinth, you’ll find illusion rooms that will really mess with your mind.
Heliskiing
Heliskiing is all about no compromises. It’s for adventurers who are seeking pure adrenalin and pure freedom in pure powder.
New Zealand’s World Heritage alpine parks offer all these
ingredients, plus the added benefit of breathtaking scenery to fill
those few idle seconds at the beginning and end of each run.
Bungy jump meets rocketship with The Swoop - scare-raising fun for three people.
New Zealand offers a huge range of exhilarating adventure activities for thrill seekers. If you want something truly unique, why not give the kiwi inventions of Zorbing and Fly by Wire a go?
Plan your trip around New Zealand with this interactive New Zealand map. See main towns and cities, main roads, national parks, rivers and lakes and New Zealand weather.
