Top 8 Things to Do in New Zealand

Māori heritage is a foundational element of New Zealand, a living culture of legends, language, and traditions. Across the islands, the indigenous people hold a strong connection to the land, sea, and natural environment. This is expressed through art, history, dance, and stories that are part of New Zealand's contemporary life, so there is much to explore and appreciate.

What to Expect

• Profound Greetings: Feel the resonance of the karanga (welcome call) echo across the marae (meeting grounds), a deeply personal and moving introduction to a living culture.
• Private Haka: Experience the ground vibrate from the rhythmic stomp of the haka during a private performance, hearing the powerful, guttural chants in an intimate setting.
• Tactile Arts: Trace the cool, smooth contours of a pounamu (greenstone) carving, as a master artist explains its deep, personal symbolism in their private studio.
• Earthy Aromas: Smell the rich, smoky steam as the hangi is lifted from the earth, before tasting the tender, slow-cooked lamb and root vegetables at a private feast.
• Fireside Legends: Listen to an elder share ancestral stories by the warmth of a crackling fire in a luxury lodge, connecting the legends directly to the landscape outside.

Best Places to Experience Māori Culture

• Rotorua
• Willowbank Wildlife Reserve
• Bay of Islands (Waitangi)
• Abel Tasman National Park
• Okains Bay

Find more inspiration by exploring our sample Scenic North and South Island New Zealand Discovery itinerary.

New Zealand’s food scene is a growing movement that draws from Māori heritage and European customs, all while focusing on homegrown produce and local ingredients. Native herbs, forest-foraged goods, productive gardens, and an extensive selection of seafood all play a role. A strong emphasis on fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients has created a new gastronomic landscape that is inventive and specific to the regions.

What to Expect

• Ocean Flavors: Taste the sharp, briny burst of a fresh Bluff oyster, paired with a glass of chilled champagne on a private charter cruise.
• Gourmet Foraging: Smell the peppery, herbal scent of kawakawa as a private chef incorporates foraged ingredients into a bespoke, multi-course meal at your villa.
• Velvet Sips: Inhale the rich, nutty aroma of a perfectly pulled flat white, its micro-foam leaving a smooth, velvety texture on your palate at a top urban café.
• Cellar-Door Feasts: Enjoy a long, leisurely lunch at a premier winery, tasting soft, local cheeses and cured meats while seated among the sun-warmed vines.
• Chef’s Table: Secure a reservation at an award-winning restaurant for a chef's table experience, watching the artistry and precision as each dish is plated.

Best Places to Experience the Finest Food

• Auckland
• Whanganui
• Nelson
• Christchurch
• Dunedin

For more ideas on a food-focused journey, see our sample  Top-Tier Food and Wine Tour of New Zealand.

New Zealand’s landscape is a varied collection of fiords, glaciers, craggy mountain peaks, and geothermal pools, all accessible in its national parks. Protected by contemporary principles and Māori tradition, the nation has 14 national parks from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South. Each has its own personality, specific story, and natural history, offering something for every type of traveler.

What to Expect

• Icy Landings: Feel the thrum of a private helicopter as it lands on a remote glacier, followed by the sound of ice crunching under your boots in an otherwise silent world.
• Geothermal Hikes: Smell the sharp, sulfuric scent from active steam vents while hiking past the striking, mineral-rich colors of the Emerald Lakes.
• Secluded Shores: Steer a private kayak into a deserted cove in Abel Tasman, feeling the soft, golden sand between your toes on a beach you have to yourself.
• Profound Silence: Stand on the deck of an overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound, feeling the cold mist from waterfalls and hearing the deep, profound quiet of the fiord.
• Mountain Light: Walk the grounds of your luxury lodge to see the first morning light hit the peak of Aoraki, the snow turning from pink to gold.

Best Places to Experience Famous National Parks

• Rakiura (Stewart Island)
• Fiordland National Park
• Paparoa National Park
• Mount Aspiring National Park
• Abel Tasman National Park

For more information to inspire your trip, see our Top Things to Do in Mount Cook National Park.

New Zealand feels like one long stretch of interesting landscape waiting to be explored and the "Great Walks" offer some of the best hiking opportunities. An excellent network of trails is strewn across diverse landscapes, making exploration of the islands engaging and exciting. You can travel through mist-covered mountains, alongside deep fiords, along black-sand beaches, or in old-growth fern forests.

What to Expect

• Guided Coasts: Hear the melodic calls of the tui and bellbird, pointed out by your private guide as you walk a secluded section of coastal forest.
• Elevated Treks: Feel the cool, thin alpine air on your face as you reach a mountain pass, rewarding your effort with a gourmet picnic and panoramic views.
• Lodge-Based Hikes: Inhale the damp, earthy scent of the fern forest floor, knowing a hot shower and a glass of wine await you at your luxury lodge.
• Premium Lodges: Bypass the public huts for a guided walk that concludes each day at a private, catered lodge with soft linens and a chef-prepared meal.
• Bespoke Itineraries: Choose a heli-hike that drops you on a remote ridge, allowing you to walk the most scenic downhill sections of a trail.

Best Places to Experience the Great Trails

• Waitawa Walk
• Taranaki Falls Trail
• Tongariro Alpine Crossing
• Abel Tasman Coast Track
• Mount Victoria Trails

Learn more about the country's premier trails in our Great Walks of New Zealand article.

New Zealand is a special destination for wildlife viewing, with many experiences available. Excursions into the isolated islands can give you a glimpse of unusual animals that evolved far from the rest of the world. The most famous of these include the flightless kiwi, the yellow-eyed penguin, and different species of whales. Seeing these creatures in their natural habitat is a memorable experience.

What to Expect

• Private Sanctuaries: Hear the distinct snuffling sound of a kiwi in the dark, your private guide leading you with a special red-light torch in a protected sanctuary.
• Aerial Views: Watch the full, massive form of a sperm whale from the comfort of a private helicopter, seeing it surface and dive without the boat crowds.
• Kayak Encounters: Hear the barks and splashes of fur seal pups as your private kayak guide helps you quietly observe their colony from a respectful distance.
• Intimate Viewing: Huddle in a private, camouflaged hide at sunset, watching the rare yellow-eyed penguins waddle ashore in a protected bay.
• Alpine Visitors: Hear the cheeky, intelligent call of a kea as it lands on the balcony of your high-country luxury lodge, its green feathers bright against the snow.

Best Places to Experience Endemic Wildlife

• Oamaru
• Dunedin
• Kaikoura
• Akaroa
• Bay of Islands

Plan your wildlife encounters with our sample An Intimate Wildlife Tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The cities of New Zealand each have their own personality and style. With a passion for art, music, coffee, and local food, the different regions across the North and South islands combine contemporary culture with traditional heritage. While nature may be the main draw to New Zealand, the cities share a strong connection with the surrounding wilderness, from coastal harbors and mountains to nearby lakes and islands.

What to Expect

• Private Charters: Feel the wind and salt spray on your face from the deck of a private yacht, sailing Auckland’s harbor with a glass of champagne.
• Artisan Aromas: Inhale the rich scent of single-origin coffee, followed by the taste of a perfectly poached egg with local salmon at Wellington's best artisan café.
• After-Hours Access: Arrange an after-hours, curator-led tour of a top gallery, discussing the art in quiet, private rooms.
• Vintage Cars: Tour Napier's Art Deco streets from the plush, leather-scented interior of a chauffeured, restored 1930s automobile.
• Suite Views: Open the curtains of your five-star suite to an unobstructed view of Lake Wakatipu, the water glittering just beyond your private balcony.

Best Places to Experience Urban Scenery

• Auckland
• Wellington
• Nelson
• Christchurch
• Queenstown

Take a look at our sample Spectacular Nature to Sparkling Cityscapes New Zealand Tour for more ideas.

New Zealand is a playground for adventurers, and the outdoors offers a wide array of exciting activities. From kayaking and mountain biking to surfing and snowboarding, the varied activities make the North and South islands fantastic destinations. You can sail between distant islands, ride a jet boat up a rushing river, swim with dolphins, or look for wildlife on a 4x4 safari. The possibilities for an active trip are endless.

What to Expect

• Private Thrills: Feel the rush of cold, river spray on your face as your private jet boat performs a 360-degree spin in a narrow, rocky canyon.
• Ice Explorations: Hear the crackle of ancient, blue ice under your crampons as a private guide leads you through surreal, frozen caves and crevasses.
• Quiet Waters: Dip your paddle into the glassy, dark water of a remote fiord, the only sound the drip of water from your oar and the calls of birds.
• Heli-Picnics: Take off in a private helicopter to land on a secluded mountaintop, enjoying a gourmet picnic with an immense, silent view.
• Curated Adrenaline: Feel the heart-stopping drop of a bungy, followed by a post-jump return to a luxury lodge to relax by the fire.

Best Places to Experience Outdoor Adventures

• Queenstown
• Auckland
• Kaikoura
• Bay of Islands
• Fox Glacier

Find inspiration for your next thrill with our sample Adventurous Two-Week South Island Family Vacation.

New Zealand is a premier producer of cool-climate wines, with vineyards crossing the North and South islands. With roughly 11 main wine regions, you can find a varied collection of flavors and textures. The bright colors and expressive fruit in the wines, particularly sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, translate the beauty of the New Zealand landscape into a glass that reflects the local culture.

What to Expect

• Signature Aromas: Swirl a glass of Marlborough sauvignon blanc, inhaling its famous grassy, gooseberry notes before the crisp, acidic taste hits your palate.
• Velvet Reds: Taste the deep, cherry and spice notes of a Central Otago pinot noir, its velvety texture perfect for a cool evening by a stone fireplace.
• Private Cellars: Enjoy a private, vertical tasting with the winemaker in their personal cellar, sampling rare vintages not available to the public.
• Gourmet Pairings: Taste a flight of wines expertly paired with local artisan cheeses and smoked salmon on a sun-drenched, private terrace overlooking the vines.
• Chauffeured Tours: Relax in a luxury vehicle as your private driver navigates the wine routes, allowing you to focus on the views of vine-covered hills.

Best Places to Experience Local Wines

• Marlborough
• Nelson
• Central Otago
• Hawke’s Bay
• Waiheke Island

Explore the country's best vineyards on our best New Zealand wine tours, all of which can be tailored to your tastes.

Whether looking for family adventures, romantic relaxation, or unique wildlife excursions, New Zealand’s diverse landscapes and activities make it the perfect place for all types of travelers.

Look deeper into the country’s wide array of adventures and beauty with our New Zealand travel guide, or explore our collection of featured New Zealand tours and vacations.