Are you searching for a little dose of adrenaline during your next vacation? Then head over to New Zealand, which has a well-earned reputation for being a playground for adrenaline junkies, and a place where you and your friends can find numerous adventures. A number of the activities you will find in New Zealand are so unique — such as zorbing and sledging — that you may not have heard of them before. It’s probably not surprising that New Zealand is filled with unusual adventures, considering that this is the country where bungy jumping was first invented, as tourism.net.nz points out.
Tips for Your Trip
- Choose your adrenaline adventure company wisely. Avoid any companies that seem suspect as your life could be at risk if a company isn’t up to snuff.
- According to news.com.au, the government is currently urging people going overseas to purchase travel insurance from a reputable source. Why? Because if you should be hospitalized during your trip, having some kind of travel insurance means that you will be entitled to medical assistance, and that your treatment will be covered. Otherwise, you could be end up being out of pocket for all of your medical expenses, which could be a very substantial amount of money.
Types of Adventures
Sledging
While white water rafting is loads of fun, think how much more fun you’ll have without the raft. In sledging or river surfing, you will have nothing more than a small body board to ride on as you challenge white water rapids and river whirlpools. These thrilling rides are guided, and wetsuits are provided to keep you cosy even when the water is cold. You can find a number of sledging operators in the Queenstown area, which the Travel Channel calls the country’s capital of adventure tourism.
Heli-Rafting
While in Queenstown, why not also try heli-rafting? Heli-rafting is an adventure that is so awesome, it was added to Nine MSN Travel’s (top Australian web portal) list of the world’s top ten adrenaline experiences. This white water rafting adventure begins with a helicopter ride from Queenstown to the Shotover River. Once you put into the waters, you’ll not only have to tackle seven series of rapids, but you’ll also have to raft through the 170-meter-long Oxenbridge Tunnel in the dark, as NineMSN.com explains.
Zorbing
If you and your mates have ever fancied taking a ride down a hill in a gigantic hamster ball, then head to Rotorua where you can have a go at the crazy sport of zorbing. At Zorb Rotorua, you will be placed in a large inflatable globe and sent flying downhill on one of four tracks, according to Zorb.com. For a more thorough introduction to zorbing, click here.
Rappelling
Waitomo is the site of a truly unique New Zealand attraction. Visitors can go rapelling down into the Waitomo Caves area, where they might see New Zealand’s famous glow worms. Check out Waitomo Adventures, which offer a number of cave excursions, including trips to beautiful St. Benedict’s Caverns.
Bungy Jumping
If you’re going to bungy jump anywhere in the world, try New Zealand’s AJ Hackett Bungy in Queenstown, where the sport was pioneered. No worries if you won’t be in Queenstown. AJ Hackett now also offers jumps off of the Auckland Bridge. If jumping isn’t your style, why not try AJ Hacket’s Nevis Swing, which is the biggest swing in the world. The Nevis Swing makes a huge 300-meter Arc and hangs 160 meters above the water, according to Bungy.co.nz.