New Zealand —
one of the most beautiful places on earth
After Tasmania we flew into Auckland and picked up the Haka Tours Amplified 19-day tour — and this is where things got properly special. New Zealand is one of those places where the scenery genuinely does not look real. Every single day felt completely different — one minute you're beside the ocean, the next you're deep in mountains, then suddenly you're in geothermal Rotorua, watching the southern lights from Mount John at Lake Tekapo, or floating through a cave lit by thousands of glowworms. In 57 countries between us, New Zealand is firmly in the top five. We'd go back tomorrow.
Watch our New Zealand highlights first 🎬
19 days. Two islands. A trip we'll never forget.
We flew into Auckland from Hobart having already spent time in Perth and Tasmania as part of a longer Australia and New Zealand adventure. By the time we landed in Auckland we were well-travelled — but New Zealand still managed to completely blow us away from day one.
The Haka Tours Amplified 19-day tour was the perfect way to see both islands. A small group, a brilliant guide, everything organised — all we had to do was show up and enjoy it. And enjoy it we absolutely did. White water rafting, glowworm caves, Hobbiton, a Māori hāngī and haka that genuinely moved us, stargazing at 1,029 metres above Lake Tekapo in the freezing cold with a hot chocolate in hand — and finishing the tour on a birthday in Christchurch with an eye infection from sheer exhaustion. Every single bit of it was worth it. 😄
Auckland & Coromandel — the beautiful start
We had one night in Auckland — just enough to get our bearings in New Zealand's largest city before the tour began. Auckland sits on a narrow isthmus between two harbours and the skyline, dominated by the Sky Tower, is genuinely impressive.
Coromandel was the first real wow moment of the tour. The drive up the peninsula is stunning but it's Cathedral Cove that stops you in your tracks — a magnificent natural rock arch opening onto a pristine beach that looks like it belongs on a screensaver. And in fact, it has been a Google screensaver! There's a bit of a hike down to reach it but every step is worth it. One of the most beautiful spots in New Zealand.
✨ Waitomo Glowworm Caves — pure magic
The Waitomo glowworm caves are one of the most magical experiences in New Zealand — and that is not an exaggeration. Floating through a vast underground cave in total silence, looking up at a ceiling covered in thousands of tiny glowworms creating their own galaxy above you — it is genuinely one of the most extraordinary natural experiences we have ever had.
The silence, the darkness and the sheer otherworldliness of it makes Waitomo completely unlike anything else on the tour. Don't skip it. If you want the full adrenaline version, black water rafting takes you through the cave on an inflated tube — thrilling, wet and brilliantly mad craic.
🧙 Hobbiton — more magical than you expect
Even if you've never watched a single Lord of the Rings film, Hobbiton is worth doing. The attention to detail is extraordinary — every hobbit hole, every garden, every detail of Bag End is maintained exactly as it appeared on screen. The Waikato hills rolling away in every direction provide a backdrop that feels genuinely Middle-earth.
The guided tour brings it all to life in a way that just wandering around independently never could. And finishing with a drink at the Green Dragon Inn is a lovely touch. One of New Zealand's most iconic experiences — and it fully earns that status.
The Māori hāngī and haka — genuinely one of the most moving experiences of the trip
The Māori cultural evening was one of the standout experiences of the entire 19 days — and neither of us had quite anticipated how much it would affect us. The evening included a traditional hāngī meal — food slow-cooked in an underground pit using heated rocks, the traditional Māori method of cooking for centuries. The result is smoky, tender and completely unlike anything you've had before.
But the haka performance was what stayed with us. Watching and participating in a proper haka — the stomping, the chanting, the intensity of eye contact and the sheer physical power of the performance — is something that gets into you in a way that is very hard to explain. It is not entertainment. It is something much older and more profound than that.
Learning about Māori culture, history and traditions from the people themselves gave the whole evening a depth and authenticity that made it one of the most memorable nights of our entire time in New Zealand. Absolutely do not skip this if you go.
Stargazing on Mount John — the southern lights in the freezing cold
Lake Tekapo is already one of the most beautiful places in New Zealand — the extraordinary turquoise glacial water, the Church of the Good Shepherd on the shore, the mountains rising on all sides. But it is what happens after dark that makes it truly extraordinary.
The Mount John Observatory sits 1,029 metres above the lake within the world's largest International Dark Sky Reserve — one of the darkest, clearest skies anywhere on the planet. We went up to the summit for the stargazing experience and the southern skies were breathtaking. The Milky Way stretching overhead, the southern constellations, and — on our night — the Southern Lights dancing across the sky.
It was absolutely freezing cold at the summit — genuine polar jacket territory — but nobody cared because what was happening above us was too extraordinary to feel anything but awe. Hot chocolate in hand, slightly too many drinks taken earlier in the evening, standing on top of a mountain looking at the aurora australis. One of those moments that doesn't feel real while it's happening.
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Queenstown, Wanaka, Milford Sound & Franz Josef
Queenstown is the adventure capital of the world and it absolutely earns the title. The setting alone — on the shores of Lake Wakatipu with the Remarkables mountain range rising dramatically behind — is extraordinary. Add bungee jumping, skydiving, jet boating and white water rafting and you have a place that is endlessly, gloriously energetic.
Wanaka sits just over the Crown Range from Queenstown and offers the same stunning lake and mountain scenery with a fraction of the crowds. The famous Wanaka tree in the lake has been photographed millions of times for good reason — it is one of those perfectly composed natural scenes.
Milford Sound is the most dramatic fjord in New Zealand — sheer cliff faces dropping hundreds of metres into the dark water, waterfalls cascading from the peaks above, and an atmosphere that feels completely otherworldly even when it's raining. Especially when it's raining, actually. The boat cruise through the sound is one of the great New Zealand experiences.
Franz Josef Glacier sits surrounded by lush rainforest in a setting that makes no sense until you're standing in it. Walking up to the glacier face with the jungle all around you is one of those genuinely surreal New Zealand moments — the kind that makes you understand why people say the country doesn't look real.
The Taupō Rapids Jet — absolutely mad craic
If you want pure adrenaline without jumping out of a plane, the Taupō Rapids jet boat is it. Screaming through narrow river canyons at full speed, spinning 360s on the water — it is one of those experiences where you spend the whole time laughing and screaming simultaneously. Watch our reel and you'll see exactly what we mean.
The Taupō Rapids Jet — watch before you book!
Finishing the tour in Christchurch — on a birthday, with an eye infection
The tour finished in Christchurch — a city still rebuilding its identity and its physical fabric after the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, but doing so with a remarkable spirit and creativity. The container malls, the street art, the rebuilt cathedral precinct — Christchurch has something genuinely moving about it.
We celebrated the birthday here — or tried to. Between the exhaustion of 19 days of adventuring on top of weeks already spent in Australia, the immune system had simply had enough. An eye infection meant a trip to the doctor rather than the bar. The doctor was very nice. The eye recovered. The birthday was salvaged. 😄
But even that ending couldn't diminish what the 19 days had been. New Zealand is one of those places that gets into your soul in a way that very few destinations manage. The people, the landscapes, the culture, the craic — it is extraordinary from start to finish.
Book a New Zealand tour through TourRadar
New Zealand is large and the highlights are spread across both islands — a guided tour takes the stress out of organising transport, ferries and accommodation and means you see far more than you would independently. This is the type of tour we did and would recommend without hesitation.
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Things to do in New Zealand — via GetYourGuide
From Milford Sound cruises and Hobbiton tours to Queenstown adventures, glowworm caves and Mount John stargazing:
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Common questions
New Zealand FAQ
What to pack for New Zealand
New Zealand packing essentials
New Zealand can mean beaches, boats, glacier walks and freezing cold mountain summits all in one trip. These are the things we'd pack without hesitation.
New Zealand weather changes fast — especially on the South Island. A good waterproof layer is essential.
View on Amazon →Essential for walking trails, Cathedral Cove, glacier visits and adventure days in the national parks.
View on Amazon →For Lake Tekapo stargazing especially — it is genuinely, seriously cold on that summit. Don't underestimate it.
View on Amazon →New Zealand's sandflies are famously persistent — especially near water and in forested areas. Don't find out the hard way.
View on Amazon →Handy for maps and staying connected while moving between towns across both islands.
View on Amazon →Long travel days and lots of photo stops will drain your phone faster than you think.
View on Amazon →New Zealand has some of the strongest UV radiation in the world — you can burn badly even when it feels cool.
View on Amazon →New Zealand uses Type I plugs — same as Australia but different to Ireland. Don't get caught out.
View on Amazon →Disclosure: These are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Ready to plan your New Zealand trip?
New Zealand is one of those trips you plan for years and it exceeds every single expectation. Don't rush it — give both islands the time they deserve. You won't regret a single second of it.
Affiliate disclosure: if you book through our links we may earn a small commission at no cost to you. We only recommend trips and experiences we've done ourselves.