12 Bucket List Experiences in New Zealand You Need to Have (At Least Once)
New Zealand is home to some of the most unique and adventurous experiences in the world from visiting famous Lord of the Rings locations to hiking in some of the most beautiful national parks.
After 4 visits, we’ve put together this bucket list of experiences and places to visit here in New Zealand! From the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island (and beyond!)
Our list of must-do experiences in New Zealand includes a mix of treks, adrenaline activities, and unique places you simply have to visit during your trip to this incredible country.
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New Zealand Bucket List Overview
From softer adventures like kayaking in a national park and wine tasting in the beautiful country side to more adrenaline-rushing activities such as trying out the world’s first commercial bungy jumping and hiking across an active volcano, there are some crazy cool experiences to be had here!
Whether you’ve got two weeks or two months, New Zealand delivers non-stop “pinch-me” moments from the moment you arrive until the day you leave.
We hope you get a chance to try at least some (if not all) of these activities!
And if you don’t want to plan your trip on your own, you can check out one of these New Zealand tours.
Explore the Hobbiton Movie Set (North Island)
If you’re a LOTR & Hobbit fan, you probably already know about this, but The Shire does, in fact, exist! And it is located in the beautiful rolling green hills of Waikato aka Middle-earth!
The best part is that there’s an immersive tour where you get to walk through The Shire as Bilbo did many years ago – and whether or not you’re a fan, it’s a must-do experience!
Our friend who works there told us to book one of the morning slots to avoid the big crowds. She also told us the tour sells out months in advance during peak season, so make sure you book your tour as soon as possible.
It’s crazy how detailed this movie set is, and you’ll learn quite a few fun facts about how Spielberg ended up filming here and other insights from the production of the movies.
If you want a once-in-a-lifetime experience, book the Evening Banquet Dinner to enjoy a delicious meal at the Green Dragon Inn!
Tongariro Alpine Crossing & Circuit
We have done both the Tongariro Alpine Crossing & Circuit, and they are both incredible treks. The Tongarario Crossing (AllTrails map) has been called one of the best day hikes in the world – and once you’ve done it, you’ll understand why!
This 20km journey takes you across a volcanic landscape with steaming craters, emerald lakes, and dramatic mountain views that feel like you’re on another planet. It actually brought me back to a time we hiked up Mount Guajara on Tenerife.
In order to do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, we highly recommend you book the hike in advance since it’s one of the most popular hikes in the country, and it can book out.
We also suggest you stay in Whakapapa Village the night before your hike so you can start the track early before the crowds! There are limited accommodation options, so make sure you book this in advance as well.
Another option for hiking in this area is to do the Tongariro Northern Circuit instead which is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks.
This multi-day trek uses a section of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, through NZ’s only desert, and past a beautiful waterfall.
You’ll stay at three different huts and get to take in even more incredible views of the iconic volcanoes: Mount Ruapehu & Ngauruhoe!
⚠️ Both of these are best done between November and April when the weather is warmer with lower risk of snowfall. Start early, pack layers (the alpine weather can change fast), plenty of water, and good boots. Check the DOC website for the weather and trail conditions on the day.
Cruise the Forgotten World Highway
This is a real off-the-beaten-path Kiwi adventure: the Forgotten World Highway (SH43).
This 155km stretch between Stratford and Taumarunui winds through remote farmland, lush native bush, dramatic gorges, and one-lane bridges that feel like you’ve left the modern world behind.
It’s slow and windy but it gives you a 100% authentic Kiwi experience. It’s one of those drives that makes you enjoy the simple things in life.
The Forgotten World Highway also goes through the Republic of Whangamamona, which dates back to 1989!
Pop into the classic Whangamomona Hotel, grab a drink, eat a pie, and get your passport stamped at the bar (this is not a joke)!
⛽️ PS: Make sure you put on fuel before you start the road as there are no petrol stations along this road!
Mount Taranaki & Pouakai Tarns
On a clear day, you’ll be able to see this lone standing Volcano from many kilometres away! It rises like a perfect cone from the surrounding plains.
Mount Taranaki (also known as Taranaki Maunga) is one of the most symmetrical volcanoes you’ll ever see and is often resembled with Mount Fuji in Japan.
This mountain has a special, spiritual presence that makes it feel like a true bucket list experience. We spent a few days in New Plymouth and absolutely loved sitting on the porch of our bed & breakfast just admiring the volcano!
Whether you tackle the summit climb – a tough but epic day for experienced hikers (please don’t stand on top of the peak out of respect for the Māori Iwis) or hike up to the Pouakai Tarns as we did, you’re in for an absolute treat.
Also read: 3 Awesome Hikes Near New Plymouth We Love 🌋🌿🥾
Abel Tasman National Park
Abel Tasman National Park is right on the north-western corner of the South Island and it’s actually the most visited national park in all of New Zealand.
This part of NZ is so different from what you might expect with beautiful beaches, palm trees and lust forest, and lots of marine life.
Here you can also find another one of New Zealand’s Great Walks: The Abel Tasman Coast Track. We’ve done a stretch of this track, and it’s absolutely stunning!
The track takes you through native bush, over estuaries (fresh and salt water mix), and along stunning sandy coves and beaches.
Even though we haven’t all of the Great Walks (yet), I’d personally say it’s one of New Zealand’s best Great Walks. The combination of the turquoise water, granite cliffs, and easy-access beaches feels like a tropical dream.
In Abel Tasman, you can also go sea kayaking out to the Tonga Island Marine Reserve where you can see Kekeno fur seal colonies and hidden lagoons
Pro tip: You don’t have to do the full Abel Tasman Trek! Even doing a small stretch starting from Mārahau makes for an awesome day hike with some great coves and beaches! 🏝️
Marlborough Bike and Wine Tasting
If you’re a wine enthusiast and want one of the most unique experiences in New Zealand, a stop in Blenheim in the Marlborough Region is a must!
This area is home to some of the best wines in the country, and there’s no better way to sample for yourself than to cruise around on a bike around all the different wineries (please bicycle responsibly).
We actually took Josie’s sister on this tour, and the three of us had the best time! I think we ended up going to 5 of the 12 wineries nearby and got to sample all sorts of Marlborough wines. Allan Scott was our favourite!
You can pre-book a bike-and-wine tour here, which includes pick up and drop off at your place of accommodation. It’s a stunning part of the country, and cruising around the wineries makes it that much more special.
Visit Lake Pukaki and Aoraki Mount Cook
Named after New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki Mount Cook, this national park shows you just how wild and beautiful this country really is.
The Hooker Valley Track (partially open as of April 2026) is the perfect way for an easy-to-moderate 3-hour return walk with swing bridges, turquoise rivers, and unbeatable views of the mountain and glaciers.
To hike the famous Hooker Valley Track, try to go early in the day or later in the afternoon, as it can get quite busy (also, golden hour in the valley is amazing).
If you’re looking for something a bit more adventurous, add a scenic flight with a glacier landing to your itinerary (weather-dependent, pre-booking recommended)!
On our most recent trip to Mount Cook, we also hiked the Pukaki Kettle Hole Track which gives you one of the best views of Aoraki Mount Cook from a distance!
Mount Cook Village is a stunning place to spend a night or two and just explore and admire the mountains. The Hermitage Hotel has the most scenic views!
📍 Want to know about all the best spots in Aotearoa New Zealand?
Then check out our New Zealand Maps with +200 locations around the country that we have visited during our 10 months of living and travelling in NZ! 🗺️
Go on a scenic flight on the South Island
We briefly hinted at this above, but one of the most incredible things you can do on the south island is go on a scenic flight or helicopter tour in either Piopiotahi Milford Sound, Aoraki Mount Cook, or Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere Franz Josef.
Choose between one of the following:
- Queenstown to Milford scenic flight
- Glacier landing and waterfall flight in Milford Sound
- Scenic Helicopter flight with alpine landing in Mount Cook
- Glacier hike in Franz Josef via helicopter
All of these flights are unique in their own way, but since they aren’t the most budget-friendly, we suggest you pick one of them. If we were to pick just one, it’d be this one.
Regardless of which flight you end up going on, we’re sure you’ll get some incredible views and memories for life.
📆 During the summer, it’s good to book in advance to make sure you get a spot! We also suggest you book it for your first day in the location you go in case it gets rescheduled due to weather 🌦️⚡️☀️
Explore the 8th Wonder of the World: Piopiotahi Milford Sound
Piopiotahi Milford Sound has a special place in our hearts since we used to live and work here.
To this day, I still think it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world, and there’s a reason why it’s on everyone’s New Zealand bucket list (and why it’s also known as the 8th wonder of the World).
It does get very busy during the day since most people come on a day trip to do a cruise on the fiord – and this is why we recommend staying the night to experience this magical place without the crowds and just enjoy the beautiful nature.
You can spend the night either by doing an overnight cruise or by staying at Milford Sound Lodge.
It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world, and if you can make time for it, staying overnight is so worth it!
Also read: How to Get From Queenstown to Milford Sound ⛰️
Go get an adrenaline rush in Queenstown
There’s a reason why they call Queenstown the adventure capital of the world!
There are so many fun adventurous activities to do here from paragliding and jet boating to bungy jumping – so if you’re a bit of an adrenaline junkie, Queenstown needs to be on your bucket list.
A fun fact about Queenstown is that it’s the birthplace of commercial bungy jumping and now people come from all around the world just to bungy here.
Some of the adrenaline activities you can do around Queenstown:
- 134-meter Nevis Bungy Jump
- Jet boating through Shotover and Kawarau Canyons
- Paragliding over Lake Wakatipu
- The 70m Nevis Swing (the world’s biggest canyon swing)
- Ziplining through the trees above Queenstown
All of these are in or near Queenstown, so you quickly see how this is considered the adventure capital of the world.
If you’re looking to give your body a boost of adrenaline and try out one of these activities, then Queenstown is the place to do it.
Also read: Where to Stay in Queenstown 🏡
Catch the sunrise in Wānaka
This is probably our favourite town in the whole country! It’s not quite as famous as Queenstown, which everyone visits, but Wānaka has something special about it, which you have to experience.
We’ve spent over 2 months in Wānaka, and while there are two things that have put Wānaka on the map for travellers (#thatwānakatree and Roys Peak sunrise hike), we think Wānaka has so much more to offer!
We’ve written a few guides on Wanaka that will help you plan your time here:
Most people drive through Wanaka and end up spending an afternoon there or only hiking Roy’s Peak. Don’t make the same mistake and give yourself at least a few nights to get the full Wanaka experience!
Spot Kiwis on Rakiura Stewart Island
At the very bottom of the South Island, near Bluff, you will find New Zealand’s third island: Rakiura, Stewart Island.
Not many people make it here (including locals) but it is not because the island is not worth visiting, because it absolutely is! It’s just a bit of a journey to get there. You either have to take a 1-hour ferry from Bluff or fly from Invercargill.
Rakiura is pure nature, and 85% of the island is a national park! There’s so much beautiful, raw and untouched nature, and it is one of the best places in New Zealand to spot the iconic kiwi bird.
Unfortunately, because we decided to try to find the Kiwis on our own (and due to bad weather), we didn’t manage to see them. If you’re travelling all this way, don’t make the same mistake as us…
Go on an evening guided walking tour or head on a boat trip to Ulva Island for the best chances of spotting the kiwi birds.
📍 Want to know about all the best spots in Aotearoa New Zealand?
Then check out our New Zealand Maps with +200 locations around the country that we have visited during our 10 months of living and travelling in NZ! 🗺️
Final thoughts on this New Zealand Bucket List
This list could have 100 things on it, that’s how many unique and memorable experiences there are in New Zealand. But I do believe sometimes the small things in the moment end up being the highlights of any trip.
We hope you have the best time exploring this wonderful country. It’s a place close to our hearts that we basically consider our home away from home, so if there’s anything we can help with, please reach out.
We love helping out where we can, especially with a place we’re as familiar with as New Zealand.
We hope you have the best time and get a chance to experience a bunch of these bucket list experiences – and maybe even create some of your own!
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