8 Places You Have To Visit In New Zealand

New Zealand is an amazing country. A lot of people consider New Zealand to be the most beautiful country on earth. It is basically like a smaller version and combination of Norway and Canada, but with almost as much cool stuff to see as in the other two countries. New Zealand is a place full of beauty, adventures and heritage. A country with awesome people and the most beautiful nature you can possibly find. An absolute dream.

1. Hobbiton

The first thing on the list of things to see has to be Hobbiton, in my opinion. I have to admit that I am an absolute fan, but even for people who are not, this is a cool place to visit. It is something the Kiwis (a nickname for the people in NZ) are proud of. It’s one of the most successful movies ever made. Getting behind the scenes is just cool. You will feel like a little kid. This trilogy is actually that popular in New Zealand, that New Zealand Airlines is advertising it in their safety movie on the planes. Just a really cool part of NZ that belongs to the country like the 'Haka' or 'Kiwis' 😉.

2. White Water Rafting - River Valley

New Zealand is full of adventures. It is absolutely incredible how much stuff you’ll find to do there. The White Water Rafting in River Valley on the North Island is one of the places to be in this case. And it is not just the rafting itself, which is absolutely brilliant and good fun. It is also the surroundings. Wide green valleys, full of sheep and small beautiful hills. A green oasis that pours on a special charm, which is hard to explain…

3. Black Water Rafting - Waitomo

The Black Water Rafting in Waitomo is easily one of the most memorable things I have ever done. A must do in New Zealand! It is basically like caving, just with an additional floating/ jumping experience. And the coolest thing about it – the fireflies. I have never seen them before and I maybe never will again. It’s absolutely surreal to see them, floating through a completely dark cave where you cannot see your hand, even at 10 cm away from your face. So cool and an amazing adventure!

4. Cape Reinga

This is a famous spot within New Zealand. Heaps of people go up all the way to the most northern point of this country to see this place. Why? Because this is the spot where two oceans clash. Really cool to look at. Besides that, it’s just a really pretty coastline. That for itself is already a reason to go there. On the way up you can also stop by at Paihia to swim with wild dolphins or slide down some sand dunes. Good fun!

5. Tongariro Crossing

Another big highlight on the north island is the the Tongariro Crossing. This, like many other places in New Zealand, looks like it could have been in the Lord of the Rings movies. And that is for a reason. It is gorgeous! And not just that - The Tongariro Crossing hike is really cool too. You have to cover a distance of 19km, which takes a bit more than half a day. If you are lucky, you will have good weather and be able to see Mt. Doom and 3 turquoise lakes, which look really beautiful. You may already know this place from the internet. It can be seen almost everywhere. And that‘s for a good reason 😉.

6. Queenstown

The South Island of New Zealand is considered to be even more beautiful than the North Island. Why? Because everything seems just bigger, better, wider… A good example is Queenstown. Besides the fact that it is the perfect place to party, it is also insanely beautiful. This small town is built straight in between some wonderful mountain ranges, next to a really pretty lake. Such a scenic area. You also have the opportunity to do various exciting activities. My highlights were a bungy jump and ledge swing (check it out in my video below) close to the city as well as various cruises, hikes and other stuff. So awesome!

7. Franz Josef and Fox Glacier

These two glaciers are two of the biggest highlights in the whole of New Zealand for me because they are so beautiful and really rare. We don’t have a lot of glaciers on earth anymore and these two are a perfect example of what global warming is causing to our planet. You can literally see the differences every 2-3 years and this is shown on informational signs during the hike through the area. But anyway, today you still have the opportunity to go up there and explore these glaciers by a helicopter-hiking tour. A once in a lifetime thing!

8. Milford Sound

I don’t want to say too much about the last attraction, but for me, this was easily one of the coolest places to visit in the whole of New Zealand. Milford Sound can be visited by a boat cruise, which is unbelievably impressive. You drive along massive fjords, just like in Norway. Big waterfalls are everywhere, seal families, big groups of dolphins and much more.  Just spectacular to see, what nature is able to build. This is something you HAVE TO do.

Check out more of my crazy adventures in New Zealand and what travelling really means to me in this video.

Do you have any other 'must see' places in New Zealand? Let us know in the comments below!

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