Top New Zealand Unique Experiences

Even on the cloudiest night, the New Zealand glowworm lights up the darkness in a lucky few spots across the country. This short evening bush-walk departing from Rotorua involves a short drive, a walk through picturesque native bush and the chance to see these increasingly rare creatures. Tack this tour onto the end of a thrilling day in Rotorua instead of hiring a car for an almost two-hour drive west to visit the exceedingly popular Waitomo Caves. This is one of the easiest ways to experience Aotearoa’s unique glowworm habitats.

Go Waitomo black-water rafting (cave tubing) for a memorable adventure in the Waitomo Caves. Choose a 3-hour Labyrinth experience that takes you floating underground on an inner tube, including a small waterfall jump. Or upgrade to the 5-hour Black Abyss for an exhilarating abseil (rappel) down limestone walls; instruction and equipment included. The resident glowworms, stalactites and stalagmites will amaze you! Finish with a hot shower, soup and bagel.

Enjoy an evening of drinking local wines and/or craft beer without worrying about getting home safely on this wine and craft beer tour. This fun group tour will take you to three wineries in the Gibbston region for tastings at each and shared antipasto platters are provided at one of the locations. Your guide will tell you all about the region’s history on the way, for an enjoyable and informative evening trip. Tour the Central Otago wine region without worrying about transport, transfers from central Queenstown are included.

The Hobbiton movie set and the Waitomo glow-worm caves are two of the most popular attractions on New Zealand’s North Island. Visit both in one day and enjoy a more personalized experience on this small-group tour. Discover behind-the-scenes of the legendary LOTR films during a guided tour of Hobbiton, then cruise the underground river of the Waitomo Caves, beneath a glittering canopy of glow worms.

See two remarkable glaciers from the air on a 30-minute helicopter tour of Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier. Lift off from a helipad at Fox Glacier, then fly across ice falls, formations, and crevasses on your way to Franz Josef Glacier, and touch down on a glacial snowfield for a photography session. Departures are available throughout the day for this 30-minute helicopter tour of two New Zealand glaciers.

Sip your way around Martinborough — a once sleepy colonial town that’s now a prominent wine village at the heart of the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail — on this private day trip from Wellington. Following hotel or port pickup and a scenic drive through the Wairarapa, you’ll visit three of Martinborough’s renowned wineries. Enjoy a guided wine tasting at each and a lunch platter with wine at Poppies Martinborough. Then, choose to continue hopping around Martinborough’s wineries or travel to nearby Greytown, whose pretty streets are thronged with cafes and antique stores.

Experience the magic of New Zealand’s North Island on this evening glow-worm kayak tour in Tauranga. Begin your tour with refreshments and delicious New Zealand cheeses on the banks of Lake McLaren. As day turns to night, hop into your kayak and paddle with your guide to the glow-worm canyon at the head of Lake McLaren. Marvel at the millions of bright green glow-worms clinging to the towering cliff sides, and gain insight into the life cycle of these fascinating creatures.

Central Otago is one of New Zealand’s most popular wine regions, producing well-respected reds and whites in alpine vineyards. On this afternoon tour, visit four of boutique wineries in the region and taste some of their award-winning offerings. Learn the secrets behind these wines from the winemakers themselves, and stop at one winery for a gourmet food and wine matching – tasting dishes of local produce matched with wines from the vineyard.

Discover some of the vineyards and wineries for which New Zealand’s fertile South Island is famous on this 4-hour wine tour from Queenstown. Travel from Queenstown into the South Island’s rolling hills with your guide. Visit a total of three wineries such as Gibbston Valley Winery, Mt Rosa, Waitiri Creek Winery or Chard Farm Winery. During your visits sample some of the delicious wines and cheese produced in the region, and gain insight into the delicate balances of scent and flavour at play in your glass.

New Zealand’s craft beer community is growing at an incredible rate, and this half day tour is a unique way to experience part of this community in Queenstown. Visit some of the region’s craft breweries and microbreweries and sample what they’re brewing free of charge. Enjoy a lunch of specially-matched beer and gourmet cuisine in the scenic Gibbston Valley, and get personalized hints and tips about where to explore next from your guide. A great tour for any hop-head.

The sunken river valleys, forested cliffs, and sandy bays of the Marlborough Sounds are one of the best places in New Zealand to spot dolphins in their natural environment, but increased tourism can often put wildlife at risk. This 4-hour cruise from Picton is run by certified Department of Conservation operators, allowing you to interact with dusky, bottlenose, and orca dolphins in a safe, fun, and eco-friendly way.

Taste the wines of the Marlborough region on a full-day tour from Picton. You'll visit six or seven wineries and a boutique chocolate factory, and have time to purchase lunch at a winery restaurant. Your tour includes pickup and drop-off from your accommodation in central Picton.

The Fox and Franz Josef glaciers are New Zealand’s largest and most magnificent glaciers, and many visitors find it hard to choose between them. This helicopter tour takes in both with a thrilling flight over snowy peaks and frozen waterfalls, and an unforgettable snow landing overlooking the glacier.

Take a full-day wine tour from Blenheim to discover the wines of the Marlborough region, which are famous throughout New Zealand and the world. Your guide brings you to as many as seven wineries for tastings and a winery lunch (own expense), and tops it off with a stop at a chocolate factory. Relax on this comprehensive tour that includes pickup and drop-off from your accommodation.

Wellington, long-celebrated for its bohemian liberal arts and cafe culture, is fast-becoming renowned as New Zealand’s capitol of craft beer. Visit four Wellington and Hutt Valley breweries, tasting a range of tasty local beers at each establishment on this small group day tour designed for lovers of ales, stouts, lagers and everything hoppy in-between.

Photograph New Zealand's spectacular scenery both inside and outside of the caves on a private photography tour with your own photographer-guide. Visit a pristine glow worm cave in the Waitomo district, and take your time to capture great shots of the glow worms and other sights. You can use larger cameras and equipment like small tripods on this photography tour, with the freedom to take more time for your photography than on standard tours. Includes guide, use of wet weather gear, and snacks.

Explore New Zealand's premier wine region on this half-day tour from Blenheim. Visit four wineries, each internationally-acclaimed for their blends of red, white and particularly Sauvignon Blanc grapes that flourish in the sun-drenched alluvial soils of Marlborough. Stroll through the vines and contemplate the meaningful things in life: less important things, like your round-trip transport to and from Blenheim, are all taken care of by your tour operator.

Spend the afternoon tasting the fruits of Tauranga’s craft beer boom with your friends – all without the risk of drawing the short straw and ending up the sober driver. On this easygoing tour around a handful of the city’s breweries and brewbars, sample a range of beers made in the region and even go behind the scenes at a local brewery to discover how they make their lagers and ales.

Choose this day-tour for a personal and comfortable visit to a number of craft beer breweries in Wellington.  With beverages and lunch included, you’re all set to have a low-stress, informal day away from the hustle and bustle of your cruise ship. This is a great way to understand, from beer to beer, why the city is the craft beer capital of New Zealand.  Make the most of Wellington’s array of craft beer and its friendly, knowledgeable residents!

Visitors to the Marlborough region often take the time to visit some of the region’s many wineries, but there’s always someone that has to draw the short straw and be the sober driver for everyone else. On this private tour, visit the wineries you want to visit without running the risk of being the sober driver and missing out. Sample different types of wine at several different wineries, all selected by your guide based on your tastes and your preferences.

With innovative brewers, New Zealand’s biggest craft beer festival and a craft beer bar around every corner, Wellington is the Southern Hemisphere’s craft beer capital. With new breweries popping up around the city, however, it can be hard for hop heads to know where to go. On this private tour, check out some of the city’s most successful craft breweries and brewpubs.

Spend time at the EcoWorld Aquarium & Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre when your cruise ship pulls into port in Picton. You’ll see ancient reptiles called tuataras and get acquainted with little blue penguins rescued from the Marlborough Sounds. On-site staff take you behind the scenes to discover New Zealand’s conservation in action.

Enjoy a private and authentic cooking class and home cooked meal with your host Joe in the comfort of your own residence. This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone looking to connect with local culture over food. Joe brings a diversity of culinary experiences unseen before in a local New Zealand chef – he was crowned Chef of the Year in 2013 specializing in Oriental cuisine in the UK, and awarded the privilege of overseeing the Relais and Chateaux Kitchen as sous chef. Joe is passionate about sharing his deep culinary knowledge to create fun and relaxing dining experiences for his guests. Joe's cooking focuses on gastronomic fusion delivered in a down-to-earth, socially interactive, and family friendly setting. Most of all, Joe loves creating memories with travelers from all over the world. He looks forward to teaching you and introducing you to the flavors of the region.