ELLECanada.com’s Larissa Primeau takes a whirlwind tour of the ethereal landscapes in New Zealand and reports on why she never managed to get much farther than the North Island – for very good reason.
5: Where to get your adventure on:
Waitomo Adventures
The Lost World 7 hour epic
Waitomo Caves Village waitomo.co.nz Phone: 64 7 8787788
Waitomo is small town that is home to some of best caving adventures in New Zealand, and maybe even the world. There are plenty of small and large companies that offer caving adventures, but if you want the best, head to Waitomo Adventures and take part in the Lost World 7 Hour Epic. Handsome and knowledgeable guides like Luke and Ryan (sigh), lead your small group through a challenging day unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. You start out abseiling over 100 meters straight down into the Lost World cave, then you begin the underground trek that includes swimming through chilling rivers (don’t worry they provide wetsuits), scaling rock faces and jumping through fissures into the dark unknown. After you’ve climbed, crawled and swam your way through the caves for several hours, you’re treated to a 15 minute rest as you lie in the pitch black and stare up at the thousands of glow-worms illuminating the ceiling. The day ends with a delicious bbq, prepared by the guides…the handsome guides. Yes, having a Kiwi caver make you dinner is just about the best way to end an exciting and exhausting day. If there’s only one thing I can recommend you do while you’re in the North Island, it’s Waitomo Adventures Lost World Epic.
ZORB® Rotorua zorb.com Reception: 64 7 357 5100
Located in Rotorua, The Zorb is an 11-foot high inflatable transparent sphere that you ride inside. You climb inside a giant bouncy ball (you can even go in pairs) and ride down to the bottom a steep hill, suspended inside. Sound crazy? It is. It’s also tons of fun.
SkyJump
skyjump.co.nz Phone: 64 93681835
What doesn’t sound good about jumping off of the highest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere? As the original home of bungee jumping, it’s not surprising that the Kiwis have taken this thrill-ride to the next level. SkyJump is basically like base-jumping 192 meters straight down with a wire attached to your back. A must-do on any visit to New Zealand.
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