New Zealand is one of those places where you start off following a map, but end up discarding it halfway through your trip, because there is so much to explore.
You may have written out an itinerary, but once you’ve seen your first stunning lake or snow-topped mountain, your journey will take on a new perspective. This is a country made for slow travel. Namely, long road trips, unplanned detours, and days that swing from tramping through endless forest trails to quiet evenings by the fire.
What makes it special isn’t just the usual touristy things but the sheer beauty of nature, such as the stunning scenery, glassy lakes and cascading waterfalls, to mention a few of the marvels you can expect on your New Zealand journey.
Fiords, Waterfalls and Glassy Lakes
If you’re chasing drama, head straight for the fjords. Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound feel almost unreal, with sheer cliffs dropping into inky water and waterfalls tumbling down from hanging valleys. Take a cruise or hop in a kayak, and you’ll have great fun paddling along the many rivers and lakes.
Back on land, the mood shifts from wild to peaceful. A lot of lodges and cabins in these regions are tucked beside lakes or rivers, so your “commute” after a big day might just be a short walk to a hot shower, a hearty meal, and a deck with a view. Some travellers unwind with a spending some quiet hours in a local casino in NZ, via a comparison site like Casino.com NZ which offers a list of brick and mortar casinos. It’s a perfect way to spend the evening after a long day’s hiking.
If you need inspiration for choosing which lakes and regions to prioritise, the official 100% Pure New Zealand site has loads of information on the country’s scenic highlights and regions, from turquoise glacial lakes to hidden coves and coastal lookouts.
Road Trips Along Wild Coasts
New Zealand is built for road trips. On the South Island’s wild west coast, one minute you’re driving beneath forests and the next you’re driving along winding roads on cliffs that drop straight into the sea. Lookout points appear often enough that you can stop whenever something catches your eye.
The North Island is another fantastic place to visit. Here you will find many beaches perfect for surfing, loads of great scenery and sheep (of course!), plus Pohutukawa trees (which the Kiwis call Christmas trees as they have red blossoms on them at Christmas time).
The beauty of these drives is that you can park your car for a quick walk to a lookout, book a guided kayak trip, or just roll down the windows, crank up the music, and enjoy the feeling of being between somewhere and nowhere.
Trails, Summits and New Zealand Sunsets
For many visitors to New Zealand, including myself, the trails are one of the main attractions. From short walks to trips that spread over several days, the country is covered in tracks that lead to alpine basins and swing bridges. Not to mention the famous Great Walks like the Routeburn or the Kepler Track, which are popular because they also link up waterfalls, lakes, forests, and high passes in one trip.
You don’t have to do a full day’s hike either, as many of the tracks have sections that work beautifully as day walks, letting you climb to a lookout, eat your lunch while you are there, and be back at your cabin in time for sunset.
If you’re planning, the Department of Conservation site is the best place to check track details, hut bookings, and safety information.
Balancing Adventure
The magic of a New Zealand trip is that you can take it as slow and laidback as you like, and there is no need to rush anything. Maybe it’s a lazy morning in a cabin where the only decision is whether to sit on the deck or soak in a hot tub overlooking the hills. Maybe it’s an unplanned stop at a tiny café on a country road, or an extra night at a lakeside lodge because the view is simply too good to leave.
You can fill your days with kayaking, hiking, scenic flights, and coastal drives, or cooking simple food, sharing a bottle of local wine, scrolling through the day’s photos, or drifting off to sleep to the sound of distant waves or a nearby river.
Whether you’re here for the fiords, the mountains, the coast, or all of the above, New Zealand will not disappoint you, and you may even find yourself phoning your boss to request another week’s leave!
