Find Room to Roam Across Both Islands
A New Zealand active holiday gives you space to move and a pile of ways to do it. Walk across a volcano. Ride a mountain bike over a Great Walk. Dive into sea caves, jump off a cliff, paddle past waterfalls. This 14-day route links all of it across both islands, from the Poor Knights Islands in the north to Milford Sound in the south. So you decide how hard to push. Take one giant leap or a hundred small steps.
New Zealand Active Holiday at a Glance
- Length: 14 days
- Route: Northland, Tongariro, Taranaki, the West Coast, Greymouth to Christchurch by train, Queenstown and Fiordland
- Style: walking, mountain biking, diving, rail travel, adrenaline and paddling
Here’s the day plan:
- Days 1 and 2: dive the Poor Knights Islands from Tutukaka
- Days 3 to 5: Tongariro and Taranaki on foot
- Days 6 to 8: the Paparoa Track and Punakaiki
- Days 9 and 10: the TranzAlpine train
- Days 11 and 12: Queenstown adrenaline
- Days 13 and 14: Fiordland by air or kayak
Five Ways to Roam on a New Zealand Active Holiday
On Two Feet: Volcanoes, Backcountry and a Great Walk (Days 3 to 8)
Start in the heart of the North Island. Tongariro National Park is a volcanic wonderland of steaming craters, surreal lakes and strange rock formations. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing strings the best of it together. The Department of Conservation says the walk takes 7 to 8 hours and ends on the far side of the mountain, so book a shuttle. It also recommends booking before you walk any part of the track.
Next, swing west to Taranaki. Experienced hikers can take on the Pouakai Circuit and its backcountry. Want something gentler? The New Plymouth Coastal Walkway is a family-friendly 13 km stroll. See our Ruapehu guide, Taranaki guide and walking and hiking experiences.
Then cross Cook Strait to the West Coast. The Paparoa Track is a Great Walk over the Paparoa Range, with alpine tops, limestone karst, thriving rainforest and big views. Walkers get three days. Book all three huts early, because each one must be reserved in advance. Afterwards, stop at Punakaiki’s pancake rocks, where blowholes fire water skyward through rock that looks like stacks of hotcakes. Read more about the Great Walks.
On Two Wheels: Mountain Biking the Paparoa Track (Days 6 to 8)
Riders get a turn too. The Paparoa Track is shared-use, so you can pedal it instead of walking it. DOC lists two days by mountain bike and bans e-bikes. The riding is advanced, so commit only if you’re fit and confident on rough trails. See our West Coast guide and cycling and mountain biking experiences.
By Rail: The TranzAlpine (Days 9 and 10)
Let the train do the work. In Greymouth, board the TranzAlpine and settle in for 223 km (139 miles) of South Island scenery. Rainforest gives way to plains, then mountains, all on the way towards Christchurch. Your legs get a rest. Your eyes don’t. See how it stacks up in our guide to New Zealand train journeys.
In the Air: Bungy, Skydive and Scenic Flights (Days 11 to 14)
Queenstown calls itself the adventure capital, and it earns the title. Jump from the original commercial bungy site. Try the world’s first human catapult. Freefall 60 metres off the world’s highest cliff jump. Or skydive over mountains and lakes from 15,000 feet. Fiordland then slows things down with a scenic flight over the glacier-carved valleys of Fiordland National Park. See our Queenstown guide, active and adventure experiences, Fiordland guide and scenic flights.
In the Water: Poor Knights Islands and Milford Sound (Days 1, 2, 13 and 14)
New Zealand’s clear, clean water pulls divers in. At Tutukaka, head out to the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve. Expect sea caves, kelp forests and schools of brightly coloured fish. Wreck fans can also check out sunken shipwrecks. At the other end of the trip, paddle a kayak past Milford Sound’s towering cliffs and waterfalls. Also watch for seals and dolphins. If the stars line up, you might even spot whales. See our Northland and Bay of Islands guide.
Who a New Zealand Active Holiday Suits
Anyone who gets restless on a sun lounger. You don’t need to be a fitness fanatic, though. Every stop has an easier option. Swap the Pouakai Circuit for the New Plymouth Coastal Walkway. Trade the kayak for a scenic flight. Let the TranzAlpine carry you for a day. You’ll want solid fitness for the Tongariro crossing and the Paparoa bike ride, so train a little before you go.
Tips for Your New Zealand Active Holiday
- Reserve the Paparoa Track huts first, then build everything else around those dates.
- Check the forecast and the latest volcanic activity before any alpine walk.
- Confirm age and health limits with each operator before you book bungy, skydiving or diving.
- Driving yourself? Read our guide to driving in New Zealand and check the best time to visit New Zealand.
Want the day-by-day version of this New Zealand active holiday? Read our New Zealand outdoor itinerary. Ready-made trips live under adventure tours and hiking tours. Or we’ll plan a custom tour around your dates.