New Zealand is very famous for its extreme sports. Almost every town has something that can give you an adrenaline rush. We’ve tried a few of those adventures. Take a look!
SKYDIVING – the commercial tandem jumps started in NZ in the early 1990s. Since then hundreds of thousands adrenaline seekers jumped out of a perfectly good aeroplanes in the whole New Zealand. You can choose different altitudes to jump from: 9000 ft (30 seconds freefall) to 16000 ft (70 seconds freefall). I did it too! I jumped from 13000 ft / 4000 m! I wrote more about it here: http://www.swiatzbliska.pl/posty/96/i-did-it-skydiving-from-13000-ft
BUNGEE – it actually originated in New Zealand’s Queenstown. The first jump was done in 1988 from the Kawarau Bridge from the height of 43m. Today this height is for wimps! If you really want to experience bungee jumping you should go big and jump from 134m from the cable car installed above the Nevis River. To compare, the Big Ben is only 96,3 m high!
JET BOATING – it is done on many rivers across the country. The boats are named this way because instead of motor engines they have jet ones. They reach the speed of 85 km/h and the more winding the river the more adrenaline you get. The one we watched on the Shootover River near Queenstown looked like a rollercoaster ride between the cliff rocks on both sides.
HELICOPTER FLIGHTS – heli flights are also available across the country. You can choose to fly over glaciers in Franz Josef Glacier, over mountains in Mount Aspriring, Mount Cook and Tongaririo National Parks where you have a snow landing if weather allows, or even over the cities in Auckland or Wellington. Great experience! We definitely recommend it.
SMALL PLANE SCENIC FLIGHTS – are usually offered in the same locations as heli-flights but they are cheaper. They carry 4-6 people and are quite picturesque. Sometimes the scenic flights are available in combo-deal trips including other means of transportation such as jet-boats for example.
GLIDING – gliding seems to be the most calm of the extreme options offered in NZ but adrenaline shows up during this experience as well. Especially in the moment when the pilot of a glide detaches the line connecting the glide and the tow plane. If the weather is good and you don’t have air sickness you can experience some of the air-acrobatic elements. You can read more about our gliding flights here: http://www.swiatzbliska.pl/posty/95/gliding-over-wellington
MOTORCYCLES – this is our daily dose of adrenaline in New Zealand as we chose this means of transportation around both islands. The sensations get even higher if you’re a beginner as we are. The two Suzuki GN 250 were the first bikes we’ve ever bought and first ever on which we’ve been riding without the instructor on the passenger seat. 100% recommended!
RUGBY – yes rugby! It is one of the most extreme sports to watch. All those guys (or girls, as women also play this game for some reason) run around the field hitting each other. They do it with all their might, knocking each other out by grabbing the legs, feet, arms or even heads if this is the only way to stop the opponent. All this is done without any protection. I’ll rather watch volleyball.
There is much more extreme sports in NZ waiting for visitors who are ready for overdosing adrenaline. Your choice!
