New Zealand is a beautiful and diverse country with many challenging outdoor activities.

One sure way of experiencing all the highlights is to join a specialist adventure tour. That way you get to walk on glaciers, cruise the fiords, hike on volcanoes and swim with dolphins in a hassle-free, fun-filled holiday that you will never forget.

Tour guides take care of the day to day arrangements, provide informative commentaries and leave you free to enjoy the excitement and challenge of Kiwi adventures. Generally adventure tour companies will provide any specialised equipment or clothing you may need and pre-book accommodation, meals and transport.

Some companies are youth orientated, catering for 18 to 35 year olds, but most are open to all ages. Typical itineraries will have names like ‘Nature Safari’, ‘Kiwi Discovery’ or ‘Pure Adrenalin’, so you can expect to see a side of New Zealand that is omitted from the traditional grand tours. You will find that these activity-based tours are fun, friendly and flexible and the objective of the guides and road crews is simply to turn your holiday into a Great New Zealand Adventure.

An alternative to committing to a specific tour is to purchase a pass for one of the national backpacker bus networks. Companies such as Magic Bus, Kiwi Experience and Stray offer travel for up to 6 months on a pass that allows you to stopover at any place you fancy. The bus networks take in all the major outdoor adventure attractions and travellers are offered discounts on popular activities. The buses are sometimes equipped with mountain bikes and kayaks to give travellers a taste of adventure along the route.

Whether you choose to travel on a conducted tour, a flexible transport network or independently, you are bound to enjoy fun-filled days in the New Zealand outdoor adventure scene.