|
| |
|
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES |
| |
|
|
| |
Life in New Zealand is very much tied to the Great Outdoors, and no
visit to the country would be complete without spending a fair chunk of
your time in intimate contact with nature.
The lofty peaks of the Southern Alps are perfect for challenging
mountaineering and great skiing , and the lower slopes are ideal for
multi-day tramps which cross low passes between valleys choked with sub-tropical
and temperate rainforests. Along the coasts there are sheltered lagoons
and calm harbours for gentle swimming and boating , but also sweeping
strands battered by some top-class surf .
Kiwis have long taken it for granted that within a few minutes' drive of
their home they can find a deserted beach or piece of "bush" and wander
freely through it, an attitude enshrined in the fabulous collection of
national , forest and maritime parks . They are all administered by the
Department of Conservation (DOC) , Visitor Information Centre, PO Box
5086, Wellington (tel 04/472 7356, fax 471 2075, www.doc.govt.nz ) which
struggles to balance the maintenance of a fragile ecology with the
demands of tourism. For the most part it manages remarkably well,
providing a superb network of well-signposted paths studded with
trampers' huts; operating visitor centres that present highly
informative material about the local history, flora and fauna; and
publishing excellent leaflets for the major walking tracks.
For some years New Zealand has been addicted to outdoor thrills and
spills, and now promotes itself as the adventure tourism capital of the
world. All over the country you will find places to go bungy jumping ,
whitewater or cave rafting , jetboating , tandem skydiving , mountain
biking , stunt flying , scuba diving , in fact you name it and someone
somewhere organizes it. The New Zealand DIY ethic reigns supreme and it
sometimes seems as though every Kiwi in possession of a minibus and a
mobile phone runs an adventure-tourism business. While thousands of
people participate in these activities every day without incident,
standards of instructor training do vary. It seems to be a point of
honour for all male (and they are almost all male) river guides, bungy
operators and tandem parachute instructors to play the macho card and
put the wind up you as much as possible. Such bravado shouldn't
necessarily be interpreted as a genuine disregard for safety , but the
fact remains that there have been quite a few well publicized injuries
and deaths in recent years - a tragic situation that's finally being
addressed by industry-regulated codes of practice and an independent
system of accreditation .
Before engaging in any adventure activities, check your insurance cover
.
Tramping
Tramping , trekking, bushwalking, hiking - call it what you will, it is
one of the most compelling reasons to visit New Zealand, and for many
the sole objective. Even if the concept sounds appalling, you should try
it once; reluctant trampers are frequently bitten by the bug.
Tramps are multi-day walks, normally taking three to five days and
following a well-worn trail through relatively untouched wilderness,
more often than not in one of the country's national parks. Along the
way you'll be either camping out or staying in idyllically located
trampers' huts, and will consequently be lugging a pack over some pretty
rugged ground, so a moderate level of fitness is required. If this
sounds daunting, you can sign up with one of the guided tramping
companies, which maintain more salubrious huts, provide meals and carry
much of your gear, but at a price, details of these are given throughout
the guide.
The main tramping season is in summer, from October to May. Some of the
most popular tramps - the Milford, Routeburn and Kepler - are in the
cooler southern half of the South Island, where the season is shorter by
a few weeks at either end.
Swimming, surfing and windsurfing
Kiwi life is inextricably linked with the beach and from Christmas to
the end of March (longer in the warmer northern climes) a weekend isn't
complete without a dip or a waterside barbecue - though you should never
underestimate the ferocity of the southern sun . Some of the best
beaches (often stretching away into the salt-spray) are open to the
pounding Tasman surf or Pacific rollers. Swimming here can be very
hazardous, so only venture into the water at beaches patrolled by surf
lifesaving clubs and always swim between the flags. Spotter planes
patrol the most popular beaches and warn of any sharks in the area: if
you notice everyone heading for the safety of the beach, get out of the
water.
New Zealand's tempestuous coastline offers near-perfect conditions for
surfing and windsurfing . At major beach resorts there is often a kiosk
or shop renting out small dinghies, catamarans, canoes and windsurfers;
in regions where there is reliably good surf you might also come across
boogie boards and surfboards for rent, and seaside hostels often have a
couple for guests' use.
Sailing
New Zealand's numerous harbours studded with small islands and ringed
with deserted bays make sailing one of Kiwis' favourite pursuits. Kids
are often introduced to the tiny "P Class" dinghies before they're
riding bikes, and many grow up to own the yachts which choke the marinas
for most of the year. Unless you manage to befriend one of these
fortunate folk, you'll probably be limited to commercial yacht charters
(expensive and usually with a skipper), more reasonably priced and often
excellent day-sailing trips , or renting a small catamaran for some
inshore antics along the bay. Most of what's available is in the
northern half of the North Island with Auckland's Hauraki Gulf and the
Bay of Islands being the main focal points.
Scuba diving and snorkelling
The waters around New Zealand's coast offer some superb opportunities
for scuba diving and snorkelling . What they lack in tropical warmth and
fabulously colourful fish they make up for with the range of diving
environments. Pretty much anywhere along the more sheltered eastern side
of both islands you'll find somewhere with rewarding snorkelling, but
much the best and most accessible spot is the Goat Island Marine Reserve
, in Northland, where there's a superb range of habitats close to the
shore. Northland also has world-class scuba diving at the Poor Knights
Islands Marine Reserve , reached by boat from Tutukaka; wreck diving on
the Rainbow Warrior , from Matauri Bay; other good spots lie close to
Auckland in the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park and off Great Barrier Island.
In the South Island there are the crystal-clear Pupu Springs , and
fabulous growths of black and red corals relatively close to the surface
of the southwestern fiords near Milford.
For the inexperienced, the easiest way to get a taste of what's under
the surface is to take a " resort dive "with an instructor. If you want
to dive independently, you need to be PADI qualified, which demands
classroom instruction and a series of dives over a minimum period of a
week. For more information, pick up the free, comprehensive, bi-monthly
Dive New Zealand brochure from dive shops and the bigger visitor
centres, or consult their Web site at www.divenewzealand.com .
Rafting
Whitewater rafting is undoubtedly one of the most thrilling of New
Zealand's adventure activities, negotiating challenging rapids amid
gorgeous scenery. Visitor numbers and weather restrict the main rafting
season to October to May, and most companies set the lower age limit at
twelve or thirteen. In general you'll be supplied with all the gear you
need except for a swimming costume and an old pair of trainers. After
safety instruction, you'll be placed in eight-seater rafts along with a
guide (usually perched on the back) and directed through narrow, rock-strewn
riverbeds, spending an average of a couple of hours on the water, before
being ferried back for refreshments.
Thrilling though it undoubtedly is, rafting is also one of the most
dangerous of the adventure activities, claiming a number of lives in
recent years. Operators seem to be cleaning up their act with a self-imposed
code of practice, but there are still cowboys out there. It might seem
to be stating the obvious, but fatalities happen when people fall out of
rafts: heed the guide's instructions about how best to stay on board and
how to protect yourself if you do get a dunking.
Each main island has its major rafting centre - Rotorua on the North
Island and Queenstown on the South Island - each with an enviable
selection of river runs from mildly enervating to heart-stopping. Less
frequented but equally exciting rafting areas include Turangi on the
North Island, and central Canterbury and the West Coast in the South
Island.
In more remote areas, helirafting is common, with rafts and punters
airlifted to otherwise inaccessible reaches by helicopter. This can
involve a lot of expense and considerable hanging around, so make sure
what you are letting yourself in for and be wary of extravagant claims -
the water may be no more exciting than more accessible (and cheaper)
rivers. That said, if it's a wilderness experience you are after then
consider basing yourself in Hokitika, Greymouth or Karamea for the best
West Coast rivers.
Rafts are exchanged for inner tubes to undertake cave tubing , which
involves a generally placid drift through underground waterways, with
the emphasis on exploration and viewing glow-worms.
Canoeing and kayaking
New Zealand is a paddler's paradise, and pretty much anywhere with water
nearby has somewhere you can rent either canoes or kayaks.
Sometimes this is simply an opportunity to muck around in boats but
often there is some kind of instruction or guided trips available, with
the emphasis being on learning new skills and soaking up the scenery.
Grade II water is pretty much the limit for novices, making the scenic
Whanganui River a perennial favourite. Despite its riverine nature, the
Whanganui Journey (3-5 days) operates as a Great Walk and special
arrangements apply to access and accommodation ; several companies rent
out all the necessary gear, often including the DOC hut passes as part
of their all-inclusive price. Far shorter trips down similar water are
run on the Matukituki River near Wanaka and the Dart River from
Glenorchy.
Casual paddlers are much more likely to find themselves sea kayaking the
near-landlocked harbours in Northland or the bays along the Abel Tasman
Coastal Path; a perfect way to experience New Zealand's magnificent
coastline and to encounter dolphins and seals.
Jetboating
The shallow, braided rivers of the high Canterbury sheep country posed
access difficulties for run-owner Bill Hamilton, who got around the
problem by inventing the Hamilton Jetboat . His inspired invention could
plane in as little as 100mm of water, reach prodigious speeds (up to
80km per hour) and negotiate rapids while maintaining astonishing turn-on-a-sixpence
manoeuvrability.
The jetboat carried its first fare-paying passengers on a deep and
glassy section of the Shotover River, which is still used by the
pioneering Shotover Jet. Over half a dozen companies now run similar
deep-water trips around Queenstown, while at nearby Glenorchy there's a
wonderful wilderness trip along the shallow and twisting Dart River.
Other key sites include the Wilkin River at Makarora and the Waikato
River immediately below Taupo's Huka Falls.
Thrills-and-spills rides ($60-70) tend to last for around thirty eye-streaming
minutes, time enough for as many 360-degree spins as anyone really needs.
Wilderness trips ($50-100) can last two hours or longer, pacing their
antics.
Bungy jumping, bridge swinging and rap jumping
For maximum adrenalin, minimum risk and greatest expense, you can't go
past bungy jumping . Not only is New Zealand the birthplace of
commercial bungy jumping, it also has some of the world's finest jump
sites - bridges over deep canyons and platforms cantilevered out over
rivers. It is a complete head game; there's really nothing to fear but a
massive rush of wind that lasts for ten seconds and a huge surge of
adrenalin that can linger in the system for days.
The craze was kicked off by Kiwi A.J. Hackett who, after a spectacular
and highly-publicized jump from the Eiffel Tower in 1986, set up the
first commercial operation just outside Queenstown on the Kawerau
Suspension Bridge (43m). Its location beside the Queenstown-Cromwell
highway, and the chance to be dunked in the river make this the most
popular jump site, but there are now four other local sites, two above
the Shotover River in Skippers Canyon , and a handful of other sites
around the country.
Wherever you jump, there'll be a boom-box cranking out Limp Bizkit or
suchlike while they strap the bungy cord to your legs. You'll be fed the
jocular spiel about the bungy breaking (it won't) or not being attached
properly (it will be) then you'll be chivvied into producing a cheesy (or
wan) grin for a camera or three before shuffling out onto the precipice
for the countdown. A swan dive is the traditional first jump, but there
is often a substantial discount for second and subsequent jumps on the
same day, giving jump veterans the opportunity to try The Elevator (just
hopping off the platform, either forwards or backwards) or any number of
variations. The pleasure is greatly enhanced by pre-jump banter and
post-jump analysis, making the longer trips involving a drive into the
site - the Skippers Canyon and Nevis sites in particular - all the more
appealing. To show how brave you've been, this will all have been
captured on video; there are also souvenir strips of used bungy cord to
buy and a T-shirt, sometimes included in the jump package. Prices range
from $90-150.
There have been a couple of injuries in the past but, on balance, bungy
jumping is one of the safest adventure activities. The bungy cords are
made from latex rubber (if it's good enough for condoms&) and only used
600 times, a quarter of their expected life. Some folk have been known
to notch up over 1500 jumps without adverse effects, though bloodshot
eyes aren't uncommon and there have been isolated reports of detached
retinas and aggravated back injuries.
A couple of close relatives of bungy jumping have hit the scene in
recent years. A couple of places are now offering bridge swinging ,
which involves a gut-wrenching fall and super-fast swing along a gorge
while harnessed to a cable.
Canyoning and mountaineering
The easiest way to get your hands on New Zealand rock is to go canyoning
, which involves following a steep and confined river gorge or streambed
down chutes and over waterfalls for a few hours, sliding, jumping and
abseiling all the way. This is currently only commercially available in
a handful of places, the most accessible being in Auckland , Queenstown,
Wanaka, and Hanmer Springs , though there are bound to be more places in
the near future.
In the main, New Zealand is better suited to mountaineering than rock
climbing, though most of what is available is fairly serious stuff,
suitable only for well-equipped parties with a good deal of experience.
For most people the only way to get above the snow line is to tackle the
easy summit of Mount Ruapehu , the North Island's highest point, or pay
for a guided ascent of one of New Zealand's classic peaks. Prime
candidates here are the country's highest mountain, Mount Cook (3754m),
accessed from the climbers' heartland of Mount Cook Village, and New
Zealand's single most beautiful peak, the pyramidal Mount Aspiring
(3030m), approached from Wanaka. In both areas there is a comprehensive
system of climbers' huts used as bases for what are typically twenty-hour
attempts on the summit.
Flying, skydiving and paragliding
Almost every town in New Zealand seems to harbour an airstrip or a
helipad, and there is inevitably someone happy to get you airborne for
half an hour's flightseeing . The best of these cross the truly
spectacular mountain scenery of the Southern Alps or the ice-sculpted
terrain of Fiordland, either from Fox Glacier, Franz Josef Glacier,
Mount Cook, Wanaka or Queenstown. Half an hour in a plane will set you
back around $100; helicopters cost around fifty percent more and can't
cover the same distances but score on manoeuvrability and the chance to
land. If money is tight, you could always take a regular flight to
somewhere you want to go anyway. First choice here would have to be the
journey from either Wanaka or Queenstown to Milford Sound, which
overflies some of the very best of Fiordland.
In tandem skydiving , a kind of double harness links you to an
instructor, who has control of the parachute. After suitable instruction,
the plane circles up to around 2500m and you leap out together,
experiencing around thirty seconds of eerie freefall before the
instructor pulls the ripcord. Again the Southern Alps and Fiordland are
popular jumping grounds, and Taupo seems to be establishing itself as a
low-cost and reliable venue, charging as little as $165 a shot;
elsewhere $180-200 is more common though you may get more personal
attention.
A hill, a gentle breeze and substantial tourist presence and you've all
the ingredients for tandem paragliding , where you and an instructor
jointly launch off a hilltop, slung below a manoeuvrable parachute. For
perhaps ten minutes of graceful gliding and stomach-churning banked
turns, you pay a little over $100; Queenstown, Wanaka and Nelson are
prime spots.
Skiing and snowboarding
New Zealand's ski season (roughly June to October or November) starts as
snows on northern hemisphere slopes finally melt away. This, combined
with the South Island's backbone of 3000m peaks and the North Island's
equally lofty volcanoes, make New Zealand an increasingly popular
international ski destination. Most fields, though, are geared to the
domestic downhill market, and the eastern side of the Southern Alps is
littered with club fields sporting a handful of rope tows, simple lifts
and a motley collection of private ski lodges. They're open to all-comers,
but some are only accessible by 4WD vehicles, others have a long walk
in, and ski schools are almost unheard of. Conversely, lift tickets are
only $20-40, queues are short and there's usually a gear-rental shop not
too far away. Throughout the country, there are also a dozen exceptions
to this norm: commercial resorts , with high-speed quad chairs (lift
tickets around $55), ski schools, gear rental and groomed wide-open
slopes. What you won't find are massive on-site resorts of the scale
found in North America and Europe; skiers commute daily to the slopes
from nearby après-ski towns. Gear rental , either from shops in the
nearest town or on the field, ranges from around $30 a day for a full
set of decent equipment to around $40-50 for the fancy stuff or for
snowboarding tackle.
The best up-to-date source of skiing information is the free, annual Ski
& Snowboard Guide published by Brown Bear Publications, PO Box 22630,
Christchurch (tel 03/365 4792, fax 365 4797, info@brownbear.co.nz ). For
each field it gives a detailed rundown of facilities, expected season,
lift ticket prices and an indication of suitability for beginners,
intermediates and advanced skiers. Heliskiing is also dealt with and
there's brief coverage of the main ski towns. Their Web site (with the
guide in downloadable, ready-to-print format), and the best starting
point for all things skiing in New Zealand, is www.snow.co.nz .
The main North Island fields include the country's two largest and most
popular destinations, Turoa and Whakapapa , both on the volcanic Mount
Ruapehu, which erupted during the 1995 and 1996 seasons but has remained
quiet since. The Southern Alps give the South Island a great deal more
scope, with the greatest concentration of commercial fields being around
Queenstown - Coronet Peak and The Remarkables - and Wanaka - Treble Cone
, Cardrona and the Waiorau Nordic Ski Area , New Zealand's only
organized cross-country site. Further north, Porter Heights and Mount
Hutt are within two hours' drive of Christchurch, and the Nelson region
is home to New Zealand's newest commercial field, Mount Lyford .
At weekends and school holidays the tow queues at the major fields can
become unfeasibly long, and the ideal solution is heliskiing . Guides
conversant with the routes and skilled in reading avalanche danger take
small parties onto virgin slopes high among the sparkling peaks of the
Southern Alps. Provided you are an intermediate skier and are reasonably
proficient at skiing powder you should be able to pass the ability
questionnaire, but at around $500 a day it isn't for everyone. If you
can't resist, places to consider are the usual suspects of Fox Glacier,
Wanaka and Queenstown; in Canterbury, you can ski the wonderful Tasman
Glacier from Mount Cook Village or get a taster from the Mount Hutt
skifield car park.
Fishing
Kiwis grow up fishing: virtually everyone seems to have fond memories of
long days out on a small boat trailing a line for snapper, if only to
stock the beachside barbecue. All around the New Zealand coast , but
particularly in the north of the North Island, there are low-key canoe,
yacht and launch trips on which there is always time for a little casual
fishing , but you'll also find plenty of trips aimed at more dedicated
anglers. Most sea trips aim to land something of modest size with good
flavour: snapper, kahawai, moki and flounder being common catches.
Bigger boats might hope for hapuku, then there's a step up to the big-game
fishing boats. From December to May these scout the seas off the
northern half of the North Island for marlin, shark and tuna. This is
serious business and you're looking at around $200 per person per day to
go out on a boat with three others, but on the smaller boats, a day out
fishing might cost as little as $60, with all tackle supplied.
Inland, the rivers and lakes are choked with rainbow and brown trout,
quinnat and Atlantic salmon, all introduced for sport at the end of the
nineteenth century. Certain areas have gained enviable reputations: the
waters of the Lake Taupo catchment are world-renowned for the abundance
and fighting quality of the rainbow trout; South Island rivers,
particularly around Gore, boast the finest brown trout in the land; and
braided gravel-bed rivers draining the eastern slopes of the Southern
Alps across the Canterbury Plains bear superb salmon. Archaic laws
prohibit the sale of trout , so if you want to eat some you've got to go
out and catch it.
A national fishing licence ($65 for the year from Oct 1 to Sept 30; $25
for 7 days; and $13 for 24 hours) covers all New Zealand's lakes and
rivers except for those in the Taupo catchment area, where a local
licensing arrangement applies .
Wherever you fish, the rules are taken very seriously and are rigidly
enforced. If you're found with an undersize catch or an over-full bag,
heavy fines may be imposed and equipment confiscated. Be sure to find
out the local regulations before you set out.
Horse trekking
New Zealand's highly urbanized population leaves a huge amount of
countryside available for horse trekking , occasionally along beaches,
often through patches of native bush and tracts of farmland; there may
even be an opportunity to swim the horses. There are schools everywhere
and all levels of experience are catered for, but more experienced
riders might prefer the greater scope of full-day or even week-long
wilderness treks. We've highlighted some of the more noteworthy places
and operators throughout the guide.
Mountain biking
If you prefer a smaller saddle, you'll find a stack of places renting
out mountain bikes . For a quality machine, you might be paying over $40
a day, but for that you get a bike, a helmet and a headful of advice
about local routes. The main trail-biking areas around Rotorua,
Queenstown, Mount Cook and Hanmer Springs will often have a couple of
companies willing to take you out on guided rides (the going rate is
about $100 a half-day), usually dropping you at the top of the hill and
picking you up at the bottom. For general information about the Kiwi off-road
biking scene consult www.mountainbike.co.nz .
Mountain bikes aren't allowed off-road in national parks and reserves,
and elsewhere you must respect the enjoyment of others by letting
walkers know of your presence, avoiding skid damage to tracks and
keeping your speed down. For more information, consult the specific
biking guides available in New Zealand |
| |
|
