One of the first things that you will hear about South Island is that the scenery is beautiful. This is definitely the case but you do not want to visit simply to go sightseeing. The truth is that this part of New Zealand offers various different activities, including some that are perfect for those that want to have blood pumping through their veins while on a vacation.
We understand that some of the extreme travel activities below may not be that extreme for you or that you would not enjoy them but there is a certainty that at least some will be appealing. When you plan your visit to South Islands, consider the following extreme travel activities as you would definitely enjoy at least some of them.
Spot Whales In Kaikoura
You can easily spot some sperm whales on your vacation when you visit Kaikoura, which is a relatively small town on the north side of South Island. This location is the best in the country if you want to see sperm whales at a rather short distance from you.
Climbing Glaciers
There are two glaciers in this part of New Zealand that you absolutely have to see: Fox and Franz Josef. They are over 100,000 years old and have been retreating and growing far before humans existed on earth. It is now possible to trek on the glaciers. This would offer some pretty breathtaking views, an overall experience that is both unforgettable and humbling.
If you want to make this even more exciting, you can always go on a helicopter ride right to the top of the glaciers. This is something that is truly memorable and that not many people can experience in their lives.
Queenstown Bungee Jumping
People do not really visit Queenstown in order to go bungee jumping since there is so much more that you can do when in the city but if you have a chance to visit and you do want some extra adrenaline, you may want to consider the activity. There is a pretty well-known bungee jumping adventure city located in Queenstown, one that caters to those that want adrenaline.
To make matters even more interesting, once you visit the adventure center you can also take advantage of other extreme activities besides bungee jumping. You can go white water rafting, jump right out of a plane or go on canyon swinging treks. Just make sure that you are ready for what you are about to go through since some activities are pretty hardcore.
Abel Tasman National Park Kayaking
If you want some adventure but you do not want too much when you visit South Island, head over to Abel Tasman National Park. Kayaking here is perfect. There are so many miles of granite rock formations, forests, turquoise waters and sandy beaches that can be visited. We recommend that you take the kayaking sightseeing route as the scenery is more impressive than when you go by foot.
Kaikoura – Swimming With Dolphins
Kaikoura is perfect for water lovers. We already talked about spotting sperm whales but you can also visit if you want to swim with dolphins in their natural habitat. What is interesting is that you can easily find a guide that will offer you the possibility to interact with the dolphins in a perfect way. At times, there are even 200 dolphins present so you will remember the trip.
We understand that there may be other extreme activities in South Island, New Zealand that we missed. If so, let us know in the comments section below. Also, did you experience some of the activities we mentioned above? Let us know how that felt like.
