Be the main character of your own epic.
When it get along towhat you want in a finish as a solo traveler , New Zealand easy checks all the box . Safety ? consort to the2022 Global Peace Index , New Zealand is ranked number two in the world , perhaps “ peacefully ” shaking its fist at Iceland for snag the top spot . There ’s also the fact that there are no freehanded , deadly land animals like lions and World Tamil Association and bear to concern about out in the wild . And with the exception of a few local spiders , basically all the creepy crawlies of your nightmares are waiting for you in Australia .
Friendly people ? The local anaesthetic are famously friendly and hospitable . When my auto broke down during my own solo travels around New Zealand , not only did a stranger directly attract over to serve me , they even offered to lend me their spare car so I could aim to a nearby city — but that ’s a story for another time . Plus , the country is so popular with international packer that it ’s easy to contact hordes of fellow travelers . Many are also exploring alone , and you’re able to connect with thousand of them in Facebook groups likeNew Zealand BackpackersandBackpackers New Zealand .
easy navigable ? New Zealand has that on lock too . First off , the land is lowly in sizing than California , which score it a whole quite a little less overwhelming to suppose about where you desire to go and how you’re able to get there . There ’s the InterCity bus , ride sharing , campervan rental likeJUCY , even hitchhiking fall out quite frequently . The country ’s comparatively small size in no way mean you ’ll run out of things to do or office to persist . The extensive touristry substructure propose more adventures than you could fit into a full class , and there are loads of local student lodging . you’re able to easily find them with the Hostelworld app — Haka LodgesandYHAsare always safe bets .
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Whether this is your first meter quiz the water supply by yourself or you ’re excited to do another solo head trip in a Modern place , New Zealand is ideal for getting out there on your own . Here ’s some divine guidance for what to do once you ’ve taken the plunge . While not an exhaustive list ofeverything worth doing in New Zealand , these are some of the best matter you may do specifically as a solo traveler .
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Go on unforgettable hikes through unreal landscapes
If we could pick two things that New Zealand is full of , it ’d be sheep and incredible hike . You might be wary of attain the trail by yourself , but the ripe newsworthiness is that some of the land ’s most far-famed hiking are guaranteed to put you in the company of others .
To go prominent , tackle one of New Zealand’sGreat Walks , which is in reality the real name for these hike , no exaggeration . Requiring advanced booking , these 10 world - renowned , multi - day hikes admit stops at designated huts and campsites so you ’ll see the same familiar faces during your trek .
For another challenge , consider theTongariro Alpine Crossing , moderately much the most famous single - day rise in the country . Literally G of hikers are recognize to do out per day during the interfering time of year , so you ’ll line up solidarity during the leg - snap climb through the exotic - like volcanic landscape .
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Another option is aMount Tarawera Guided Walk . The Māori clan Ngāti Rangitihi hold the territory rightfield to and guardianship of the revered mountain , and the only way to access this spectacular , multi - biased volcanic volcanic crater is through a Kaitiaki Adventures tour .
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Make some memories out on the water
You ca n’t claver an island country without getting out on the water , can you?Down in the South Island , hops aboard a tour withWhale Watch Kaikourafor an fantabulous luck to see sperm whale ( watch them fluke , when they flip their whole tail into the aviation , is something extra ) . The coastal town of Kaikōura is call New Zealand ’s hulk - watching Washington , and spermatozoon hulk make an show tight to the shore all throughout the twelvemonth .
Speaking of capitals … Many people take Raglan , a townspeople on the west coast of the North Island , to be the surfing capital of the rural area thanks to its super retentive left-hand - handwriting interruption and yr - round wafture . One of the best means to learn to surf here and make friends through every wipeout is to book a package withGreen Wave Raglan . You ’ll get low group lessons , tape transport to and from the beach , and accommodation upon request . In townsfolk , there ’s alsoRaglan backpacker , a friendly hostel with surf rentals .
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Drink some wine, see some penguins, then hang out in an active volcanic crater.
Explore Middle Earth
Is the tangible reasonableness you want to claver New Zealand because theLord of the Ringsmade a lasting feeling on you , and you just might be able to recite the series ancestry for line ? This is the clock time to embrace your internal nerdom . The first stop has to be theHobbiton Movie Setin Matamata , which is the 12 - acre bent of The shire horse . But that ’s just the beginning . From Mordor to Fangorn Forest , you could surf all thefilm go down locationsandset up a tourto sojourn as many as possible .
For a more expert admiration of the picture , pay a visit toWētā Cavein Wellington . It ’s the visitor frontier settlement for Wētā Workshop , the limited effects and prop company behind theLord of the RingsandThe Hobbittrilogies and other strike . On a Wētā Workshop duty tour , you ’ll learn about all kinds of motion picture effects , costumes , weapons , and more that made not just those films but many others so visually sensational . Afterwards , a right place to stay your head in the area isThe Dwellington , which is a more chic backpacker hostel with free breakfast and a comfy cinema room .
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Get ready to gaze heroically into the horizon from a cliff top.
Delve below ground or soar through the sky
Most multitude know New Zealand offers next - level natural beauty , but you may appreciate that from some more unexpected angles . Take a tour of theWaitomo Glowworm Caves , which puts you on a quiet gravy boat ride through a drab , subterranean grotto as glow worms put up mystical , blue speckles of luminescent light above you . For a fulgurant display of a unlike kind , go for some 360 - degree stargazing withthe Summit Experience at Mt John Observatory .
During the day , get a birds - heart view withWanaka Paragliding . Their tandem flight are perfect for solo travelers since it ’s just you and your pilot strap together as you run off the mountain and start soaring . They ’ll do all the maneuvering for you , and you’re able to just appreciate this unique perspective on Lake Wanaka , Roys Peak , and the Matukituki Valley . When your adventure is over , rehash all the playfulness you had with the kind folks atWanaka Bakpaka Hostel , a welcoming , lakeside arrest .
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Hobbiton Movie Set|Hobbiton Movie Set
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