A Scenic Tour of Southern New Zealand
Flight Centre’s Marissa Bauzon travelled to New Zealand and got a whole bundle of adventures! From bungee jumping at Kawarau Bridge, to hiking the Franz Josef Glacier, Marissa shares her journey with us!
Kia Ora!
This was my very first time travelling to New Zealand and it was definitely one of the best trips I have ever taken. Our tour started in Christchurch, and after we were there for a couple of days, we headed down to Queenstown for 3 days. Queenstown is known for its adventure activities; bungee jumping, sky diving, river rafting, among other things. I managed to build up the courage and actually bungee jumped off the very first bridge, Kawarau Bridge.
It’s 43 meters high and it was worth the thrill. Throughout the 3 days in Queenstown we had the opportunity to go river rafting, jet boating and sky diving. Definitely a city that will get your adrenaline pumping!
From Queenstown, we headed down to Franz Josef for another couple of days. Here we had the choice to either hike or take a helicopter up Fox Glacier. The hike took about 4 hrs in total, so if you aren’t up for the hike, I suggest to take the helicopter ride as it takes you further up the glacier.
I ended up hiking, (another first for me) and even though it was a bit long, it was absolutely breathtaking!
After having spent a few days in the South Island, we then flew into Auckland. As much as I loved it in the south, I am definitely a city girl. The restaurants, the bars, the shopping; it was all fantastic in Auckland!
We were there for 2 nights, and one of the days I took a TIME Unlimited Waitakere Ranges tour with a Maori Guide. The scenery they took us to, the sunset that we witnessed, the black sand beaches…there are no words that can describe how beautiful it was. The Maori guide was fantastic. The way the people of New Zealand are so proud of their native heritage was something that I was so impressed with.
Over all, with only 7 full days in New Zealand I have a new love for their culture. I definitely plan to go back and see more, and can’t wait to return to this beautiful country!
Looking for more information on travelling to New Zealand? Marissa is an International Travel Consultant at our Broadway and MacDonald store in Vancouver, BC and can be reached online or by calling 1-866-739-1311.
About the Author
Emma Hackwood a freelance copywriter, amateur glider pilot and full-time adventure seeker, has travelled extensively in pursuit of her lifelong dream of simply seeing it all. Up to over 50 countries, she lists American Samoa and the seldom visited Marquesas Islands as her current favourite destinations, with a wandering eye on Guam and Tonga to complete her Pacific escapades.
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