01-08-2025
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10 amazing after-dark adventures you can only have in New Zealand
When night falls, Aotearoa awakens.
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By Ute Junker
Updated August 1 2025 - 9:46am, first published 6:00am
Stargazing at Tekapo. Picture: Rachel Gillespie 1. Soak in the stars in Tekapo
Batman and Robin. Strawberries and cream. Yin and yang. Some things just work better together, which is why we love the Soak in the Stars tour at Tekapo in the centre of the South Island. It combines two great experiences in one: a soak in soothing, naturally heated thermal pools, and a spot of stargazing in one of New Zealand's International Dark Sky Reserves. Powerful telescopes give up-close views of distant planets and galaxies while you relax in mineral-rich waters.
Now that's the sort of multi-tasking we enjoy. 2. Tuck into a mouthwatering Maori feast in Rotorua
Rotorua after dark. Picture: Tourism New Zealand
Ready for a very different take on dinner and a show? From the moment strapping lads paddle a war canoe down the Wai-o-Whiro stream, you know Rotorua's Mitai Maori Cultural Experience & Dinner Buffet is going to be a treat. The evening contains plenty of highlights, including a mouthwatering hangi meal featuring plenty of meat, chicken and kumara cooked on hot stones in an earth oven.
Other memorable moments include a rousing haka performance, a visit to an ancient village site, and a nocturnal forest walk. 3. Take a wild ride in Queenstown
Queenstown Luge.
When it comes to adrenaline hits, Queenstown offers plenty of choice, from skydiving to jetboating and whitewater rafting. Once the sun sets, however, the adventure tends to die down.
If you want to keep the action going, head for Queenstown Luge. A luge kart, for those who haven't tried it before, is like a gravity-powered cross between a toboggan and a go-kart, and driving it along the twisting downhill course is an exhilaration-guaranteed experience for all ages. An evening session ensures a big finish to the day. 4. Paddle into the night in Nelson
A paddle in Nelson after sunset.
Sitting at the top of the South Island, Nelson is known for the sheltered, crystal-clear waters of its bays, which makes it the perfect place to sign up for a night-time stand-up paddleboarding experience.
Nelson Night Paddle gives you the chance to head out on an illuminated paddleboat for a serene two-hour experience. Let yourself be lulled by the splash of your paddle as the lights on your paddleboard illuminate the waters around you, letting you gaze down on seaweed forests, slowly drifting jellyfish and other marine life. You'll feel like you're floating through an underwater fairytale. 5. Be dazzled by glowworms in the Waitomo Caves
Waitomo Glowworm Caves tour.
Yes, we hear the objection from the back row. How can a daytime activity be classified as "after dark"?
Simple: it's always dark underground, which is why we have added the Waitomo Caves near Queenstown to our list. This 300-million-year-old cave system is filled with wonders, best experienced on a Waitomo Glowworm Caves tour. Your jaw will drop as you explore the magnificent limestone formations of the upper caves as well as the enchanting boat ride through a grotto illuminated by thousands of glowworms. 6. Go on a kiwi hunt on wild Stewart Island
No, there are no guns involved on Wild Kiwi Experiences on Stewart Island. The only thing you will be armed with is a torch, all the better to spot the elusive southern brown kiwi (tokoeka) as it goes about its business.
Kiwis outnumber humans on this wonderfully wild island (more than 85 per cent of which is national park), perched off the southern tip of the South Island. That makes Stewart Island a great spot to encounter these nocturnal birds.
Keep an eye out for other wildlife, too, including albatrosses, yellow-eyed penguins and New Zealand fur seals. 7. Work up some steam at Te Puia
Te Puia's bubbling hot pools and surging geysers have made this North Island geothermal valley one of New Zealand's most memorable attractions. Plenty of people head here during the day, but fewer explore the area by night - and they are missing out.
On Te Puia's two-hour Geyser by Night tour, be awed by the lit-up Pohutu and Waikite geysers before stretching out on the naturally heated stone slabs to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the landscape at night. 8. Join the locals for night skiing at Coronet Peak
A floodlit ski session at Coronet Peak.
Just 20 minutes from the heart of Queenstown, Coronet Peak's accessibility, as well as those wide runs and plenty of vertical action, make it a favourite ski stop for locals.
It is not just the proximity they love: it is the fact that they can hit the slopes after the sun goes down, thanks to the much-loved Night Ski program
Many locals head here for an after-work floodlit ski session; join them on the slopes and then stay on to enjoy crackling fires, live DJs sets and plenty of delicious food. 9. Explore the moon by telescope at Kaikoura
10 amazing after-dark adventures you can only have in New Zealand
It is always there, waxing and waning above our heads, but how much do you really know about the moon?
If the answer is "not much", head to the coastal South Island town of Kaikoura, where dark skies make this a perfect spot for a moon-focused astro-tour. Peer through telescopes on Moana Skies' Lunar Tour to examine the moon's surface in detail, marvelling at its plains, craters and mountain ranges, as well as learning about the history and future of lunar exploration. 10. Be inspired by Rotorua's ancient redwood forest
10 amazing after-dark adventures you can only have in New Zealand 10. Be inspired by Rotorua's ancient redwood forest
Who says you have to choose?
Of course, you are going to want to visit Rotorua's soaring redwoods forest during the day. That's when you can tackle one of the lush hiking or biking trails, or get a different perspective on the skywalk, a series of suspension bridges 12 metres above the forest floor.
But really, you are going to want to come back at night for a second turn on the skywalk when it is lit up by beautiful lanterns. Known as Redwoods Nightlights, the experience turns the towering trees and the verdant understorey into a fantastic landscape of mind-bending beauty.
