The idea of sitting on a half-ton flight animal and riding up a steep rocky path may make some people recoil in terror, but the truth is that trail riding on horseback is one of the greatest ways to see any country, especially the beauty of New Zealand.

There are a vast number of different types and levels one can take, ranging from beach rides with gallops along the white sand, to exploring the untouched mountainous wilderness.

Kahurangi National Park

One of the lesser-known horse trekking sites, here you can expect to splash through natural mountain lakes and forests. You don’t need to be of a certain skill level, as the horses are sturdy and dependable.

If you feel comfortable, you can even ride bareback into the deeper parts of the lake, and experience the thrill of swimming with your horse.

Week-Long Horse Treks

For those who are fit and can stand a couple of days in the saddle, there are a number of horse treks that stretch over a couple of nights. From a whole week to just a weekend, you can ride through the rugged New Zealand landscape on your trusty steed, camping at night under the stars.

All equipment is provided for you and the guides are always experienced and friendly. Just be aware that you will very likely be stiff after a few days ride, especially if you are not used to horse riding. Its best to build up to an experience like this with a number of day rides first.

Follow a Miners Trail

New Zealand is known for its first pioneers who mined coals in the steep mountains. Following in their footsteps on specially bred horses, you can ride up and down steep mountain faces and sleep in sheep mustering huts at the end of the night.

Points of interest often include some old coal and gold mines themselves, as well as unspoiled New Zealand high country. Food is locally sourced most of the time and will give you a great sense of satisfaction as you wrap up in your sleeping bag in a century-old hut with a full belly.

Ride and Race

The horse racing industry is New Zealand is one of the best in the world. Quality horses are bred and trained, running locally and internationally. The great Phar Lap was homegrown in New Zealand and went on to become one of the best racehorses in the world.

A few trail riding outfits are near cities such as Queenstown, which have a thriving racing industry. A great idea is to do a trail ride on a shaggy, dependable pony, and then go to see the other end of the spectrum with glossy, scorchingly fast thoroughbreds.

Placing a bet on a race is exciting, and a well-loved past time in the country. Betting on other sports such as Australian Open tennis betting can be done online and in a number of friendly tote shops.

Go To Mordor

Lord of the Rings was one of the most successful movie series ever made.

The vast majority of it was shot in New Zealand, which is not surprising when one looks at the awe-inspiring scenery.

Take a trail that goes right through some of the best-known LOTR spots such as Mordor and the Battle of Rohan.

Most people agree that living an active lifestyle, to some degree, is part and parcel of living  healthy, happy life. The problem for many people, however, is that first, essential step into a new activity.

Some patimes, like the online roulette NZ offers, for example, require some kind of prior knowledge, but others are easier to pick up as you go along, and do not require a huge amount of experience in order to enjoy. This article outlines the most popular of these for your convenience!

Sample the Fun of Saltwater Fishing 

As is indicated by the name, saltwater fishing takes place at sea, and gives those enjoying it the chance to try and catch large, exotic animals like the marlin. The major drawback for this activity is that you have to be able to access a boat, but, since these can be rented pretty easily, this shouldn’t be too much of a hassle organising.

Bewitch Your Brain with Bird Watching 

With around 10 000 species of birds in the world, and only a small handful of individuals who can claim to have seen even 7 000 of them, this activity is becoming more and more popular every year.

Some believe that bird watching is linked to our hunting instincts, while others say it has more to do with systemising, but whatever it may be, it is a great, and safe, way to enjoy the natural world.

Set Your Sights on Skiing 

Alpine skiing, also known as downhill skiing, can be great fun, and there are instructors to help you find your feet, so to speak. 

Set Sail with a Snowboard 

This American sport has recently started getting worldwide attention. It came to be in the 1960s, and became an Olympic sport in 1998.

Like any other extreme sport, there is some risk of injury with this one, but if you start off slow and steady and, again, get the help of a good instructor, you can safely get snowboarding over time, and have fun while you learn how to do it!

Banish Boredom with Overnight Backpacking

Not to be confused with the backpacking many make use of in order to travel to new places, overnight backpacking describes multi-day hikes that involve camping. Aside from the obvious health benefits, this hobby allows you to reconnect to nature in remote places that are not accessible any other way and restore your spirit, too.

Sashay Your Way to a Fitter You with Snowshoeing 

Snowshoeing is a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors during the winter months, and will help you ensure your exercise schedule stays on track even when its cold outside. In fact, as of 2006, more than 500 schools in the USA have begun offering programmes for snowshoeing as part of their physical curriculum in an effort to combat obesity in kids.

Take to the Trail, Running 

An increasingly popular sport worldwide, the number of active trail runners increased from just over 4 million to more than 6 million in the United States of America alone between the years 2006 and 2012.

If you are looking for a great outdoor activity that combines modern technology with a traditional treasure-hunt game, then consider Geocaching.

At first glance, it may seem that Geocaching is not an appropriate actively for children, but in truth, it can be a great adventure game that can be safe, fun and extremely rewarding –just like roulette online Canada games– if you know what you are doing.

What is Geocaching?

The word Geocache is a mashup of two words. The prefix, geo means earth as in Geography. The second word is cache, which is another term used for a secure place for storing something of importance.

At its most basic form, Geocaching is a global treasure hunt with millions of treasures hidden all over the world. You might not know this, but there are probably dozens of caches hidden in your neighbourhood alone.

What You Need to Get Started?

In order to find a treasure, you can use your smartphone or handheld GPS device. The treasures themselves come in different shapes and sizes with varying difficulty levels. While some treasures are easy to find, others are disguised in camouflaged containers that are made to look like their surroundings.

The location of these treasures can also vary from urban areas to places off the beaten track. To date, there are over 2 million caches worldwide, so you will never run out of treasures to find.

Once you find a cache, you will find a small piece of paper or a log book to sign. Larger caches can contain treasures, which you swap out with something of your own, like stickers, toys or other trinkets. After signing the log, you close up your treasure and place it back in its hidey-hole for other explorers to find.

Downloading the Geocache App

If you want to get started Geocaching, all you need is a smartphone and a willingness to explore. You can download the geocache app for free to your tablet or smartphone directly from the site, geocaching.com.

Once you have downloaded the app, you can create a free account and immediately start locating caches in your local area. If want access to even more caches, you can pay for a premium membership, but the free membership has more than enough to keep you going for months or years even.

Before You Head Out

Before you head out on your first treasure hunt, it is a good idea is to pack snacks, drinks and maybe a bit of sunscreen for the kids as you might be out an about for a while. Choose a cache with a difficulty level that is easy enough to find for your first couple of outings.

Not only will this be a morale booster for the kids, it will also make the actively fun and rewarding. Once you start finding treasures, the drive to find the next one is simply overwhelming and you might find yourself zigzagging your way across the neighbourhood and foraging in the local parks.

If you start on a cache where the difficulty level is too high, you will end up walking in circles and getting pretty frustrated. The kids will want to go home and the whole actively will be ruined. The idea is to track your progress level and make the hunt as exciting as possible without getting to too technical.

You may be aware of the fact that New Zealand Great Walks offer an incredible way to experience the ever-famous landscapes of the country, but were you aware that there is also the option to indulge in more multi-day hikes that are not just cheaper, but are also less crowded?

Whether you’re a beginner or an expert tramper, someone who prefers luxury or rustic accommodation, you’ll be able to find something to suit your hiking needs.

Hollyford track

This 2-8 day offers stunning sights all year round, with a well-maintained track, decent accommodation in the form of rustic huts available and the low price of NZ$15 per night, per person.

The Hollyford Track starts in the rock faces of the gorgeous Darren Mountains and gracefully follows the Hollyford River. You’ll pass through an exceptionally beautiful native forest while on an adventure to the west coast.

Pouakai Circuit

If you’re anything like me, your idea of a great weekend is spent lounging in front of a TV or playing a few of my favourite mobile pokies, but even I have to admit this truly is not to be missed.

On this 2-3 day hike you will journey through an exquisite wild forest, sub-alpine wilderness covered in tussock, a wonderful Ahukawakawa Swamp and venture around one of New Zealand’s most magnificent volcanoes, Mt Taranaki.

You can stay in large huts that offer mattresses or bunks, heating and lighting and basic services for just NZ$12 per night.

Humpridge Track

For those of you that don’t like roughing it, this is one of your more luxurious 3-day walks in Fiordland National Park. The Humpridge Track provides some sensational views of the coastline as you journey over subalpine tops.

You can stay in privately owned lodges as opposed to your average DOC hut, with double rooms and 8-bunk dorms available for all. You’ll pay around NZ$175 per night per person, but breakfast is included.

Mt Holdsworth Jumbo Circuit

Grasp the opportunity to explore unparalleled views on a 2-3 day walk on the Mt Holdsworth Circuit. Here you’ll explore the exquisite mountaintops of Tararua Forest park, as well as a quick hike through forest to the top of the mountains where you can stay for the night.

The huts here are just NZ$15 and in spite of their simple style, you will need to book during summer as they do get booked out.

Inland Track

You’ve probably already heard of the Abel Tasman Great Walk, but you really should explore the splendour of this 3-day Island Track hike in the Abel Tasman National Park. The sights and sounds will blow you away, with the call of native birds surrounding you and the beauty of the unspoiled forest enchanting you.

You should be warned, however, the track is slightly more rough than the ones you’ll find in the Great Walks, but that’s just a little extra adventure! The accommodation is 2 standard DOC huts that will offer a mattress or bunk along with heating for a mere NZ$5 per night per person.

We often think that the bright light of day is the only time it’s possible to appreciate the beauty and peace of a garden. It’s true that many gardens look their best during the day, but Mother Nature has ensured we can also appreciate her beauty at night.

Spending time in a garden is one of the best ways to recharge after a busy day at school, a hectic week at the office, or during a well-deserved vacation. A moon garden is the perfect excuse to get outdoors and recharge at night.

Like Day and Night

Many plants have flowers that bloom and release their fragrance only at night, while others have white or light-coloured flowers and foliage that is silvery or grey. With just a few careful choices and a little bit of hard work during the day, you can experience the magic of a garden that comes alive at night.

Why not involve the children, and create a moon garden as a family holiday project? It is a wonderful opportunity to teach children the basics of gardening, the cycles of nature, and gardening safety tips and first aid for insect bites and stings, as well as minor scrapes and bruises.

Single but not bothered enough to mingle? A moon garden would be a perfect spot to chill out between playing online blackjack Canada, watching DVDs, and eating pizza on the couch.

Location, Location, Location

The first thing you need to do when planning a moon garden is to spend some time in your garden on moonlit nights. Find the spot that gets the best light at the times you would most regularly visit your garden at night.

You would also need to ensure that daytime conditions are suitable for the plants you want to include. After all, they still need sunlight, water, and good soil in which to grow.

Lunar Flower Power

When deciding on plants to include in your moon garden, check that they are suitable for your climate zone. Gardening websites and local nurseries are a wealth of this helpful information.

Try choose plants of different colours, heights, textures, and shapes. Be aware that some flowers are beautiful to look at, but yield little fragrance, while others may not look too impressive, but could rival the complexities of designer perfumes. It is also important to note which plants are toxic, and to take the necessary precautions if including them in your garden.

Among the many different plants suitable for moon gardens are Snow White cornflower, Sweet Alice Lobularia, moonflower (Brugmansia), Diamond Frost or Snow Euphorbia, white bougainvillea, white agapanthus, Felicia daisies, St Joseph’s lilies, snowdrops, white roses, evening primrose, night phlox, evening stock, night gladiolus, Dusty Millers, silver thyme, mugwort, sage, lamb’s ears, and jasmine.

If you have a pond in your garden, you could also plant arum lilies and water lilies. If keeping koi is not too daunting, you could even consider added pearl-coloured koi to the pond.

Planting by the Moon

Creating a moon garden is also a good opportunity to find out if there really is something to gardening according to the moon’s phases. New moon promotes balanced root and leaf growth, so it’s a good time to plant, as is the moon’s second quarter.

If you need to transplant, do it around the full moon, and if you need to prune, do it during the third quarter. The third quarter is also a good time to mow the lawn, while the fourth quarter can be used to harvest, prune, transplant, or just enjoy a good rest.