Take a look over at our Instagram of late and we’ve made no secret that we recently had a whirl of a time trekking around New Zealand.
Of course, New Zealand is known for its ridiculous scenery (which we saw plenty of!) and we were lucky to see a whole host of attractions across the South and North Island. As with any New Zealand trip, the holiday involved a lot of driving in between places and stopping off to enjoy stunning vistas and the places in between.
Of course, we tried where best we could to explore and uncover some wild swimming spots across this incredible country. And of course, with its vast lakes, rivers, hot springs, waterfalls and beaches, New Zealand didn’t disappoint.
So in no particular geographical order (although we’ll detail these in order of our New Zealand itinerary) Here’s a selection of some of our favourite wild swimming spots in New Zealand!
Lake Wanaka
Know for its iconic, lonely tree which grows out of the lake with a stunning range of mountains surrounding it, Lake Wanaka is a lovely place to swim, particularly on a warm summer’s day. The water is relatively shallow and there is easy access to the water via stony beaches surrounding the water.
Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown
Queenstown is a popular tourist town that is frequented by skiers and people using it is a base for exploring the surrounding attractions of the Remarkables Mountains as well as Milford Sound and the surrounding Fjordland National Park.
Hugging the harbourfront of the town is the stunning Lake Wakatipu. We visited in the height of summer and despite hot temperatures the lake is glacial and the waters had a bit of a bite to them! Of course we’re used to cooler UK water temperatures and the water had a pleasant bite to it, though is likely too cold to swim in during the winter months.
You can access Lake Wakatipu via Queenstown Bay, Sunshine Bay, Frankton Beach, Kelvin Heighs Beach, Wilson Bay and Bob’s Cove. There are also other swimming spots near Queenstown such as Moke Lake, Lake Hayes, and along the Arrowtown River.
Lake Wakatipu also had some of the clearest blue waters we saw in New Zealand.
Lake Pukaki, Mount Cook/Aoraki
On the drive up the New Zealand’s highest peak, Mount Cook/Aoraki, you’ll hug the beautfiul Lake Pukaki, which is a long strip of water along the highway up to the mountain.
There are a few places to stop off along the way and enter the water, with a few visible beaches. Take care, as the current can be strong. Again, some of the most stunning crystal clear waters we’ve ever seen!
Hooker Lake, Mount Cook
This one comes with a warning, as it is glacier lake on the foot of Mount Cook with low tempatures, and should only be attempted by experienced swimmers who are used to cold water temperatures. We only dipped in for a few minutes ourselves (again this was the summer) and that was enough for sure.
Hooker Lake can be accessed by following the Hooker Valley Track near the village at the foot of mount cook.
Rakia River, Windwhistle
Driving back to Christchurch from Mount Cook, we came across yet another stunning blue body of water in the form of the Rakaia River, near the settlement of Windwhistle. Crossing a bridge and stopping off near the Rakaia Gorge Scenic View, we parked up and walked down to a large beach by the river which offered access to the water.
There was a strong current nearer the water’s centre and the water was pretty cold, so caution is advised here.
Pakuratahi River, Wellington
Onto the North Island then! About 40 minutes north of Wellington, near Upper Hutt lies the winding Pakuratahi River, which has a number of secluded swimming spots along its banks.
Follow the Remutaka Rail Trail and this will lead to several beaches and access points where you can hop in.
Outside of this, we also came across other swimming spots near Wellington such as Oriental Bay, Scorching Bay, Pakuratahi RIver, Otaki Forks, Princess Bay, Lyall Bay and Worser Bay.
Kerosene Creek, Rotorua
Ok, this place was super special. Rotorua lies in the North Island’s hot springs country, and the town is surrounded by various hot spring and volcanic attractions, some of which you can swim in.
Our favourite was Kerosene Creek, which was a hot spring waterfall with lovely warm waters to swim in. New Zealand has plenty of paid hot spring areas where you can jump in pools with other punters, but get here early and you might be lucky to have the place to yourself. The pool is large and deep enough to swim around in – truly a special experience!
In the wider Rotorua area, you can also swim in Lake Tikitapu, Lake Tarawera, Okere Falls and Boyes Beach to name a few.
So that’s it! These were our favourite swimming spots in New Zealand. If you want to know more about our itinerary or have other tips yourself, let us know!
