Wellington | Zealandia

So, getting around was super easy since they have a free shuttle bus that goes from the port to the CBD. We booked a 2-hour tour at Zealandia, and despite the cloudy skies and occasional rain, it was a great day. We left pretty early since our tour started at 9:45 am, so we grabbed breakfast at the Zealandia café. It was lovely!

Here’s how we got there: we took the shuttle bus, which stops near the Parliament buildings. From there, you walk a bit to catch the cable car, and then they have a free shuttle bus to Zealandia that runs every 20 minutes.

Shuttle bus timetable

The tour was totally worth it – we booked through Viator. Our guide, Des, was amazing – super passionate and really informative. My husband’s not a fan of long walks because of his back, and I was a little worried it might be too much for us, especially with the rain. But thankfully, the sky cleared up just as we started the tour! Honestly, I don’t think we could’ve done it without a guide. Zealandia is huge, and we learned so much about native plants, herbs, and their benefits. I’m obsessed with Lemon Myrtle now – the scent is just heavenly. We also saw all kinds of birds, and the Kiwi burrow? So cute! It’s like something out of a fairy tale.

Breakfast at Rātā Cafe

One thing I really love about New Zealand is how they care so much about the environment and preserving their culture. Everywhere you go, you see Māori language, and it’s such a cool touch. And seriously, this country knows how to do a museum. I’ll tell you all about that in my Auckland post!

Des has been working here as a volunteer for over 20 years

By the way, Claire checked her step count on her iPhone, and we ended up walking over 10,000 steps. Hahaha, poor thing! Brad was like, “My walking quota is done!” Charlie, of course, was just focused on getting lunch after the long walk.

Kiwi burrow, isn't it cute?

Oh, and fun fact: there are no snakes in New Zealand! I asked Des about it, and he said the only thing they have is spiders with weak venom (pretty rare to be deadly). Definitely not like Australia, haha. We even saw a weta, a native bug, and I was honestly surprised by how big it was. Definitely bigger than I expected!

On the way back, before hopping on the cable car, we got to check out some Lord of the Rings costumes. The views up there were absolutely stunning, so we took a few photos. We didn’t stop at the cable car café, but it looks like a lovely spot based on Google reviews. So if you have time, check it out and let me know what you think! 😉

We did make a quick stop at Chemist Warehouse, which was packed (since it was Boxing Day). I ended up picking up a perfume for our room attendant, Jovie.

Overall, I really loved Wellington – the scenery is just beautiful. I’m not the biggest fan of the CBD, though, but the rest of the city totally made up for it.