Eight things to do now that the nights descend earlier. Photo / Getty Images
Eight things to do now that the nights descend earlier. Photo / Getty Images
With the end of daylight saving bursting our summer-loving bubbles, here are eight things to do now that the nights descend earlier, writes Anna Sarjeant
Twilight Wine and Craft Beer Tour, Queenstown
Day drinking is a summer pastime. In winter, it’s a one-way ticket to an afternoon nap and waking at 8pm with a hangover. When daylight saving ends, it’s wiser to pull a cork at dusk, hence why Altitude Brewery’s Twilight Tour is all the rage in Queenstown. The tour begins at 3pm, the time we all start wondering if it’s 5 o’clock yet. The following four hours are spent beer and wine tasting across various QT venues, including Gibbston Tavern, Kinross Cellar Door and Canyon Brewing. Upon leaving the latter around 7pm, the sun will have thoroughly set, and darkness reigns. Which is effectively the solar system’s greenlight for “crack on”.
Hot-tub stargazing
NZ is littered with Dark Sky Reserves and Sanctuaries at Aotea Great Barrier Island, Rakiura Stewart Island, Wai-Iti Dark Sky Park in Nelson and Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve. Even in our bigger cities, the night sky is filled with more stars than you’d find in other sprawling metropolises.
Thanks to a certain photogenic church, Lake Tekapo is arguably the most famous place in NZ to stargaze. Part of the Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve, top starry experiences include a guided tour with Tekapo Springs, culminating in a plunge in the hot tub under a blanket of stars, as well as guided astronomy experiences at Dark Sky Project and stargazing tours at the summit of Mount John, among others.
Imagine being able to see while careering down a knobbly mountainside on two wheels? Boring. Woodhill Mountain Bike Park in Auckland is open until 9pm every Wednesday year-round. In summer, that might present you with a gram-worthy sunset, in winter you’re treated to a heart-racing assault course negotiating steep slopes, tree roots and nocturnal rodents in complete darkness — minus the glow from your headlamp and/or bike lights that Woodhill will hire out for $20. We strongly recommend both.
Piha at night with AWOL Canyoning
The end of light nights comes with dread, notably that the day is done by 5pm. As we all know, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. While there may be no more barbecues on the deck at 8pm, you can still find yourself in a narrow volcanic gorge, throwing yourself into a pitch-black waterfall, thanks to AWOL canyoning in Piha. Set off at dusk for an evening of abseiling and canyoning, accessing caves and crawling over ledges — Gollum-style — aided only by your headlamp and a scattering of glow worms. To think you were going to grab a pizza and call it a night.
Rotorua treetops walk, Rotorua
The Redwoods Treewalk in Rotorua is special by day and spectacular at night. A series of eco-suspended bridges connect the redwood trees, teetering 75m above the forest floor and dressed in lanterns. It’s an experience that brings dreams to life for younger children, but in summer, parents battle both lingering daylight and imminent tantrums from tired tots. Shorter days present the perfect opportunity to experience the illuminated redwoods as a family at an earlier time, with the promise of a prompt bedtime thrown in for free.
The Redwoods Treewalk in Rotorua is special by day and spectacular come nightfall. Photo / TNZ
A bioluminescence night kayak
Did you know that Auckland’s waters are alive with bioluminescence, the luminous plankton that shines bright blue at night? Come sundown, a bioluminescence kayak tour with Social Nature Movement treats guests to a two-hour paddle across the glimmering sea, observing a natural magical light show and learning about marine life. Peak bioluminescence season is September-May so there’s still time to see this phenomenon in all its glory.
The other option for a night-time row is with Auckland Sea Kayaks. In winter, sunset tours to Rangitoto Island depart at 2pm and include a trek to the summit with barbecue dinner. A full seven hours in duration, the trip will have you paddling back in the dark, a glittering city skyline guiding your strokes.
Dome camping
When the nights drop colder and summer camping is no longer feasible, the only thing standing in between you and the cosmos is your ceiling, so remove the problem with a dome stay. Valley View Glamping in the Waitaki District features six dome tents scattered across the hillside, complete with large bay windows for uninterrupted starry views and a log burner to keep you warm. For North Island trips, the Te Tihi Dome in Taupō is a standalone dome tent, complete with a hammock chair for indoor star dozing. Come winter solstice, when the evenings get dark from 5pm, there’s no better place to hunker down and get cosy.
Lake Taupō has many options for a winter glamping getaway, including Te Tuhi Dome near Kinloch Bay. Photo / Canopy Camping
The Southern Lights
Who needs Norway when our own aurora bathes the Southern Hemisphere in streams of hypnotic light every year. The best time to see the Southern Lights is during autumn and winter, notably between March and September. They’re not quite as prominent as their northern counterpart, but you can give yourself the best chance of seeing them by travelling to places like Stewart Island, the Catlins and the Southern Alps. According to Nasa (you know, the space boffs), we’re currently enjoying peak solar activity in an 11-year cycle. From 2023-2025, they’ve predicted an increase in auroral activity, and the lights may be visible at lower latitudes than usual.
Aurora Australis (The Southern Lights) as seen over New Zealand's skies on February27, 2023. Photo / Ian Griffin
