About Wellington

You have to do and be, not simply watch or even describe. This is the city of action, the world headquarters of the verb!

Be part of the buzz of New Zealand’s intimate and vibrant cultural capital, Wellington city. Nestled amongst steep hills at the southern end of the North Island offering fantastic sea views, and hugging one of the most picturesque harbours in the world, Wellington has more cafés per capita than New York, and a thriving art and music scene.

New Zealand’s national museum Te Papa is only the beginning of your adventure, take a Lord of The Rings tour (the production of the Lord of the Rings trilogy was based in Wellington), visit seals and penguins in the wild, take the famous red cable car to the Botanical Gardens, or climb Mt Victoria for breathtaking views over Wellington harbour. The YHA Wellington City hostel supports the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, which is now one of the best places in New Zealand to experience native wildlife in their natural environment, even though it’s just minutes from downtown Wellington.

Then relax and play in one of Wellington’s many cafes, restaurants, bars and clubs. You’ll need more than just a fleeting glimpse of our little gem, Wellington. Stay a while, you won’t regret it!  

Top activities to do while backpacking in Wellington:

• Visit Te Papa national museum on the refurbished Wellington waterfront to learn all about Maori and New Zealand arts and culture.
• Take a Lord of the Rings tour – either to the studio or to one of the many locations in and around Wellington.
• Discover some of New Zealand's rarest wildlife at ZEALANDIA: The Karori Sanctuary Experience, Wellington's award-winning conservation safe haven.
• Take a ride on the cable car for amazing views over Wellington Harbour.