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We’re stoked about the release of A Minecraft Movie and Aotearoa DLC for the Minecraft game, which features six spectacular locations in Aotearoa New Zealand. Now you can explore New Zealand in your gaming world. And we hold the portal to blasting off into the real world of Aotearoa for some bonus levels to explore.
In A Minecraft Movie - in theatres as of today - four misfits are transported through a portal to Overworld, “a cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.” Follow in the footsteps of Garret, Dawn, Natalie and Henry, as they join Steve on their adventure through Overworld.
The free New Zealand DLC for Minecraft - by 100% Pure New Zealand that has partnered with Warner Bros. and Mojang Studios - takes you to some of these unforgettable and iconic New Zealand locations so you can experience a digital version of New Zealand (Aotearoa).
Level up into the real world of Aotearoa
Wanna find out more about these extraordinary places? You’re in the right place. Spaceships Rentals is probably the most geeky campervan hire company in New Zealand and we know how to teleport you to amazing places in New Zealand.
The Spaceships Crew consist of a collection of gamers, movie buffs, comic fans and appreciators of the geek side of life. There is a reason why every Spaceships campervan in New Zealand has its own individual name and is named after a movie, game or comic character. You could be driving Enderman, Darth Vader or Pacman on your #SpaceshipsRoadTrip in New Zealand.
Ready for take-off? “Be bold and unleash your creativity”. Here’s our crew’s guide to your NZ Minecraft adventure.
Exploring the Overworld: North Island Gems
Pick-up your Spaceship from our Auckland depot to explore 3 Minecraft-featured locations. Enjoy everything the city has to offer – play a few modern arcade games at TimeZone arcades that can be found throughout Auckland - before heading to our easy to reach depot.
It’s time to blast off into outer space. Time for your Minecraft road trip to start. Don’t worry if you didn’t fully charge your Steamdeck as all Spaceships are equipped with USB ports so your gaming device has plenty of time to guzzle up extra juice when you’re driving to your next destination. You Deck will be fully charged when arriving at the campsite. Midnight gaming under the stars anyone?
Waitomo Glowworm Caves: weird and wonderful
Sounds like fiction, but in fact, it is fact! Just over a 2 hour drive from Auckland, this is home to millions of glowworms which light up the caves with an eerie blue glow at night. Walk through the Glowworm caves to The Cathedral, its tallest chamber, then take the short boat ride into the Grotto of the Glowworms. To add to the atmosphere, you’ll have to stay silent in your boat. Glowworms don’t like noise, so ssshhh... or it’s Boom, Boom, out go the lights!
Take the chance to explore two other caves while you’re there. The largest, Ruakuri Cave is also home to glowworms and waterfalls, while Aranui Cave has spectacular brown, pink and white stalagmites and stalactites.
From bright views like this @ Raglan it's a (relative) short drive to the Waitomo Caves for the glow worm light-show
Te Puia, Rotorua: geysers, mud pools and hāngī
Another couple of hours cruise west in your Spaceship brings you to Te Puia near Rotorua, in the Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Valley with its hot springs and mud pools. Here you’ll find the largest active geyser in the southern hemisphere, Pōhutu, which erupts naturally around 15-20 times a day to a height of up to 30m. One of the Māori translations of Pōhutu is “big splash”: you can say that again!
You can now also experience the geyser lit up in the dark on a special night tour, as well as learn more about Maori culture, enjoy a traditional hāngī feast or buffet and see a Haka, the ancient Māori war dance made famous by the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team. As Steve says in A Minecraft Movie, “Save this world – creativity is key to survival.”
Te Puia in Rotorua is the beating heart of New Zealand and a must-visit on your NZ road trip
Kāpiti Island: clans, coasts and rare birds
Kāpiti Island can be reached from North and South Island. It’s 5 km off the coast from NZ’s capital, Wellington on the southern edge of North Island, just across the Cook Strait from South Island.
The island is a nature reserve that is free from predators, so you won’t see any Piglins or Zombies here, but it has become home to hundreds of rare and endangered birds, some of which can no longer be seen on the mainland. Keep a look out for the rare Takaha, a large flightless bird that for many years was believed to be extinct.
Enjoy the coastal walks with breathtaking views or hike to the island’s summit, 500m above sea level via the Trig Track or Wilkinson Track.
Enjoy amazing views and great hikes on Kāpiti Island | photo: Brandon (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Mining Marvels: South Island Wonders
South Island is a land of mountains, valleys and lakes. It’s also your portal to discover 3 more Minecraft locations. Get ready to take-off on epic road trip from the Spaceships depot in Christchurch… Or use Christchurch as your drop-off location by booking your trip as a one-way. Remember: there are no fees for one-way trips at Spaceships.
The big advantage of our Christchurch depot is that we have a retro arcade machine packed with heaps of classic games, like Phoenix, 1943 and Donkey Kong. And it’s on free play. Can you beat our high scores?
Okay let's not get distracted by gaming, time to switch back to the Minecraft locations in New Zealand.
Abel Tasman National Park: a split rock and rollers
Another location accessible from either South or North Island is this fabulous National Park on the north western corner of South Island.
Watch the ocean roll in, go sea kayaking, hike the coastal paths across beaches and ridges and see Split Apple Rock. It’s a giant rock split into two that looks well, like a split apple. You can swim or walk out about 100m off shore at low tide to get to this 120 million year old granite rock. Māori legend has it that the rock was split in two when two rival Gods were trying to possess it. It’s Māori name is Toka Ngawhā: “burst open rock”.
Visit the beautiful beaches and swim in the clear waters. At Separation Point you’ll see Fur Seal colonies, and sometimes dolphins and little blue penguins. There are lots of ways to explore Abel Tasman National Park: by foot, by kayak or....
Enjoy the views and relax @ Abel Tasman National Park on your Minecraft road trip | photo: Miles Holden
Lake Tepako: lakes, peaks and starry skies
With its icy turquoise water set in breathtaking Alpine scenery in the heart of South Island, Lake Tepako is not to be missed. Close to the Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park, on a clear day you can see the towering snow capped Mt Cook, NZ’s highest mountain at over 3,700 feet. The village of Lake Tepako is the location of the iconic Church of the Good Shepherd on the lake shore.
Beautiful by day, it’s equally dramatic at night. Lake Tepako was designated as part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve in 2012. It’s the largest Dark Sky Reserve in the southern hemisphere and with virtually zero light pollution offers an incredible star gazing experience. You may get a glimpse of the Milky Way or Aurora Australis, the Southern Lights. You can arrange a tour of the 1000m high Mount John observatory to see even more of the cosmos and galaxy.
The darkest skies create the brightest stars. There's no better place for stargazing than Lake Tekapo
Doubtful Sound – you better believe it!
Head south west into Fiordland and explore the deep, dark waters of Doubtful Sound, New Zealand’s deepest fiord. The steep wooded cliffs sprinkled with waterfalls rise up out of this 40km stretch of blue water. Take a boat trip and even kayak on the Sound, which is home to playful dolphins, seals and penguins.
Doubtful Sound is at the bottom of the planet and is an exhilarating, breathtakingly tranquil place. If in doubt, check it out!
Doubtful Sound or Patea “the place of silence" in Te Reo is a must-see on your NZ road trip | photo: Miles Holden
Turn your Minecraft explorations into reality
You’ve seen it in A Minecraft Movie and visited these awesome locations in the digital world. In the words of Steve, “Anything you can dream about, here you can make.”
Now it’s time to choose your Spaceship and buckle up for your own epic quest through these amazing Overworld locations in the real world.
And when you’ve done that, don’t forget to make the journey into New Zealand’s very own Middle Earth and discover the locations for the Lord of The Rings trilogy.