Discover Auckland Scavenger Hunt
Discover the City of Sails with a scavenger hunt across Auckland. Look up at the 328-metre Sky Tower, walk the Viaduct past super-yachts, climb the volcanic cone of Mt Eden for the harbour view and pop into the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Two harbours, fifty extinct volcanoes, world-class flat whites. Tāmaki Makaurau is yours for the day.
Stops on this hunt
The geo-tagged checkpoints that anchor this route. You can rearrange, replace or remove any stop after using the template.
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1
Sky Tower
Navigate to the Sky Tower on Federal Street in the Auckland CBD and check in at the base.
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2
Viaduct Harbour
Walk north down Federal Street to the Viaduct Harbour and check in at the Lighter Quay or the Viaduct Events Centre.
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3
Mt Eden
Bus or rideshare south to Maungawhau / Mt Eden and check in at the summit road by the crater.
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4
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Walk or rideshare to the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the Domain and check in at the front steps.
Challenges (20)
Auckland kick-off
The hunt begins! Find a classic Auckland backdrop (a pohutukawa tree, a yacht in the harbour, the Sky Tower spire) and take a group photo with the whole team in shot.
Checkpoint: Sky Tower
Navigate to the Sky Tower on Federal Street in the Auckland CBD and check in at the base.
Sky Tower look-up pose
The Sky Tower is the tallest freestanding structure in New Zealand. Step back across the road, lay the team flat on the pavement (or stand crouched) and take a group photo looking straight up at the tower with everyone in the frame.
Trivia: Sky Tower height
The Sky Tower's antenna spire reaches what height in metres (within 10)?
Answers: 328 / 330 / 325 / 320 / 335
Trivia: Sky Tower opened
In what year did the Sky Tower open to the public?
Answer: 1997
Checkpoint: Viaduct Harbour
Walk north down Federal Street to the Viaduct Harbour and check in at the Lighter Quay or the Viaduct Events Centre.
Viaduct yacht shot
The Viaduct Harbour was rebuilt for the America's Cup and still holds the city's super-yacht fleet. Find a docked yacht with a great backdrop and take a group photo with the team posed in front, the masts towering above.
Wynyard Quarter walk
Cross the Viaduct's Wynyard Bridge into Wynyard Quarter, the regenerated waterfront. Take a group photo on the silo-lined boardwalk or by the giant blue silos of Silo Park.
Trivia: Harbour Bridge opened
The Auckland Harbour Bridge opened across the Waitemata Harbour in what year?
Answer: 1959
Queen Street busker shot
Queen Street is Auckland's main drag. Find a busker, an unusual storefront or the Britomart Transport Centre, and take a group photo with the team in the scene. Drop a coin if a song is playing.
Checkpoint: Mt Eden
Bus or rideshare south to Maungawhau / Mt Eden and check in at the summit road by the crater.
Mt Eden crater pose
Mt Eden is a 196-metre volcanic cone in the middle of the city with a deep grassy crater at the top. Find the crater rim viewpoint and take a group photo with the crater in the foreground and the city skyline behind.
Trivia: Auckland founded
Auckland was established by William Hobson as the new capital of New Zealand. In what year?
Answer: 1840
Checkpoint: Auckland War Memorial Museum
Walk or rideshare to the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the Domain and check in at the front steps.
Museum columns pose
The Auckland War Memorial Museum is a stately Neo-Classical landmark with grand columns. Line the team up on the front lawn and take a group photo with the full facade behind everyone.
Maori carving respect
Inside the museum (or in the wharenui replica) sit some of the finest Maori carvings in the country. Pay your koha (entry donation for non-residents), ask permission inside and take a respectful group photo by an outdoor pou or carved gateway.
Domain greenhouse shot
The Wintergarden in the Auckland Domain has two glasshouses (cool house, tropical house). Walk through, find a striking plant arrangement and take a group photo with the team in the greenery.
Flat white toast
Wellington has more cafes per capita than New York. Find a roastery (Flight Coffee, Customs, Havana) and order a round of flat whites. Take a group photo with everyone holding a cup up in a toast.
Local Aucklander tip
Convince a local Auckland resident to share a tip about the city. Take a photo with your impromptu guide and remember the tip.
Auckland finale
Final challenge. Find a beautiful Auckland spot (the Sky Tower at dusk, the Viaduct at golden hour, Mt Eden at sunset) and take an amazing closing group photo. Kia ora from Tāmaki Makaurau!
Frequently asked questions
Four to five hours covers the Sky Tower, the Viaduct, Queen Street, the Domain and Mt Eden at a relaxed pace. The CBD is compact and walkable; the Domain and Mt Eden sit a 15-minute bus or rideshare south. Add a half day if you want to take the ferry to Devonport or Waiheke.
Yes for the 360-degree view, the glass floor sections and the city laid out below. Tickets are timed-entry; book online to skip the line. The brave can do the SkyJump (a 192-metre controlled descent at 85 km/h) or the SkyWalk around the antenna mast. The base of the tower is free.
Devonport (a 12-minute ferry) is a great half-day add-on: Victorian cottages, North Head walks, a great fish-and-chip stop on the wharf. Waiheke (a 40-minute ferry) is a full day on its own with wineries and beaches. The hunt covers Auckland on the mainland, both ferries are bonus content.
The Sky Tower is the natural starting point: parking under SkyCity, the tower anchors the opening team photo and the Viaduct, Queen Street and Britomart are all a short walk. From there bus or rideshare to Mt Eden and the Domain in the afternoon.
Yes. The Viaduct, the Sky Tower observation deck and Auckland Museum welcome kids; the Domain has playgrounds and free entry; Mt Eden has a gentle paved walk to the summit. Skip the SkyJump if children are along. The hangi or fish-and-chip food stops work for all ages.