Fiordland National Park occupies the southwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest of the 14 national parks in New Zealand, with an area of 12,500 km², and a major part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. The park is administered by the Department of Conservation. During the cooler past, glaciers carved many deep fiords, the most f...

The Milford Road which is considered to be one of the finest alpine drives in the world, provides access to spectacular Milford Sound. The Milford Road is the section of New Zealands State Highway 94 that goes from Te Anau up to the Sound being 119 km). The road also goes through Fiordland and crosses the Main Divide of the Southern Alps. It is regarded as one of the ...

New Zealand is a country of dramatic extremes. Peaceful valleys with glacial lakes rise up into craggy snow covered mountains on the country’s two main islands, spawning rivers that sweep melting snow and rain down the mountainsides to the waiting receptacles of the lakes and the ocean that surrounds the island nation. A venture explosively growing in popularity...

Entering the ocean in the presence of a Great White Shark may not be for everyone. On the other hand, there are those of you that dream of being able to observe a Great White in its natural habitat. Watching a Great White Shark tear into a Sea Lion or socializing with other sharks may be the adrenaline adventure you crave. It’s not only possible to do so but the...

Sailing in the Bay of Islands off the east shore of New Zealand’s North Island provides an opportunity to enjoy yachting in sheltered waters with abundant wildlife. Dispersed off shore stretching 80 km, sailors can count more than 80 islands divided by short passages boasting beautiful beaches, convenient anchorage and quaint towns. Blue penguins, dolphin, robin...

Zorbing (globe-riding, sphereing, orbing) is the recreation of rolling downhill in an orb, generally made of transparent plastic. Zorbing is generally performed on a gentle slope, but can also be done on a level surface, permitting more rider control. In the absence of hills some operators have constructed inflatable, wooden or metal ramps. There are two types of orbs...

The Fox Glacier is a 13 km (8.1 mi) long glacier located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It was named in 1872 after a visit by the then Prime Minister of New Zealand, Sir William Fox. Note: To hike on the glacier you must take a helicopter tour. Like the nearby Franz Josef Glacier, it is one of the most acces...

Queenstown, the primary entry point for the South Island is arguably the most famous tourist destination in New Zealand. The city is nestled within the Southern Alps near Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand’s longest lake. Queenstown offers spectacular mountain views such as those of The Remarkables range in the Southern Alps and is often referred to as the Adventure Tou...

It’s an adventure just to get to the platform. A rugged 35 minute ride in a 4 wheel drive vehicle followed by a cable car shuttle up to the platform 134 meters above the wild Nevis River only sets the stage for your attempt to complete one of the greatest personal challenges you’ll ever face. The platform is near the city of Queenstown on New Zealand&rsquo...

The Waitomo Caves are a village and cave system forming a major tourist attraction in the southern Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand, 12 kilometres northwest of Te Kuiti. The community of Waitomo Caves itself is very small, though the village has many temporary service workers living there as well. The word Waitomo comes from the Māori language wai mea...

Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reserve is a marine reserve on the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand. Cathedral Cove is named after the cave located there linking Mare’s Leg Cove to Cathedral Cove. Gemstone Bay and Stingray Bay are also located within the reserve. A walking track exists from the northern end of Hahei Beach, and it is also possible t...

Abel Tasman National Park is a national park located at the north end of the South Island of New Zealand. The park was founded in 1942, largely through the efforts of ornithologist and author Perrine Moncrieff to have land reserved for the purpose. With a coverage of only 225.3 square kilometres, is the smallest of New Zealand's national parks. The park consists of fo...

The Moeraki Boulders are unusually large and spherical boulders lying along a stretch of Koekohe Beach on the wave cut Otago coast of New Zealand between Moeraki and Hampden. They occur scattered either as isolated or clusters of boulders within a stretch of beach where they have been protected in a scientific reserve. The erosion by wave action of mudstone, comprisin...

Auckland is the largest metropolitan area in New Zealand, with a population of over one million. It is in the northern half of the North Island, on a narrow isthmus of land that joins the Northland peninsula to the rest of the North Island. Auckland is often known as the "City of Sails" for the large number of yachts that grace the Waitemata Harbour and the Haura...

It may be tricky to reach New Chums Beach, nine miles east of Coromandel town centre, but it’s worth it. New Chum’s Beach is on the Coromandel Peninsula and is one of the finest beaches you will find in New Zealand. Voted one of the Top 20 Beaches in the world in 2006 by The Observer, remains a gem to those who know of it’s existence and a true disco...