Land area of North Island new Zealand
North Island Land New ZealandThe Maori Arts and Crafts Institute in Rotorua, New Zealand, is open to the general population and offers you the chance to watch the younger generation learn their craft. In addition to a series of Lord of the Rings tours, you can also explore the Weta Cave and the studio, home to the original mastermind behind the two film.
Volcanos - New Zealand lies on the so-called'Ring of Fire', proof of the vulcanic character of our country. If you are visiting Auckland, all the big'mountains' you can see are extinguished volcanos. An excursion to Rangitoto Island, the youngest of Auckland' s vulcanoes, is a favourite sport and for stunning vistas of the town, you should definitely take Mt Eden.
Farther north lies the Tongariro National Park. You can dug your own swimmingpool on the sand at low tide along the HWB. Northland' s most popular coastline, 90 Mile Beaches (actually only 55 leagues long) is an offical motorway that takes you to Cape Reinga, unfortunately car rentals are not permitted, but there are daily excursions that take you along this motorway with large 4x4s.
Lively Towns - New Zealand's two biggest towns are located on North Island. The Smaller Wellington is a great hiking town, with a number of funny cafés and Te Papa, New Zealand's National Museum. Situated at two ports, one of the best ways to explore the town is on a boat or shuttle in Waitemata harbour.
Some of the vines are also home to award-winning restuarants where you can taste the exquisite red wines for which the area is renowned, blended with local handcrafted products. There are several small winelands around Auckland (Matakana, Waiheke Island and Kumeu) for a pleasant excursion or an accommodation, each with its own special taste of wines.
To the north of Auckland lies Matakana, where a number of wineries and a fabulous week-end fair are located. To the northwest of Auckland lies Kumeu, whose bunches were first cultivated by early Croatians. Situated in the Hauraki Gulf, a brief, scenic cruise from inner city Auckland, Waiheke Island is home to vines and olives - a gourmet's heaven.
Adventures - North Island offers many adventures and adrenaline for those of you who are looking for excitement and thrill. The Auckland is the North Island target for bungee jumpers or for those looking for a tame experience, there is the Auckland Harbour Bridge Climb. Birdworld - New Zealand's birds developed isolated from carnivores, resulting in many unprecedented adjustments, with the airless birds, of which the Kivi is our most renowned, being particularly noteworthy.
New Zealand, which is also an important target for seabirds and migrating species, is encircled by ocean. Situated about an hours from Auckland, Miranda is an important hibernation site for migrating and coastal avifauna. Mountain - The mountainous terrain is dominant, with the Alps extending 500 kilometers from Nelson Lakes National Park to Milford Sound.
One of the most popular of the Marlborough Sound is the Queen Charlotte Sound, which is the Interislander Ferry Journey's main attraction when approaching Picton. There' s a fabulous multi-day stroll along the banks of Queen Charlotte Sound and you can discover the other noises by kayak and canoeing.
Fjords are situated at the other end of the South Island, in Fiordland National Park. Milford Sound is the most popular of the fjords, a glacier-carved fjord at the end of the Milford Road. Options for exploring Milford Sound range from natural cruising, kayak trips, sightseeing tours and an accommodation outing.
More secluded and less crowded, Doubtful Sounds is a real jewel to be experienced during a full-time or night-trip. More information about the fjords can be found in our product Zweifelhafter Klang vs. Milfordound. The breathtaking properties are an inherent part of some of the most sought after travel locations in the southern hemisphere, and include Te Anau and Queenstown.
A walk along the shore of shoreline Wanaka will reward you with breathtaking view of the lakes and mountains. Or take a tour to Mou Waho Island and discover the uncommon phenomena of an island within a sea (Arethusa Pool), within an island (Mou Waho), within a sea (Lake Wanaka), within an island (South Island).
To watch whales, you must go to Kaikoura, where huge cachalots and 7 other whales can be seen all year round. The Kaikoura is home to a wide range of other seafood such as sharks, albatrosses and cockatross. Ohau Stream Walks north of Kaikoura is a secret jewel where puppies play in cold weather while their mothers and dads are on the hunt.
You can go seakayaking in Abel Tasman National Park and in Akaroa you can go swimming with the indians. Hiking and hiking - Most of New Zealand's Great walks are in the pristine wildlife of the South Island. Two of the most appreciated by foreigners are the Milford and Routeburn Tracks, which are multi-day hikes that can be taken as part of a tour or separately.
Mt Aspiring National Park offers a dramatic brief stroll to the Blue Pools or the longer Rob Roy Glacier Sunday Worldwalk. For more information, please refer to our New Zealand Trekking Tour Guidebook. Glacier - The South Island is home to over 3000 icebergs, although most of them are only reachable by sightseeing flights.
Three of the most prominent are the Tasman Glacier, the Franz Josef Glacier and the Fox Glacier. The Tasman Glacier terminal has a large iceberg pool that you will pass on a Glacier Explorers tour. There is also plenty of activity in other parts of the South Island.
Not sure which island to go to yet? Have a look at some routes through New Zealand now.