Have you dreamed of visiting Down Under? Traveling through New Zealand will provide an experience for everyone. It is a trip worth careful and thoughtful planning. Prepare well in advance to get the most enjoyment from your trip.

Imagine an incredible array of vistas provided courtesy of Mother Nature. From rugged coastline to majestic mountains, New Zealand has that and everything in between. A trip to New Zealand will require spending a great deal of time in the outdoors in order to get the best experience possible.

The Maori culture plays a big part in New Zealand life. Discovering and exploring this culture will entrance you. About 200 years before European history begins, Polynesians migrated to New Zealand. Many of the names of the places, arts, and architecture in New Zealand originate from the Maori culture and is a reflection of the influence that they had on this society.

Many places in New Zealand are steeped in history. The Treaty of Waitangi changed the course of New Zealand history and the Treaty Grounds can be visited at Waitangi. Otago displays many artifacts from the gold rush era that was so significant to New Zealand’s history. The port city of Napier, nicknamed Art Deco City, boasts some of the world’s finest examples of Art Deco architecture. When the city was decimated in 1931 by an earthquake and fire, the rebirth was essentially a city of Art Deco building since most of the earlier buildings were eradicated..

Hearing stories in every town and city make traveling through New Zealand an interesting experience. Ask questions of the locals and they will direct you to the most fascinating areas or sites. Friendly and loquacious, encounters with Kiwis (those from New Zealand) can certainly enhance your trip. They are proud of their country and love to share their knowledge with tourists.

You will never forget your trip to New Zealand. The great outdoors, wild beauty, raging coasts, scenic plains, and incredible history will be vividly imprinted on your memory forever.

Daydreaming of New Zealand, you envision an incredible beautiful country, with some of the most awe-inspiring landscape anywhere on Earth. Your mind doesn’t capture the image of majestic mountains and incredible ski resorts. New Zealand continues to be the destination sought for skiing vacations.

Off the southwest coast of Australia and across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand is made up of two main islands and many small ones. The two islands, the North and South Islands, are separated by the Cook Strait.

Through the winter months, the ski resorts and heli-ski operators have some of the best ski vacations available anywhere. Snowboarding and ski season starts in June and runs through to October. Due to its location in the southern hemisphere, New Zealand has winter in mid-year. Skiing enthusiasts from Europe, Japan, and North America descend on New Zealand during the winter to enjoy the incredible skiing experience.

New Zealand has ski areas that are truly beautiful. Some of those areas are:

Mount Ruapehu – This location is a volcano that is large and awesome. It is home to two of the largest ski resorts in New Zealand, Turoa and Whakapapa. There is 1800 hectares of breathtaking terrain for skiing and snowboarding. Mount Ruapehu is truly a world-class ski area.

Treble Cone – Nestled in New Zealand’s Southern Alps, the Treble Cone resort offers spectacular view of Wanaka 19 kilometers away. Stable, reliable snow falls and good weather makes it one of the most popular skiing destinations in New Zealand. In 2006, major improvements were done to the trails and it now has the most intermediate and expert runs of any resort on the island.

The largest resort on the South Island, Treble Cone, occupies 550 hectares and boasts a vertical drop of 700 meters, the highest on the island. The drop is serviced by a lift. Whew!!

Mount Hutt – Just over a one-hour drive from Christchurch and a quick half hour from Methven. Located at the foot of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, This area is the ski destination of resorts in the area.

The sixth summit, serviced by chairlifts, takes skiers to many intermediate and novice ski runs. The beginner ski area is serviced by a 140 meter long Magic Carpet. Some of the best ski facilities in New Zealand are found on Mt Hutt.

If you want a terrific ski vacation, look to the ski resorts of New Zealand to give you the skiing experience of a lifetime.

Auckland: A sea lovers paradise
On New Zealand’s North Island, Auckland, a thriving metropolis set in the midst of spectacular bays and inlets. Nicknamed The City of Sails, it is hardly surprising that Auckland’s most notable activities are water related such as dinner cruises around the harbor, swims with dolphins and dolphin spotting.

Transportation: get from here to there
Auckland is home to the major international airport in New Zealand. This means that Auckland is directly accessible from Europe, Asia, Australia and the US. There are also domestic routes to Auckland from South island.

The recommended modes of transportation with the city are bicycle or taxicab. Rail and bus services are available to other areas of the island.

Weather
Summer runs from November to April because New Zealand is located in the southern hemisphere. Temperatures in the summer average around 20°C and the winter temperatures are very mild, above freezing.

Accommodation: Budget to luxury accommodations
The best and most reliable source of information on accommodations is the Internet. Selection, cost, availability, location and amenities for accommodations can be obtained through the Accommodations link on the city of Auckland’s website.

Events and Attractions
All year there are events; like sports, music and festivals; being held in the city and there are a myriad of attractions to see. No matter when you visit, there is bound to be something happening in or around Auckland. Just check the city’s website.

The diverse culture of New Zealand is steeped in the history and culture of the indigenous Maori. Legend has it that, more than 1000 years ago, the Maori came to New Zealand from Hawaiki, their ancestrial home, in open boats similar to the traditional crafts that some still use.

Two main islands and several small islands off the southwest coast of Australia is the isolated island country of New Zealand. Across the Tasman Sea lies Australia and Tonga and Fiji are to the north. New Zealand occupies an area of 268670 square kilometers. The area is a bit less landmass than is occupied by Japan and slightly more than the UK. New Zealand has substantial marine resources and is the fifth largest EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) on the Earth. This means New Zealand can lay claim to more than over four million square kilometers, more than fifteen times its landmass, for their exclusive “exploration and use of marine resources”.

New Zealand’s temperate climate means that temperatures seldom go higher than 30°C (86°F) or drop lower 0°C (32°F). Wet, cold, and mountainous; South Island is the largest of the two islands and the Southern Alps, running length wise through the island, divides the east side of the island from the west side. In contrast, North Island is dry, continental and pocked by volcanoes. An active volcano, Mount Ruapehu, is the highest mountain on North Island at 9,176 feet. The popularity of the island landscape soared in popularity after the Lord of the Rings trilogy was shot there.

New Zealand has total population of over four million people with the Maori making up the largest minority. Other significant minority populations are composed of Asians and Polynesians (non-Maori), most visibly in urban areas. Although Elizabeth II is a figurehead, she holds the title of the Queen of New Zealand. The office of New Zealand’s Prime Minister holds the true political power in the elected Parliament.

The government has been remodeling the economy ever since 1984 so that it is more of an industrialized free market and far less dependent on the British market. In order for that model to work, there must be significant agricultural exports. Leading in this area are meat/dairy/forest products, vegetables and fruit, wool, and fish.

Many other cultures have had a significant influence on the culture in New Zealand. The heaviest influences come from the Irish, British and Maori. Polynesians gravitated to this landmass in 1000AD and established the indigenous population of Maori. Scottish settlers have had an impact on the culture of New Zealand, to the extent that New Zealand now has more bagpipe bands than Scotland does.

The Kiwi is the national bird of the country and has been adopted as a nickname for New Zealanders. It is also often used as an adjective when referring to their culture.

New Zealand has many facets to be explored and relished. Book your visit now!

Is it any wonder why the incredible beauty of New Zealand attracts hordes of tourists each year? From around the world, tourists flock to savor the diverse experiences available in New Zealand. Not all tourists want to continuously tour nature preserves or go to cultural and historic landmarks. Fun and relaxation are just as much a part of a vacation as seeing the sites is. The six casinos of New Zealand offer familiar games combined with the laidback lifestyle of New Zealand.

Queenstown provides the beautiful backdrop for New Zealand’s best casino, the Sky Alpine Queenstown Casino. Great dining can be enjoyed in Wild Thyme, the casino’s restaurant. After a delicious meal, visitors can go and have some fun at the slot machines and gaming tables. The lucky ones will win some money. Live entertainment and big jackpots at the Sky Alpine attract regular visitors.

For those that wish to have variety in their gaming experience, there are other casinos to visit in New Zealand. Dunedin, the second largest city on South Island, is home to the Dunedin Casino. This casino, in the refurbished 1883 building that housed the old Grand Hotel, has a façade that combines function and form and offers attractive accommodations in the attached hotel. The Dunedin Casino’s Grand Bar & Café offers a great new menu for your dining pleasure and then play poker, bingo, and baccarat at leisure. The SkyCity Hamilton Casino, with its 4 bars and restaurants, has 23 gaming tables and over 300 slot machines for its visitors to enjoy.

New Zealand’s group of boutique casinos offer some of the best entertainment and gaming in the South Pacific. Although you need to be 20 years old to gamble in the casinos, those that are old enough can participate in a unique gaming experience. The small casinos with their range of fine and casual dining, excellent entertainment and broad spectrum of games ensure that visitors will not be bored.

On the South Island, excitement is around every corner. Rivers race through rocky ravines and then meander across plains washed down from the Southern Alps. Alpine lakes provide endless diversions, and the various contents that sweep along the western and eastern coasts carry food and a huge variety of dramatic sea life.

Up in the north, the stretches of golden sand and numerous coves attract sea kayakers and canoeists to Abel Tasman National Park. Around the corner, in the Marlborough Sounds, deep waterways entice boaters and fishermen to its inlets and fiords.

The combination of cold and hot currents and the continental shelf drop offs attract sperm, humpback, southern right and minke whales; as well as dolphins, orcas and a plethora of other sea life, to the Kaikoura coast.

The shallow rivers of Canterbury have been well stocked with sea-run trout and well fed quinnat salmon. Within a two-hour drive from Gore, there are 27 rivers worth fishing. Gore boasts that it is The World ‘s Brown Trout Fishing Capital.

High speed jet boats take small groups of people on safe, but thrilling, tours along the rivers and incredible gorges. The Shotover and Kawarau rivers just outside Queenstown provide some of the most exhilarating rides. This resort area is renown as the Adventure Capital, where skillful drivers can judge the gaps with astounding accuracy and can thrill the passengers with seemingly impossible turns and spins.

Whitewater rafting appeals to those that want a marginally more laid back activity and the gleeful shouts and whoops are evidence of their thrills. The Southern Lakes are teeming with sailing dinghies and water-skiers on hot, lazy summer days.

The Southern Ocean’s cold currents thunder as they roll up onto the Otago coast. Thse waves create an awesome surfing experience for surfers. Formidable fiords of the Fiordland region hold many surprises. An event called “deep water emergence” allows you to view a unique marine environment, including rare black coral, about one meter below the surface.

Rotorua, noted for its geothermal activity, is one of the “must see” vacation destination in New Zealand. The thrill of walking in a volcano, the calm of strolling leisurely beside the lake, the exhilaration of rafting a waterfalls, the adventure of exploring the buried village, or the serenity of bathing in the therapeutic natural basin between the mica formations known as the Red and White Terraces is only further enhanced by staying at Peppers on the Point on the outskirts of Rotorua.

“Peppers on the Point”, a premier retreat, unexpectedly comes into view as you travel up the quiet Kawaha Point Road. As you gaze on the panoramic view, the beauty of the estate takes your breath away. Staying at Peppers is an experience not to be denied! On one hand, it is within walking distance of Rotorua and, on the other hand, it is away from the nose-wrinkling odor of sulphur.

Taking full advantage of a spectacular view of Lake Rotorua, Peppers is perched on a point of land that gives most of the suites a stunning lake view. Nine exquisite suites are located in the two story main building and are tastefully furnished. Cottage suites, just a few steps from the main building, boast decks, hot tubs and an incredible view of the lake.

In a country where cuisine is not highly noted, the restaurant at Peppers serves up superb food. The restaurant is not only widely acknowledged as excellent but the wine cellar houses some of the finest wines.

There is so much to do that you can fill your days with as much, or as little, activity as you choose. If you desire the calm contemplation of fishing, the retreat’s private beach is just the place to partake in fly-fishing. If getting pampered is more your style, Peppers offers a spa where you can enjoy hot stone treatments, body wraps, and relaxing massages, as well as several other delightful spa treatments. Tennis and water sports are available to burn off some energy or you can go walk to view the Rotorua geysers.

The 1930’s mansion is steeped in history and set on 2.8 hectares of pastoral land giving you the feeling of staying in a home rather than a hotel. If you want your vacation in New Zealand to be unforgettable, spend some time staying at Peppers on the Point.

New Zealand has some of the most unique vacation experiences that can be found anywhere. Nature has been extremely generous to this island country. Time may be the only factor that prevents you from taking in all the sights and activities available. You can spend months in New Zealand and never do the same thing twice so researching and planning out your trip is of paramount importance if you want to get everything possible out of the time that you are able to spend in this wonderful country.

Vacationing in New Zealand usually requires that you travel a great distance from home so you will have to make sure that you do the things that you most want to do. New Zealand boasts pristine nature; unspoiled volcanoes and glaciers; wild coastline; unique wildlife; majestic mountains; and much, much more.

Incredibly Special Activities
One incredible activity offered in New Zealand is cave tubing through the spectacular Ruakuri Caves. It starts innocently enough, an inflated inner tube serving as a flotation device. As you ride roaring rapids, get swept through impossibly tight crevices, and plunge down waterfalls; while a massive number of glowworms produce the eerie light that bathes the cave’s limestone walls; the adrenaline pumps through your body. The same trip can be made in inflatable rafts. Both types of cave rafting is know as black water rafting and is unique to New Zealand.

Those that secretly yearn to be a racecar driver can live out their fantasy. New Zealand’s Kiwi Car Rally, an extremely popular racing event, is designed to allow beginners to get licensed and compete in this adventure. In order to compete you must get trained and licensed but, once you are, you get to participate in the Rally. Adventure companies supply everything you need to compete, except the navigator. For the cost of your fee, you get to participate in a one, two or seven day road rally; a week’s training; all safety gear; race jackets; accommodations; meals and gas, as well as the use of a professional competition-ready racecar which you can sponsor if you want.

What else to do

If you are visiting New Zealand for less than a month, you may be better off to concentrate on exploring either North or South Island or a specific region. The best regions to visit are North Island’s Ruapehu, Taupo, and Rotorua and South Island’s Nelson/Marlborough area, Fiordland, and Otago.

Planning your trip

Many people spend three weeks in New Zealand. Check the official websites of any cities and towns that you are going to visit so that you can plan a trip that is not too busy. You don’t want to be exhausted.

You will want to take casual clothing for the most part. If you intend to go hiking, take warm clothing and buy a rain poncho there. If you are going to go camping, you will need to take a sleeping bag that is good for three seasons. All of your camping gear must be clean. Because there will be inspections to ensure that hazards aren’t introduced to this isolated country.

Although in the shadow of its neighbor, Australia, New Zealand is a world apart from anything you may experience elsewhere. A former British colony, with indigenous influences permeating the culture because of its proximity to the Polynesian islands and its Maori heritage, New Zealand offers some of the most diverse tourist experiences in the world. Year after year, the green rolling meadows; easily accessible geysers; guided glacier walks; and unending stretches of incredible beaches tempt many tourists to travel across oceans to soak up New Zealand’s natural beauty.

Discovered around 800AD by Kupe, the landmass known as New Zealand was one of the last to be settled. A steady influx of migration from the time of Captain James Cook has seen this island nation grow. The indigenous Maori are a minority but have had a tremendous enriching influence on life in New Zealand.

New Zealand is divided into two main islands, North Island and South Island. The season and destination will dictate what wonders you are exposed to. Both islands offer all manner of extreme sports, including the New Zealand invention – bungee jumping.

South Island is renowned for the relics from the last Ice Age; the Fox and Franz Joseph Glaciers that rise to just below majestic Mount Cook, the tallest peak in the Southern Alps. These valley glaciers are unique in that, when the world’s glaciers are retreating, these continue to flow. Moving steadily toward sea level, these spectacular glaciers flow at a rate that is about ten times faster than other valley glaciers. Winter in the Southern Alps provides an excellent opportunity to participate in skiing, filmmaking and mountaineering. Some scenes filmed for The Chronicles of Narnia were shot here. South Island’s Otago Peninsula lets you experience cozy accommodations in the midst of seal, sea lion, penguin and sea elephant habitat.

North Island has a milder climate and a warmer summer than South Island. A trip to the legendary Lake Taupo, a 660 square meter lake formed by a volcanic explosion, will fill you with awe. Black water rafting, or cave rafting, as it is sometimes known as, is popular on the west coast. A black water rafting experience, especially a tour through the Ruakuri Cave, will give you an adrenaline rush that you will always remember. If you are not seeking that much of an adventure, make your way to Ninety Mile Beach located at the far north end of North Island. The origin of its name is not known but the beach takes in 55 breathtaking miles of coastline, including the stunning northern dunes. To the east, Great Barrier Island offers a unique and wondrous underwater world for scuba divers to explore. It also gives you the opportunity to bask in the Kaitoke hot springs, commune with nature in the Glenfern Sanctuary, or just take in the sensational sight of Mount Hobson rising majestically above this barrier island.

A four-season destination, New Zealand is filled with enough activities and city life to whet your appetite for more. Wellington, Queenstown and Auckland all appeal to the spirited, youthful and adventurous tourists. The culture and spirit of New Zealand surrounds you even in the urban areas. Is New Zealand worth visiting? The only answer is a resounding YES!

Going to festivals and other events around communities in New Zealand is a terrific way for a backpacker to get the feel and flavor of the real New Zealand. Spend time in each place and soak in the local life. It will deepen your appreciation of the experience. A festival, called Wild Foods Festival, which you should not miss out on attending, is held in March of every year at Hokitika, on South Island’s West Coast.

The isolation of the West Coast means the residents, or West Coasters, pay scant attention to what goes on in the world so distant from them. The Wild Foods Festival showcases local delicacies and drinks. Some of the memorable fare available at the 2008 festival were live huhu grubs; Mountain Oysters (known as goat testicles); eel spine; semen sauce; marinated duck tongue; seagull turd; cow tit; possum pie and rotten fish eyes. How delicious! Oddly enough they sold out of huhu grubs because they were so popular. Talk about an epicurean adventure! People are everywhere egging others on to partake in some of the grossest offerings available.

They do offer some tamer foods that included homemade fudge, mussels, white bait fritters, Bambi (venison) burgers, wild pork, wasp larvae ice cream and a pickled native fern called punga. In addition, they offer local beverages like gorse flower wine and an array of live entertainment. Monteith’s beer, a local brew, flowed all day and night, along with a variety of New Zealand wines.

In 2006, the population of Hokitika was just over 3000. With a cap of 15,000 tickets, accommodations for festivalgoers can get very interesting. There are several campsites set up including a couple by the fire brigade on the beach. The setting is incredible with the coast at the doorstep. After a day out and an evening partying, sitting on the beach by a bonfire is the perfect ending to the day.

Upon waking in the morning, you can drink in the sunrise or take a leisurely walk. Those with no accommodations will set up house wherever they can find space, including among the porta-potties.

New Zealand has many festivals that, like Wild Foods, are well worth going to. Be sure to find out what events will be going on during your visit and plan your trip. A great way to see Aotearoa, which translated means Land of the Long White Cloud, is going pack sacking through the country.