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.

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!