Experience New Zealand’s natural and cultural splendors on an exciting adventure. Zip line over dense forests and cascading waterfalls, dine at a Maori village and hike a glacier – it all awaits your discovery on this thrilling excursion.
Experience Middle-earth and visit Hobbit houses on this New Zealand trip designed specifically for movie-loving families. Begin in Auckland and travel along the Coromandel Peninsula before visiting Rotorua’s geothermal attractions before ending your tour by discovering Wellington.
The North Island
New Zealand may be small, but its breathtaking vistas and impressive geothermal phenomena make for an incredible vacation destination. Additionally, its wild surf beaches and Maori culture make the North Island such a memorable journey.
At the north of North Island lies one of New Zealand’s great natural treasures – the Kauri tree forest. A testament to New Zealand’s past, this magnificent old growth forest stands as one of its greatest natural wonders. Also nearby is Waitangi Treaty Grounds where New Zealand was officially founded – now turned into an impressive museum.
North Island landscapes provide the ideal setting for an array of adventure activities. Hawkes Bay’s premier wine region, for instance, features rich and full-bodied wines that will surely satisfy every palette.
Waitomo Caves offer an unforgettable underground exploration experience, filled with limestone grottoes and glow worms that can be explored via tube rafting or abseil. Take an easy tube raft trip or join one of the guided tours for the experience of a lifetime.
Auckland provides an exquisite urban experience. Situated along a natural harbor, it serves as a hub of activity and allows its citizens to sample the cuisine of New Zealand – where wealth and social status play no significant roles in daily life.
The South Island
New Zealand’s South Island can easily rival its North counterpart when it comes to wildlife and wine. Boasting breathtaking Southern Alps that span most of their length, boasting snow-capped peaks that tower above glaciers that ply the waters of the Southern Ocean, among many other highlights like Milford Sound Gorge, Marlborough Sounds river valleys accessible via cruise ship, hiking trails leading directly into remote fjords, etc.
New Zealand is home to many mysterious phenomena and attractions, from the 51-meter tall Tane Mahuta tree – revered like General Sherman sequoias are in America – to Rotorua’s bubbling mud pools and geysers, or its bubbling geysers and bubbling geysers spouting geysers spouting geysers spouting geysers and bubbling mud pools and bubbling geysers and bubbling mud pools and bubbling geysers! But be wary as this region can easily experience weather disruptions: two earthquakes have struck in recent years while its volcanic eruptions occur regularly as well.
Lowlands on the island consist primarily of farmland, while higher altitudes boast lush forest cover and mountainous terrain. Lake Taupo, formed from a volcanic crater, and Bridal Veil “Waireinga” Falls are two lakes renowned for their beauty on this side of New Zealand. As part of Gondwana supercontinent, New Zealand also contains mountain ranges with elevations reaching well over 3,000 meters.
Middle-Earth Adventure
Fans of Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies find New Zealand an immersive journey into Middle Earth, thanks to Oscar-winning director Sir Peter Jackson’s groundbreaking films shot across 150+ locations throughout New Zealand’s two islands by Sir Peter. New Zealand offers breathtaking cinematic backdrops ideal for filmmaking.
Travelers looking for an immersive Middle-earth experience should visit Matamata’s beautiful Hobbiton Movie Set. Stepping onto this 12-acre ode to Middle-earth is like walking straight onto one of its blockbuster movies! Explore brightly coloured hobbit holes, stroll past Shires Rest and Green Dragon Inn, or relax and have a drink in its popular pub.
Next on our itinerary are the hauntingly beautiful Putangirua Pinnacles, towering pillars of rock that stand tall against a mist-engulfed landscape. Take in Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli as they journey down Paths of the Dead; feel their wonderment of what makes this place truly remarkable.
Wellington – home of Peter Jackson and Weta Workshop – provides travellers with an unforgettable Middle-earth experience by hosting filming locations from The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) and Hobbit trilogies, like Pelorus River in Marlborough region of South Island for The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug. Visitors can recreate that epic journey themselves via kayak or foot trek through lush podocarp forests and thunderous waterfalls.
The Ultimate New Zealand Adventure
New Zealand vacations combine epic hiking trails with vibrant city centers and wineries in this picturesque country. No matter if you prefer quiet getaways like Abel Tasman National Park or adrenaline-pumping activities like Queenstown’s Bungee Jump – New Zealand offers something special for every traveler!
Start your adventure in Auckland, a vibrant harbor city built upon 40 volcanoes with white sand beaches and museums to keep you busy for days! Head north to Rotorua for some geothermal action such as hot bubbling mud pools and geysers erupting, or take in the Waitomo Caves which offer thousands of glow worms illuminated by thousands of illumination bulbs as you admire stunning stalactites and stalagmites lined with breathtaking stalactites and stalagmites lined by stunning stalactites and stalagmites lined with stunning stalactites and stalagmites lined by hundreds of lightbubbles!
Lake Taupo and its picturesque scenery will certainly capture your attention, while exploring rugged mountain ranges that rise up from rolling hills. Next stop should be Napier in Hawke’s Bay region where Art Deco architecture and wineries await your discovery.
From Milford Sound’s glaciers to Maoritanga’s feather-clad harbingers, this 17-day tour showcases everything that New Zealand has to offer. This itinerary allows ample time for culture-seeking excursions as well as free exploration opportunities – the best way to make the most of your time spent in New Zealand!
