New Zealand, in Māori language Aotearoa, is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. The capital is Wellington and the largest metropolitan area is Auckland, both located on the North Island. New Zealand is a land of great contrasts and variety — active volcanoes, green valleys, long sandy beaches and spectacular mountains. While being there, you may hear the term Kia Ora spoken a lot. It’s greeting that New Zealanders use to say hello, good morning or take care.
Queenstown
From snow-capped mountain peaks to vibrant blue lakes, the stunning scenery of Queenstown, is unlike anywhere else in the world.
The iconic Skyline Gondola is a must-see attraction, offering panoramic views of the Queenstown region and great entertainment at the top. Take a cable car ride to the Southern Hemisphere and sit 480 meters above Queenstown for breathtaking views of Lake Wakatipu, Walter Peak and the Remarkables Mountains!
While visiting Queenstown, don’t forget to go to Queenstown Gardens, that is a botanical garden with a variety of exotic and native trees. Walking the Queenstown Gardens Trail, be sure to grab some food, because it’s a perfect place for a picnic. You can just sit down and enjoy the breathtaking views, while drinking coffee and eating your favourite snacks.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the wildlife capital of New Zealand due to the amazing landscapes, secluded beaches and vibrant hills. The coastal terrain is a perfect habitat for the world’s smallest penguins, albatrosses, sea lions, fur seals and kiwis — if you’re lucky, you might see one.
While visiting Dunedin, you cannot miss the Otago Peninsula. It is only an hour drive from the city and it will definitely amaze you with its wonderful collection of historic places and picturesque walking trails. The Otago Peninsula is home to breeding colonies of Little Blue Penguins and rare Yellow-eyes Penguins.
You might also want to take a look at Ōtākou Marae that is a traditional Māori meeting house. Every three years people of all communities gather there to commemorate the first signing of New Zealand’s founding document that was signed right in this place in 1840. Almost 150 market stalls, amazing art, colorful clothing and wide variety of delicious food guarantee the best celebration ever.
Wānaka
Wanaka is a charming little town surrounded by the Southern Alps. There are tons of things to do and every adventurer’s dreams will come true.
One of the best free things to do in Wanaka is to see the famous willow tree. It has so much popularity that it is the most photographed tree in all New Zealand. It’s a short walk from the town centre. You can probably find it if you just keep an eye out for the groups of people gathered along the lake’s edge.
The most ideal times to go to see the Wanaka Tree are at dawn or dusk. But be ready for big crowd, because it’s regarded as one of New Zealand’s most romantic place.
Hike Roy’s Peak is loved due to breathtaking view of the Southern Alps. But nothing is for free, you will have to work for that view! The hike takes around 7 hours to complete, so be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks with you.
You will climb from lake level through farmland and up into the forest to the 1578 m height. Being surrounded by the sounds of grasshoppers and skylarks, you will completely relax admiring islands, bays and massive snow-capped mountains
of Southern Alps.
But remember, the track is closed for lambing from the 1st October till 10th November each year, so make sure to go hiking when the track is available.
Fun fact
When you go to New Zealand, you will probably hear the term ‘kiwi’ a lot. You may wonder why New Zealanders call themselves like that. It turns out it’s after their national treasure and strong source of pride, the kiwi bird.
