Attractions & Activities in New Zealand

Located at the southwest tip of New Zealand’s South Island, Fiordland National Park is a 1.2-million hectare protected area known for the magnificent fiords in Doubtful and Milford sounds carved by glaciers eons ago. There is a trail through the beech forest running along the sandy shore that offers fantastic views of the massive Mitre Peak. The rugged Earl Mountains located nearby are mirrored in the quiet surface of Mirror Lakes.

The Chasm Walk crosses bridges on the Cleddau River, offering breathtaking views of several massive waterfalls. The park, which has been established in 1952, includes a range of habitats that support a diverse and unique flora and fauna, many developed in isolation, resulting in endemic species that don’t exist anywhere else. One example is the Takahe, a bird that is much larger than its cousins that live elsewhere. Fiordland was also a home to Kakapo, the only flightless parrot in the world.

Fiordland National Park, Te Anau 9640, New Zealand, Phone: +6-42-49-79-24

Abel Tasman National Park is a 22,530-hectare wilderness reserve located on New Zealand’s South Island. New Zealand’s smallest national park, it is known for beautiful golden beaches, rough granite cliffs, and the famous coast track. Abel Tasman Coast Track winds along beaches and over coastal ridges between the towns of Marahau in the south and Wainui in the north. The coastal headland at Separation Point provides home to New Zealand large fur seal colonies.

The park was established in 1942 and is a popular tourist destination year around. The nearest fair size towns are Motueka, Takaka, and Kaiteriteri. Lush vegetation covers some parts of the park as some were lost in fires and other cleared by humans. But, the forests are rapidly regenerating, especially in humid gullies. Dry ridges are mostly covered in black beech. Most commonly seen birds in the park are bellbirds, tui, and pukeko.

Abel Tasman National Park, Harvey Road, Marahau, Abel Tasman National Park 7010, New Zealand, Phone: +64-35-46-93-39

Located near the town of Twizel in the New Zealand’s South Island, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is the inhospitable land of rough rock and ice, with the New Zealand's highest mountain Aoraki / Mount Cook dominating the landscape.

The park has 19 peaks higher than 3,000 meters. The park and the reserve that is part of the park were established in 1887 to protect the area's unique landscape and vegetation. In spite of its alpine characteristics, the area is fairly easily accessible via State Highway 80, starting near the town of Twizel. The road ends at Mount Cook Village, which has a hotel and motels.

Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park , 1 Larch Grove, Aoraki/Mt Cook, Phone: +64-34-35-11-86

Lake Taupo is located in the center of the New Zealand’s North Island, about three and half hours from Auckland. The lake was formed about two thousand years ago as a result of a massive volcanic eruption and there is still evidence of volcanic activity. Just north of Taupo is an area full of craters and boiling mud pools and shooting steams called Craters of the Moon.

At some of parts of the Lake Taupo, swimmers enjoy warm, geothermal water. Taupo is popular destination for water-skiing, kayaking, and sailing. At Mine Bay, boaters can see the beautiful Maori rock carvings, which can be seen only from the water. The lake is surrounded by dense forests with great hiking and biking trails. Lake Taupo is famous for its trout fishing – the town of Turangi is the location of the world’s largest natural trout fishery.

Taupo District, Waikato Region, North Island

Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:

Located in the charming South Island city of Dunedin, Larnach Castle is one of very few castles in New Zealand. Built high up on the green hills of the Otago Peninsula, the castle has fantastic views of the city and the Pacific Ocean. Built in the late 19th century by the rich politician and banker William Larnach for his family, the castle is a majestic post-Victorian wonder built with extravagant materials brought from all over the world and furnished with luxurious and opulent treasures.

Larnach Castle is linked to a few scandals, a ghost story or two, curious cat designs, and some well-hidden secret architectural details. Larnach Castle changed several owners until the Baker family bought it and put a lot of effort into restoring it to its former glory. The garden that surrounds the castle is a beauty in its own right and is declared a Garden of International Significance.

145 Camp Rd, Dunedin 9077, New Zealand, Phone: +64-34-76-16-16

The oldest New Zealand’s national park, Tongariro National Park is located in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island and has been declared by UNESCO as one of the natural and cultural World Heritage Sites. The park has three active volcanoes: Ngauruhoe, Ruapehu, and Tongariro and is a location of numerous Maori religious sites. Some of the park’s peaks such as Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu are considered sacred.

There are several towns within the park’s boundary as well as one of the most famous day hikes in the world – the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The trail runs by the Emerald Lakes, geysers, and boiling mud pools, ending at active Red Crater. Tongariro National Park is home to rich native wildlife such as the blue duck or whio and brown kiwi. Tongariro River is full of trout.

Manawatu-Wanganui 4691, New Zealand

If anyone had to guess where the Spiritual Center of the Universe is, a farm in New Zealand would be the least likely spot. Located on New Zealand’s South Island, the Castle Hill area is what is called in New Zealand a high country station – a big farm used for the grazing of cattle and sheep.

The area, at an altitude of 700 meters, is covered by curious, massive boulders that look like the ruins of a castle, popular spot among New Zealand rock climbers for bouldering and climbing. When the Dalai Lama visited the area in 2002, he was so taken by the energy and beauty of the boulder field and surrounding landscape that he named it the “Spiritual Center of the Universe.”

Spiritual Center of the Universe, Castle Hill Drive, Castle Hill 7580, New Zealand

What to do if you are traveling with kids:

As you travel through New Zealand, you will notice many buildings made of corrugated iron, as well as numerous “Big Things.” But in a small town of Tirau, this humble material is used by the local artist Steven Clothier to create giant sculptures of animals that serve as public buildings.

It all started with a Big Sheep built for a wool and craft shop, then a dog was added to serve as a Visitors’ Center, and now there is a cow with a shopping cart, a shepherd standing outside a church, and a huge praying mantis. While the small town only has a population of 800, it certainly leaves a big, actually giant, impression.

Big Dog and Sheep, Tirau, New Zealand, Phone: +64-78-83-12-02

Electrum is a giant sculpture created by artist Eric Orr and the electric engineer Greg Leyh, built around the largest Tesla coil in the world. The coil is 37 feet high and produces three million volts of electricity.

As tall as a four-story building, the coil produces an arc that shoots 15 meters into space, runs power of up to 130,000 watts and produces three million volts on the terminal when operating. On top of the sculpture is the spherical Faraday cage that can safely hold one person. The sculpture is installed on a private Gibbs Farm in New Zealand, as a part of the art collection of Alan Gibbs.

Electrum, North Island 0843 New Zealand

Fox Glacier is an 8.1-mile long temperate maritime glacier located on the west side of the South Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Westland Tai Poutini National Park and is one of the most accessible glaciers in the country. After a long period of retreating, the glacier started advancing in 1985 and is constantly transforming terrain in its path, creating magnificent ice caves.

Fox Glacier is bordered on all its sides by mountains and rainforests, and the whole area is stunningly beautiful. The beauty comes with some danger because of possible rock falls and ice breaks so the visit is allowed only in tour groups. Numerous tours arrive on small planes that can land on ice or in helicopters.