New Zealand Travel Guide

Browse the New Zealand Photo Gallery

New Zealand is a unique land of breathtaking scenery: craggy coastlines, golden beaches, lush rainforests, snow-capped mountains, bubbling volcanic pools, rivers jumping with rainbow trout, and glacier-fed lakes compete for attention - a landscape beautifully showcased in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Pair this with a thriving indigenous Maori culture, bustling cosmopolitan cities, traditional towns and friendly people, and you have an outstanding and unusual combination.

New Zealand is a world leader in eco tourism, and has developed into one of the cleanest and greenest countries to visit. Much of the plant and animal life is varied and unique, including the reclusive kiwi, fur seals, yellow-eyed penguins, Hooker's sea lions, dolphins and whales. Add world-renowned wines, wonderful cuisine, strolls on moody beaches, tramping through national parks and alpine tracks, bungee jumping, zorbing, caving and white-water rafting, and you have a wealth of thrilling experiences.

Geography

New Zealand, known as The Land of the Long White Cloud, encompasses two major islands stretching north and south and separated by Cook Strait. They are fringed with numerous smaller islands. The more developed North Island (116,031 sq km/44,800 sq miles) is home to the main cities including the country's largest city Auckland; its rolling green hills are dotted with sheep and horses, and the central heartland pulses with geothermal activity - find boiling mud pools, geysers and active volcanoes. The dramatic South Island (153,540 sq km/59,283 sq miles), is a stunning microcosm of snow-covered alps, fjords, glaciers and charming British-style towns like Christchurch and Dunedin.

There are four Associated Territories: the Cook Islands, which lie 3,500km (2,175 miles) northeast of New Zealand; Niue, 920km (570 miles) west of the Cook Islands; Tokelau, three atolls about 960km (600 miles) northwest of Niue; and the Ross Dependency, which consists of over 700,000 sq km (270,270 sq miles) of the Antarctic.

Note: The Cook Islands and Niue have separate individual sections in the World Travel Guide.