New Zealand: Unique Nature Thrills

Some of the most novel vacation experiences in thethe plentiful thermal resorts. You can take a cruise on
world may be found in New Zealand. All things areLake Taupo or go to the Waitomo Caves for
possible in this country so well-endowed by Nature.dark-water rafting. There is also the Tongariro
The only limitation may be your time. New Zealand canCrossing to negotiate, if you are fit enough for a full
easily fill up vacations that last for several months andday walk. The major cities in the North Island are
you will not even find yourself doing the same thingWellington, and the capital, Auckland. On the South
twice during that period. But for those on limited time,Island, take a trip out to the Marlborough Sounds for
you will have to give serious thought in planning yourmore dolphin-watching or kayaking. There are several
holiday to get the most out of your trip. A vacation invineyards you can visit. At Nelson, you can make your
New Zealand means traveling to the other end of theway to the Abel Tasman National Park or the Nelson
earth so you should make the most of it. New ZealandLakes National Park, near Franz Josef on the west
is everything you have heard about, and many thingscoast. In Franz Josef, you can try the glacier walk or
more besides. New Zealand means unspoiled naturetake a look at scenic Mount Cook. If you proceed to
from volcanoes to glaciers, stunning scenery, with justWanaka, you can go exploring canyons or do some
the right touch of interesting history. Special Treats Abreath-taking skydiving. At Queenstown, you may
unique New Zealand tourist treat is cave tubing in theconsider the Shotover Jet or take a plunge on the
dark Ruakuri Caves. It starts innocuously enough, withbungee. You should spend a day in Christchurch, the
a rubber tire's inflated inner tube to serve as yourbiggest city on the South Island, before you head back
flotation device. Everything changes afterwards asto Auckland for your flight out. Best time to go The
you ride through roaring rapids, slip through tightwarm months in New Zealand are between
crevices, and plummet down waterfalls while theNovember and April, and this is the best time for
limestone walls are bathed in the eerie light producedoutdoor trips. If you want to avoid crowds - not only
by innumerable glowworms. The thrilling ride is alsoother tourists but also local folks- try not to visit key
known as black-water rafting and (so far) can besites from mid-December to early February. However,
enjoyed only in New Zealand. For those who havethese months are also filled with wine festivals,
secretly longed to be a race-car driver, here is a wayconcerts, and sports events, so you could miss out on
to indulge that dream. You can join New Zealand'ssome beautiful cultural sights. The slightly cooler
Kiwi Car Rally, one of the most popular sports events.transition months of October/November and April/May
You will compete against professional drivers. Notmay be the best times to visit. Winter is June to
immediately, though, because you undergo one week'sAugust, so if you prefer winter activities, take these
training guided by a coach. After training, you donmonths for skiing. Planning your trip Three weeks is the
safety gear, seated in a real race car, and assigned ausual "quick trip" people spend in New Zealand. The
team manager. Then, you start racing in a one- orofficial websites of major towns and cities give you
two-day endurance even over flat and hilly roadsplenty of information to make good plans, but don't try
covered with snow, mud and gravel. What else to doto fit too many places and things into a short time. For
New Zealand has two main islands, North Island andclothes, you can pack as little as possible; in this
South Island. It is difficult to explore the best of bothcountry, anything casual is fine. You'll need some warm
islands if you spend less than a month in the country.clothes if you go hiking, and be sure to have a
You would be better off focusing on one island (thewaterproof jacket or raincoat as the weather can
South offers more variety) or a particular region, if youchange very quickly. If you plan to spend some time
have limited time. The best regions to see are Rotorua,camping, a three-season sleeping bag should do fine.
Taupo and Ruapehu in the North Island, and Otago,Make sure your camping gear is clean when you
Fiordland and Nelson/Marlborough in the South Island.arrive at Auckland international airport. There may be
On the North Island, you can visit the Bay of Islands forinspections and disinfections by the agriculture ministry
dolphin-watching. Visit Rotorua for two days to take inon your gear - the country is a big producer of cattle
volcanic scenery or varied marine life in the Bay ofand sheep, and these need protection from pestilence.
Plenty, then head on to Taupo, making sure to drop byAlex J Smith writes for It's a website where travelers
the Wai-o-tapu Thermal Reserve along the road. Youcan host their own travel blogs, upload photos and find
should not miss Huka Falls and a dip in the hot pool ofunbiased travel information.