I have lived in New Zealand for a long time. I collected beautiful places if you arrive

In some of the landscapes of this country, you are in the dream worlds. Of the exceptional cases – Middle-earth from “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” or Narnia from the trilogy “The Chronicles of Narnia”.

What kind of tourists do tourists and cinematographers of the whole world go to? I propose to look at 10 incredible places in New Zealand. All the photos that you saw in this article were personally taken in them.

By the way, if you are interested in learning more about this country, including how to fly, where to stay and how best to move, then do not go to this article.

New Zealand, first of all, collects its nature. Therefore, very sensitive taste sensations. One of the main advantages of the country is the relatively small use, which allows you to see a large number of places in an extremely short time.

For clarity, from the highest points of the North Island to the points of the South Island along a straight line of just over 2,000 kilometers, it takes about 30 hours by car (4 hours by ferry between the lower islands).

There are a lot of interesting places that travelers will like. I suggest a subscriber to the 10 most incredible of them, where he was personally.

All photos in the collection were taken by myself.

1. Milford Sound Cruise

The most famous attraction in New Zealand, which the writer Rudyard Kipling called “the eighth wonder of the world.”

Milford Bay is located in Fiordland Park in part of the lower South Island. The bay was formed as a result of a glacier descent, due to which it received an elongated structure, where water surrounds the hills from which the waterfalls descend.

Milford Sound offers sea cruises, kayaking and aerial tours for bird’s-eye views. By the way, Fiordland Park is one of the wettest places on the planet, so even in summer you need to take warm clothes and a raincoat here.

2. Hobbiton (The set of the film Hobbiton)

You can immerse yourself in the creation of your favorite movie and go to the real Middle-earth in Hobbiton. Created for the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Hobbiton is a mixture of a theme park and a rental set.

The main event is a guided tour during which tourists spend on the territory, including the hobbit hole (including the famous home of Bilbo Baggins), tell interesting stories from the filming, and are also invited to taste drinks at the Green Dragon Tavern.

During the visit, one visitor has the opportunity to take pictures in the discovered places, including inside the burrows (only and without exposure). Unfortunately, you can’t walk freely for a hobby, and the time of excursions is limited to two hours. There is a cafe at the entrance, as well as a gift shop.

3. Mount Cook National Park (Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park)

New Zealand’s highest mountain, Mount Cook, is located at the site of the discovery of the park, which, in turn, is included in the UNESCO heritage list. Regardless of the season, this is one of the most fabulous places not only in the country, but in general on planet Earth.

There are several hiking trails here. You can also take an excursion to the Tasmanian Glacier, where tourists are taken by bus to a glacial lake, put on a boat and brought to the glacier itself.

In the process, you can chip off parts from the iceberg. The park is home to native Kea parrots, which are often found on lookouts or close to hiking trails.

4. Rotorua Geothermal Valleys

Situated on the site of geothermal activity, the city of Rotorua is close to geysers, volcanoes and warm pools.

There are several parks here at once: Te Puya, Waimangu Volcanic Valley and Wai-O-Tapu – each with its own eyes and unreal places.

The bubbling water of the hot spring Champagne Pool (or literally “champagne pool”) in Wai-O-Tapu Park and views of the free Kuirau Park in Rotorua

The central park Kuirau Park is also interesting – it is free of charge, no less breathtaking landscapes in it.

You can relax in hot pools, for example, in Hell’s Gate or Polynesian Spa (one of the ten best spas in the world). From other activities in Rotorua: extreme sports, mountain biking or a trip to the kiwi bird breeding center.

5. Auckland (Auckland)

About 1.5 million people live in Auckland – just under a third of New Zealand’s population.

The largest city in New Zealand, where most tourists arrive.

Almost every case occurs in Auckland for at least one or two full days, so no travel guide is complete without it.

Bird colony on the black sand shore of Murivai

City center in front of the Sky Tower observation deck, which offers stunning views of the city. attractions on the picturesque Albert Street, you can walk to the Viaduct Harbor, where yachts and boats are parked, as well as restaurants and bars are fixed.

If there is time for a short trip around the city, many tourists go to the beaches with volcanic sand (Piha, Murivai) or to Waiheke Island, famous for its wineries.

6. Whales in Kaikoura (Kaikoura Whale Watching)

Kaikoura, once founded for whale hunting, is now one of New Zealand’s most popular areas. They come here mainly to look at those same whales.

Sea tours depart from the city, during your stay you can see sperm whales, humpback whales, killer whales, as well as fur seals as close as possible. Tours appear throughout the year, but manifest as increased humidity, so rainy and windy weather can accumulate.

One of the largest fur seal colonies can also be found in Kaikoura, located on the coast of the peninsula, where there is a convenient walking route.

7. Tongariro National Park

Tongariro Park has a 20 km hiking trail that goes through the volcanic valley and even through several craters. Most of the route passes through volcanic rock, where there are almost no plants, which makes it feel like you are not on Earth, but approaching Mars.

The weather here often changes, during the day you can see sunny fog, bright sun, heavy rain and even snow. By the way, in some places of the route it snows almost all year round.

This park is known not only for its beauty, but also for the fact that the volcanoes on its territory are still active. The last eruption dated 2012 and was the reason for the cancellation of flights.

8. Cathedral Cave, Coromandel (Cathedral Cove, Coromandel)

Arch from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Coromandel is a region for lovers of hiking, kayaking and skydiving. This is an important vacation spot for Aucklanders who leave the big city for weekends and holidays in the neighboring region. The Coromandel is replete with beaches and forests where you can see the feel of kauri trees, some of which are several hundred years old.

But, perhaps, the main attraction of the region is the famous Cathedral Cave from the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. In this arch and on the beach, details can be seen in the presence where the children enter Narnia.

9. Napier – Art Deco City (Napier)

Napier is a city famous for its Art Deco architecture. Some sources of this city of world power are Art Deco and also “quietly referred to as the Nice of the Ocean”. In 1931 Napier was hit by a severe earthquake that leveled most of the city to the ground.

It was decided to rebuild it in a style that was very popular in the 30s – Art Deco. Similar architecture (albeit on a larger scale) can be found in Miami and New York, and Art Deco elements are well known in many Soviet buildings in Moscow.

Now the art deco architecture in Napier is carefully guarded. The city hosts a festival of guided tours, including 1930s vintage cars, themed events, and the popular annual Art Deco festivals.

During the festival, the city plunges into the birth of the beginning of the last century, which attracts a large number of tourists from all over the world who want to travel back in time.

10. Bay of Islands (Bay of Islands)

The Bay of Islands is a popular area for summer holidays for residents and tourists. Swimming, snorkelling, diving, boating and jet skiing – all this is available on the local islands in abundance.

One of the most visited attractions is the so-called Hole in the Rock – an arch in the rock appears the sea. Also on the territory of the Bay there are many hiking trails that allow you to enjoy the beauty of the landscapes and the poor color of the ocean water. A 2006 study found that this region of New Zealand was second only to Rio de Janeiro in the ranking of places with the bluest skies.

PS Come and see it with your own eyes, New Zealand is worth it. There are tickets, the opportunity to fly – too. The only wish would be:

📸 All photos in the article: