NORTH ISLAND:
Tongariro crossing:
This is surely one of the Top 3 Treks to do in this country. This is one of the most famous and of course amazing hiking treks you can do in New Zealand. Unfortunately I cannot claim I did it as our group waited around for 3 days for the weather to clear up enough to do this trek but the area showed no remorse on us and we were rained out. I met a few dozen other travelers who did it and every one of them raved about how incredibly remarkable this hike is and I can say the whole 2 months I was traveling here, I didn't meet one person who didn't enjoy it!
Mt Taranaki:
If you have the time you should try to get over to the Edgemont national park near the west coast. There you will find Mt. Taranaki and you can trek up to the top and the views are absolutely breath taking.
Taihipe:
This is the home of the Flying fox which has the biggest zip line in the world! Around 200m in height you are strapped to a canvass and plunge into a canyon at an extremely fast pace that you feel as if you could be ejected out of our worlds atmosphere. This ride is a once in a lifetime opportunity and so amazing you won't wanna miss out on!!
Wellington:
This is quite a cool city with wicked night clubs, nice beaches and a whole lot more to do.
SOUTH ISLAND:
Nelson:
This is one of most favorite spots I went to on this island. It is a rather small city by New Zealand standards but is an amazingly beautiful hippie town with lots to see and do and great beaches to kick back and relax on.
Abel Tasman National Park:
This National park lies in the Northwest corner on the south island. It is quite close to Nelson and is arguably the best National park in NZ. Many travelers go here hire kayaks and cruise along the waterside as far as they can bare to go. It is also very well know for its 100's of km of trails to trek on in this massive park area. In Marahau; which is the main point of entry into the park, you can organize a water/transport taxi that will take you to any point along the coast inside the national park as far as you would like to venture. Once your dropped off, you trek your way back to Marahau. When I went our group took a water taxi to Bark Bay where we got dropped off with our camping and trekking gear and walked till we got to Torrent bay village where we set up camp for the night. The following day we spent most of the hours trekking back to Marahau all along the trails which unleashed magnificent coast line view all along the way.
Westport:
If you are planning a trip from Nelson or Abel Tasman down the west coast to see the glaciers, you might as well stop here. There is a local seal colony here which you can actually get quite close to and makes for some amazing photographs. Its pretty sweet to see and is a great spot to hang out for a few hours to break up a drive. There is a campground here also that I stayed at and if that is your thing then I would recommend it.
Franz Joseph and Fox Glacier:
If Glaciers are your thing, then these area near the west coast should be placed high on your to do list! They are relatively close together in distance and the glaciers themselves are strikingly gorgeous. There are several amazing hiking trails around both these areas and can even hike up quite high to the glacier itself if you choose. If you do not have the time to see both, I would suggest to go to Franz Joesph as that is where I spent most of my time. In the town of Franz Joseph there is also an Indoor ice climbing wall that didn't fit into my budget but seemed like a really cool thing to do if you go here.
Arthurs Pass:
This is a gorgeous mountain pass that connects the west coast to the east coast. It begins from Grey mouth and passes over a mountain range before you end up just north of Christchurch. Its full of gorgeous mountain views and the small roads wind around them and can cause you to be nauseous if you are traveling with a weak stomach. If you are driving, hitch hiking or taking a train I highly recommend taking this pass and your camera will surely thank you for it.
Queenstown:
Is by far the most happening place you can find in New Zealand. Heaps of travelers flourish their colors here in this rather small city and it seems to be bustling with night life any night of the week. There are many different venues to have drinks and go out to party at, and during the day you can find several tour shops where most visitors book tours,skydiving, paragliding, bungy jumping, or any other death deifying stunt they might offer.Its located beside a rather pleasant lake and you can gaze up into the sky from anywhere in the city and see the remarkables standing tall high above. The remarkables got their name because they are the only mountain range in the whole southern hemisphere that run perfectly from north to south. The city itself has a real beauty appeal to it and its no wonder its attracts loads of travelers from all over the globe.
Lake Tekapo:
This area lies in the center of the south island close to the highest mountain in New Zealand; Mt. Cook. In my mind, it is definitly one of the hidden gems of the south island. Its a small town around a stunning neon blue lake and there lies a famous church that is one of the most highly photographed buildings in new zealand. Around the lake is a great 2 hour hike you can do to a large hill overlooking the lake below and surrounding area and makes for some spectacular photos.
Mt. Cook:
Aoraki/Mount Cook is the highest mountain in New Zealand. It stands tall at an impressive height of 3,754 metres (12,316 ft). It lies in the Southern Alps, the mountain range which runs the length of the South Island. This mountain was the training grounds for Sir Hiliary Edmund who become the first man in the world to summit Mt. Everest which is located in Nepal. There is a very well done museum in this area devoted to him and has loads of pictures and information about the area and what it takes to successfully reach the top of the world. This area is a trekking haven with loads of trails all through the region and vary in difficulty. If your looking for a real adventure I would suggest to camp in a tent overnight in the campgrounds and try to get a sound sleep as the howling intense winds pass by and shake your tent like you would not believe! I can honestly say the night I spent here was the craziest sleep I've ever had and the wind was so intense building up through the valley that I felt as if my tent was gonna be picked up and tossed to the next mountain range.
Milford Sound:
The sound is probably one of the most picturesq, magical places you could ever find in New Zealand. It is a busy area for travellers who come here to witness the spectacular scenery and you can pay an afforadable price to take a cruise around the area which i highly recommend you do. If your a big trekker and can plan your travels 6 months ahead of time, you can spend the $200-250 CDN and book yourself in to trek the Milford Trek which is said to be one of the best our world has to offer.
Trekking:
New Zealand was the first country I backpacked in so it will always have a special place for me. Alot of people come to New Zealand for the great outdoors and what better way to immerse yourself in the country than to get into trekking. While I was there I did 3 big treks but there are many more I could have done if I had the time. The top 6 most popular treks to do in NZ are as follows:
Tongario Crossing 19 kms - North Island (1-2 days)
Copeland Trail - South Island (3-5 days)
Routeburn Trail 35 kms - South Island (2-4 days)
Kepler Trek 65 kms - South Island (2-4 days)
Milford Track 53 kms - South Island (3-6 days)
Abel Tasman Coast Trek 51 kms - South Island (2-5 days)
For more information on these treks or any others in New Zealand click this link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_tramping_tracks
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