New Zealand

National Parks
New Zealand is a young country. A thousand years ago man was not here. It was a land of forests, mountains and beaches, untamed and untouched. If you want to discover the natural soul of New Zealand, there are no better places to go than the spectacular National Parks. The National Parks are the real gems of this country, preserving the natural heritage, the forests, the wildlife and the landscapes, close to and in some cases, exactly as it was before man was here. There are 14 National Parks throughout New Zealand; Te Urewera, Whanganui and Egmont in the North Island, and Abel Tasman, Kahurangi, Nelson Lakes, Westland Tai Poutini, Mount Aspiring, Fiordland, Paparoa, Arthur's Pass, Aoraki/Mount Cook in the South Island. There's also Rakiura National Park in Stewart Island. Each one will take you on a different journey through the wonders of nature.

National park Egmont

Reaching 2518 metres above sea level, Mt Taranaki is New Zealand's most perfectly formed volcano. It is around 120,000 years old, and last erupted in 1775. Volcanologists agree that the mountain is 'dormant' rather than extinct. Maori legend provides an enchanting explanation for why Mt Taranaki stands alone. As the story goes, Taranaki once lived with the other volcanoes of the central plateau - Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe. When he made romantic advances to Pihanga, a pretty hill that they all admired, Tongariro jealously blew his top (as volcanoes are inclined to do). Taranaki fled to the west, gouging the Whanganui River on his way.

National park Abel Tasman

Abel Tasman National Park is New Zealand's smallest national park- but it's perfectly formed for relaxation and adventure. Native wildlife is an essential part of the scenery. Tui and bellbird song fills the forest; shags (cormorants), gannets and little blue penguins dive for their dinner; fur seals lounge on the rocks around the edge of Tonga Island. Visitors love the way the Abel Tasman National Park mixes physical exertion with beach life. Bursts of hiking or kayaking are punctuated by sun bathing, swimming and sedate snorkelling around the characteristic granite outcrops.

National park Nelson Lakes

An enchanting alpine park of rugged peaks, forests and glacial lakes A compact area of mountain ranges separated by forested valleys, the Nelson Lakes National Park promises all levels of challenge for keen hikers and mountaineers. In Maori mythology the lakes were created by the great chief Rakaihaitu digging holes with his ko (digging stick). One hole became Lake Rotoiti (small waters) and the other became Lake Rotoroa (large waters). Known for its magical honeydew beech forests, which feed a variety of tuneful nectar-eating native birds, the park provides an easy wilderness

escape. The nearby village of St Arnaud is a comfortable, well-equipped base for visitors.

National park Fiordland

This remarkable natural environment features dramatic fiords, spectacular waterfalls and snow-capped peaks. One of the most dramatic and beautiful parts of New Zealand, the power of Fiordlands scenery never fails to enthral travellers. Waterfalls tumble hundreds of metres into massive fiords; ancient rainforest clings impossibly to the mountains; shimmering lakes and granite peaks look the same today as they did a thousand years ago.

National park Mt.Cook

The Mt Cook National Park (also known as Aoraki National Park) is alpine in the purest sense - with skyscraping peaks, glaciers and permanent snow fields.Mt Cook, the tallest mountain in New Zealand, helped Sir Edmund Hillary to develop his climbing skills in preparation for the conquest of Everest. According to Ngai Tahu legend, Aoraki and his three brothers were the sons of Rakinui, the Sky Father. While on a sea voyage, their canoe overturned on a reef. When the brothers climbed on top of their canoe, the freezing south wind turned them to stone. The canoe became the South Island (Te Waka o Aoraki); Aoraki and his brothers became the peaks of the Southern Alp.

Geothermal

When youre in New Zealand you cannot help but notice that the powerful forces churning away under the earths crust are never far away. Much of the landscape, particularly in the North Island is volcanic. Auckland is a city of volcanic cones. Lake Taupo is a caldera, a collapsed volcano. 26,500 years ago it was one of the biggest eruptions in the world and covered the central North Island in ash up to 200 metres deep. The lake is quiet but the volcanic zone is still there in the mountains of Ruapehu, Ngauruahoe and Tongariro. In Rotorua you can watch mud boiling in pools and landscapes that hiss with steam while geysers tower above you and know that this has been going on for thousands of years. New Zealanders, being New Zealanders, have found a use for this force of nature. In Rotorua, Maori use it to cook their hangi. In the small settlement of Ngawha Springs, just outside of Kaikohe, you can bathe in hot geothermal pools as the locals have done for over a century. And at Wairakei, near Taupo, the steam and heat is used to produce power, a natural source of renewable energy.

Top 5 Geothermal Wonders in Taupo & Rotorua

1. Wai-O-Tapu The Wai-O-Tapu thermal wonderland is located near Rotorua. This geothermal playground features a number of exhilarating mudpools, geysers and sulphur pools. View the stunning Champagne Pool, or marvel at the force of the Lady Knox Geyser. 2. Hells Gate (Tikitere) The ominous sounding Hells Gate is actually Rotorua's most famous thermal attraction. This sacred Maori site boasts 50 acres of mud pools, geysers, hot springs and the Southern Hemispheres largest hotwater waterfall. 3. Craters of the Moon The Craters of the Moon is a geothermal walk located just north of Taupo. The walk features mud craters, steaming with geothermal activity. 4. Whakarewarewa One of Rotorua's most popular geothermal sites, Whakarewarewa boasts

some excellent geothermal activity and a traditional Maori village. With approximately 500 hot springs, the terraces and pools are known as a Living Thermal Village. 5. Waimangu Meaning black water in Maori, Waimangu is a thermal area that was created after the devastating 1886 Tarawera Eruption the same eruption that buried the then 8th Wonder of the World, the Pink and White Terraces. Waimangu is located about 20 minutes South of Rotorua.

Red Rocks Reserve

On the rugged south coast of Wellington, a 30 to 40 minute coastal walk leads from Owhiro Bay to the Red Rocks (Pari-whero) - an area of national significance with fascinating geology and Maori history. The Red Rocks are ancient pillow lava formed 200 million years ago by undersea volcanic eruptions. Small amounts of iron oxides give the rocks their distinctive colouring. Maori folklore tells two stories relating to the colour of the rocks. In one, Kupe - the famous Polynesian explorer - was gathering paua (shellfish) here when one clamped his hand. He bled and stained the rocks red. In the other story, the red is the blood of Kupe's daughters. Fearing for their father's safety on a long voyage, they gashed themselves in grief over his absence.

Waitomo

The Waitomo district offers a myriad of things to see and do. The first clue about what awaits you at Waitomo is in the name Waitomo coming from the Maori words wai (water) and tomo (hole). Under the green hills of the district lie a labyrinth of caves, sinkholes and underground rivers. The Waitomo Caves are a wonders of nature. The easiest way to see the caves is with a walking or boat tour which will take you through caverns filled with weird and wonderful rock formations and magical glowworms. If youre into adventure, try the experience of blackwater rafting through the caves on rubber tubes or abseiling and ziplining through the caves.