Insight Guides Explore New Zealand (Travel Guide eBook)
4/5
()
About this ebook
Insight Explore Guides: pocket-sized books to inspire your on-foot exploration of top international destinations. Now with free eBook.
Practical, pocket-sized and packed with inspirational insider information, this will make the ideal on-the-move companion to your trip to New Zealand
Enjoy 18 irresistible Best Routes to walk, from Auckland, Wellington and around Rotorua to route across the South Island
Features concise insider information about landscape, history, food and drink, and entertainment options
Invaluable maps: each Best Route is accompanied by a detailed full-colour map, while the large pull-out map provides an essential overview of the area
Discover your destination's must-see sights and hand-picked hidden gems
Directory section provides invaluable insight into top accommodation, restaurant and nightlife options by area, along with an overview of language, books and films
Includes an innovative extra that's unique in the market - all Insight Explore Guides come with a free eBook
Inspirational colour photography throughout
About Insight Guides: Insight Guides has over 40 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps as well as picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture together create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.
Insight Guides
Insight Guides wherever possible uses local experts who provide insider know-how and share their love and knowledge of the destination.
Read more from Insight Guides
Insight Guides Pocket Barcelona (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Insight Guides Mexico (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Insight Guides Pocket Vietnam (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insight Guides India (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insight Guides Indonesia (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Budapest (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Insight Guides Pocket Scotland (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Insight Guides Pocket Paris (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Insight Guides Pocket Canary Islands (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Insight Guides Explore Singapore (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insight Guides Pocket Malaysia (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Experience Rome (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Madrid (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Explore Quebec (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Stockholm (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Norway (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Explore Boston (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insight Guides Costa Rica (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insight Guides Explore Copenhagen (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Porto (Travel Guide eBook): (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Dubai (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Valencia (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Sydney (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Insight Guides Pocket Munich & Bavaria (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Morocco (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insight Guides Namibia (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Explore Costa Rica (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Great Railway Journeys of Europe (Travel Guide eBook): (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Andalucia & Costa del Sol (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Insight Guides Explore New Zealand (Travel Guide eBook)
Related ebooks
Frommer's New Zealand Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFodor's Essential New Zealand Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLonely Planet New Zealand's North Island 6 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Berlitz Pocket Guide New Zealand (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lonely Planet New Zealand 20 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLonely Planet Auckland & Bay of Islands Road Trips Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLonely Planet Australia Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5New Zealand Travel Guide: Things I Wish I'D Known Before Going To New Zealand (2020 Edition) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Hawaii (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLonely Planet Scotland's Highlands & Islands Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Insight Guides Pocket Sydney (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lonely Planet Cape Town & the Garden Route Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insight Guides Caribbean Cruises (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBerlitz Pocket Guide Scotland (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Mini Rough Guide to Dublin (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Scotland (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Mini Rough Guide to Iceland (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Explore Melbourne (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insight Guides Pocket Dublin (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFodor's Essential Iceland Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Edinburgh (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mini Rough Guide to Croatia (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Mini Rough Guide to Antigua & Barbuda (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Canada (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLonely Planet South Australia & Northern Territory Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrommer's Honolulu and Oahu day by day Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Pocket Norway (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLonely Planet New York & the Mid-Atlantic Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mini Rough Guide to Jersey (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Costa Rica (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Australia & Oceania Travel For You
Savage Harvest: A Tale of Cannibals, Colonialism, and Michael Rockefeller's Tragic Quest for Primitive Art Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lonely Planet Melbourne & Victoria Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTravel Guide Fiji Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Life Done Differently: One Woman’s Journey on the Road Less Travelled Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Songlines Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Australian Slang: A Dictionary Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrommer's Australia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSamoan Islands Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Island Home: A Landscape Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Time and Space: Footy Tactics from Origins to AFL Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lonely Planet Australia Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Cook Islands: Rarotonga, Aitutaki & Beyond Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lonely Planet Borneo Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lonely Planet South Australia & Northern Territory Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSummary of Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lonely Planet New Zealand's South Island 7 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Pacific Crossing Notes: A Sailor's Guide to the Coconut Milk Run: Rolling Hitch Sailing Guides Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Rough Guide to Australia (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5New Zealand's South Island Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lonely Planet Fiji Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lonely Planet East Coast Australia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLonely Planet Maldives Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lonely Planet Best of Australia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLonely Planet Pocket Brisbane & the Gold Coast Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings30 Days in Sydney: A Wildly Distorted Account Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Introduction to New Zealand animals Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAustralia Travel Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTracks: One Woman's Journey Across 1,700 Miles of Australian Outback Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrommer's New Zealand Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Insight Guides Explore New Zealand (Travel Guide eBook)
8 ratings1 review
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I bought this, not knowing when I’d be going to Tokyo, but found out I would be going there sooner than I thought. Less that a year after buying this book I found myself in Tokyo for a 4 hour layover. I hadn’t bookmarked anything in this book, and had barely read it, but I had broughtit along with me so when I landed in Japan, I’d know what to do. Thanks to this book I was able to go through the very difficult task of taking all the trains into the city from Narita Airport and rushing to Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku. It was stressful and confusing, but I managed it, and am so happy I did. It totally worth the effort (not to mention money). If this book can guide me in a rush through Japan, then I’m sure it can do its job wonderfully if you actually read the whole book! And the maps Insight Guide includes with numbers, matching with sites being described is so helpful. It also includes a small fold out map (not entirely helpful) with a bunch of restaurants pinpointed on it. Defiantly a necessity for all planning on going to Tokyo.
Book preview
Insight Guides Explore New Zealand (Travel Guide eBook) - Insight Guides
How To Use This E-Book
This Explore Guide has been produced by the editors of Insight Guides, whose books have set the standard for visual travel guides since 1970. With top-quality photography and authoritative recommendations, these guidebooks bring you the very best routes and itineraries in the world’s most exciting destinations.
Best Routes
The routes in this book provide something to suit all budgets, tastes and trip lengths. As well as covering the destination’s many classic attractions, the itineraries track lesser-known sights, and there are also excursions for those who want to extend their visit outside the city. The routes embrace a range of interests, so whether you are an art fan, a gourmet, a history buff or have kids to entertain, you will find an option to suit.
We recommend reading the whole of a route before setting out. This should help you to familiarise yourself with it and enable you to plan where to stop for refreshments – options are shown in the ‘Food and Drink’ box at the end of each tour.
Introduction
The routes are set in context by this introductory section, giving an overview of the destination to set the scene, plus background information on food and drink, shopping and more, while a succinct history timeline highlights the key events over the centuries.
Directory
Also supporting the routes is a Directory chapter, with a clearly organised A–Z of practical information, our pick of where to stay while you are there and select restaurant listings; these eateries complement the more low-key cafés and restaurants that feature within the routes and are intended to offer a wider choice for evening dining. Also included here are some nightlife listings, and our recommendations for books and films about the destination.
Getting around the e-book
In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.
Maps
All key attractions and sights mentioned in the text are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map] just tap this to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.
Images
You’ll find hundreds of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of the destination. Simply double-tap on an image to see it full-screen.
© 2018 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd
Table of Contents
Recommended Routes For...
Children
Daredevils
Food and wine
Geothermal activity
History hunters
Pampering
Sporty types
Unbeatable views
Explore New Zealand
Getting around
North Island
Auckland and Northland
Lake Taupo and Wellington
South Island
West coast
East coast
Geology
Climate and seasons
Clothing
Activities
Bungy-jumping and skydiving
Fishing
Swimming with dolphins and whale spotting
Jetboating and rafting
Snowsports
Language
Maori
The ultimate linguistic test
Government
Green philosophy
Food And Drink
Traditional dining
The hangi
Seafood
National specialities
Food festivals
Wine
International standing
Beer
Where to eat
Shopping for food
Shopping
Where to buy
Auckland
Rotorua
Wellington
Christchurch
Queenstown
Entertainment
Theatre
Dance
Music
Film
Nightlife
Festivals
History: Key Dates
Discovery
19th century
20th century
21st century
Auckland
Viaduct Harbour
Maritime Museum
Visitor Centre and Ferry Building
Queen Street
Aotea Square
Auckland Domain
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Parnell
Back to the centre
Albert Park and Auckland Art Gallery
Sky Tower
Around Auckland
Along Tamaki Drive
Kelly Tarlton’s
Mission Bay
Island tours
Devonport and Rangitoto Island
Waiheke Island
Northland
Towards Whangarei
Waipu and Whangarei
Bay of Islands
Kawakawa
Paihia
Russell
Haruru Falls
Waitangi Treaty House
Towards Cape Reinga
Kerikeri
Mangonui, Awanui and Paparore
Cape Reinga
The West Coast
Ninety Mile Beach
Back to Auckland
Opononi
Omapere and Waipoua Forest
Kai Iwi Lakes and Baylys Beach
Waiwera Thermal Resort
Coromandel Peninsula
Thames
Mining Town
Coromandel Township
Whitianga
Hahei
Hot Water Beach
Tairua and Pauanui
Back to Auckland
Tauranga District
Towards Okere Falls
Towards Te Puke
Kiwifruit Country
Mount Maunganui
Tauranga
Pools and spas
Rotorua
Gondola ride
Rainbow Springs
Around Lake Rotorua
Ohinemutu
Museum of Art and History
Whakarewarewa
Blue and Green Lakes
Pink and White Terraces
Lake Tarawera
Taupo
Thermal wonderland
Waimangu Volcanic Valley
Wai-o-Tapu
Lake Ohakuri
Wairakei Park
Huka Falls
Taupo
Lake Taupo
Bungy-jumping and hot springs
Volcanic loop
Turangi
Tongariro National Park
Ohakune
Waiouru
Wellington
Museum of New Zealand
City centre
Lambton Quay
Wellington Cable Car
Botanic Garden
The Beehive
Old Government Buildings
National Archives
Queen’s Wharf Area
Oriental Parade
Courtenay Place
The Wairarapa
Featherston
POW Memorial
Greytown
Martinborough
Wine tours
Towards Lake Ferry
Putangirua Pinnacles and Ngawi
Cape Palliser Lighthouse
Ferry to The South Island
Organised tours
Picton and Blenheim
Self-drives
Picton and Blenheim
Kaikoura
Whale-watching
Dolphin tours
Dunedin And The Otago Peninsula
The Octagon
Dunedin Railway Station
North Dunedin
Otago Peninsula
Otakou Marae
Taiaroa Head
Fort Taiaroa and Wildlife Attractions
Back to Dunedin’s CBD
Larnach Castle
Akaroa
Christchurch to Barry’s Bay
Akaroa
Akaroa Harbour
Back to Christchurch
Hanmer Springs
Towards Waipara
Cafés and wineries
Waikari
Hanmer Springs
Hot springs
Christchurch to Queenstown
Christchurch
Geraldine and Fairlie
Lake Tekapo
Aoraki/Mount Cook Village
Aoraki Mount Cook
On to Queenstown
Arthur’s Pass And The West Coast
Christchurch to Lake Lyndon
Cave visit
Arthur’s Pass Village
Otira
Shantytown
Greymouth
Hokitika
Journey to the glaciers
Ross
Pukekura
Towards Whataroa
Franz Josef Village and Glacier
Fox Glacier village and glacier
Paringa
On to Queenstown
Queenstown
Skyline Gondola
Caddyshack City and Kiwis
Steamer Wharf
Cavell Mall
Earnslaw cruise
Queenstown Gardens
Arrowtown
Queenstown to Coronet Peak
Arrowtown
Buckingham Street
Panning for gold
Arrowtown Chinese Camp
Back to Queenstown
Gibbston Valley Wines
Milford Sound
Towards the Sound
Cruising the Sound
Milford Track
Accommodation
Auckland
Greater Auckland region
Northland
Coromandel Peninsula
Rotorua
Taupo
Tongariro/Whakapapa Village
Wellington
The Wairarapa
Picton and Blenheim
Kaikoura
Dunedin and Otago
Christchurch
Hanmer Springs
Lake Tekapo
Aoraki Mount Cook
Arthur’s Pass
Queenstown
Arrowtown
Hokitika
Franz Josef Glacier
Greymouth
Fox Glacier
Te Anau
Milford Sound
Restaurants
Auckland
Northland
Coromandel
Rotorua
Taupo
Wellington
The Wairarapa
Picton/Blenheim
Dunedin and Otago
Franz Josef Glacier
Christchurch
Arrowtown
Lake Tekapo
Queenstown
Nightlife
Auckland
Rotorua
Taupo
Wellington
Christchurch
Queenstown
A-Z
A
Age restrictions
B
Bicycle hire
Business hours
C
Crime and safety
Customs and entry requirements
Visas and passports
Banned substances
Duty on imported goods
E
Electricity
Embassies and consulates
Emergencies
Fire hazards
G
Gay and lesbian travellers
Guides and tours
H
Health care
Insects and venomous creatures
Marine dangers
Sunburn
Pharmacies
Drinking water
Hot pool safety
Volcanoes and earthquakes
Holidays
Extra holidays
L
Laundry/dry cleaning
M
Maps
Media
Newspapers and magazines
Television
Radio
Money
Currency
Banking hours
Credit cards
Traveller’s cheques
Goods and service tax
P
Police
Population and multiculturalism
Post offices
R
Religion
S
Smoking
T
Telephones
Landlines and public (pay) phones
Dialling codes
Mobile (cell) phones
Time
Tipping
Toilets
Tourist information
Within New Zealand
Outside New Zealand
Transport
Getting to New Zealand
Airports
Domestic flights
City buses/trains
Coach services
Trains
Ferries
Driving
V
Vaccinations
Books and Film
Film
Books
Recommended Routes For...
Children
Visit Kelly Tarlton’s aquarium (route 2), discover Kiwi wildlife at Rainbow Springs in Rotorua (route 6) and look out for seals in the Wairarapa region (route 9).
Peter James Quinn/Apa Publications
Daredevils
Try rafting waterfalls around Rotorua (route 5), glacier hiking and ice-climbing on the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers (route 15) or bungy-jumping where the craze originated, near Queenstown (route 16 and route 17).
iStock
Food and wine
Enjoy a vineyard tour at Martinborough, the heart of the Marlborough wine industry (route 9), in the Waipara Valley wine region (route 13) or in Gibbston Valley (route 17), near Queenstown.
Peter James Quinn/Apa Publications
Geothermal activity
For spouting geysers, bubbling mud pools and natural hot springs, visit Rotorua (route 6) or Taupo (route 7).
iStock
History hunters
Retrace the past at Auckland’s War Memorial Museum (route 1), at Waitangi, home to modern New Zealand’s founding document (route 3), and at the Museum of New Zealand in Wellington (route 8).
NZ Tourism
Pampering
Luxuriate in your own freshly dug pool on Hot Water Beach (route 4), at Rotorua’s Polynesian Spa (route 6), in hot saltwater near Mount Maunganui (route 5) and at Hanmer Springs Thermal Resort and Spa (route 13).
NZ Tourism
Sporty types
Try yachting or watch the All Blacks in Auckland (route 1), join in the ‘Round the Bays’ run (route 2), hike up Flagstaff Hill in the Bay of Islands (route 3) or go surfing near Whangamata (route 4).
Peter James Quinn/Apa Publications
Unbeatable views
New Zealand boasts many amazing vistas: highlights include the views around Aoraki/Mount Cook (route 14), the scenery around the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers (route 15) and the spectacle of Milford Sound (route 18).
iStock
Explore New Zealand
New Zealand’s archipelago of around 700 islands offers a wealth of dramatic scenery, from the exquisite beauty of the Southern Alps and Milford Sound, to the solitude of Lake Waikaremoana and the bubbling surprises of the thermal regions.
Rere Falls, near Gisborne, in the East Cape
NZ Tourism
New Zealand is situated in the South Pacific between latitudes 34° and 47° South. It’s a long, narrow country with two main islands – prosaically known as North Island and South Island – separated by the Cook Strait. The Pacific Ocean crashes into its east coast and the Tasman Sea laps against its western shore. At 269,057 sq km (103,883 sq miles), it’s slightly larger than the British Isles. Two-thirds of the country is mountainous and dissected by swift-flowing rivers, deep alpine lakes and subtropical forest. Its highest mountain is Aoraki/Mount Cook, located in the Southern Alps, which run like a spine down the South Island.
New Zealand was once a remote end-of-the-world gem, loved by the adventurous few who got this far and were astounded at the riches they found packed into a small country. This abruptly changed in 2001, with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, directed by native son Peter Jackson. Cast in the role of Middle Earth, New Zealand’s spectacular landscapes became the southern hemisphere’s worst-kept secret.
Getting around
For the independent traveller, New Zealand’s geography can present challenges. The country’s length and rough-hewn nature, plus its division into two main islands, make travel time-consuming. The routes in this book focus on five main hubs – Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown – with a number of additional routes guiding you around the rest of the country ‘s attractions (the historic Bay of Islands, the beautiful beaches of Coromandel Peninsula, the adventure activities around Lake Taupo, the wineries of Wairarapa, the stunning glaciers of the South Island’s west coast, and the majesty of Milford Sound). If time allows, the routes can be linked together for an exploration of the whole country. If time is at a premium, use domestic flights to travel between the city hubs, then hire a car to access regional attractions.
South Bay, Kaikoura
Peter James Quinn/Apa Publications
North Island
Auckland and Northland
In subtropical Northland, proud forests of majestic kauri trees, some thousands of years old, stand sentinel. Gnarled red-blossoming pohutukawa trees (known as New Zealand Christmas trees) cling to windswept cliffs over golden beaches, and green rolling hills of farmland span from coast to coast. Thermal activity abounds – there’s Auckland, built on extinct volcanoes; Rotorua, famous for its intense thermal activity in the form of geysers, hot springs and pools of boiling mud; and one of New Zealand’s most special experiences: digging your own warm spa in the sand at Coromandel’s Hot Water Beach (for more information, click here).
Lake Taupo and Wellington
At the heart of the North Island lies Lake Taupo (for more information, click here), New Zealand’s largest lake: a huge volcanic crater fed by the mountains of the Central Plateau. Hidden beneath hills beside a crater-formed harbour, the capital city of Wellington is the departure point to the magnificent South Island.
Sunset over Auckland
Peter James Quinn/Apa Publications
South Island
The South Island provides travellers with an awe-inspiring panorama of majestic snowy mountains, dripping rainforest, silent fiords, sensational sounds, ancient glaciers, wide-open plains and sparkling blue lakes and rivers. Home to only one quarter of the country’s population, this is a place of grandeur and solitude. The sensational Southern Alps, a range of jagged peaks running the length of the South Island, were formed by a collision of tectonic plates, which continue to force the mountains upwards by some 10mm per year. Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain, dominates the range at 3,750 metres (12,303ft).
West coast
Home to dense forests of beech, deep fiords, the icy tongues of Franz Josef and Fox glaciers (for more information, click here), and the picturesque lakeside townships of Wanaka, Queenstown and Te Anau, all vibrant centres for outdoor adventure.
East coast
Christchurch has been gradually recovering from the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. The resilience and creativity of the city’s population is inspirational as they rebuild their home from the rubble left after the quake floored over 70 percent of the CBD’s buildings. It may not yet be as beautiful as it once was, but Christchurch has a vibrancy that makes it well worth a visit.
Geology
New Zealand’s separation from other