Auckland, known as the "City of Sails," is a beautiful city on the North Island, with spectacular beaches and hiking trails, award-winning wineries, and exciting cultural and adventure activities like the SkyJump, a 192 meter jump from the top of the Sky Tower, the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere. Ferries run frequently to nearby Waiheke (the 'island of wine'), and Rangitoto Island (a dormant volcano).
Once a family owned farm on the north island called the Alexander Farm, Hobbiton is where director Peter Jackson and his team recreated the Shire, the home of the hobbits in J.R.R Tolkien's famous books. Several scenes in The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy and The Hobbit film series were filmed here. Visitors can take a guided tour and see such locations as Bagshot Row, the Party Tree, and Bilbo's home.
Rotorua is a city on the North Island of New Zealand that is famous for the Te Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley, with sights like the Pohutu Geyser, the Artist's Palette, and the Champagne Pool, and for traditional Māori (indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand) villages, arts, crafts, and cuisine. The city also offers a wide range of adventures for thrill seekers and luxurious resorts for leisure travelers.
Built around Lake Wakatipu on the South Island of New Zealand, Queenstown is an enchanting combination of natural beauty, beautiful spas & resorts, and a range of adventure sports, including the world's first Bungy jump, jet boating, hiking, and cycling. Queenstown is also the gateway to Milford sound (a breathtaking fjord), Glenorchy (site of several Lord of the Rings filming locations), Lake Wanaka, Lake Pukaki and Mount Cook.
Milford Sound is a fjord on the South Island of New Zealand that opens out into the Tasman Sea, and New Zealand's most popular tourist destination. The fjord is surrounded by steep rock faces that rise over 1,200 meters (3,900 feet), with several waterfalls and the local widlife includes bottlenose dolphins and crested penguins. The scenery is so breathtaking that Rudyard Kipling once called it "the eighth Wonder of the World."
Located on the northern shore of Lake Wakatipu, just 45 minutes from Queenstown, the quaint town of Glenorchy is the gateway to several filming locations for the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film series, including Isengard, Amon Hen, the Lothlorien Forest, the Misty Mountains, and Ithilien. It has also featured in some of the Narnia movies.
Located in the stunning Alps of the South Island, Lake Wanaka is New Zealand's fourth largest lake. The outstanding natural beauty of the region, various outdoor activities, and the collection of art galleries, shops and restaurants in the town, make the Lake Wanaka region extremely attractive for visitors. The name Wanaka means "place of learning," in the traditional Māori culture.
Lake Pukaki and Aoraki Mount Cook National Park are among the most breathtaking destinations in New Zealand. Lake Pukaki is world-famous for its turquoise blue waters, while Aoraki Mount Cook National Park is home to the highest mountain in New Zealand and several glaciers. The drive from Queenstown to Lake Pukaki and Aoraki is one of the most scenic drives in the world!
The Fox & Franz Josef glaciers on the South Island of New Zealand are among the most accessible glaciers in the world, as they stretch from almost 2,600 meters high in the Southern Alps nearly down to sea level. Visitors can walk to the foot of the glaciers, walk on the glaciers with professional guides, or fly to and land on the top of the glaciers in a helicopter.