View from the Routeburn Great Walk in New Zealand
New Zealand
Capital: Wellington
Population: 5.1 million
Area: 268,021 km²
Official Language: English, Maori, and NZ Sign Language
Currency: New Zealand Dollar
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Where to start?
From picture-perfect subtropical beaches to rugged glacial mountain ranges and everything in between, New Zealand has something for everyone.
We’ve been living here for the past five years, and we’ve still got an arm’s length list of things we want to do.Made up of two main islands, New Zealand stretches from sun-kissed Cape Reinga in the north to Rakiura Stewart Island, New Zealand’s ‘third island’ in the south.
The great outdoors is the big draw here. Stay in one of the hundreds of backcountry huts, do one of the ‘Great Walks’, go whale watching, spot kiwi in the wild, jump out of a plane, do the world’s first commercial bungee jump…the list is endless.
Outside Asbestos Cottage in Kahurangi National Park
Oh, and then there are the cities, with hopping nightlife, thriving cafe culture and world-class museums.
Getting to New Zealand
Most long-haul flights land in Auckland, the country’s biggest city. International flights from the Pacific region also land in Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown.
Getting around New Zealand
Outside the Auckland region, train travel is aimed predominantly at sightseers. Great Journeys New Zealand runs three routes crossing the North and South Islands. With panoramic windows and separate viewing carriages, this is a great way to sit back and watch the country go by. Their TranzAlpine route is the most famous, crossing the Southern Alps between Christchurch and Greymouth.
Ferries cross the Cook Strait between Wellington and Picton, with smaller ferries covering Rakiura Stewart Island and many smaller offshore islands and inland waterways. Air New Zealand and Jetstar run a good network of internal flights.
Department of Conservation (DOC) Huts
New Zealand also has a fantastic network of backcountry huts. Spread across all of the country’s many protected areas, these range from rustic two-person bivvies to modern constructions with BBQs and a capacity of 80+. Some need to be booked in advance, many are first-come-first-served, and prices range from free to over $100 per night. The Department of Conservation has maps, descriptions and route information for most, if not all, of the huts.
Where to Stay in New Zealand
New Zealand has accommodation options for all budgets, from beachfront campsites with long-drop toilets to luxurious glass PurePods with mountain views and stargazing at night. If you have a self-contained campervan (i.e. with a toilet), then freedom camping is a great way to sleep on the cheap. It’s free to stay in many local council and DOC (Department of Conservation) reserves and car parks across the country. Just make sure you’re following the rules.
View from PurePod near Kaikoura New Zealand
Entry Requirements for New Zealand
Travellers from many countries qualify for visa-free travel to New Zealand. However, you will still need to get a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) before you arrive. This can be done through the Immigration New Zealand website.
What to do in New Zealand
Two words: Get outdoors. Whether skiing and snowboarding in winter, surfing the myriad beach breaks or hiking the pristine wilderness, New Zealand has all this and more.
For the less active, there’s whale watching, kiwi spotting, unspoilt beaches to laze on, and epic road trips at every turn.
View from the front of Blue Lake Hut in Nelson Lakes National Park
What to See in New Zealand
The landscape, obviously. And with so much packed into a relatively small space, the landscape doesn’t stay the same for long when travelling through New Zealand.
It’s not all about the landscape, though. See Auckland’s skyline from vantage points around the city, or shimmering masses of blue maomao while diving the Poor Knights Islands.
And modern New Zealand wouldn’t be the same without Maori culture. See traditional Maori cooking in action at Rotorua’s thermal springs. Or watch a Maori dance performance and see where modern New Zealand was founded at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
