The panoramas are striking, overwhelmingly beautiful. New Zealand is incredibly diverse and at every other twist of the road the scenery changes once again.
In the north, discover the delightful beaches and blue skies in the Bay of Islands or the hot springs and geysers near Rotorua. Or head south, for soaring mountain sceneries, glaciers and the Fiordlands. There are just too many nature attractions to name them all – two weeks are hardly enough to discover New Zealand’s great natural beauty. We recommend staying for at least three weeks – time well spent!
The fantastic landscapes are complemented by first-class hotels and gastronomy. Every accommodation has its charms, the eco lodges tucked away amidst pristine nature and the stately luxury hotels boasting extravagant creature comforts.
New Zealand is divided into the partly subtropical North Island and the cooler South Island. More than two thirds of the inhabitants live on the northern island, which also accommodates the two large cities Wellington and Auckland.
Generally, a New Zealand flight takes you to North Island. Acclimatise in the wonderful city of Auckland, which is also known as the City of Sails. The nickname stems from the peculiar circumstance that every sixths Aucklander owns a sailing boat or yacht. Thus, it is no surprise that the Hauraki Gulf is peppered with billowing white sails. INTOSOL recommends staying for a day or two to soak up the city’s graceful flair.
Only three to four hours north lies New Zealand’s most popular beach and sailing region: the stunningly beautiful Bay of Islands. And yet another hop and half farther north you may explore the lush Waipoua Kauri Forest and Cape Reinga. However, the principal attraction of North Island is doubtlessly the Rotorua and Lake Taupo region. Apart from the scenic surroundings, the region is famous for its boiling earth. Bubbling mud pools, hot springs and geysers cloak themselves in sulphurous gases.
The South Island is quite a different world: Lonely sand beaches and deep fiords that cut deep into the mountains characterise the Marlborough Sounds and the Abel Tasman National Park.
Should the landscape seem familiar, you might recall it from the movie The Lord of the Rings. In fact, the movie has sparked a Lord of the Rings pilgrimage that has earned the region the nickname Tolkien Land. A visit to New Zealand necessarily needs to include a stay in the Fiordlands. All of the fiords are beautiful but the Milford Sound Fiord certainly sets the standards: A simple geological formation to the sober mind, Milford Sound nevertheless keeps the cameras clicking and the jaws hanging low.
Last but not least, a day or two have to be spent in the Southern Alps, where, for example, you may spice up the experience with a helicopter flight to the Franz Josef and the Fox glaciers in the Mount Cook National Park – a spectacular sight!
New Zealand – a country that stands for magnificent nature, inspiring landscapes, high standards, modern and friendly people and sophisticated accommodations and services – in short: for a fantastic holiday! New Zealand – definitely worth the 22 hours flight from Europe! Incidentally, you may fly both ways: The west route takes you through the US and the eastern route through the Middle East (Dubai) or South East Asia.
Of course, stop-overs along these routes are easily organised, be it to add another destination to your travel itinerary or simply to ease the strain of travelling the long distance. Talk to our experienced team of travel consultants for more information.New Zealand may also be perfectly combined with a visit to Australia or the “nearby” South Seas. Tahiti, Fiji and the Cook Islands are within easy reach and many airlines offer combination flights.
We kindly ask for your understanding that INTOSOL does not offer caravan and campervan tours. We are dedicated to arranging holidays including finest comforts and elegant lodging. New Zealand certainly offers fascinating hotels that no four-wheel based accommodation can hope to compete with. nThe spectacular hotels features in the INTOSOL programme rank among the finest in the world. Even the simplest of the INTOSOL hotels in New Zealand guarantees deluxe comforts and a graceful style. It is our philosophy to offer our customers only the very best of a country.
