Adventurers in New Zealand will often take part in spelunking — the art of exploring cavernous terrains. In both the north and south islands, you’ll find a variety of environments that all offer different modes of discovery. Maybe you’re interested in a guided tour, or maybe you’d prefer to float your way through parts of the Waitomo Caves — an activity known as “black water rafting.”
There was once an idea that for every person in New Zealand, there were seven sheep. That myth no longer exists, however, because the population has since grown (those numbers were from 2011). But we can probably still assume that there are many, many sheep in New Zealand. At least enough that it’s worth a mention (and an image).
We already know that New Zealand is an excellent destination for cave adventures, but they even take it a step further with icy excursions. At Fox Glacier, visitors take heli-hikes through the frozen terrains via a helicopter drop-off and guided hike.
The silver fern, seen in the lush rainforest image above, carries a lot of weight in New Zealand culture. It was the national symbol for New Zealand’s Rugby team in the 1880s, and it’s now worn by athletes and used by companies throughout the country. It’s even been adopted as a national symbol.
Fiords (or fjords) are inlets that exist between two glaciated cliffs. They’re an unfamiliar sight in much of the world, but are common in countries like Norway and New Zealand. One such fiord, the Milford Sound, is the country’s most famous tourist destination — considered by Rudyard Kipling to be the eighth wonder of the world.
Nestled in the green hills and otherworldly landscapes of Matamata are Bag End, the Party Tree, and other Lord of the Ringsstaples.
Ever wondered where the darkest skies in the world are? Turns out they can be seen from Lake Tekapo, part of a location known as the Dark Sky Reserve. You actually can’t get better views of the sky from anywhere else, due to New Zealand’s pollution control (no light pollution) and vast, open skies.
And before you leave, here are a few more stunning photos!
[1] Image by Ruklay Pousajja [2] Image by Victor Maschek
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