Inhabited starting around 1200 by the Maori who migrated from the northern parts of the Pacific, New Zealand was able to preserve this ancestral tradition and harmonize it with its more recent colonial past.

The Maori presence is less prevalent in the southern island renowned mainly for its majestic mountains. From Arthur’s Pass where you feel that you are walking in a land of the giants you leave behind the dry climate of the eastern coast and dive into the temperate rain forest of the west. There are the stratified rocks at Punakaiki and the wanderings in the rain forest along the Pororari River. Not far are the two glaciers, Franz Jozef – weird name for such a place – and Fox, both coming out from the same rain forest something that you can hardly see somewhere else. Mount Aspiring comes in sight with its white peaks and long hikes to far-away huts and pools of blue water. The southern part of the island, Fjordland, has a collection of intricate fjords advancing deep into Milford Sound. The heart of the south is Queenstown, a charming place surrounded all around by mountains with inviting hikes towards Wanaka and its gulfs, and Glenorchy, the infamous Isengard from Lord of the Rings. Only three hours away from there is the spectacular Aoraki/Mount Cook with its unforgettable Hooker Valley.

Dense forest covered in moss and spooky bushes, glowworms, caves and lots of blue lakes like Lake Moke, Lake Tekapo can be found easily in your exploration, all competing for your time and hiking energy. The ferry crossing towards the north island lands you in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. From there the next exploration is in Tangariro National park, the location of “Mount Doom” where Sauron forged the rings. You can hike in the volcano’s valley covered all over by the spewed lava, but not from the eruption in the movie though. Once in the northern island you have the chance to encounter more of the Maori culture. It happens mainly in Rotorua where tours of villages and various Maori-owned location welcome you graciously to for a lesson in their history, traditions and lineage. You can spend days hiking or chilling in Rotorua, or swing by Waitamo for a glide in one of the glowworm caves before you get to Auckland from your returning flight.
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