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Magnificent scenery, whales, giant tree ferns and glaciers – New Zealand has a great deal to offer the nature enthusiast. Naturetrek's operations manager for New Zealand, Gwen Owen, describes some of the best scenery and wildlife on offer in the country's spectacular North Island.
Milford Sound
New Zealand – Land of the Long White Cloud
Many people take a little time before deciding on New Zealand as a holiday destination – after all, it’s a long way to go! However, the rewards are plentiful, and a wildlife tour can easily be combined with a visit to family and friends. Known as Aotearoa by the Maoris, literally ‘Land of the long white cloud’, because that is what they saw when they first approached by sea in rowing boats, New Zealand is a land of unusual wildlife and some of the world’s most spectacular scenery.
Naturetrek’s newest operations assistant, Gwen Owen, lived there for two years. She talks to us about her love of the country and some of the wonderful landscapes and wildlife spectacles it has offer …
New Zealand – A beautiful surprise
After leaving university with itchy feet, I embarked on my first round the world trip. But I purposefully left out New Zealand with the intention of leaving it to a later date to 'do it properly'! So, a couple of years later I applied for a working visa and set off for two years. And it was certainly well worth the wait!
Auckland, New Zealand's largest city is a pleasant enough, but it doesn’t prepare you for the rest of New Zealand – that comes as such a beautiful surprise. It’s much more stunning than you imagine it’s going to be, and so varied – the two islands span a very big range in latitude and that’s one of the factors which makes travelling from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island so exciting – especially for the naturalist.
Subtropics & Silver Tree Ferns
Right at the top you’ve got subtropical forest – there are huge tree ferns. They’re very impressive. The national symbol of New Zealand is the Silver Tree Fern – its foliage is green above and silver underneath – the Maoris used to turn the leaves upside down as they travelled along, so that when they returned along that route at night, the silvery leaves would pick up the moonlight and gleam – showing them their way. '
Learning about the Maori culture was a real highlight, and there is evidence of it throughout New Zealand, from artwork to places names, to the people themselves. It’s a culture the Kiwis are very proud of.
Just an hour's drive from Auckland, at Muriwai, a large colony of Australasian Gannets inhabits a couple of rocky islands set just out from the cliff. Although a rather smelly experience, it is certainly one not to be missed if you're in the Auckland area.
The Miranda silt flats, an hour south-east of Auckland, are superb for seeing endemic birds feeding. Tiri Tiri Matangi Island, set 30km north-east of Auckland, is most definitely worth a visit, particularly for birdwatchers – it’s really lovely and a good place to see some real rarities such as the North Island Saddleback, Stitchbird, Whitehead, Little-spotted Kiwi and Takahe.
As you travel south towards the middle of the North Island the landscape gets flatter and looks quite English – it’s very quaint with rolling hills. Further down towards Wellington it changes again and you start to see the mountainous scenery that’s such a feature of the South Island.
For New Zealand tours, click here.