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New Zealand

7

Reasons To
Visit New Zealand

  • Food & wine

    This small nation has established a name for fabulous wineries, many internationally acclaimed. Whilst most will point connoisseurs to the Marlborough region for the finest vintages, Hawkes Bay and Martinborough should not be ignored. A trip here would not be complete without trying the local 'fush 'n' chups' or traditional Maori fare either.

    Food & wine

  • Landscapes

    For a small country, New Zealand incorporates landscapes as diverse as they come. Mountains, volcanoes, beaches, lakes, fiords, valleys and caves - to the everyday traveller these remarkable sights are other-worldly. Both the North and South islands share many common features, but are also wonderfully contrasting.

    Landscapes

  • Light adventure

    It's not necessary to throw yourself off a suspended platform in order to fully experience New Zealand. Alternative options include air safaris over White Island, heli-hiking the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers and wilderness cruises in Milford and Doubful Sounds.

    Light adventure

  • Maori culture

    New Zealanders are proud of their Maori roots. Maori song, dance and mythology are prevalent, towns are adorned with carvings and rooms are dressed in flax weavings. Most physical locations also have Maori names with literal translations such as Waimakariri River (Cold water river).

    Maori culture

  • Outdoors & coastal living

    The 'outdoors' perception of New Zealanders is not something consciously cultivated; with such a plentitude of mountains, beaches, fiords lakes and forests on their doorstep it is simply a way of life.

    Outdoors & coastal living

  • Self-drive

    New Zealand has wonderful roads - scenic, safe and, especially on the South Island, largely empty. They even drive on the left and some of the most scenic routes are waymarked. There are car hire stations at all of New Zealand's airports.

    Self-drive

  • Walking & trekking

    There are so many excellent hikes - or 'tramps' as the locals call them - in New Zealand that it is sometimes difficult to know which one to select. We feature several of the country's 'great walks' which can easily be incorportated into any itinerary.

    Walking & trekking

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Visit Collingwood & Farewell Spit, New Zealand

Collingwood receives a fraction of the visitors who throng to nearby Nelson, but provides access to one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets - Farewell Spit. This expanse of protected beach and natural wetland is home to thousands of migratory wading birds.

Cape Farewell, New Zealand

Collingwood & Farewell Spit

New Zealand

The road that heads west along the South Island’s northern shores comes to an end at the sleepy town of Collingwood.

This tiny settlement receives a fraction of the visitors who throng to nearby Nelson, but provides access to one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets - Farewell Spit. This expanse of protected beach and natural wetland is home to thousands of migratory wading birds.

Thankfully, due to its worldwide importance, it is a strictly protected sanctuary and accessible only on a guided tour.

Eco tours to Farewell Spit

On a tour to the Spit you get the chance to visit the only sea-level gannet colony in the world; Cape Farewell Eco Tours have the only licence which allows this kind of access. Along the way you stop at the Spit lighthouse, to learn how it worked and explore the lighthouse keeper's century old house.

Finally you reach the Cape. Cape Farewell is the northernmost point of the South Island and the cliff top views of the Tasman Sea and rugged coastline are spectacular. The coastal cliffs are sliced through with fault lines, vertically walled slashes where streams run inland rather then to the sea creating fascinating rock patterns.

There is time on the tour to climb the Barchan Dunes or walk along the wind-driven beaches, and the more adventurous can try a bit of dune-surfing! Throughout the tour you are provided with a comprehensive commentary from the passionate, enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable guides, and your transport comes in the form of RL Bedfords - rather hefty looking but very comfortable four wheel drive vehicles that can tackle the stunning sand flats.

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