Travel guide New Zealand
Located at the Antipodes of France, New Zealand or "Land of the Long White Cloud" fascinates hikers, geologists and thrill seekers. The destination's wide open spaces and supernatural colors have been brought to the forefront by the famous film trilogy and never cease to amaze. Extended in length, its two islands each have their own personality. Older, theNorth Island has more rounded curves and a tropical climate that gives free rein to dense and abundant vegetation. The volcanic activity is intense: it is impossible not to stop at Rotorua to observe the bubbling geysers or at Tongariro National Park for its colorful lakes and active volcanoes. The North Island is also the cradle of the Maori culture which can be seen in the architecture, the language and the traditional tattoos of the locals. Auckland is the economic and university center of the island and Wellington is the political and artistic center. More wild, theSouth Island is home to vertiginous mountains that can be hiked by the day, by the week or in several months for the most adventurous. A must-see and a sportsman's paradise, Queenstown is the home of bungee jumping and a pleasant ski resort in winter. A few kilometers away, the beauty of the milky blue Pukaki and Tekapo lakes is matched only by the grandeur of the southern fjords where whales and orcas come to rest. Finally, take a flight to see the eternal snows of the Franz Joseph and Fox glaciers by microlight. Get your hiking boots on!
What to see, what to do New Zealand?
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When to go New Zealand ?
In New Zealand, the seasons are reversed: summer is between November and January and winter is in full swing in July/August.
The high season is therefore from mid-December to the end of January, the busiest period for tourism. The hotels are overbooked and the tourist places are invaded. It should be noted, however, that there are few people outside the beaten track.
For winter sports lovers, July and August are full of powder on the South Island.
The off-season. The best time to visit is during the shoulder months of February and March or October and November when there is less rainfall, pleasant temperatures and everyone is at school or at work.
Please note that if you wish to go on the "Great walks", the reservation calendar of the lodgings should be watched very closely because places are expensive and the number of visitors limited.
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If you only have one week on the North Island, you will have to choose between a loop towards the North from Auckland in order to discover the māorie culture, very present in this part of the island, as well as the wonders of the Bay of Island, or a North-South trip from Auckland to Wellington allowing you to see some of the most popular spots on the island.
If you have two weeks it's perfect: you can do both! If you have more than two weeks (the great luxury!), or if you want to get off the beaten track, you can take a little trip to the East or West (or both) to discover the East Cape or Taranaki.
On the South Island the possibilities are numerous and, if you have a short time, we warn you: the choice will be hard! We detail everything in a one month itinerary which can be cut in smaller itineraries according to the time we have and the desires of each one.
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How to go New Zealand
How to go alone
New Zealand is a very easy country to get to. The tourist network is modern and everything can be planned and booked online before your departure or on the spot at the last minute. Please note that very few sites are translated into French, so bring a small pocket dictionary. On site, New Zealanders have a heart on their sleeve and will not hesitate to help you if needed.
How to go on a tour
Tourists are numerous in New Zealand, mainly from the French side. Most of the time, tour operators offer thematic trips combining the two islands: hiking, volcanoes, Maori culture, fauna and flora. A trip there can be done from 10 days to 1 month, the ideal being 3 weeks in order not to run too much. The trip can be done in parallel with a visit to Australia or to a Pacific island.
How to get around
By plane. This means, somewhat expensive, can be practical if you have to travel long distances in a short time.
By ferry. Two companies provide daily ferry services between the two islands, except in case of heavy seas.
By bus. Several companies compete for the market and connect the major cities.
By car or van. This is the best way to travel because it allows you to explore freely and to discover secret places. Please note: we drive on the left.
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Discover New Zealand
A land sculpted by intense geological activity, giving it the air of a fantasy world, exploited for many films and series since Peter Jackson demonstrated its immense potential in his epic Lord of the Rings saga.
A short but rich and complex history, centered on the meeting of two cultures which, despite regular and often dramatic conflicts, have managed to find compromises for cohabitation, and to do so in a more reasoned and peaceful way than in any country that has undergone waves of European colonization.
Incredible flora and fauna, with one of the highest rates of endemism in the world, showcasing some magnificent and unlikely species, so specifically adapted to such a clement environment (absence of terrestrial predators) that they could probably not have survived anywhere else.
In New Zealand, there's a lot to see, a lot to learn and a lot to feel.
The 12 keywords New Zealand
1. Backcountry
The backcountry. It's where you venture when you want to cut yourself off from the world and reconnect with nature. It's dotted with backcountry huts, where any hiker can take refuge for the night. Backcountry huts hold a special place in the hearts of the locals, demonstrating their attachment to their environment.
2. Fern
New Zealand is known as the land of the fern. There are over 200 subspecies, unique to the country. But the ones that really make their mark on the landscape are thetree ferns. The one you see on the All Blacks jersey is the silver fern, white on the underside of the leaves.
3. Great Walks
The country's most famous long-distance hiking trails. Varying in length from 2 to 5 days, they take in some of the country's most beautiful scenery.
There are 10 of them (an 11th is due to open in 2024), and some are so popular that it's a miracle to get places on them.
4. Kiwi
"Kiwi" can be either the bird or the fruit, as we all know, but it's also the nickname of the country's inhabitants. To avoid confusion, when we talk about the fruit or the bird, we say "kiwi-fruit", and "kiwi-bird". Tip: māori nouns are invariable, so if the word takes an "s", we're talking about the inhabitants, not the bird!
5. Māori
Descendants of the Polynesians who began populating Aotearoa around the 13th century, the Māori people carry the soul of the land they have made their own. Their traditions, spirituality and strong bond with nature are, after long years of decline due to European domination, once again increasingly at the heart of the country's culture.
6. Birds
Aotearoa's bird life goes far beyond the famous kiwi. There are many endemic species of which the kiwis (the locals) are very proud. Every year, they vote online to elect the "bird of the year", an award designed to raise awareness of the state of bird populations. The bird of the year 2022 was the pīwauwau / rock wren.
7. Outdoors
If you don't like outdoor activities, you're in the wrong place! Here, everyone is outside as soon as the sun comes out. Skiing, snowboarding and mountaineering in winter, hiking, mountain biking, paragliding, surfing, kayaking, paddle-boarding and all other kinds of water activities in summer, everyone has a favorite and does it almost religiously!
8. Rugby
More than a sport, rugby is a religion here! The All Blacks are hailed as gods, and when they play at home, the stadiums fill up at breakneck speed.
Women's rugby is less in vogue, but is gradually winning hearts and minds, especially since the Black Ferns won the Women's World Cup in 2022!
9. Sandflies
No dangerous bugs in New Zealand (they've all stayed in Australia), but a most annoying insect that all backpackers curse: the sandfly ! About the size of a gnat but fiercer than a swarm of mosquitoes, its bites are terribly itchy. Pants and long sleeves are your best weapons!
10. She'll be 'right
"She will be alright" if you pronounce all the syllables.
It's more than a saying, it's a way of life here! We're not quite sure who this "she" is, but one thing's for sure: she'll get out of anything. "She'll be 'right" is used in all sorts of ways, and means that everything will be all right, that a solution will be found.
11. Te reo
"Te reo māori", the Māori language. In full resurgence for several years now, more and more words are being integrated into Kiwi everyday vocabulary. Among the most common: kia ora (hello), koha (donation), kai (food), taonga (treasure), tamariki (children), manuhiri (visitors), Nau mai Haere mai (welcome).
12. WHV
Working Holiday Visa, or, in French, PVT, Permis Vacances Travail. Accessible to people under 30 years old, it is the key to long term travel. It is valid for one year (compared to 3 months for the classic tourist visa) and gives the right to work in the country. New Zealand, just like Australia, welcomes a lot of PVT students.
You are from here, if...
You insist that Pavlova and Flat White are Kiwi inventions, not Australian. The friendly rivalry with Australia is like that between the French and the English! Or Normans and Bretons. Careful not to offend!
You turn your e's into i's. The Kiwi accent is very pronounced, and those "e "s that become "i "s are undoubtedly its main characteristic! If someone introduces himself and says "Bin", he's not pointing at the garbage can, it's simply "Ben" with a Kiwi accent.
You go to the gym early in the morning. Here, we're early risers, and the gym session is all about waking up and getting ready for the day!
You shorten all your words to end in -ie. "Roadie" for road trip, "Sammie" for sandwich, "Toastie" for toasted sandwich, "Brekkie" for breakfast, "Aussie" for Australian... in New Zealand we love contractions that make words cuter!