Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
National Parks
A third of the country - more than 5 million hectares - is protected in environmentally im-
portant parks and reserves that embrace almost every conceivable landscape: from
mangrove-fringed inlets in the north to the snow-topped volcanoes of the Central Plateau,
and from the forested fastness of the Ureweras in the east to the Southern Alps' majestic
mountains, glaciers and fiords. The 14 national parks, three marine parks and more than 30
marine reserves, along with numerous forest parks, offer huge scope for wilderness experi-
ences, ranging from climbing, snow skiing and mountain biking to tramping, kayaking and
trout fishing.
Three places are World Heritage Areas: NZ's Subantarctic Islands, Tongariro National
Park and Te Wahipounamu, an amalgam of several national parks in southwest NZ that
boasts the world's finest surviving Gondwanaland plants and animals in their natural habit-
ats.
Access to the country's wild places is relatively straightforward, though huts on walking
tracks require passes and may need to be booked in advance. In practical terms, there is
little difference for travellers between a national park and a forest park, though dogs are not
allowed in national parks without a permit. Camping is possible in all parks, but may be re-
stricted to dedicated camping grounds - check first. Permits are required for hunting (game
birds), and licences are needed for inland fishing (trout, salmon); both can be bought online
