Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Welcome to
New Zealand
With spectacular scenery, amazing trails, a unique hut network
and a rich tramping culture, New Zealand is the ultimate
destination for immersing yourself in the great outdoors.
A Freaky Field Trip
Cast adrift from Gondwanaland and dragged to the edge of civilisation by powerful geologic-
al forces, NZ boasts a staggering array of landforms - from uplifted mountains and glaciated
valleys to rainforests, dunelands and an otherworldly volcanic plateau. Unusual plant life
abounds, from mighty 2000-year-old kauri trees to delicate alpine herb fields. In their midst
is a veritable menagerie of strange creatures, such as the kiwi, large carnivorous snails, and
the tuatara - the 'living fossil' as old as the dinosaurs. There's never a dull moment on a
tramp through the NZ wilderness.
Trampers' Territory
Whether Maori on hunting forays or gathering greenstone, or colonial explorers surveying for
settlements, early New Zealanders showed an aptitude for journeying through this wild new
land. To follow in their footsteps today is to encounter a network of tracks and huts that is the
envy of the world. In the wild - where wrong turns can be fatal, ferocious storms are com-
mon, and rivers can turn torrential within an hour - such prior knowledge is king. How wel-
come it is, then, to encounter an emphatic signpost, a splendid suspension bridge, or a De-
partment of Conservation ranger. You're in good company.
Easy Going
It may be one of the world's most popular tramping destinations, but outside of major tracks
in peak season there is plenty of room in lodges, huts and campsites, and mile upon mile of
empty track. Yet despite this, the shuttle bus driver will still pick you up in the middle of
nowhere, probably just 10 minutes late. The logistics of NZ tramping are pretty easy, with
plenty of well-oiled operators ready to get you where you need to go - even if it means they
have to go out of their way.
