What Are the Most Beautiful Landscapes?

In reality, New Zealand belongs to the huge underwater continent called Zealandia.

Thirty million years ago, because of the overlapping of tectonic plates, a part of the earth emerged from the ocean.

New Zealand as we know it today eventually emerged from ocean five million years ago.

From a geological point of view, this is the youngest country on earth and the last to have been discovered by man.

Early explorers struggled to survive in the midst of a fauna and a flora unique on Earth. The two New Zealand's main islands have an unparalleled variety of landscapes: forests, fjords, deserts, volcanoes, plains, mountains, glaciers...

I'll give you an overview of each of these landscapes, and you will be able to judge if the country's reputation is well deserved or not.

However, I must warn you that there's a good chance that reading this article makes you want to organize a stay in New Zealand!

Since 1970 and the birth of an environmental conscience in the population, the government has created 14 national parks for the pleasure of the hikers and put an end to the deforestation. But deforested areas are not less beautiful!

The discovery of the New Zealand countryside is a delight to the eyes.

An impression reinforced if you come from Australia where the climate is so dry.

Because it is located in the axis of the Roaring Forties, New Zealand is often watered by rain. So much that the color of the grass is at the limit of fluorescence when the sun shines. Plains and valleys are far from monotonous, because volcanic activity has sculpted the relief. Add 30 million sheep serving as lawn mowers, and you will feel like walking on an infinite golf course.

Being a cattle rancher is a profession with a future in this country, but there is an alternative way to make a fortune by exploiting the earth resources. The volcanic soil has the particularity of being very fertile and the New Zealanders had the foresight to plant vines that give wines among the best in the world.

Most vineyards are located on the North Island but the finest are on the South Island in the regions of Marlborough and Otago. The Rippon Vineyard on the shores of Lake Wanaka offers wine tastings in front of a breathtaking panorama (perhaps one of the most beautiful in the country).

For every fan of The Lord of the Rings, the New Zealand's forests may seem "déjà vu". Many forest sequences were filmed near Wellington and in the Fiordland region.

The presence of palm trees also contributes to the exotic image of the country. Yet they should not exist at such a low latitude. This is a perfect example of the microclimates that vary completely from one region to another.

The Pohutukawa gives red flowers at Christmas, but another tree species steals the limelight and fascinates visitors. The Kauris are sacred trees with a huge trunk, and they can live more than a thousand years! A Maori guide will lead you to them in the ancestral forest of Waipoua.

All forests are not endemic, and some have been planted by man. The Giant Coastal Redwoods from California is well adapted to the climate of the Rotorua region. Today, these well-maintained areas are ideal to go cycling without any risk of getting lost.

However, do not wander off the path when exploring the rainforests of the South Island. The foam even covers tree trunks and it is necessary to be as strong as Bear Grylls (the adventurer from Man VS Wild TV Show) to have any chance to survive in such a wild environment.

There are more than 200 peaks of about 2300 meters high and twenty others at more than 3,000 meters of altitude. The heavy snowfalls generate glaciers that descend into the valleys through the forest to reach the level of the sea.

The Fox Glacier and Franz Joseph are the most popular and the most accessible. A mountain guide will lead you through the dangerous crevices up to the blue ice caves. Once inside, you'll feel like being under the sea.

In the region of Central Otago, Cardrona and Treble Cone allow you to ski in a dream location, enjoying the view over lake Wanaka. The ski season covers a large part of the year and some slopes of mount Cook, the highest peak in New Zealand, are used as training ground by high-level skiers.

The east coast is known for the Kaikoura Sea Range. Mountains join the ocean where the whales swim all the year round, making it a truly unique place for photographers.

Some mountains are sacred in the Maori tradition. Their access is forbidden and taking pictures of them as well. This is the case for many volcanoes of the North Island.

The presence of volcanoes is explained by the shock between Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic plates. The underground frictions generate considerable heat that rises up to the surface.

That's why the North Island is characterized by a spectacular geothermal activity. Boiling mud ponds, geysers and sulfur pools are at the origin of a major tourism industry with Spa centers having flourished everywhere.

Further on the North Island, the Tongariro Crossing track leads to the emerald lakes. The proximity to Mount Ruapehu which last erupted in 2012 did not discourage visitors. The solidified lava landscape was used as a natural setting for the Mordor scenes in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings.

Most volcanoes of New Zealand are long extinct. Fortunately, because the entire Auckland City is built on a constellation of small volcanoes. Some were still active during the past centuries. Once extinct, Mounts Eden and One Tree Hill were converted into public parks and offer magnificent views of the city.

Lake Taupo feeds the Waikato River which gives birth to an extraordinary fall. The flow of the mighty Huka Falls is so powerful that it could fill an Olympic swimming pools in few second! With such a high oxygen concentration, the water colour appears turquoise.

The country also holds the record for the purest water spring of the world: The Blue Lake Springs offers perfect visibility at 80 meters deep! Many seabed like those at the Poor Knight Islands and the underwater wrecks like the Rainbow Warrior have made New Zealand one of the most beautiful diving spots in the world.

If many lakes have already been mapped, some are still waiting for you to be baptized. According to the composition of the soil, water appears blue, green or turquoise, and when the weather is fine, the surface of Lake Matheson turns into a mirror!

The splendid reflection of the Mount Cook over Lake Pukaki's surface is another wonder figuring in most souvenir albums. But the best of the South Island is yet to come.

The rain that falls on alternate days in this region gives birth to hundreds of waterfalls. Some are among the highest in the world. The rain feed the dark waters of the fjords where dolphins swim among the gorgeous white coral.

Some travellers prefer visiting the Fiordland by following the Milford Track. This three-day hike is considered as the most beautiful in the world for more than a century. One discovers landscapes that seem to have been carved for giants.

Even wilder, the Doubtful Sound is a difficult access fjord. The daily excursion can be exhausting, but offers a breath-taking panorama. The silence, broken only by birdsong, gives the impression to be back to the epoch of dinosaurs.

The beaches of the east coast are covered with white sand. The calm sea is perfect for swimming in the company of dolphins. In contrast, the volcanic black sand of Piha (the beach of Jane Campion's Piano movie) is typical of the beaches on the west coast.

Visitors particularly love the small coves and the turquoise lagoons to explore by kayak in the Abel Tasman National Park.

The sand rich in iron oxide appears orange and no hotel spoils the landscape.

Even more original, the 90-mile beach that leads to the Cape Reinga can be explored by car. A few kilometers away, the giant dunes of Te Paki attract the sand surfers.

Some people claim that New Zealand “is like Canada, but eve, better”. An amusing statement, but very subjective after all. There are, of course, some similarities between the two countries, but the volcanic terrain of New Zealand is much more contrasted.

The peculiarity of the country is to offer an incredible diversity of landscapes gathered on the same territory. The lovers of nature and outdoor activities (such as mountain bike) consider New Zealand as a true paradise.

Is it, however, the most beautiful country in the world? One can argue about this point of view, but just because people are discussing the question is already a real proof of quality. The country is always at the top of the opinion polls, and visitor satisfaction rate is incredibly high with a 9.5 / 10 score.

To extend the subject Kiwipal offers detailed articles on every outdoor activities. You just have to make your selection to build your very own customized itinerary!