Welcome to New Zealand, a Slice of Kiwi Heaven.

Two main islands and several smaller islands make up New Zealand. South Island, the largest land mass, is separated from the North Island, where much of the population live, by the 32km wide cook strait. The North Island has a warmer climate, sun drenched beaches, bays, boats and fabulous vineyards. The New Zealand hotels and New Zealand Bed and Breakfasts on these islands are quite lovely. The two major cities are Auckland (great for boating, beaches and surfing) in the north, and Wellington, the capital city, in the southern tip of the island.  There are great tours of New Zealand in the central regions of North Island, where you have the active volcanic landscape of Taupo with its lakes and hot springs. This is also Maori heartland. South Island is home to the Southern Alps, and has the more dramatic landscape with its fjords and glaciers. Christchurch and Queenstown are the major cities. These are only some of the great places to try out New Zealand activities.

South Island is also the place where most tourists head to for all the extreme sports and adventure day tours in New Zealand that the country is famous for. Queensland proclaims itself as the adventure capital of the world offering many adrenaline inducing activities like mountaineering; canoeing, cycling and hiking (there are nine great hikes to choose from) are popular throughout the country.

Conflicts with European settlers who came in the late 18th century were devastating for the Maoris. With the country’s new emphasis on biculturalism, Maori traditions and language has seen a revival making the cultural scene even more vibrant than it already was with the presence of a good many art galleries, museums, theatres and festivals in New Zealand.

Sparsely populated with only 4.2 million people (there are 40 million sheep!), vast areas of New Zealand remain relatively unsettled. But access is not a problem as the country has excellent tourist infrastructure and good transportation networks. Visitors have to allow for more time for travel though, as distances can be large and roads winding and narrow in many places.

With all that the country offers, it is no surprise that New Zealand has received numerous recognitions as the best tourist destination in the world. Its natural splendour was showcased by filmmaker Peter Jackson in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Of course, there is nothing like experiencing the country first hand.

Take a tour of New Zealand and experience the North Island.