NEW ZEALAND : TWO ISLANDS TO RULE THEM ALL
2023 ACTIVE & ADVENTURE | 43
BIKE THE VINEYARDS
If your thrill threshold is decidedly on the lower end , New Zealand has you covered there too , especially if you love wine , sunshine and gorgeous countryside . The Classic New Zealand Wine Trail connects more than 230 wineries through three of this country ’ s top wine regions — Hawke ’ s Bay , Wairarapa and Marlborough . Certainly , you can visit more vineyards if you take a motorized tour , but biking through the area brings added elements of joy . Guided and self-guided bicycle tours are available , and they all allow you to soak in the stunning scenery , feel the wind against your skin and taste some of the finest wines in the world . As an added bonus , you ’ re less apt to overindulge at the wineries knowing that you ’ re personally responsible for getting to your next destination !
HIKE THE SOUND
The South Island is home to a stunning collection of glaciers , especially in the Southern Alps region . Serious hikers can strap on crampons to trek along the Tasman Glacier , a massive river of ice that covers nearly 39 miles below New Zealand ’ s highest mountain , Mount Cook . Beyond the glaciers , you ’ ll also find the stunning Fiordland National Park , including Milford , Dusky and Doubtful sounds .
These areas are ripe for exploration . The most famous way to absorb the big-time beauty here is along the Milford Track , commonly referred to as “ the finest walk in the world .” Reaching the trailhead alone is a journey worthy of a thousand photographs — to get there , you ’ ll first take an hour-long lake cruise past numerous rainbow-crowned waterfalls cascading down boulder-studded cliffs . The trail itself is nearly 34 miles , though a 6.6-mile loop will take you through ancient rainforests and expansive glacier-cut valleys .
BASK IN THE GLOW
For a country most famous for its sheep , the rest of its wildlife is not that baaaaaad . While Africa may be well-known for its Big Five — the leopard , lion , elephant , buffalo and rhino — New Zealand boasts an equally impressive Small Five : the nocturnal , flightless kiwi ; the yellow-eyed penguin , one of the rarest in the world ; Hector ’ s dolphin , the smallest of its kind ; the tuatara , the only beak-headed reptile left in the world ; and the cheeky kea parrot , regarded as the most intelligent species in the bird world . You can easily discover these fascinating creatures in wildlife reserves throughout the country .
While the creatures mentioned above are unforgettable in their own ways , the animal you ’ ll remember the most from a trip down here are glowworms . On a must-see excursion to the Waitomo Caves , you ’ ll walk through a dizzying labyrinth of caverns and ford underground rivers to find yourself in the presence of thousands of dazzling luminescent creatures called glowworms . Oddly enough , they ’ re not worms at all . Instead , they ’ re fungus gnats that flaunt their bioluminescence to attract prey , alighting on limestone ceilings with an eerie , otherworldly beauty . This underground fantasy world can be explored by swimming , zip lining and floating , all of which could become your No . 1 memory of your epic vacation in New Zealand .
PHOTOS
TOP : MILFORD SOUND AT SUNRISE RIGHT : VINEYARDS OF MARTINBOROUGH LEFT : WAITOMO GLOWWORM CAVES
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