New Zealand offers both romance and adventure for couples. Enjoy a romantic picnic overlooking vineyards or take a tour of New Zealand’s highest peak using gondola rides or the luge!
Visit Waitangi Treaty Grounds, considered to be the birthplace of modern New Zealand, then tour North Island’s geothermal landscape with descendants of its original owners at Te Puia.
1. Maori Culture
Maori culture is an integral part of New Zealand, from greeting visitors with a welcoming “kia ora” to stunning war dances and more! Discover their social customs and traditions through intimate encounters with local guides who will share their story of rich heritage.
Maori people are the original inhabitants of New Zealand, and their ancient culture still plays an essential part of society today. From town names to cultural experiences such as watching the breathtaking Kapa Haka performance art which incorporates singing, dancing and facial expressions; to learning about traditional food and whakapapa at an ancestral homestead like Waipoua Forest’s ancestral homesteads — these experiences will give you a deeper appreciation of Maori heritage.
As part of its spiritual heritage, Maori culture possesses great reverence for nature. This can be found through their practice of kaitiakitanga, or caring for nature through protecting and tending it responsibly. You can experience this reverence for nature on a guided tour through a sacred kauri forest like Footprints Waipoua where you will gain insights into these ancient trees that play such an integral role for Maori indigenous communities and experience Tane Mahuta – the tallest living native kauri tree ever in existence today!
2. World Heritage Sites
The 1972 World Heritage Convention seeks to preserve natural and cultural areas with “outstanding universal value”, with New Zealand offering three such sites. You’re sure to experience something magical at Te Puia on North Island with Pohutu Geyser and Maori cultural performances at Pohutu Geyser; also don’t miss visiting this UNESCO site where endangered Kiwi bird lives!
The Kauri Museum in Matakohe provides visitors with an insight into what happened when Kauri trees were harvested for their strong and durable timber. You can step back in time at Waitangi Treaty Grounds where you’ll gain an understanding of New Zealand culture and history – including our grand old homes, Art Deco buildings and Wellington Government Buildings which all provide a glimpse into our past.
The South Island (Te Wahipounamu) is a World Heritage Site recognized for its exceptional natural values. Boasting mountain ranges, glaciers and stunning fiords – as well as being home to flightless alpine parrots like Kea – and forests with Southern Beech trees over 800 years old as well as ancient podocarp trees-this stunning area also plays host to Mount Ruapehu, Mount Ngauruhoe and Tongariro which hold great significance among Maori tribes who revere them all for being features that feature within Maori culture iwi communities.
3. Wine Country
New Zealand wines have long been celebrated around the globe for their quality and unique characteristics. Export sales reached record-breaking levels this year! Their fame extends from spicy Pinot Noirs to refreshing Sauvignon Blancs; all appreciated for their distinctive qualities and styles.
Marlborough is perhaps New Zealand’s best-known wine region, best known for producing crisp, fruity Sauvignon Blancs that have garnered global renown. Additionally, however, this region also produces citrusy Chardonnays and red-fruited Pinot Noirs which may not receive as much recognition; both types benefiting from diverse soil types in an Antarctic wind moderated climate to create distinct wines with unique qualities.
There are also other regions within New Zealand which have gained increasing prominence. Martinborough and Central Otago are particularly well known for producing outstanding Pinot Noirs; those from Central Otago in particular boast complexity and depth of flavor that rival those produced in France.
New Zealand wine production extends far beyond Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, boasting a vast array of styles. Terroirs vary greatly across New Zealand from alluvial deposits on Waiheke Island to glacial outwash in Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa Triangle sub-regions in Hawke’s Bay, creating diverse winemaking styles like contract growing, native yeast fermentation, barrel fermented ageing wines as well as skin fermented white wines – pushing boundaries of what this industry can produce.
4. Adventure
Adventure tours offer an exciting and unforgettable way to experience New Zealand. Hike on challenging tracks or skydive over breathtaking landscapes for an adrenaline rush experience you won’t soon forget; something which may make you return again and again.
Discover a land shaped by glaciers, home to wild beaches and dense forests, punctuated by fjords and mountain lakes, boasting some of the highest mountains and tallest waterfalls on Earth. Hike across wildly varied terrain along Routeburn Track or Queen Charlotte Track or take an aerial ride over wilderness trails – it will leave an indelible memory in you!
And you can get even closer to marine wildlife by enjoying their natural habitat. Whale watching is an extraordinary activity that gives you an unforgettable experience by giving you access to some of nature’s most exquisite creatures in their natural environment.
Visit Auckland or Christchurch cities to witness their historical legacy, with historic cottages, mansions, breweries, old hotels, art galleries and specialty stores all present to witness it all. Te Papa will give an excellent introduction to New Zealand’s colonial past while Maori cultural and mythology tours take you around Maori rock art sites; Waitangi Treaty Grounds offer a living lesson of New Zealand’s past – both Maori and European alike!