New Zealand

New Zealand is one of the most extraordinary wildlife and wilderness destinations on earth — a remote archipelago that spent 80 million years in isolation, giving rise to an array of unique species and landscapes found nowhere else in the world.

Straddling the boundary of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates, the country's dramatic geology has produced a landscape of remarkable diversity — from the snow-capped peaks and vast glaciers of the Southern Alps to the ancient podocarp forests of Fiordland, the geothermal wonderlands of the Central Plateau, and the sweeping golden coastlines of the Abel Tasman.

New Zealand is the seabird capital of the world, home to more species of penguin than any other country, and one of the last refuges of the kiwi — the nation's iconic and deeply endangered flightless bird.

For nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts, New Zealand offers an intimacy with the natural world that is rare, accessible, and utterly unforgettable.

Top Things to See

Fiordland National Park: A UNESCO World Heritage wilderness of breathtaking scale, where sheer glacially carved fiords, ancient rainforest, and cascading waterfalls shelter rare wildlife including Fiordland crested penguins, bottlenose dolphins, and New Zealand fur seals.
Kaikōura Coast: One of the world's premier marine wildlife destinations, where the deep Kaikōura Canyon draws sperm whales year-round alongside dusky dolphins, New Zealand fur seals, and a spectacular diversity of seabirds.
Stewart Island / Rakiura: New Zealand's third largest island and one of its finest wildlife sanctuaries, offering exceptional encounters with kiwi in the wild, yellow-eyed penguins, and some of the country's most pristine and untouched natural environments.

Highlights

Kiwi Encounters: New Zealand is the only place on earth to see the iconic kiwi in the wild, with Stewart Island and several mainland sanctuaries offering genuinely moving nocturnal encounters with this ancient and endangered bird.
Seabird Spectacle: As the seabird capital of the world, New Zealand supports an astonishing diversity of albatross, petrel, shearwater and penguin species — with the Royal Albatross Colony at Taiaroa Head offering one of the world's most accessible seabird experiences.
Ancient Podocarp Forests: Walk beneath towering rimu, kahikatea and totara trees in forests that have remained largely unchanged since the age of the dinosaurs, sheltering rare native birds including kākā, kererū, and the elusive whio.
Whale Watching at Kaikōura: Year-round sperm whale encounters in the deep waters off the Kaikōura Coast, complemented by seasonal sightings of humpback, blue, and southern right whales in one of the southern hemisphere's richest marine environments.
Penguin & Seal Colonies: Encounter five species of penguin along New Zealand's coastline — including the world's rarest, the yellow-eyed penguin — alongside thriving colonies of New Zealand fur seals and Hooker's sea lions.

Activities

Birdwatching: New Zealand's extraordinary endemic birdlife — from kiwi and kākāpō to kea and tūī — makes it one of the world's great birdwatching destinations, with guided tours accessing habitats and species unavailable to independent travellers.
Whale & Dolphin Watching: Year-round marine wildlife tours at Kaikōura, the Bay of Islands, and the Hauraki Gulf offer reliable and spectacular encounters with sperm whales, orca, humpbacks, and several dolphin species.
Hiking & Great Walks: New Zealand's network of Great Walks traverses some of the southern hemisphere's most spectacular wilderness, including the Milford Track, Routeburn Track, and Rakiura Track on Stewart Island.
Wildlife Sanctuary Visits: Predator-free sanctuaries including Zealandia in Wellington and Tiritiri Matangi Island near Auckland offer accessible and remarkable encounters with endangered native species in restored natural habitats.
Snorkelling & Diving: The Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve, Abel Tasman National Park, and the Fiordland marine environment offer world-class underwater experiences, with endemic marine life and extraordinary underwater visibility.
Kayaking & Coastal Exploration: Paddle through the sheltered waters of the Abel Tasman, Fiordland's remote fiords, and the wildlife-rich coastline of the Coromandel Peninsula, with seals, dolphins and seabirds as frequent companions.