New Zealand is one of the most mysterious countries in the world: sometimes it disappears from the maps. Here you have a chance to meet not only penguins, seals, whales, kiwi birds, but also hobbits and dinosaurs. Middle-earth, Mordor, Orodruin and skiing. Today you will learn about how and why to go to New Zealand, why locals go to the beach with shovels, where you can walk with a long-legged petroika and meet elves.
From Mordor to Rivendell
New Zealand, according to eyewitnesses, is an amazing combination of several climatic zones and diverse landscapes: mountains, lakes, forests, grottoes and caves, geysers, beaches and glaciers.
Only in this country on the same day you can go surfing, sunbathe on the beach and be on the slopes of the Southern Alps.
A small colony of yellow-eyed penguins in the Auckland Islands.
“Here you can find an amazing combination of green hills, canyons, mountain peaks, rocky coasts stretching along the ocean,” says Denis Vlasin, founder of the educational agency. “Thanks to the variety of landscapes, all episodes of the Lord of the Rings trilogy invented by John Tolkien were filmed within the North and South Islands.”
For example, Mordor was filmed at two ski resorts in the central part of the North Island - Fakapapa and Tukino in Tongariro National Park. There is also the famous Mount Orodruin (Mount Doom), where the Ring of Omnipotence was destroyed.
Promotional video:
Tongariro National Park in New Zealand.
Valley of the Elves Rivendell is Kahurangi National Park in the northern part of the South Island. Mount Victoria, one of the main attractions of the capital of New Zealand, Wellington, also appears in films.
A month for a visa and a day for a flight
Getting from Russia to Tolkien's world is not easy: the travel time is more than a day, and before that you need to get a visa. “The term for consideration of documents, according to the consulate, is a month, but usually it is issued in two weeks,” says Konstantin Denisov, executive director of the travel company. It is not difficult to get it, but you need to have a history of travels in the USA, Great Britain or the Schengen countries, work, money in your account."
In addition, according to experts, it is necessary to write a statement without errors and corrections - even illegible handwriting can cause a visa refusal. The papers should be completed in English, and the translation should be certified with the seal of the organization or notarized.
There are no direct flights from Russia to New Zealand. “It is optimal to fly with a transfer in Asian cities: Hong Kong, Beijing, Seoul, Bangkok or Singapore. It is also possible to get through Dubai, - says Denis Vlasin. “As a rule, the cheapest flight for Russians is flying to Auckland.” The average cost is about 90 thousand rubles.
Auckland, New Zealand.
“In the past three years, the cheapest air tickets from Russia to New Zealand can be bought for the period from March to June: the price drops below 50 thousand rubles for an economy class round-trip ticket,” says Grigory Lugovoi, an employee of the booking site's press service. “The most expensive months for a flight to New Zealand are August and December, the cost of a round trip ticket is from 75 thousand rubles.”
A standard two-week group tour will cost about 200 thousand rubles (excluding air travel).
From winter to summer
When it's summer in Russia, it's winter in New Zealand, and vice versa. When planning a trip, this must be taken into account. But, according to experts, you can relax in the country all year round - the islands have several climatic zones, from the subtropics in the north to the moderately cool climate in the south and in the central part.
Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand.
Tourists are offered to visit the Abel-Tasman National Park in the north of the South Island. It is famous for its sandy beaches, turquoise waters and pristine forests.
In Fiordland Nature Park, tourists will see the fantastic Sutherland Falls, the highest in Oceania (580 meters). And the Kawarau suspension bridge is known as the birthplace of bungee jumping, it was here that the first such jumps took place.
Kawarau Suspension Bridge in New Zealand.
The city of Rotorua on the North Island, a few hours away by car from Auckland, is a unique geothermal area, one of six volcanic zones, Wai-o-Tapu - in translation from Maori - “Sacred waters”.
There is also a unique complex of Waitomo caves, known for thousands of fireflies (amazing illumination), and a hot beach with underground springs, where New Zealanders come with shovels: they dig small holes that are instantly filled with hot water.
Waitomo Firefly Cave in New Zealand.
And, of course, Hobbiton. “The fictional village in the country of Shire, where Tolkien's hobbits live, was specially built in the Matamata area on the North Island,” says Denis Vlasin. “Director Peter Jackson didn’t want to shoot the plywood set, so the hobbits settlement with all the houses and gardens was really rebuilt here.”
Hobbiton in New Zealand.
They only live here
Kiwi birds in New Zealand
More than fictional hobbits, tourists are surprised by the real inhabitants of New Zealand. For example, the kiwi bird, which is very difficult to see (the wingless bird is active only at night).
Tuatara lizard
Another endemic is the world's only alpine parrot kea. And the tuatara lizard is the last of the surviving reptiles from prehistoric times, for which it is called a living dinosaur. New Zealand is also home to a rare species, the yellow-eyed (or gorgeous) penguin.
Long-legged petroika
One of the most amazing creatures is the long-legged petroika. This bird is not afraid of people and calmly walks alongside travelers.
Among the rare plants is the silver fern, reaching ten meters in height, the New Zealand Christmas pohootukawa tree with a large, rounded crown and recognizable red flowers.
Ten sheep for one person
There is no authentic New Zealand cuisine. “The menu in modern New Zealand is a mixture of Polynesian, Anglo-Saxon and Asian traditions,” says Denis Vlasin. “Fans of gastronomic rest should try steaks and burgers with local beef, lamb, pork and venison”.
Lamb is a separate topic. Sheep breeding is especially developed in New Zealand: according to statistics, there are ten sheep per inhabitant.
Wellington International Airport, New Zealand.
Here you can also taste high quality seafood - lobsters, oysters, mussels, scallops and shellfish. New Zealand white wine is considered one of the best in the world.
Despite all this, New Zealand is often overlooked on world maps. A year ago, the local authorities even had to organize the campaign "Put New Zealand on the Maps!" (Get New Zealand on the map again!).
