New Zealand Travel

We feel blessed to have 2 very special countries that we call home. We love and have an ongoing connection with them both. New Zealand was our first home, we grew up here, got married and lived there for most of our lives. It has a special place in our hearts tied to many wonderful memories, emotions, and people. We are so excited to share our New Zealand travel guide with you on these pages.

New Zealand, called Aotearoa in the indigenous Maori language, is diverse and naturally beautiful. It's made up of two main islands, conveniently called the North Island and the South Island. Stewart Island off the bottom of the South Island is the third largest but there are literally hundreds of islands of all sizes scattered off its coastline, many of which are incredibly beautiful and worth your time to visit.

With a population of just over 5 million people, they are heavily concentrated around Wellington, the Capital city and Auckland, the largest city. Outside of that, it is very easy to find the small-town welcome that is synonymous with New Zealand.

New Zealand's natural landscape and wildlife are quite unique. Unlike Australia which split apart from Gondwana during the Jurassic Period, New Zealand rose up out of the ocean. The tectonic plates and volcanic activity that brought it to life continue to shape it today. As a result, its native wildlife is mainly unique birds, a prehistoric lizard and sea life.

We'd strongly suggest including some of New Zealand's best beaches, spectacular lakes, mountains, temperate rainforest and geothermal areas in your itinerary.

Travel planning guides for New Zealand