New Zealand, one of the places with the most incredible and preserved landscapes on the planet, it is the perfect place to house authentic wonders of nature. Incredible and amazing places that we will only see in this land of contrasts. From a beach with round stones to a glacier or natural pools. Everything has a place in a land as full of magic as this one.
It is no coincidence that Peter Jackson chose New Zealand to recreate Middle Earth, with its many landscapes and unique natural spaces in the world. You will recognize between the spaces the landscapes of Mordor, or the frozen peaks of the film, and there is much to see in such an interesting land. For now, check out these eight amazing places to visit.
The pebble beach
These boulders are found on Koekohe Beach, and are commonly known as the moeraki boulders. It is 40 kilometers south of Oamaru, and has spherical rocks that seem to have come from another planet, although they can also be similar to dragon eggs. According to the island's tradition, they are sacred stones, but science tells us that they were formed millions ago, since they are calcium concentrations of material that accumulates around a nucleus. They are a great tourist attraction in the area.
Cathedral Cove, the gateway to Narnia
This amazing beach is located on the Coromandel Peninsula, 32 miles from Whitianga. It is famous not only for being one of the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand, but also because this was the gateway to Narnia in the movie. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Not only can you pass from one side of the beach to the other through this beautiful cave, but also the fine sand beach is great for bathing, and there is even a natural waterfall that falls directly into the sand. It certainly looks like the entrance to a magical world.
Tongariro or Mordor National Park
The Tongariro National Park surrounds the Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu volcanoes. The most popular activity is the 'Tongariro Alpina Crossing', an excursion that only lasts one day, and in which the slopes of the three mountains are crossed. This landscape may be familiar, and it is that the Ruapehu volcano was chosen to represent Mordor in the Lord of the Rings, that's why many fans of this trilogy want to see this mountain. In this park you can do routes and excursions and even ski, and it is a place with great spiritual significance for the Maori.
Elephant Rocks or the rock-elephants
This place may not be as popular as Tongariro, but the truth is that it is also really peculiar, and a space that is interesting to visit, even if it is to imagine that these large rock formations are actually petrified elephants, hence the name of the place. They are located in the North Otago area, and were also the location of some scenes from the Narnia movies.
Franz Josef Glacier
In New Zealand we can go from visiting a beach or a volcano to visit a glacier, like the famous Franz Josef glacier. This glacier is located in the Westland National Park, on the South Island and a few kilometers from the ocean. Access to this glacier can be done in two ways, on foot or by helicopter. Of course, both experiences have something interesting, and that is that on foot you can see all the details but it requires a clear effort, and by helicopter you can see more remote places.
Champagne pool
Carbon dioxide makes these waters always bubbly, hence the name Champagne Pool. These are the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Lakes, in the north of the country. Not only is it a natural and open-air spa, but these pools are also a real sight to behold, with their green and orange colors, bubbles and steam. This lake is at high temperatures so it is not possible to bathe in them. However, there is a visitor center to go on excursions and learn more about this area.
Milford Sound, fjords in New Zealand
Although we are not in Norway, New Zealand also offers us the fjord experience, which during any time of the year can be incredible. Its snowy peaks, the green landscape, the cliffs and especially the navigation through those fjords, enjoying the greatness of nature. There are many activities in Milford Sound, one of the most popular being boat trips, day or night, to see the fjords from all perspectives. You can also kayak, to see everything in a more solitary way, see it from a bird's eye view in a helicopter and even go scuba diving in the area.