New Zealand National Parks & Reserves

NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES

New Zealand has a well-established network of conservation measures in place to protect the abundant natural resources, and to ease the relationship between the resources and their healthy tourism industry, which is based mainly on natural features rather than urban attractions. There are 13 nationa parks covering 11,200 square miles, 20 conservation parks, 3,500 reserves, and 14 marine reserves in New Zealand, all of which join together under the auspices of the Department of Conservation to protect thirty percent of New Zealand's natural resources. Some of the finest destinations are the National Parks, each of which is so different from the other, they all deserve a visit.

PAPAROA NATIONAL PARK

One of these is Paparoa National Park, on the coast facing the Tasman Sea. Near the town of Punakaiki, centuries of salt water pounding has formed limestone structures that resemble stacked gray pancakes, tens of feet high, like giant pedastals overlooking the sea. Found down between the stacks of pancakes there are blowholes from which pressurized sea water that's been trapped will suddenly release into a huge plume of sea spray. There are other parts of Paparoa National Park, but the pancakes and blowholes are the most unique. But you also might want to check out the "ballroom overhang", another limestone structure, but which requires a two-hour treck through subtropical forest. For some, that's all the more reason to go! Paparoa National Park is located on State Highway 6, in Punakaiki, and the pancakes and blowholes are easily accessible from the highway. Wheelchair friendly, too.

FIORDLAND

Fiordland National Park also faces the Tasman Sea, but looks nothing like Paparoa. Covering the Western side of the tip of the South Island, this park contains snow-capped mountians, waterfalls, dense forest and of course fiords. It's 8,100 square miles of fiords, forest and lakes...New Zealand's largest National Park. The lakes are glacial lakes, which means they're surrounded by steep, cliffy mountains, making for stunning visuals. Tourists will want to bring a camera because you can't help but take memorable, beautiful pictures in this land of fiords. One of the largest, Doubtful Sound is 25 miles from open water to base of inland mountain. Also notable is Dusky Sound because you can take an overnight cruise in to see it. Or, if you prefer to walk, leave 10 days and take the Dusky Track. Either way, it's beautiful, unique New Zealand at its best. Other walks well worth looking into are the Hollyfor, the Milford, Routeburn (ouch!) and Kepler. Go it on your own with a friend, or go with a guided tour...these walks are best during the warmer months which, since New Zealand is in the Southern hemisphere, fall between October and April. Make sure you get a hut pass or campsite pass before you go. These walks range from 3 to 5 days, with Kepler Track the longest at 42 miles. If you're an animal lover, watch for the native Fiordland crested penguin. New Zealand Fur Seals can be seen on a trip to Doubtful Sound, as well as Bottlenose Dolphins playing in the water.

MOUNT COOK NATIONAL PARK

Mount Cook is the highest peak in Australasia, and its Ngai Tahu tribe nickname is Aoraki. Aoraki means the "cloud piercer", which aptly describes this 12,349-foot peak. It's also home to New Zealand's longest glacier, the Tasman Glacier, which is 18 miles long and a mile wide. One way to see Mount Cook National Park is by taking a scenic flight that flies over the park and lands on a glacier. Tourists can also experience Tasman Glacier by heliskiing. There is only one hotel within the Park, and that's The Hermitage. It has over 200 rooms, for every type of budget, and covers lots of acreage, with many amenities such as family rooms, children's rooms, and a restaurant. There are also around 20 alpine huts and shelters for hikers (or trampers as they're called in New Zealand).

ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK

Abel Tasman National Park is New Zealand's smallest national park, covering only 87 square miles, but it's not lacking in spectacular beauty and diversity. This park includes the Coast Track, which is a hiking trail up the coast. The park's climate is mild and lovely, and if you're hiking, you won't mind staying at any of the camp sites and huts available for trekkers. Abel Tasman is popular in summer, so book huts in advance. Wainui Falls are the best waterfalls in the park, and it only takes a 45-minute walk to get to them. You can also partake of the other warm-weather activities in Abel Tasman: sea kayaking and swimming. Sometimes swimmers are delighted to find they have friends in the water: friendly seals who also like to swim the same waters. There's great fishing, and also a marine preserve, where marine life is protected along 8 miles of the coast and into the waters, so no fishing from shore or from boats in that area, called the Tonga Island Marine Reserve, which is located on the northern part of the coastline in the park. To get to and from the park there are numerous water taxis leaving and arriving at Marahau, the southern gateway to the park.

MIRANDA SHOREBIRD CENTRE

On the North Island there's a coastal area of intertidal flats that attracts thousands of migratory birds each year. Open every day except Christmas, they ask for only a donation, in exchange for the chance to view these migratory wading birds on the coast of the Firth of Thames.

WAIPOUA FOREST

Waipoua Forest is on the northern end of the North Island, on the west coast. This is a good place to go if you're interested in getting close to some of the largest and oldest trees in the world, the Kauris. It's warm here, which Kauris love, as do the other 300 species of trees, ferns and palms found here at Waipoua. There's a special tree here, that's been named by the Maori people, Tane Mahuta, or "the god of the forest". Tane Mahuta is the largest living kauri tree, at 168 feet high and 46 feet around. It's easy to get to just off the main road through the park, and it's about 1,500 years old. There are four other giant trees here at Waipoua, all over one thousand years old.

EGMONT NATIONAL PARK

Visit this park to see Mount Taranaki, a dormant volacano which towers over the city of New Plymouth. It's very easy to get to, and has excellent hiking trails on which you can climb, ski, hike or walk. The trails come in all sizes and types: from 30 minute treks starting at higher-up elevations to several hours to the summit from lower down. There's even the "Around the Mountain Circuit" which takes up to five days, if you're a hiker who's not into summits. Mount Taranaki/Egmont is 8,261 feet tall and always covererd in ice and snow on its upper parts. It's simply beautiful, and the Maoris consider it to be sacred. It's been dormant since the late 1700's, so don't worry about frequent volcanic action. There's a Visitors Center which can show you all about the park and the mountain and you can stop in the cafe to gear up your energy for the 93 miles of trails. If you're super interested in flora and fauna and things like model displays of volcanoes, you can geek out at the Dawson Falls Display Center, located south of the main visitor's center.

Key West