Less than 5 million inhabitants on 270.000 km2 of beaches, hills, mountains, lakes, glaciers, deep forests with rare species, who says better? All in a hospitable atmosphere, with impeccable infrastructures. A destination where the only regret that awaits you is not to have planned a stay a little longer.

New Zealand is located in the temperate zone of the southern hemisphere in the south-east of Australia, which nevertheless separates it by 2,000 km. It extends over a north-south arch of 1,600 km formed by two large islands. The North Island, 115,000 km2, is home to two major cities, Wellington and Auckland to discover with a car rental in New Zealand. Its northern part, the Northland, darts its point towards the tropics. Southeast of Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula is a popular holiday destination. Beyond, volcanism is imposed with volcanoes such as the Tongariro (2.291 m) or the lake Taupo (606 km2), born of a gigantic explosion. The South Island, more extensive (151,000 km2), is dominated along its entire length by the New Zealand Alps where Mount Cook, once Sir Edmund Hillary's training ground before he attacked Everest, rises to 3.754 m. In this maze of snow-covered ridges, lakes and rivers, only a few strips of land, Marlborough County or Tasman Bay, retain a temperate character. Further south, in the Fiorland, fjords and glaciers reign supreme.

This exceptional geography goes hand in hand with a contrasting climate, semi-tropical in the north and cold and dry in the south, which makes it possible to visit the country at any time of the year. In the southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed from Europe and the warmest months are from November to April. But temperatures remain average. Auckland has a daytime temperature of 14°C in August and 23°C in February, for example. Moreover, due to the mountainous relief (especially in the South Island), the west coast is always windier and wetter than the west coast. In any case, given the abundance of rainfall, the raincoat and umbrella are essential travel accessories.

This precaution taken, this flight to New Zealand is the guarantee of unforgettable emotions. This land at the end of the world, famous for the hospitality of its inhabitants, is also a land of the extreme. Defying the water, the sky or the earth in every imaginable form and in an adrenaline rush seems to be inscribed in the DNA of every self-respecting New Zealander. Not only did these daredevils invent bungee jumping, but they also practice rafting, snowboarding, tobogganing, kayaking, paragliding, scuba diving, surfing, horseback riding, etc. Regular and abundant from June to October, the snow makes the country a privileged destination for skiing in the southern hemisphere.

Hikers of all levels will not be left out thanks to the plethora of trails and refuges. There are nine great walks across the country, the most famous being the Milford Track which links Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound (book well in advance as the number of hikers is limited). These long walks will put you in contact with an exceptional nature, marked by endemism: 75% of plant species, like the kauri, the giant and sacred Maori tree, exist nowhere else.

The fauna is no less surprising, going from the tuatara, prehistoric iguana endowed with a third eye, to the kiwi, this nocturnal bird unable to fly and endowed with a long beak, the national emblem of the country. Unfortunately, the species is endangered (50.000 specimens against more than 5 million in 1925), its eggs being one of the privileged mets of the opossum, small marsupial formerly imported from Australia and considered today as a true plague for ecology.

Art and culture in New Zealand
The Maori, who settled on the island around the year 1000, deeply permeate Anglo-Saxon culture, as witnessed by the haka, this war dance taken up by the New Zealand rugby players, the All Blacks, to terrorize their opponents before a match. Today, Maori are renewing their customs and the moko, the tattoo that they wear on their faces, buttocks or hips to tell their history and situate themselves socially, is experiencing a resurgence of favor. Maori handicrafts include objects made of wood, jade and bone; basketry and weaving are also common. Directors such as Jane Campion (The Piano) and Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Lambs) illustrate the vitality of New Zealand cinema and art galleries are well established, notably in Auckland, where the most famous is the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

What to visit in New Zealand
Of course, you need to know Wellington, the capital, and Auckland, both on the North Island. In Wellington, in addition to the many museums.