NEW ZEALAND
Maori carvings, Lake Taupo ©Ylenia Vimercati
In February 2018 I landed at the International Airport of Auckland. After meeting with my sister, we rented a car and began our journey in New Zealand.
We explored the beautiful forests and sea shores of the northern island, and dived in the pristine waters of the Poor Knights Islands off the coast of Tutukaka. Then we moved south and got amazed by the geothermal and volcanic area around Rotorua. In Waitomo we saw the pure light of the bioluminescent larvae commonly known as glow-worms, and in Lake Taupo we set sail to admire the impressive Maori rock carvings along the coast. Next stop was Tongariro National Park, a mystic environment with active volcanoes, steep paths, and desolate plains. In the southernmost point of the northern island we hiked in Putangirua Scenic Reserve, a crowded gravel pinnacle forests shaped by water. Once in Wellington we crossed the Cook Strait and reached the southern island. There we trekked through Abel Tasman and Nelson Lakes national parks. After a long drive we got to Paparoa National Park, a protected area made of luxuriant coastal forests and pancake-shaped rock formations. In Hokitika we walked along the peaceful and ice-blue waters of the river. On our way to Christchurch Airport our last stops were the Franz Josef Glacier on the Southern Alps, and the breathtaking views of the Arthur’s Pass National Park. |
Read my articles (available in Italian) published in La Rivista della Natura to gain some information for a 3-week trip in New Zealand, about the underwater world of the Poor Knights Islands, and kauri forest dieback.
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