Nature & Wildlife

New Zealand is a biological wonder: Through 85 million years of isolation (since the separation from Gondwana), it developed a unique animal and plant life found nowhere else. Before the arrival of humans, there were no land mammals (except for two species of bats)—birds occupied all ecological niches: herbivores, predators, insectivores, even nocturnal "mice" (the Kakapo, a flightless parrot that lives on the forest floor).

The Birds of New Zealand

Kiwi—The national bird is nocturnal, flightless, and shy. There are five species of Kiwi, all endangered (estimated 68,000 individuals). The Kiwi has hair-like feathers, no visible tail, an extremely long beak with nostrils at the tip (the only bird with this feature!), and lays an egg that is the largest relative to body size of any bird (up to 25% of body weight—that would be like a woman giving birth to a 15-kilogram baby). Where to see Kiwis:

• Stewart Island (Rakiura): By far the best chance—95% sighting rate on guided night tours (from 85 NZD). The Kiwis here (Tokoeka) are less shy than on the main islands and even forage on the beach.
• Zealandia (Wellington): The world's first fully fenced ecosystem in the middle of the city. Night tours (from 85 NZD) offer good chances.
• Kiwi Breeding Stations: Te Puia (Rotorua), Kiwi Birdlife Park (Queenstown), Otorohanga Kiwi House—in darkened enclosures, but guaranteed sightings.

Weka—A flightless, chicken-sized bird with brown plumage and a personality that surpasses the Kea in cheekiness: Weka steal anything not nailed down—food, socks, car keys. Especially common in Abel Tasman, on the West Coast, and on Stewart Island.

Tui—A dazzling black bird with a white collar and iridescent feathers, whose song is one of the most complex bird calls in the world—it can sing two notes simultaneously (syrinx with two independent voice organs). Tui song sounds like a mix of flute, chimes, and electronic music. Heard everywhere, especially in Pohutukawa trees and Kowhai (New Zealand's national flower).

Kererū—The New Zealand wood pigeon, with its metallic shimmering green-blue plumage and white breast band, is one of the most beautiful birds in the country—and one of the most intoxicated. Kererū eat fermented berries and literally fall drunk from the trees. Videos of tipsy Kererū regularly go viral. The Kererū was voted "Bird of the Year" in 2018 (yes, New Zealand elects a Bird of the Year annually—the campaigns are more serious than some election campaigns).

Yellow-eyed Penguin (Hoiho)—The rarest penguin in the world (estimated only 4,000 individuals) lives on the southeast coast of the South Island and on the Subantarctic Islands. The best viewing spot is Penguin Place on the Otago Peninsula near Dunedin—a private reserve with underground observation hides (45 NZD). At dusk, the penguins come ashore—a magical experience.

Hector's Dolphin—The smallest marine dolphin in the world (1.2–1.4 m) is found only in New Zealand's coastal waters. The best chance: Banks Peninsula near Akaroa (Swimming with Dolphins, from 170 NZD). → Chap. Christchurch

Glowworm Caves (Waitomo)

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves (2.5 hours south of Auckland) are home to millions of Arachnocampa luminosa—glowworms (actually mosquito larvae) that produce a bluish-green light in the darkness of the cave to attract prey. You glide silently through the underground cathedral in a boat, and above you shines a "starry sky" of thousands of glowworms—absolutely surreal and unique worldwide. Several cave experiences: The Classic Glow Worm Tour (55 NZD, 45 minutes, boat ride), Black Water Rafting (from 145 NZD, 3 hours—you float on a tube through the dark cave, under the glowworm sky) and Abseiling Adventures (from 230 NZD, 5 hours—abseiling into the cave, climbing, swimming).

No single work has shaped the image of New Zealand as much as Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit"—six films that used over 150 filming locations across New Zealand and established the country worldwide as "Middle-earth." The real landscape is so fantastic that Jackson had to make surprisingly few digital alterations—the filming locations still look almost exactly as they did in the film.

The Key Film Locations

Guided LOTR Tours are available in Queenstown (from 250 NZD, full day to Glenorchy and Paradise), Wellington (Weta Workshop + filming locations, from 195 NZD), and Auckland/Matamata (Hobbiton, from 89 NZD). For true fans: The book "The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook" by Ian Brodie (available in every New Zealand bookstore, 35 NZD) documents all 150+ filming locations with GPS coordinates and comparison photos.

LOTR as Natural Landscapes

The genius of the LOTR filming locations is that they are among the most beautiful natural landscapes in New Zealand even without the film connection. The Paradise Valley near Glenorchy (Isengard/Lothlórien) is a valley of such otherworldly beauty—crystal-clear rivers, ancient beech forests, snow-capped mountains—that the name is not an exaggeration. The Dart River (the film backdrop for the Anduin scenes) offers jetboat tours (from 289 NZD, RealNZ) through pristine wilderness. The Kaitoke Regional Park north of Wellington (Rivendell) is a freely accessible rainforest with tree ferns and a small sign "Welcome to Rivendell"—the perfect spot for a picnic.

The Canterbury Plains with Mt Sunday (Edoras/Golden Hall of Rohan) are accessible by 4WD or guided tour (from 195 NZD from Christchurch)—an isolated hill in the midst of an epic plain, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. At the summit, there is now only wind and silence—but the imagination of having seen Théoden's throne room here makes the moment special.