Four Places in New Zealand You Have to See to Believe

Produced by Virtuoso with Swain Destinationso

Soaring above the fjords in Milford Sound The Waitomo Caves, tucked away on the North Island. The South Island’s Remarkables mountain range.

Swain Destinations Miles Holden Miles Holden

Swain Destinations goes bespoke and beyond for out-of-this-world Middle‑earth adventures.

It’s a dream destination that tops travelers’ lists for good reason: New Zealand is undeniably astonishing. With fjords reaching 3,000 feet high, towering waterfalls, snowcapped mountains, ancient rain forests, cinematic coastlines where penguins dwell, bubbling mud pools, fascinating native wildlife, and a vibrant Indigenous culture, the country is unlike anywhere else on earth. 

While Virtuoso tour operator Swain Destinations designs bespoke vacation itineraries all over the globe – from Australia to Africa and the South Pacific to the Middle East – New Zealand is one of its specialties. By forging partnerships with New Zealanders who are dedicated to preserving and championing their communities, Swain Destinations supports sustainability initiatives while also showcasing authentic cultural and Indigenous experiences. With connections and close ties across the country, the company offers travelers exclusive experiences they wouldn't find on their own. 

“When I work with travelers who want to visit New Zealand, Swain Destinations is who I reach out to,” says Virtuoso travel advisor Merry Jennifer Markham. “I appreciate and value Swain's knowledge of the area, expert guides, custom experiences, and most of all, phenomenal service.”

From exploring the geothermal lakeside town of Rotorua on the North Island to experiencing the South Island’s Fiordland National Park, here are four must-see-to-believe places in New Zealand. 

Enjoy a scenic ride alongside steaming mud pools in the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland.

Swain Destinations

Rotorua: New Zealand’s Unofficial Spa Town  

Situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, the North Island town of Rotorua – a three-hour drive south of Auckland – radiates with geothermal activity, thanks to its boiling mud pools, volcanic craters, and powerful geysers. As the ancestral home of the Te Arawa Maori tribe, who arrived by canoe from Polynesia over 700 years ago, Rotorua also takes pride in its rich cultural history.  

Swain Destinations sets travelers up with a visit to Te Puia, a Maori cultural center located in the Te Whakarewarewa geothermal valley, home of the Pohutu Geyser – the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Travelers can also explore Rotorua’s Waimangu Volcanic Valley and Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland to see New Zealand’s largest mud pool and the Lady Knox Geyser, which sprays up to 65 feet in the air. Or they can indulge in a soothing mineral-hot-springs bath at the Polynesian Spa, hop into a four-wheel drive to explore Mount Tarawera’s dormant crater, or take a day trip to nearby Waitomo to descend into a dazzling subterranean glowworm cave and glide silently by boat through dark waters surrounded by a galaxy of twinkling luminescent creatures. 

At Te Pa Tu, a re-created traditional Maori village surrounded by native tawa trees, the tribe greets travelers with an ancient powhiri welcome ceremony before a day of stories, stick games, action songs, and the legendary Maori war dance – the haka. Travelers can join a hangi feast, a meal of meat and vegetables cooked on heated rocks that are buried in a pit oven.  

One of the best places for Rotorua immersion is at the Treetops Lodge & Estate, a secluded, 13-room adventure outpost with access to 2,500 acres of an 800-year-old native forest, including four waterfalls and lakes, seven streams, and 35 miles of hiking trails. The lodge’s excursion menu features activities such as fishing for brown and rainbow trout, horseback riding, and mountain biking.

Pigeon Bay: Gorgeous Coastlines and Adorable Penguins 

Off the coast of the South Island’s Banks Peninsula, a 90-minute drive southeast of Christchurch, the turquoise depths of Pigeon Bay are home to an incredible array of native wildlife. Swain Destinations organizes a nature cruise to spot seabirds, New Zealand fur seals, and Hector’s dolphins, one of the world’s smallest dolphin species. Another must-do: a kayaking tour through the bay in search of New Zealand’s largest colony of korora, or little blue penguins. Back on land, stroll through the historic seaside village of Akaroa – settled by the French in 1840 – to learn about the area’s European and Maori heritage at the Akaroa Museum. Afterward, stop for a snack of handcrafted aged Gouda at Barrys Bay Cheese. 

Nestled along the region’s rocky coastline, Annandale comprises four ultra-exclusive private villas on a 4,000-acre sheep and cattle farm. The secluded oceanfront estate is so remote, it’s best reached by helicopter – something Swain Destinations can easily arrange. Get cozy in an isolated, renovated shepherd’s cottage with a fireplace and outdoor bathtub, or spread out in a five-bedroom villa or ultramodern beach house. During the day, walk along Annandale’s six miles of coastline or embark on a fishing charter or sailing excursion. Back on land, take a farm tour, go mountain biking or hiking, or even lend a hand mustering the sheep and cattle. 

Aoraki (Mount Cook) towers over Lake Pukaki in the South Island's Canterbury region. 

Will Patino

Ahuriri Valley: Epic Views and Air-Bound Adventures 

Surrounded by snow-dusted mountains in the South Island’s Canterbury region, between Christchurch and Queenstown, the Ahuriri Valley is one of New Zealand’s most untouched places. The destination is great for intrepid wilderness pursuits: The Ahuriri Conservation Park offers extensive terrain for hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding along the Ahuriri Valley Track, while calm skies are ideal for paragliding and stargazing. The Ahuriri River is one of the world’s top fly-fishing destinations, and the valley’s wetlands and beech forests provide prime habitat for native bird species. 

A little over an hour’s drive north, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park encompasses 19 sky-piercing peaks, including New Zealand’s highest mountain: 12,218-foot-tall Aoraki (Mount Cook). Swain Destinations organizes tours that include a scenic ski-plane flight with a glacier landing, a heli-hike or heli-hot tub with wine and Champagne, and a four-wheel-drive adventure to view the 14-mile-long Tasman Glacier, the longest in New Zealand. 

According to British writer Rudyard Kipling, Milford Sound is the eighth wonder of the world. 

Will Patino

Fiordland: Peak New Zealand Drama  

Stretching along a sublime coastline where the Southern Alps meet the Tasman Sea, Fiordland National Park is a UNESCO-listed, heart-stopping, 3-million-plus-acre wilderness home to 14 glacier-calved fjords and a stunning landscape of snowy mountains, native rain forests, pristine alpine lakes, imposing waterfalls, and icy-blue glaciers. Fiordland is also home to rare endemic species, including New Zealand’s endangered parrot, the kea, and the flightless takahe.  

During a four-hour helicopter excursion, travelers take off from Queenstown and soar over the shimmering, 48-mile-long expanse of Lake Wakatipu toward the Main Divide of the Southern Alps and into the deepest reaches of primeval Fiordland. Four separate landings highlight different ecosystems, where travelers can stroll wild beaches, trek through emerald rain forests, witness Alpine glaciers, and bask in the glory of Milford Sound – one of New Zealand’s most famous landmarks, which Rudyard Kipling once called “the eighth wonder of the world.”  

The lakeside city of Queenstown is New Zealand’s adventure capital – check into the 16-room Rosewood Matakauri, a contemporary-styled hideaway on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. From there, travelers can bungee jump from the Kawarau Bridge, go jet boating on the Shotover River, enjoy a leisurely lake cruise on an antique steamship, or explore the vintage charm of nearby Arrowtown, an old gold-mining village home to adorable shops and restaurants. The celebrated Central Otago wine region is about an hour’s drive away, and Swain Destinations can plan a tasting afternoon through wineries in Cromwell and Bannockburn, plus a guided tour of the country’s largest underground wine cave at Gibbston Valley. 

“Swain Destinations turns New Zealand tours into meticulously crafted experiences that unveil the country's hidden gems,” says Virtuoso travel advisor Wayne Muhlstein. “I've witnessed their knack for curating creative itineraries that transcend the typical tourist trails.”

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