The best of New Zealand’s natural beauty

The six most astounding nature spots in a country celebrated for its natural beauty, according to global travellers.

National Park, Manawatu

This small town serves as the gateway to New Zealand’s first national park, Tongariro. The park contains three volcanoes – Ruapehu, Ngāuruhoe and Tongariro – which were given to the government for protection in 1887 by the Ngāti Tūwharetoa tribe. It’s a sacred, ancestral land of jade-green lakes, volcanic craters, boiling mud pools and desolate plains where black rock contrasts with gleaming snow. The scenery is so outstanding that Peter Jackson deemed it worthy to represent Mordor – with Mount Ngāuruhoe as Mount Doom – in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Stay at Tongariro Crossing Lodge, a painted wooden house with landscaped grounds and mountain views.

Waitomo Caves, Waikato

The Waitomo Caves form a misty subterranean world of waterfalls and streams with ferns sprouting up between the rocks and fossils. But it’s the thousands of glow worms clinging to the walls and ceiling that steal the show. This network of limestone caverns is one of the world’s lesser-known natural wonders, and stretches for hundreds of miles beneath the surface but is totally inconspicuous from above. A narrow crack in the earth forms the entrance, partially obscured by woodland canopy with shards of sunlight lighting up the dark, mossy boulders below. Take a guided tour including a boat ride illuminated by the resident bioluminescent bugs. Stay at Waitomo Caves Guest Lodge, a highly rated accommodation just a short walk from the caves.

Punakaiki, West Coast

100,000 years ago, a 30-million-year-old rock formation emerged from the sea on New Zealand’s South Island. Now known as the ‘Pancake Rocks’ because of the way they pile on top of each other in layered limestone stacks, this ancient geological monument draws visitors from far and wide to the tiny community of Punakaiki. Blowholes between the rocks spout seawater skywards, while crashing waves spread the fresh, salty smell of the Tasman Sea through the air and dolphins play close to shore. The walk along the coast to get here takes you past rainforest and seabird rookeries on the weather-beaten cliffs; try to time it so that you can watch the sunset over the rocks. Te Hui House is just a minute’s walk from Punakaiki Beach.

Mount Cook Village, Canterbury

Both this remote village and the National Park in which it’s situated take their name from the mighty Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain. At 3,724 metres, it can be seen from all over the island and is surrounded with trails for hiking (or tramping, as it’s called in New Zealand). See the Tasman Glacier (the longest glacier in the country), wildflower meadows, rare native flora and fauna, and enjoy sweeping views on hikes ranging between 30 minutes to four hours. Even the view across the valley plains from Mount Cook Village itself is fantastic, with a backdrop of moody skies and the snow-capped Aoraki. Check into Aoraki Court Motel, where floor-to-ceiling windows open directly onto the stark mountainous landscape.

Lake Tekapo, Canterbury

Lake Tekapo boasts remarkable scenery, hot springs, skiing in winter and stargazing (it’s an International Dark Sky Reserve, so expect exceptional visibility of the Southern Cross and the Milky Way). The lake’s ethereal milky-blue colour comes from sediment left behind by a retreating glacier and looks particularly beautiful against the purple of the lupin wildflowers that line the water. In spring and summer, this floral swathe of purple is at its brightest. In autumn, poplars and willow trees turn the shores golden. And in winter, the Southern Alps look spectacular sprinkled with snow. Stay in this pretty stone lodge with views across the lake.

Te Anau, Southland

On the eastern edge of Lake Te Anau (New Zealand’s second-largest lake), the eponymous town welcomes visitors keen to explore the nearby fjords, Milford Sound/Piopiotahi and Doubtful Sound/Patea. The former is seen as New Zealand’s most precious natural treasure and was described by Rudyard Kipling as the eighth Wonder of the World, with its temperate rainforest and glassy waters that reflect the smooth contours of its conical, green peaks. Bordered by overflowing flower beds, Shakespeare House B&B is only 100 metres from the shores of Lake Te Anau.