Kiwiana 2006 is a collection of photos, pictures and some information from our latest tour of New Zealand. Between the end of November 2006 and March 2007 we travelled mostly by campervan and covered a lot of territory in New Zealand.
Over the course of nearly 4 months we have walked on an active volcano, seen numerous species of birds and marine mammals, climbed a mountain, been choppered up to Glaciers, walked many trails, rode on tractors/trailers, shot across a river on a wire, sailed the Pacific, rode a bike after 20 years, kayaked, snorkelled, and so much more - a list the length of our arms!!
Nearly all of the activities and tours we have done have been exceptional, but one in particular stood out mostly for its uniqueness. It also rated high on our fun-o-metre and we consider it an absolute "must do":
So first place in our ratings (the creme de la creme) goes to:
Gannet Beach Adventures: Based out at Clifton in the Hawkes Bay on the North Island of New Zealand, they are under-rated in the travel guides but we consider this... (... more information below the photos)
Kitesurfing Gear Orewa Beach Two men rest on the shore of Orewa Beach on the North Island of New Zealand as they rearrange their kitesurfing gear for another round of excitement. |
Waiho River Franz Josef Glacier As far as you can see across the landscape, you can see the Waiho River flowing from Franz Josef Glacier on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Trout Fishing Statue Gore The town of Gore, Southland on the South Island of New Zealand is known as the World Capital of Brown Trout Fishing as this statue shows. |
Cape Kidnappers Colony Hawkes Bay Perched high above the turquoise colored waters of the Pacific Ocean, three Australasian Gannets take time out at the Cape Kidnappers colony in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. |
Sky City Auckland New Zealand The Sky City complex situated in downtown Auckland, New Zealand, consists of the sky tower, hotel, and casino. |
Rolls Royce Picture A beautiful 1935 Rolls Royce cruises the waterfront of Mt Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Sky City Tower And Hotel Auckland The impressive Sky City Tower stands over the Hotel which houses the Sky City Casino and several restaurants in Auckland City, New Zealand. |
Cloudy Sunset Kaikoura Coast NZ Even a cloudy evening couldn\'t obscure the beautiful sunset light over the Kaikoura Coast on the South Island of NZ. |
Kaikoura Beach New Zealand The view to the sea and the Kaikoura Ranges is stunning from the beach in the town of Kaikoura on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Phalacrocorax Varius Varius Picture A pied shag, also known as Phalacrocorax varius varius, rests on a rock on the Kaikoura Peninsula on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Coastal Ocean Biome Kaikoura This area of the Kaikoura coast is a prime example of a coastal Ocean Biome, where the sea meets the land. |
Whale Watching Flight Kaikoura NZ The large body of a sperm whale can clearly be made out during a whale watching flight from Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand. |
Sperm Whale Water Patterns Kaikoura During a flight with Wings over Whales from Kaikoura visitors see large sperm whales resting on the surface of the water and creating interesting water patterns. |
Sunset Gillespies Beach South Island Yellow hues fill the sky at sunset as the sun settles in after another beautiful day on Gillespies Beach on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Apricot Picker Central Otago A commercial apricot picker spends his days collecting the ripe fruit from the trees in an orchard near Roxburgh in Central Otago on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Picture Of Apricots A crate full of freshly picked, ripe apricots is a mouth watering sight. |
Hawkes Bay Geology Picture The landscape of the coastline en-route to Cape Kidnappers clearly shows the geology of the Hawkes Bay area. |
Types Of Volcanoes Taranaki There are many types of volcanoes in the world including Stratovolcanoes such as Mt Taranaki in New Zealand. |
Famous Waitomo Caves New Zealand Stalactites grow from the ceiling in Aranui Cave, one of the many caves found in Waitomo, New Zealand. |
Blue Penguin Picture A cute little Blue Penguin looks curiously at visitors to the Auckland Zoo, New Zealand. |
Wai O Tapu Thermal Wonderland A trip to Rotorua on the North Island of New Zealand is't complete without a visit to the Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland in Rotorua, New Zealand for views of boiling mud, steaming lakes, and sinter formations. |
Maori Carving Picture The intricate details of the carving on a totem which depicts Maori legends and culture. |
Wairakei Terraces Maori Village The thermal stream and terraces at the Wairakei Maori Village situated near Taupo on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Charity Donation Picture A horse drawn wagon procession is an interesting method of collecting for a charity donation in Roxburgh, Central Otago, New Zealand. |
White Island Beach New Zealand Steam clouds rise above White Island Volcano in New Zealand as the sandy beach has become home to large rocks from this active volcano. |
Kaka Birds Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre Visitors watch as the Kaka birds enjoy their feeding time at the Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre in Wairarapa on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Hawkes Bay Mission Estate Winery This elegant building is home to the Mission Estate Winery which was first founded in 1851 and is known as the oldest winery throughout New Zealand. |
Manu Bay North Island New Zealand The rocky coastline of Manu Bay in Raglan on the North Island of New Zealand is very well known with the surfers of the area. |
Volcanic Flowers Mt Ruapehu Beautiful purple flowers blossom on the volcanic mountain slopes of Mt Ruapehu in Tongariro National Park on the Central North Island of New Zealand. |
Tsunami Warning Sign Wairarapa A Tsunami warning sign stands along the waterfront of Castlepoint in Wairarapa on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Ruatapu Cave Orakei Korako The warm clear pool at the base of the Ruatapu Cave in the Orakei Korako Geyserland on the North Island of New Zealand is known as Waiwhakaata. |
Zoo Hippopotamus Auckland New Zealand A hippopotamus floating around his habitat at the Auckland Zoo on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Westland National Park Fox Glacier New Zealand Snow covered hills on the Upper Fox Glacier in Westland National Park on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. |
New Zealand Sea Lion After a swim in the water, a New Zealand Sea Lion heads up the beach at Waipapa Point in the Catlins on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Black Cat Akaroa The Black Cat catamaran cruises into the dock in the Akaroa Harbour after an exciting day on the water around the South Island of New Zealand. |
Beach Brighton Dunedin The sandy beach along the shores of the town of Brighton, Dunedin on the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. |
Castlepoint Beacon Wairarapa The beacon from the Castlepoint Lighthouse has shone for many years in Wairarapa on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Paua Shell Factory Carterton An assortment of gifts are available from the store at the Paua Shell Factory in the town of Carterton on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Native Bird Of New Zealand The Kea is a native bird found in alpine regions on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Mountain Daisy New Zealand A young Mountain Daisy plant blooms on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Cute Lemur Animal Auckland Zoo After snatching up a morsel of food, this cute lemur took to a tree to enjoy its afternoon snack. |
New Zealand Farmland Picture A typical farmland scene in the countryside of the South Island of New Zealand. |
 |
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Last Page
|
 |
... as the most fun and informative tour - and we did it twice! As well as visiting the gannets at Cape Kidnappers to watch the antics of these sometimes unsociable and clumsy birds, you are taken along a piece of coastline where layers of sediment have collected over centuries and are now uncovered through tectonic plate movement, all clearly visible. The tours are conducted from old red tractors which pull a small train of flat deck trailers along a beach which changes on a daily basis - and yes there are adventures including bogged tractors and trailers! Be sure to look them up during your next vacation in New Zealand.
March 22, 2007 marks the end of our Kiwiana 2006 tour and we will farewell Aotearoa, God's own, Kiwiland, Down under - but we will be back for sure! The diverse landscape, stunning scenery, culture, and wildlife of New Zealand is simply irresistible.
Make sure to read our daily blog about this tour:
New Zealand Travel Blog - Kiwiana 2006/2007
Please use the search (powered by Google) to find what you looking for - give it a try - you will be surprised how well it works!
Golf Pictures
