Kiwiana 2006

A summary of our New Zealand Tour 2006 / 2007 - Kiwiana

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 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

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Kiwi Road Sign West Coast An important sign to alert drivers on the West Coast to look out for Kiwi's crossing the road - especially at night.	Camper Van Travel New Zealand A camper van is the perfect way for traveling across the North island of New Zealand.	Oriental Small Clawed Otter The Oriental Small Clawed Otter chewing on his lunch at the Auckland Zoo in New Zealand.
Picture Of A Cute Zoo Animal The Ring-tailed Lemur is a cute animal which can be found at the Auckland Zoo in New Zealand.	Picture Of A Dusky Dolphin Kaikoura Playful Dusky Dolphin in the South Pacific off the New Zealand (Kaikoura) coast.	Map Of Africa Picture A pool at the Orakei Korako Geyserland is named the Map of Africa because of its shape.
Bushmans Centre Pukekura NZ The menacing figure of a sandfly sits atop the Bushman's Centre in the town of Pukekura on the West Coast of the South Island of NZ.	New Plymouth Sunset Taranaki NZ The sunset burns strong and bright over New Plymouth in the Taranaki region on the North Island of NZ.	Tongariro National Park NZ The volcanic plateau of Mt Ruapehu stands in the background near Whakapapa in Tongariro National Park on the North Island of NZ.
Swing Bridge New Zealand The Waiohine River has carved out a deep gorge where a swing bridge forms a gateway to the Tararua Forest Park in New Zealand.	West Coast Camping New Zealand A campervan is great for freedom camping in remote destinations such as at Cape Foulwind on the West Coast of New Zealand.	Lupin Wildflower Photo You will see this colourful wildlflower, Russell lupins growing in abundance along the Milford Road adding variety to your holiday photos.
Photo Of Boyd Creek Falls The pleasant Boyd Creek Falls are an easy 250metre walk from the carpark in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand.	Maori People Wall Mural Opunake A full wall mural depicting the cultures of the maori people in Opunake, Taranaki, New Zealand.	Cliff Dwelling Sheep A paddock situated precariously near a sheer cliff, the dwelling place of a herd of sheep with a fabulous view of the North Taranaki Bight.
Coastal Farms Taranaki All along the coastline of the North Taranaki Bight various farms stretch from the hills across coastal plains.	Coastal Image Taranaki The coastal cliffs of the North Taranaki Bight glow in the sunset light as evening takes over the region.	Aranui Cave Formation Waikato The formation of stalactites and staligmites are explained during a tour through Aranui Cave in the Waikato region of the North Island, New Zealand.
Picture Of A Lemur Catta The scientific name for the Ring-tailed Lemur is Lemur Catta. From the latin word lemures which means spirits of the night.	Picture Of A Fairy Penguin The Fairy Penguin which is referred to as Little Blue Penguin, is the smallest species of penguin in the world.	Mt Ngauruhoe Tongariro NP One of the three most active volcanoes in New Zealand includes Mt Ngauruhoe in Tongaririo National Park on the North Island.
Maori Carvings Wairakei Terraces The Maori people create some of the most unique carvings at Wairakei Terraces in Taupo, New Zealand.	Gannet Beach Adventures Hawkes Bay An exciting way to explore the coast and wildlife is by joining a tour with Gannet Beach Adventures in the Hawkes Bay of New Zealand.	Lavender Plant Flowers The flowers of the lavender plant are a picturesque field of beauty in Central Otago on the South Island of New Zealand.
Lake Wakatipu New Zealand The water laps at the shores of the third largest lake in New Zealand, Lake Wakatipu on the South Island.	Cave Formations Waitomo Caves Stalactites are formations found in caves such as Aranui Cave in Waitomo, Waikato, New Zealand.	Giraffe Picture A portrait of a young giraffe at the Auckland Zoo on the North Island of New Zealand.
Water Skiing Lake Wanaka One of the most popular activities for families camping at Lake Wanaka is water skiing.	Full Wall Mural New Zealand This full wall mural painting depicts the history of the town of Opunake in the Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand.	Spider Monkey Picture The cute little face of the Spider Monkey at the Auckland Zoo in New Zealand is an invite to snap a picture or two.
Bayview Chateau Tongariro New Zealand The Bayview Chateau Tongariro is a luxury hotel located in the village of Whakapapa in Tongariro National Park in New Zealand.	Horse Drawn Chuck Wagon A procession of horse drawn chuck wagons through the streets of Roxburgh in Central Otago, New Zealand.	Sunset Rock Memorial NZ A rock memorial stands in the glowing rays of the disappearing sunset on Gillespies Beach near Fox Glacier in New Zealand.
Beach Hookers Otago Two Hookers Seal Lions cuddle on the beach in Otago on the South Island of New Zealand.	Cardrona Hotel Central Otago The old Cardrona Hotel is one of the oldest historic hotels in New Zealand and still offers quality accommodation in Central Otago, New Zealand.	Kingston Flyer Steam Train Picture With the blow of her whistle the grand historic Kingston Flyer steam train pulls out slowly from Fairlight Station in Central Otago, New Zealand.
Opunake Wall Mural NZ The wall mural collection in the town of Opunake, NZ wouldn't be complete without a surf life saving picture.	Auckland Zoo New Zealand Picture A great location for a fun family day out is the Auckland Zoo situated in Western Springs, Auckland, New Zealand.	Taranaki Moon Rise New Zealand Livestock have a stunning view during a mystic moon rise over the North Taranaki Bight, New Zealand.
Kea Camper New Zealand A confident Kea sits atop a camper along the Milford Road in Fiordland National Park, South Island, New Zealand.	Cool Car New Zealand An old but still pretty cool Chrysler car in Cardrona along the Crown Range Road in Central Otago, New Zealand.	Cape Foulwind Lighthouse NZ Stationed in an area which bears the brunt of many storms the Cape Foulwind Lighthouse has been guiding ships safely since 1876.