New Zealand’s National Parks
New Zealand has 13 glorious national parks (formerly 14; Te Urewera was disestablished and given to the care of local Māori in 2014). Altogether, the parks make up more than 30,000 sq km (almost 12,000 sq mi) of protected lands, each park boasting something unique.
North Island
- For mysterious misty forests and Māori culture: Recognized as a legal entity in 2014, the ancient trees of Te Urewera have a mystical aura.
- For dramatic volcanoes: Tongariro National Park boasts three volcanic cones, including Mount Ngāuruhoe, which served as Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings films.
- For kayaking and remote bushlands: The Whanganui River, one of the country’s longest, is the star in Whanganui National Park, where you may paddle and walk to the Bridge to Nowhere, built to access a tiny rural community that was abandoned by the time the bridge was finished.
- For a satisfying summit: In Egmont National Park, Mount Taranaki has one of New Zealand’s most reachable mountaintops. You’ll want a beer and a big meal afterward.
South Island
- For golden beaches and all-year sun: Abel Tasman National Park sits in one of the sunniest parts of the country, where forests drop into blue seas.
- For impossibly clear lakes: Among the bodies of water in Nelson Lakes National Park is Blue Lake, the clearest in the world, with a visibility of up to 90 m (300 ft).
- For long hikes, arches, and caves: Kahurangi National Park is home to the Heaphy Track, the country’s longest Great Walk, and a landscape of unique rock formations and gorges.
- For intriguing geology and tropical forest: Paparoa National Park is best known for Pancake Rocks, where thin layers of stone pile on top of one another.
- For scenic drives: The famous TranzAlpine train route goes through Arthur’s Pass National Park for a reason: It’s the perfect place for a breathtaking journey.
- For sky-high mountains: Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park’s namesake mountain is the highest in Aotearoa.
- For a glimpse of a glacier: In Westland Tai Poutini National Park you can get a glimpse of the famous Fox or Franz Josef glaciers.
- For remote lakes and walking tracks: Mount Aspiring/Tititea National Park offers some of Aotearoa’s best, less-trodden hiking trails.
- For stunning fjords: The main attraction of Fiordland National Park is the famous (if wrongly named) Milford Sound/Piopiotahi.
- For the island life and kiwi spotting: Rakiura National Park takes up 85 percent of Stewart Island/Rakiura, the southernmost major island of New Zealand.
From snowy mountains to golden beaches, beauty awaits around every bend on these dramatic islands. Find your adventure with Moon New Zealand.
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