Watch the country on our TV, then go city by city: the sights, food streets, outlets, Māori culture, Great Walks and scenic journeys of Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua, Christchurch and Queenstown.
46 videos on the country — scenic trains, Great Walks, Māori culture, wine, outlets and the seasons — and a TV for each city. Next and Previous change the channel.
The 100% Pure New Zealand film of the country — mountains, coast and the people who live there.
A long film of the country’s landscapes, from volcanic plateaus to glaciers and fiords.
Both islands seen from the air: lakes, peaks, beaches and forest.
A calm travel film of the alpine lakes and ranges.
A guide to the North Island’s best-known places, from Auckland to Rotorua and beyond.
The South Island’s mountains, lakes and coast in one film.
A run through the places most visitors put on their list.
Christchurch to Greymouth over the Southern Alps through Arthur’s Pass.
A ride on the TranzAlpine from the plains into the mountains.
Auckland to Wellington by train past the volcanoes of the central plateau.
The ferry crossing of Cook Strait and the Marlborough Sounds.
The country’s long-distance scenic trains and the ferry.
A cruise through Fiordland’s best-known fiord past waterfalls and cliffs.
The famous one-day walk past volcanic craters and the Emerald Lakes.
How to plan the walk: shuttles, weather and what to carry.
Three days across the mountains between Glenorchy and Fiordland.
The Great Walk that ends at Milford Sound.
An easy walk to the glacier lake below Aoraki/Mount Cook.
A jump from the Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown, where commercial bungy began in 1988.
A welcome, a performance and a hāngī feast in Rotorua.
Performance, carving and weaving at Te Puia in Rotorua.
The Māori collections of the national museum in Wellington.
Sheep, shearing and sheepdogs on a farm near Rotorua.
Across Lake Wakatipu by steamship to a high country sheep station.
A day among the vineyards of Auckland’s wine island.
A day in New Zealand’s largest wine region at the top of the South Island.
The pinot noir valley near Queenstown.
Cafés, restaurants and coffee in the capital.
Street food at Auckland’s weekly night markets.
A walk through the country’s largest outlet shopping centre, in Auckland.
The South Island’s outlet centre in Christchurch.
Christmas falls in summer in New Zealand — here is how it is celebrated.
A guide to Coronet Peak and The Remarkables in winter.
The dark sky reserve of the Mackenzie Basin.
The Shire on a farm near Matamata.
Boat rides under glowworms in the limestone caves.
The wonders of New Zealand, narrated in Spanish.
A Spanish-language guide to the most beautiful places.
A German documentary: travelling New Zealand by train.
Ten highlights and travel tips, in German.
Ten experiences on the South Island, in Chinese.
Eight days on the South Island, in Chinese.
The best places in New Zealand, ranked — in Japanese.
Popular sights of New Zealand, in Japanese.
What to do in Queenstown, in Korean.
Six days in the North Island — Waitomo, Hobbiton, Rotorua and Auckland — in Korean.
Videos play in YouTube’s own player and belong to the channels that published them; the titles are our own. Use the Language buttons to see the films made in German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese or Korean.
Each city has its own TV and its own pages: sights, food streets and markets, shopping and outlets, Māori culture and farm life, walks and adventure, and day trips — every named place with a page of its own.
New Zealand — Aotearoa in te reo Māori — is two main islands and many smaller ones in the South Pacific, about three hours’ flight east of Australia. The North Island has the largest city, Auckland, the capital Wellington and the volcanic and geothermal centre around Rotorua and Taupō. The South Island is wilder and more mountainous: the Southern Alps run its length, with Christchurch on the plains to the east and Queenstown among the lakes to the south.
The seasons are the reverse of the northern hemisphere: summer runs from December to February and is the main holiday season; winter, from June to August, brings skiing to Queenstown and the central North Island. Weather can change quickly in any season, especially in the mountains.
Getting around is easy by domestic flights, by car (driving is on the left), by long-distance coach, and on the three Great Journeys trains — the Northern Explorer, the Coastal Pacific and the TranzAlpine — with the Interislander ferry joining the two islands across Cook Strait.
WelcomeToNewZealand.com is an independent travel guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with the New Zealand Government, Tourism New Zealand or any official body. We do not own, operate or have any commercial link with the attractions, restaurants, shops, tour operators or transport services mentioned. Brand names belong to their owners. Videos play in YouTube’s own player and belong to the channels that published them; the titles shown are our own. Listings are for identification and discovery; confirm opening hours, prices and details independently before visiting or booking.