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New Zealand Tours - About New
Zealand
New Zealand,
'Land of the Long White Cloud', is a
small, sparsely populated country
consisting of two major islands,
North and South Island, and a
scattering of smaller ones. Despite
its small size it is crammed with
magnificent natural beauty and has
an incredible amount to offer; the
only complaint travellers have is
that they haven't allowed enough
time in the country. Fresh air,
breathtaking scenery and outdoor
activities are the main attractions
of New Zealand, with a tremendously
friendly, honest and helpful
population, colloquially nicknamed
after their country's distinct
symbol, the unusual but amiable
flightless kiwi bird.
The two
islands have surprisingly different
characters. The North Island has
dramatic volcanic landscapes and
highly active thermal areas, long
stretches of beautiful beaches and
excellent sailing, ancient
indigenous forests and a strong
Maori cultural influence. The South
Island has a slower pace of life
dominated by a magnificent spine of
mountains, the snow-covered Southern
Alps, and the spectacular scenery of
the southern waterways of the
fjordlands, with glaciers, deep
lakes and verdant forests.
The signing
of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840
was New Zealand's founding document,
an attempt to settle disputes
between the European settlers and
the Maoris, conceding the country to
British rule while guaranteeing the
Maori people possession of their
land and cultural identity. Today,
integration has been replaced by a
policy of upholding two different
cultures alongside each other. Their
shared love of sport, most notably
the revered national sport of rugby
union, and their enthusiasm for
adventure and the outdoors is the
unifying factor among the whole
population.
New Zealand
offers a huge variety of
action-packed and laid back
activities, from bungy jumping to
skiing, swimming with dolphins,
scenic flights and boat cruises on
the fjords, as well as several world
famous walking trails with
unrivalled scenery. Alternatively
visitors can immerse themselves in
culture at the museums and galleries
of the country's main cities -
Auckland and the capital Wellington
in the North, and Christ Church in
the south.
New Zealand
is an easy and compact place in
which to travel and its
spectacularly dramatic landscape
alone, famous for its setting for
the 'The Lord of the Rings' film
trilogy, makes the long trip to
these southern islands more than
worthwhile.
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Time:
Local time is GMT +12 (GMT +13
from the last Sunday in October
to the last Sunday in March).
Electricity:
Electrical current is 230 volts,
50Hz. Oblique flat blade plugs
are standard.
Money:
Local currency is the New
Zealand Dollar (NZD), divided
into 100 cents. Most businesses
accept MasterCard and Visa, and
while Diners Club and American
Express are also widely accepted
in the main tourist centres,
they might have limited
acceptance elsewhere. Travellers
cheques and foreign currency can
be exchanged at banks, bureaux
de change and some hotels. ATMs
can be found in all towns and
cities.
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Currency Exchange Rates |
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NZ$ 1= |
US$ 0.69 |
£ 0.36 |
C$ 0.81 |
A$ 0.88 |
R 5.00 |
EUR 0.53 |
NZ$ 1.00 |
Note: This is not updated daily
and should be used as a guide
only.
Language:
The official languages are
English and Maori, but English
is the everyday language most
widely spoken.
Entry Requirements for
Americans:
United States citizens must have
a valid passport. No visa is
required for a stay of up to
three months.
Entry Requirements for UK
nationals:
British citizens holding a
passport endorsed British
Citizen do not require a visa
for a stay of up to six months.
British citizens with passports
endorsed British National
(Overseas) may stay for up to
three months without a visa. In
all other cases, a visa is
required.
Entry Requirements for
Canadians:
Canadian citizens must have a
valid passport. No visa is
required for stays of up to
three months.
Entry Requirements for
Australians:
Australian nationals must have a
valid passport for travel to New
Zealand. No visa is required.
Entry Requirements for South
Africans:
South Africans must have a valid
passport. No visa is required
for a stay of up to three
months.
Entry Requirements for Irish
nationals:
Irish nationals require a
passport valid for at least
three months beyond the period
of intended stay, but no visa is
necessary for a stay of up to
three months.
Health:
There are no health risks
associated with travel to New
Zealand. A reciprocal health
agreement exists with the UK,
which entitles nationals, with
proof of residence, to free
emergency hospital treatment,
but health insurance is
recommended to cover any
additional charges and for those
not entitled to free emergency
treatment. Those intending to
participate in adventure
activities, such as bungee
jumping, white water rafting,
etc should ensure that their
travel insurance covers these
types of activities.
Tipping:
Gratuities are not expected and
service charges are not applied
to bills.
Safety:
New Zealand has a reputation as
one of the safest destinations
in the world, however sensible
precautions against petty theft
are still advised.
Customs:
Quarantine procedures mean that
strict bio-security regulations
are in place at immigration
points into the country. It is
illegal to import most
foodstuffs, and care should be
taken when importing wood
products, golf clubs and shoes
(may have soil and dirt
attached), and items made from
animal skin (e.g. crocodile
handbags). The immigration
arrivals card has full details.
Business:
Business in New Zealand is
usually conducted formally and
conservatively. Standard
business etiquette applies;
punctuality is important,
business attire is formal (for
men and women suits are
appropriate), meetings begin and
end with a handshake and
business cards are exchanged.
Business hours are usually 9am
to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Communications:
The international access code
for New Zealand is +64. The
outgoing code is 00 followed by
the relevant country code (e.g.
0061 for Australia). City/area
codes are in use, e.g. (0)9 for
Auckland and (0)4 for the
Wellington region. Vodafone
offers GSM 900 coverage in and
around the main cities and
popular holiday areas. Internet
cafes are widely available.
Duty Free:
Travellers to New Zealand over
17 years do not have to pay duty
on 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars
or 250g tobacco, or a
proportionate mix of these;
1.125 litres or 1 litre spirits
or liqueurs, and 4.5 litres
wine, port or sherry, or 4.5
litres beer. Goods exceeding the
allowances must be declared.
Personal effects not dutiable
include items such as jewellery,
binoculars, portable radios,
prams, camping equipment,
cameras and video cameras.
Prohibited items include
concealed firearms, foodstuffs,
animals, plants and plant
products. It is forbidden to
export Greenstone, Maori
antiquities and Paua shells
(unless they are products
manufactured from such shells).
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Tourism New Zealand, Wellington: +64
(0)4 917 5400 or
www.newzealand.com/travel
New Zealand Embassy, Washington
DC, United States: +1 202 328 4800
New Zealand High Commission, London, United Kingdom
(also responsible for Ireland): +44 (0)20 7930 8422
New Zealand High Commission, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613
238 5991
New Zealand High Commission, Canberra, Australia:
+61 (0)2 6270 4211
New Zealand High Commission, Pretoria, South
Africa: +27 (0)12 342 8656
United States Embassy, Wellington: +64 (0)4 462 6000
British High Commission, Wellington: +64 (0)4 924
2888
Canadian High Commission, Wellington: +64 (0)4 473
9577
Australian High Commission, Wellington: +64 (0)4
473 6411
Honorary Consulate of New Zealand, Wellington: +64
(0)4 234 8006
Honorary Consul General of Ireland, Auckland: +64
(0)9 977 2252
Emergencies: 111
Bungy Jumping
Undoubtedly the most prominent
sport in Queenstown, bungy
jumping takes place from four of
the world's most scenic bungy
sites. Visitors can choose to
throw themselves off a bridge or
a gondola, or there are milder
options that include cable
swinging or the Bungee Rocket
that shoots people into the air
while strapped into a cage-like
device on the end of a bungy
cord. The first commercial bungy
jump site in the world is on the
historic Kawarau Suspension
Bridge, situated 137.5 ft (43m)
above the river, with viewing
platforms for spectators. The
urban option is Hackett's Ledge,
situated at the top of the
gondola, and it is open even at
night. The second highest is the
Pipeline Bungy, operating from a
suspension bridge across
Skippers Canyon on the site of
the 1864 gold-sluicing pipeline.
The engineering masterpiece is
the highest bungy jump, and the
world's first gondola jump, a
pod suspended terrifyingly 440
ft (134m) above the riverbed,
spanning a remote gorge. A
glass-bottomed cable car takes
the jumpers out to the gondola.
Swimming with dolphins
The beautiful and sheltered
Akaroa Harbour is the only place
in the world where visitors can
swim with the world's smallest
and rarest dolphin, the Hector's
or New Zealand dolphin. All
necessary equipment is included
such as wetsuits, masks and
snorkels and supervision is
provided throughout. It is also
possible to simply watch the
graceful antics from aboard the
vessel.
Hiking
The area around Queenstown
offers some excellent hiking,
known locally as tramping. Some
of the country's excellent
multi-day hiking trails start
from nearby, including the
spectacular Routebourne Track,
one of the best in the country
for its variety of countryside
and scenery. The Rees-Dart Track
is a rugged circular track, and
the Greenstone Caples Track is a
less challenging option. All the
tramps have well maintained
paths and comfortable mountain
hut accommodation.
Jet Boating
Hurtling up and down the
churning rivers around
Queenstown in jet boats is a
very popular activity. The
Shotover River surges through
Skippers Canyon, the narrowest
and deepest section, and trips
include heart stopping
360-degree spins, last minute
turns away from the canyon edges
and high speed boating on either
the Shotover or the Kawarau
Rivers. It is an exhilarating
experience that continues to
draw the crowds.
The Milford Track
The Milford Track is considered
to be the finest walk in the
world, a four-day hike ending at
Milford Sound that has been
attracting tourists and locals
for over 100 years. Following
glaciated valleys and crossing
an alpine pass it traverses some
fabulous scenery, past towering
snow-clad peaks, rivers and
waterfalls, along grassy
plateaux and through dense
rainforests. The number of
hikers is limited and
accommodation is provided in
comfortable mountain huts along
the way. For more information go
to
www.doc.govt.nz
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Spring
Sep, Oct,
Nov |
Summer
Dec, Jan,
Feb |
Autumn
Mar, Apr,
May |
Winter
Jun, Jul,
Aug |
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Bay of Islands |
High |
Low |
High |
Low |
High |
Low |
High |
Low |
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Temperature (C) |
19 |
9 |
25 |
14 |
21 |
11 |
16 |
7 |
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Temperature (F) |
67 |
48 |
76 |
56 |
70 |
52 |
61 |
45 |
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Rain Days/Season |
11 |
7 |
11 |
16 |
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Auckland |
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Temperature (C) |
18 |
11 |
24 |
12 |
20 |
13 |
15 |
9 |
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Temperature (F) |
65 |
52 |
75 |
54 |
68 |
55 |
59 |
48 |
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Rain Days/Season |
12 |
8 |
11 |
15 |
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Rotorua |
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Temperature (C) |
17 |
7 |
24 |
12 |
18 |
9 |
13 |
4 |
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Temperature (F) |
63 |
45 |
75 |
54 |
68 |
55 |
59 |
48 |
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Rain Days/Season |
11 |
9 |
9 |
13 |
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Wellington |
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Temperature (C) |
15 |
9 |
20 |
13 |
17 |
11 |
12 |
6 |
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Temperature (F) |
59 |
48 |
68 |
55 |
63 |
52 |
54 |
43 |
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Rain Days/Season |
11 |
7 |
10 |
13 |
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Christchurch |
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Temperature (C) |
17 |
7 |
22 |
12 |
18 |
8 |
12 |
3 |
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Temperature (F) |
63 |
45 |
72 |
54 |
65 |
46 |
54 |
37 |
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Rain Days/Season |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
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Queenstown |
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Temperature (C) |
16 |
5 |
22 |
10 |
16 |
6 |
10 |
1 |
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Temperature (F) |
61 |
41 |
72 |
50 |
61 |
43 |
50 |
34 |
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Rain Days/Season |
9 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
Hop Tours and Travels
Pvt Ltd (Mumbai, India)
Egypt Destination Specialist
512-A, Corporate Avenue,
Sonawala Cross Road,
Next to Udyog Bhavan,
Goregaon (E), Mumbai - 400 063,
India
Tel. :
+91-22-40582000/02/04/06, Fax :
+91-22-67255210
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