Expedition To The Heart Of New Zealand

Auckland, one of New Zealand's most populous cities, is located on the North Island of New Zealand. Auckland, known as Tamaki Makaurau, is based around twin harbours called Waitemata and Manukau Harbour extending up to volcanic hills to the west. Auckland has so much to offer when you combine an urban environment, stunning diverse landscapes and warming polynesian culture. Read more about Auckland, New Zealand

Rotorua (Tauranga) is a centre of tourism and a place of extraordinary natural beauty. It is a smallish city on the shores of a lake of the same name, in the crater of an ancient volcano in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The entire area is thermally active, and the smell of sulphur, a 'rotten eggs’ smell that is never far, results in the nicknames 'Sulphur City' and 'Rottenrua'. Read more about Rotorua (Tauranga), New Zealand

The city of Gisborne is located at the north end of Poverty Bay in the east coast region of North Island, New Zealand. The Gisborne region has been settled by Maori tribes for over 700 years, where they built their fishing villages and hill forts. Here Captain Cook made his first landing in New Zealand with the Endeavour in 1769. Read more about Gisborne, New Zealand

Napier is a port city in Hawkes Bay on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is known as the 'Art Deco' capital of the world because following the earthquake which almost levelled the city in 1931 the rapid rebuilding was strongly influenced by Art Deco architecture. The building style of clean simple lines and bas-relief decoration was not only at its height of popularity, it also suited the needs of the city. Read more about Napier, New Zealand

New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds, together with its islands and peninsulas, cover some 4,000 sq.km., and lie at the South Island's north-easternmost point, between Tasman Bay in the west and Cloudy Bay in the south-east. They comprise an extensive network of sea-drowned valleys that include the Queen Charlotte, Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds. Bordered by forests and rich in wildlife, trees rise almost vertically from the water’s edge. Read more about Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand

Just 85 kilometres from the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, is the quaint and beautiful French village of Akaroa. It is situated within Akaroa Harbour in the heart of an ancient volcano that is now the circular Banks Peninsula. French settlers arrived in 1840 just a few days after the peninsula was claimed for Britain. Read more about Akaroa, New Zealand

Dusky Sound is a fjord on the SW corner of New Zealand, in Fjordland National Park. In 1770 it was given its name by Captain Cook and his crew as that was the time of night when they found it. They encountered groups of shy Maoris, but nowadays the area is almost uninhabited. Read more about Dusky Sound, New Zealand

Doubtful Sound, despite its name, is a very large and naturally imposing fjord in the far SW of New Zealand. It is located in the same region as the smaller but more famous and accessible Milford Sound, but it is three times longer, and has a surface area ten times larger. Often referred to as the 'Sound of Silence', Doubtful Sound is a tranquil, awe-inspiring destination known for its cascading waterfalls, looming mountains and rare marine life. Read more about Doubtful Sound, New Zealand

Milford Sound is a stunningly beautiful fjord in the SW of New Zealand's South Island and lying within a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Described by Rudyard Kipling as the 'eighth wonder of the world', it has been judged 'the world's top travel destination' in an international survey, and is acclaimed as New Zealand's most famous tourist destination. Milford Sound runs 15 km inland from the Tasman Sea and is surrounded by sheer rock faces, such as the Elephant and Lion Peaks that rise to 1200 m or more on either side. Read more about Milford Sound, New Zealand

Dunedin is the principal city of the Otago Region of New Zealand. It was founded in 1848 by Scottish migrants, and today the city still contains many Scottish relics, including a statue of the Scottish Bard Robbie Burns. Fine examples of working heritage include the Speight’s Brewery, the Gasworks Museum and the very popular Taieri Gorge Railway. Read more about Dunedin, New Zealand