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New Zealand Nature Explorer

A Guided Nature Adventure Amid the Scenic Splendors of the South Island
New Zealand's South Island is the larger of the country's two major islands, but it is the less populous one. The Maori call the South Island either "Te Wai Pounamu," which means "The Waters of Greenstone" (jade); or "Te Waka a Maui," which means "Maui's Canoe." From the breathtaking Southern Alps to the …… rocky east and west coastlines, your adventure will take you into a world of wild beauty.After an evening in Christchurch, you'll travel north up the South Island's east coast to Kaikoura, a traditional fishing village that has become one of the best places in the world to view marine mammals and a large variety of seabirds.Kaikoura Canyon lies immediately offshore of the east coast. It quickly drops to depths of over 3,000 feet, creating a nutrient-rich habitat for Sperm Whales. On your whale watch, you may encounter New Zealand Fur Seals, the endangered Wandering Albatross, migrating Humpback Whales, Pilot Whales, Blue Whales and Southern Right Whales.Dusky dolphins are very active and highly social, living together in groups called pods, which in the Kaikoura region can consist of individuals numbering anywhere from 100 to 2,000 dolphins. For this reason, Kaikoura is one of the best places in the world to encounter wild dolphins in their natural environment.Fox Glacier like the nearby Franz Josef Glacier, it is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world, with its terminal face an easy walk from Fox Glacier village.The Wilderness Lodge at Lake Moeraki is considered to be New Zealand's foremost nature lodge. Surrounded by towering rain forests and pristine shorelines, you may try your hand at lake kayaking.You'll have the opportunity to take beach walks on the shores of Lake Moeraki and learn about this region's flora. Watch for Fiordland crested penguins coming out of the surf and waddling up to their rain forest nests!We will visit a family-owned sheep farm, where you'll watch a sheep being sheared and witness the intelligence of the farm's working sheep dogs firsthand!You'll fly to Stewart Island, New Zealand's newest national park and home to more than seventy species of birds. Steward Island is the most pristine of New Zealand's three main islands. From a charter vessel, you'll seek out the three species of penguins that live on the shores.One of those species of penguins is the yellow-eyed penguin. With an estimated population of four thousand, this penguin is considered to be one of the world's rarest. Its main threats include habitat degradation, introduced predators, and environmental changes. The yellow-eyed penguin is thought to be the most ancient of all living penguins.On one of your evenings on Stewart Island, you'll have a chance to go on an excursion to find the elusive and endemic brown kiwi. This seminocturnal, secretive bird is one even only a few New Zealanders have seen in the wild!Under the luxuriant green mantle of podocarp forest, the Ulva Island walks are rich with mosses, ferns, liverworts, and native orchids. Ulva Island is one of the few places in New Zealand where you can view native podocarp trees, including the majestic rimu, miro, and totara.The Following an early morning flight back to Invercargill, you'll continue eastward to the Catlins region, a forgotten corner of New Zealand, with some of the finest coastal scenery in the country.From the sunny and picturesque east coast to the wet and rocky west coast, …… New Zealand's South Island is a land that will leave you inspired.
Natural Habitat Adventures
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Boulder, CO, USA 80307
(303) 449-3711
(800) 543-8917
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