Isola del Nord & Sud 1 - da Auckland a Christchurch in 8 giorni

Rotorua holds one of New Zealand's most extraordinary landscapes, a land of bubbling geysers, hot mud pools and volcanic lakes at the centre of the North Island. Known for the unmistakable scent of sulphur that fills the air, it is the beating heart of the country's Māori culture and geothermal activity. In the areas of Te Puia and Wai-O-Tapu, visitors admire the famous Pohutu geyser and mineral terraces in surreal colours, while Māori villages offer haka dance performances, hangi feasts cooked underground and encounters with age-old traditions. Lake Rotorua and the nearby Redwoods Forest, with its towering sequoia pines, invite walks, mountain biking and canopy suspension bridges. Among geothermal wonders, ancestral culture and lush forests, Rotorua is an experience that engages every sense.

A UNESCO World Heritage site for its natural value and Māori cultural significance, Tongariro National Park is New Zealand's oldest national park and guards three active volcanoes in the heart of the North Island: Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro itself. Its lunar landscapes of steaming craters, emerald lakes and lava fields have provided the backdrop for famous film settings. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, considered among the most spectacular day hikes in the world, crosses volcanic saddles and thermal springs amid breathtaking scenery. In winter the slopes of Ruapehu become ski fields. Tongariro is the sacred land where fire and myth meet.

Palmerston North spreads across the Manawatu plain, a lively university city energised by the presence of Massey University. Its focal point is The Square, a broad green plaza around which city life revolves, while the New Zealand Rugby Museum recounts the nation’s passion for the sport. Crossed by the Manawatu River, the city makes an ideal base for exploring the nearby Manawatu Gorge, carved between the hills. An authentic portrait of rural New Zealand.

The capital of New Zealand, Wellington stretches across the southern tip of the North Island, gathered around a spectacular bay and ringed by hills dotted with colourful houses. Lively and cosmopolitan, it is regarded as the country's cultural and creative heart, renowned for its food scene, cafés and passion for craft beer. On the waterfront stands Te Papa Tongarewa, the remarkable national museum that tells the nation's history, nature and Māori culture. The historic Wellington Cable Car climbs to the Botanic Garden and a panoramic lookout over the city, while the Cuba Street district pulses with life among vintage shops, venues and murals. The city is also a capital of cinema, home to the studios that brought The Lord of the Rings saga to life. Among culture, sea and a brisk breeze, Wellington wins visitors over with its urban energy and independent character.

Kaikoura clings to a rocky peninsula where the snow-capped peaks of the Seaward Kaikoura range plunge almost straight into the Pacific, creating one of the most spectacular meetings of mountain and ocean in all of New Zealand. Just offshore, a deep underwater canyon draws an exceptional concentration of marine life: sperm whales linger here year-round, making the local whale-watching trips among the most reliable in the world, while dolphins, fur seals and albatross are spotted with ease. The name itself, in Māori, means "to eat crayfish", and the town honours the tradition with its famous crawfish and seafood feasts along the shore. Scenic trails trace the peninsula past seal colonies and wind-battered cliffs. Between whales and snow-dusted summits, Kaikoura remains an experience of nature in its purest form.