New Zealand's 12 days of Christmas
Christmas plays out somewhat differently in the southern hemisphere summer where long sunny days season the festive mix.
A New Zealand Christmas is essentially an outdoor experience that’s likely to include a leisurely lunch on the barbeque, afternoon fun in the water, and casual evening gatherings under a starry sky.
For a glimpse of what’s on during New Zealand’s Christmas New Year season, here’s a Kiwi take on the 12 days of Christmas which according to Christian tradition begin on Christmas Day and finish on 5 January.
Day one: White Christmas dreaming
In the Wairarapa region - just north of Wellington - the folks at Pukaha Mt Bruce Wildlife Reserve are dreaming of a white Christmas that's a double celebration.
The new star at the top of their Christmas tree is Mauriora - a precious and very rare little white kiwi that hatched in the sanctuary a few days ago.
Mauriora joins Manukura - the first little white kiwi born a few months ago - which Maori elders welcomed as a special omen. Visitors to the wildlife centre - open 364 days a year - can now visit Manukura in her kiwi house.
Pukaha Mt Bruce Wildlife Centre
Day two: Hug a tree
Get some friends together, link hands and wrap your arms around a big green tree in the Northland kauri forests.
The kauri is a giant in the forest, and Northland has the biggest and most ancient specimens of this native tree that once covered much of the North Island’s northern coastal regions.
At 51m high and with a girth of 13.8 metres, Tane Mahuta - in the Waipoua Forest of the Hokianga - is one of the world’s largest living trees, believed to be about 2000 years old. In the daytime, it’s a short walk from the carpark on SH12, or take a guided night time walk with Footprints Waipoua.
Footprints Waipoua
Day three: Soak your cares away
Soak your cares away in steaming mineral waters at Rotorua’s iconic Polynesian Spa.
Rotorua - in New Zealand’s volcanic central North Island - has long been attracting tourists looking for a relaxing and therapeutic experience the legendary hot springs and bubbling pools of sulphurous mud.
The Polynesian Spa is built on natural hot springs at the edge of Lake Rotorua. There are 26 pools and an international day spa offering unique local therapies. Nearby Hell’s Gate and Wai Ora resorts also offer special mud baths and mineral hot pools.
Polynesian Spa Rotorua
Day four: Stars in your eyes
Turn your eyes to the heavens for a world-beating star-gazing experience at Mount John Observatory, Tekapo - in the South Island’s Mackenzie Country.
Lake Tekapo’s pollution and cloud-free night skies - the subject of New Zealand’s bid to establish a the first ever UNESCO ‘World Heritage Starlight Reserve’ - offer some of the world’s best star gazing conditions in an easily accessed location.
Mount John Observatory is a research facility, and a centre for astro-tourism experiences run by Earth & Sky.
Earth & Sky Tours
Day five: Chill out
Chill out with the penguins at the International Antarctic Centre at Christchurch Airport - gateway to Canterbury and Antarctica.
Deep freeze experiences like the penguin encounter, rides on the Hagglund all-terrain vehicle, a 4D movie adventure that includes a blizzard, and the chance to play in snow and on ice, make this a popular family destination.
The New Zealand Penguin Encounter is New Zealand’s first combined indoor/outdoor penguin viewing area with capacity to hold up to 26 little blue penguins.
International Antarctic Centre
Day six: Savour the moment
Discover the sun soaked Marlborough terroir where New Zealand’s now world famous sauvignon blanc varietal was pioneered.
The spectacular new Brancott Estate Heritage Centre is a unique destination for cellar door wine tastings or a complete restaurant experience matching top regional produce with premium New Zealand wines.
Visitors can also watch native New Zealand falcons while they soak in the breathtakingly beautiful surroundings of Brancott Vineyard.
Brancott Vineyard Heritage Estate
Day seven: Dip your toes
If you like to dip your toes in the water, it’s hard to go past the Blue Lake - an oasis of pure clear water in Nelson Lakes National Park, near the top of New Zealand’s South Island.
Blue Lake has some of the clearest water in the world, according to a just-released study by NIWA (New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) which found that it was almost as "optically clear" as distilled water.
Spring fed by glacial waters from neighbouring Lake Constance, Blue Lake is one of the natural wonders of the Nelson Tasman region which is home to three national parks - Abel Tasman, Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes - that are popular summer hiking destinations.
Nelson Lakes National Park
Day eight: Hunt a hobbit
Pssst … there are hobbits about, and the cameras have just finished rolling at Hobbiton - mythical home of hobbits - on lush green hills just outside Matamata.
The extensive Hobbiton movie set, created for Peter Jackson’s film trilogy of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, has been expanded for his latest project The Hobbit. This is a film buff’s dream and must-do for all LOTR fans seeking the party tree and Bilbo Baggins’ front door.
The guided experience includes visits and stories about the stars and filming. The working farm also offers farming experiences, including shearing demonstrations and the chance to bottle feed lambs.
Hobbiton Movie Set
Day nine: Pick a shady tree
For the ultimate Kiwi beach experience, find a grove of native pohutukawa trees and settle yourself into a comfy position below its crimson blooms.
A native of the northern coasts, the prolific red blooms of the pohutukawa and the closedly related rata that inhabits southern coastal regions are an iconic symbol of the Kiwi Christmas and summer holiday memories.
Tuhua / Mayor Island - a volcanic outcrop off-shore from Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty - has the world’s largest pohutukawa forest. It’s also a sanctuary for kiwi and other rare New Zealand birds.
A warm climate, beautiful beaches and matching lifestyle make the Bay of Plenty a year-round destination for active or relaxing Kiwi holidays.
Tourism Bay of Plenty
Day ten: Downhill thrills
Queenstown - New Zealand’s adventure capital - is dishing out new thrills with a mountain bike trail that starts in the air.
The iconic Queenstown Skyline Gondola has been fitted with custom-built bike hooks so that riders and their bikes can take in some cool alpine scenery as they’re lifted from town into the southern hemisphere’s hottest new biking destination - Queenstownz Bike Park.
High above the resort town, the bike park offers year-round action on over 30-plus kilometers of tracks graded for beginners, intermediates and advanced riders.
Queenstown Bike Park
Day eleven: Cruise about
Cruise about the Otago Peninsula - just east of Dunedin - and discover some of New Zealand’s unique and fascinating wildlife.
Award-winning Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours takes visitors out on the water for unrivalled wildlife viewing experiences. The Otago Peninsula is a rich marine environment that is home to albatross, penguins, dolphins, and other ocean species.
Monarch Wildlife Cruises
Day twelve: Spin into New Year
Pull on the big red suit, zip up and spin into New Year with a high-speed adventure on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour.
The Auckland Adventure jet will have you hanging on tight as you head into a 360-degree turn under the Harbour Bridge.
Jet-boating on the harbour is Auckland’s newest thrill, and the Waitemata - which means sparkling waters - also offers a different perspective on New Zealand’s biggest city.
Auckland Adventure Jet
More information
New Zealand Events
These topics may also be of interest to you
|
|
| 'Manukura' - a rare white kiwi hatched at Pukaha Mount Bruce Wildlife Centre |
|
|
|
Proposed Starlight Reserve above Lake Tekapo, NZ.
Photo: Fraser Gunn |
|
|
|
| Two hikers enjoy the view from a mountain lookout in the Nelson Lakes National Park. |
|
|
|
| Brancott Estate is the oldest vineyard in Marlborough, New Zealand's biggest wine region. |
|
|
| Pohutukawa on the hills above Whangapoua Beach, on the Coromandel Peninsula |
|
|
|
|
