new zealand

[Vaggeli]

hi! will be spending twelve days in n.z. this september and wanted any info regarding the best place to experience maori culture and best place to purchase a shearling

[Wazza]

Where are you flying into?
If you're coming via Auckland, definitely pop via Rotorua. It's a tourism hot spot for the central North Island, and will give many cultural experiences, in the area. Including local marae, powhiri welcoming, and Maori way of life.

There's some amazing geothermal activity down there, with hot pools, geysers, sheep shows, the luge, gondola, bungy jumping. :)

The rest of NZ offers a lot too. Have you got an itinerary?

[bigrignz]

south island is very good for photos !!!!!!

[Vaggeli]

We will be flying into Christchurch and driving thru mt. cook, queenstown, milford sound, wanaka, fox/franz glacier, nelson, rotorua and flying out from aukland. is it worth spending a night at mt. cook? I've been reading that you can also see it from the other side of fox/franz...
Thanks for any info!

[pleb1024]

We will be flying into Christchurch and driving thru mt. cook, queenstown, milford sound, wanaka, fox/franz glacier, nelson, rotorua and flying out from aukland. is it worth spending a night at mt. cook? I've been reading that you can also see it from the other side of fox/franz...
Thanks for any info!

If you have the time, and have average fitness, then yes. There a quite a few walks from the Mt Cook Village area that are well worth it.

From another post I've made else where detailing some of the spots around the South Island... (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=658175)

Walk the Tasman Glacier Lake walk. Chances are you will see some icebergs at the head of the lake. When I was there in November you could actually get on some of them (they had become beached so it was safe). I wouldn't bother with the Blue Lakes or Tasman Glacier view walk - the 'Blue' lakes just look to be green puddles (and you will see better blue lakes elsewhere).

Walk the Hooker Valley walk if your up to it. The first 1km is very easy (to the first lookout), but the rest is not 'sneakers' terrain. Decent boots are needed, as in some places you are walking up an old river bed, and others crossing over/climbing along rock ledges where you want decent grip.

[X-images]

Looks like you've got a decent spread of the main tourist spots covered but those are the ones that will give the "tourist experience". For real Maori culture you need to get off the beaten track and visit the marae and communities of areas like the North Island's East Cape or the Whanganui River.

What's a "shearling"???