New Zealand @ Spectacular Natural Scenery:-- Aoraki, or Mt. Cook, at 12,218 feet, is New Zealand's highest mountain, and 22 other peaks in this alpine chain are higher than 10,000 feet. Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Area. The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings film trilogies, and Hollywood directors have been drawn to the area for the magnificent backdrops that depicted Tolkien's Middle Earth. If you're not keen on walking to Milford Sound, hop on a boat and take in the sights from on deck. Most river valleys with road access have well-marked walking trails leading to scenic waterfalls, gorges, and lookout points. There are hundreds of glaciers locked in the Southern Alps, slowly grinding their way down to lower altitudes and melting into running rivers of uncanny blue-green hues. These conspire with the vast brown grasslands of the Mackenzie Basin and ancient green forests of Fiordland leaving you feeling constantly refreshes this mighty landscape making it feel absolutely alive. The Southern Alps region is great for hiking. Terrain varies from high alpine tundra to snow-covered peaks, heavily forested mountains, and wide, braided river valleys. A good network of trails and marked routes are throughout the mountains.
