Everything you’ve had about it is true—this is one amazing place. You’ve probably heard that there are a lot of sheep, and that’s true, but there’s so much more. Some of the best hiking in the world is along the tracks of the South Island. There are spectacular mountains, glittering lakes, rolling wineries, and, of course, the settings where The Lord of the Rings was filmed.
See the critical information in our New Zealand at a Glance.