Birds fly south for the winter, so why shouldn’t you? Far
south…all the way south. To New Zealand. Forget about the
Lord of the Rings tours,
leave that to the Hobbit wannabees, and strap on your hiking boots, get out of the city and head for the hills.
The mountains of Kiwiland are sublime, and you can go on and on through some of the most gorgeous countryside on
the planet. Remember that it’s summer down there now, so the temperatures are cozy.
But you might first need a guide: where do you go? Which island is best for hiking (or tramping, as they call if
down there). Here’s a
solid little
piece about how to tramp among the kiwis. The article covers several of the better-known hikes in New Zealand,
including the Milford Track, probably the best known of all the Great Walks.