Family New Zealand: Volcanoes, Kiwis and Fjords

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This family itinerary covers the best of New Zealand over eleven days, combining Maori culture, nature and adventure adapted for children. It begins in Auckland with the Sky Tower and the zoo where children can see nocturnal kiwis. The Hobbiton set in Matamata transports the whole family to Peter Jackson's Shire with its 44 green hobbit holes. Rotorua combines clockwork-precise eruptions, a bubbling mud pool and Maori culture with the haka and jade carvings. Hobbiton and Te Puia are experiences children remember forever. In Wellington, the Te Papa museum has interactive sections with an earthquake simulator and Hillary's gold medal from the expedition. The ferry across the Cook Strait is a naval adventure. On the South Island, Kaikoura offers dolphin watching from small boats, Christchurch has the rebuilding park with colorful containers, and Akaroa allows swimming with Hector's dolphins. Lake Tekapo shows the world's purest sky, and Queenstown offers the Skyline luge, the Milford Sound cruise and the rose garden beside the lake.