Travelling can be a challenging experience when you care about the environment. Sublime explores New Zealand’s best conservation led tourist activities for us to enjoy.
New Zealand is well known for leading the way in conservation efforts and is a unique paradise due to evolving in isolation for millions of years.
Sublime shares the best tourist attractions, from treehouses hidden below the majestic Kaikōura mountains to snorkelling among the pristine marine reserve at Stewart Island.
The Great Kaikōura Whale Count
Visitors are invited to join the locals in counting the whales which migrate through Kaikōura’s waters. Local organisations such as Kaikōura District Council, Whale Watch, Dolphin Encounter and Kaikōura Kayaks also contribute to the whale count. It is a culturally important activity to the community and part of the identity of the local Runanga (tribal council), Ngāti Kuri.
This is where you can join an eco-boat tour and learn about the endangered birds of which the lagoon is home to. The tours put eco-education at the core to highlight the beauty of our natural world and wildlife while encouraging its protection and understanding.
Making the most of the environment that the Department of Conservation and the Ulva Island Charitable Trust has worked to sustain, this activity invites tourists to join a guided walk in one of the few predator-free sanctuaries in New Zealand.
Operating in the remote and untouched coastlines of the deep south of New Zealand, this activity takes you snorkelling amongst kelp forest in a fragile, pristine marine reserve, using weight belts with recycled lead. You will have the opportunity to learn about biodiversity and effective ocean management.
This Eco-sanctuary is a new community conservation effort to restore a safe home to sea birds, rare native plants, giant snails, and geckos. The sanctuary aims to home endangered species and invites you to learn about re-establishing breeding colonies in a breath-taking location complete with a predator-proof fence.
Replenish your energy at this 5-star eco-retreat which can be found nestled 30 feet in the air. These treehouses sit amongst native Kanuka Grove and underneath the majestic Kaikoura mountains. The eco-retreat is home to wild deer, an olive grove and a vineyard. Enjoy a meal at their in-house restaurant, which sources over 75% of its ingredients from local suppliers, including their garden.
For more ideas visit : tourismnewzealand.com
Covid-19 update: New Zealand’s elimination strategy to tackle coronavirus means borders will remain closed until at least the end of the year, says the country’s prime minister. According to Jacinda Ardern, it’s the best way to keep Covid-19 out and the economy open. With a population of just under five million New Zealand – seen as one of the most successful countries to control the virus – has only recorded 26 deaths. It’s aiming to vaccinate everyone by the end of the year with hopes to reopen borders in 2022.
Read more of Emily Bowles’s articles.
