Nugget Point Lighthouse
- Lighthouse built in 1870
Mount John University Observatory
- Astronomical research observatory established in 1965
- In 2008, the observatory discovered the smallest planet outside of our Solar System, MOA-2007-BLG-192Lb
- The planet is 3000 light years from Earth
Tongariro National Park
- Oldest national park in New Zealand
- Fourth national park established in the world
- Active volcanic mountains are located in the center of the park
- There are a number of Māori religious sites within the park’s summits
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
- National museum of New Zealand
- #19 of the top 25 museums in the world
- Emphasizes New Zealand’s deep ancestral links to Māori and New Zealand’s cultural treasures
- The museum recognizes the partnership that was created by the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840
- Opened in 1998
Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park
- New Zealand’s highest mountain and Aoraki/Mount Cook Village lie within the park
- Most of the park is alpine terrain
- Established in 1887
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Mount Aspiring National Park
- The highest mountain the park, Mount Aspirijng / Tititea has an elevation of 9,951 ft
- Established in 1964
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Fiordland National Park
- Formed during a cooler past, when glaciers carved many deep fiords
- Retreat of the glaciers after the ice age left behind U-shaped valleys with sharp cliffs
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Sky Tower (Auckland)
- Observation and telecommunications tower
- Completed in 1997
Geraldine Observatory
- Small observatory with a large telescope used for observing supernovas (exploding stars)
Routeburn Track
- World-renowned hiking track
Te Awamutu Space Centre
- Exhibits informational displays about space and astronomy with a collection of artifacts
- Includes telescopes, including a daytime solar telescope
Marlborough Sounds
- Sea-drowned valleys created by a combination of earth’s surface shifting downward relative to sea level and rising sea levels
- Extensively travelled and partly inhabited by Māori groups before the coming of the Europeans
- The Māori used the sounds as shelter from bad weather, as well as a place to collect rich food sources
Costs
all flights $1,958
food $39/day x 16 days = $624
hotel $43/day x 13 days = $559
tickets (all attractions) $151
TOTAL for whole itinerary $3,292
