Travel + Leisure Hiking Guide

Five ideas on how to explore the country's diverse terrain with Active Adventures New Zealand. Based in Queenstown, Active have been running adventure tours in New Zealand since 1996, helping thousands of visitors experience a trip of a lifetime.

1. Volcanoes, emerald-hued mineral lakes, and tufted grasslands define the Tongariro Northern Circuit, where the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed.

2. Thousands of rare glowworms cling to the walls of the Waitomo Caves, which you can explore by foot or by boat.

3. The 55,672-acre Abel Tasman National Park is located on the pristine South Island coast, where golden beaches, granite cliffs, and quiet estuaries are populated by tui and pukeko birds.

4. Two massive glaciers draw trekkers to the South Island's Westland National Park.

5. Carved by glaciers 20,000 years ago, the 3 million-acre Fiordland National Park is filled with snowy peaks and primeval rain forest.