Stunning landscapes, lush vegetacion, unique wildlife and friendly people make New Zealand a paradise for nature lovers. 

Whether its birds or botany, landscapes or general natural history, this holiday has something for everyone. We will explore a wide range of habitats with the scenic backdrop of New Zealand's spectacular landscapes. Along the way the highlights of trips should include the endangered birdlife of Tiri Tiri Matangi, where saddleback, takahe and kokako will entertain us; the ancient Kauri forests of the Waitakere Rangers; the spectacular peaks and glaciers of Mount Cook National Park; albatrosses and cetaceans out from Kaikoura; and the bizarre crepuscular kiwis feeding on Stewart Island.

New Zealand is a remarkable assemblage of islands, stretching from subtropics in the north to the subantarctic in the south. This holiday has been planned to enable us to see a very wide range of the ecological diversity that occurs in the islands, starting far enough north in North Island to see mangroves and the huge Kauri trees and ending on Stewart Island off the southern tip of South Island, the magical climax of the trip and an area rarely visited by UK naturalists.

Our foremost objetive is, of course, to enjoy the incredible variety of scenery and wildlife, but the holiday offers much more than that for those who are keen to learn more. The leaders have estensive knowledge of the fauna and flora and will be able to offer detailed information about the wildlife of a country where more than 90% of the native plants and animals are endemic to Oceania. We will also be making a contribution to the vital conservation work of Forest and Bird (the Royal Forest and Birds Protection Society of New Zealand).

Price £4665 per person, Single Room Supplement £595

(does not include international flights)

Leaders: Chris Donnelly & Henry Stanier, with Mark Hanger