Download or read book A Visitor's Guide to New Zealand National Parks written by Kathy Ombler and published by . This book was released on 2006-02-01 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New Zealand's 14 national parks, managed by the Department of Conservation, make up a network that extends from Tongariro in the north to Rakiura/Stewart Island in the far south and preserves some of the most spectacular scenic and wilderness areas on earth. These are landscapes of extraordinary diversity, from the mystical lakes of Te Urewera to the glaciers and alpine peaks of Aoraki/Mount Cook, or the majestic depths of Fiordland, where even today there are remote tracts never trodden by humans. This guide book introduces each park in turn and gives an overview of its natural and human history, along with comprehensive visitor information including access to the parks, when to visit, safety considerations, and contact details for local tour operators and DoC visitor centres. It lists the recreational and sporting activities on offer, ranging from easy family tramps to world-class climbing and encompassing almost everything in between.