Auckland city tour and trip to New Zealand rain forest
August 29, 2011

Auckland in New Zealand is a pleasant and liveable city, where the skyscrapers are found together with nice green areas and huge mature trees. A tour to the rain forest near Auckland, offers the possibility to see rare species of giant ferns (black and silver fern) as well as the majestic kauri tree, a conifer now almost extinct.

(Click on a picture to see an enlarged version)

Auckland, the largest city of New Zealand, during a cold but clear winter day. The Auckland city tour begins near the harbor, where there is a nice view overlooking the city skyline.

Pictures of Auckland downtown, characterized by tall buildings.

Other Auckland pictures.

The War Memorial Museum in Auckland is one of the most important museums of New Zealand and is located near the downtown.

Auckland is a very lively city, with relaxing green areas and ample parks. In these photos, an old tree.

	Pictures of Domain Park in Auckland.

In New Zealand there are some of the oldest Araucaria excelsa tree that you can find on the planet.

Inside the park there is also a large greenhouse with flowers and orchids.

The tour to Auckland continues exploring the pristine forests just a few miles out of the city (Waitakere park) where there are also picturesque waterfalls.

The Kauri tree (Agathis australis) is a rare conifer featuring an extremely slow growth that, despite its known longevity (trees may exceed 1000 years of age), it has risked the extinction because of its prized wood. Now, fortunately, this tree is a protected species and cutting has been banned throughout the country.

Some species of gecko endemic to the New Zealand.

The forests around Auckland are known for the presence of very unusual ferns, that grows like palms. These are the black fern (the largest of all, with a characteristic spiral-shaped trunk) and the silver fern, the national symbol of New Zealand.

This day tour from Auckland continues with a visit to a large beach partially obscured by fog.

Piha beach pictures, a wide expanse of volcanic sand containing also lot of iron.

The particles of iron contained in the sand, are captured by this magnet.

	The endless Phia beach dominated in the distance by the Lion Rock.

The trip continues from a top of a hill, from where there is a beautiful view all over Auckland.

This day tour to Auckland rain forest ends with a further walk along a trail where there are many giant ferns with their characteristic spiral-shaped trunk.

Suddenly, I come across a huge Kauri probably more than one thousands years old, whose photos do not do justice to the diameter and height of the trunk.

The rain forest of New Zealand is very picturesque and has been used as the setting for many famous movies.

Finally, returning to Auckland in the late evening, I find the Sky Tower all lit up.

NEW ZEALAND PICTURES

° ° °

° ° °