Today's Question What's the best volcano to hike up in North America? answer How can I plan a trip around riding the biggest, fastest roller coasters? answer 
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Destinations: New Zealand Godzone Quest (cont.) Access & Resources GETTING THERE: Fly round-trip on Air New Zealand (800-369-6867, www.airnewzealand.com/usa) direct from Los Angeles—and, starting this summer, from San Francisco—to Auckland for about US$1,600. Starting in November, hop on the first-ever nonstop flight from L.A. to Christchurch (round-trip, US$1,650). PRIME TIME: During the autumn month of May, international visitor arrivals were up 29 percent over last year, so book well in advance for high-season travel between December and February, when summer temperatures typically reach 80 degrees.
LUXURY LODGING: Huka Lodge, Taupo, North Island // Just upstream from majestic Huka Falls, this well-established lodge offers 20 elegant suites on the Waikato River. Dine in select spots on the 17-acre grounds, from the orchard to the wine cellar. Standard suites start at US$545 per night, double occupancy, including breakfast and a five-course dinner (011-647-378-5791, www.hukalodge.com). Treetops lodge, Rotorua, North Island // Surrounded by 1,700 acres of 800-year-old virgin forest, this playground has seven streams, four lakes, and 47 miles of hiking trails right outside your suite or villa. From US$1,027 per night for two, including meals and some activities (011-647-333-2066, www.treetops.co.nz). Fiordland Lodge, Lake Te Anau, South Island // Set in a World Heritage area overlooking the lake, Fiordland offers ten guest rooms and two private cabins. Double-occupancy rates range from US$139 to US$620 per night, including breakfast (011-643-249-7832, www.fiordlandlodge.co.nz). Blanket Bay, Lake Wakatipu, South Island // With its own jetty and rocky lakeshore beach, this resort accesses 65,000 acres of Glenorchy high country. Rates for its five guest rooms, three suites, and two chalets start at US$810 per night, including breakfast, dinner, and cocktails (011-643-442-9442, www.blanketbay.com). EXPLORING: Sail the North Island // Site of former America's Cup races, the North Island has no shortage of navigable waters. Charter a bareboat or captained sailboat in the Bay of Islands or the Bay of Plenty with Pacific Charters (011-649-575-5158, www.pacificcharters.co.nz). Lord of the Rings Tours // Fly over locations like Mount Olympus and Harwoods Hole in a quiet, visibility-enhanced Eurocopter with Tasman Helicopters (011-643-528-8075, www.tasmanhelicopters.co.nz). Or plan a road trip with The Lord of the Rings: A Location Guidebook, by Ian Brodie (US$16, HarperCollins Australia). Discover Maori Culture // Immerse yourself in legends of the North Island's volcanoes, or in more typical New Zealand adventure like blackwater rafting in Waitomo, with Maori Journeys (011-646-751-3242, www.maorijourneys.com). Hike the Milford Track // Trek 33 glorious miles through the heart of Fiordland National Park, from Glade Wharf to Milford Sound, staying in huts along the way (011-643-249-8514, www.doc.govt.nz/explore). Sea-Kayak Fiordland National Park // Paddle pristine fjords on the western shore of New Zealand's largest national park with Fiordland Wilderness Experiences (011-643-249-7700, www.fiordlandseakayak.co.nz). Tour the Marlborough Wine Region // Seventy-four wineries dot the Wairau and Awatere river valleys, the South Island's sunniest region (Marlborough visitor center, 011-643-577-8080, www.destinationmarlborough.com). Bungee-Jump in Queenstown // The Kawarau Bungy Centre, located on Queenstown's historic Kawarau Bridge, officially opened this year as the world's first commercial bungee center. Experience a simulated jump, watch the real thing, or, for US$82, take the plunge from the 141-foot bridge (AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand, 011-643-442-4007, www.ajhackett.com). Mountaineer in Mount Cook National Park // Alpine Guides Fox Glacier leads heli-hiking, mountaineering, and ski trips on massive Fox Glacier (011-643-751-0825, www.foxguides.co.nz). For the alpine veteran, Alpinism and Ski, in Wanaka, will guide you up the country's highest peak, 12,349-foot Mount Cook (011-643-443-6593, www.alpinismski.co.nz). Sea-Kayak the Abel Tasman Coast // Glide through the turquoise waters off Abel Tasman National Park while exploring a dozen golden beaches and 19 miles of coastal forest (Ocean River Sea Kayaking Company, 011-643-527-8266, www.seakayaking.co.nz). OUTFITTERS: Butterfield & Robinson will offer three new biking and walking tours in 2005 (800-678-1147, www.butterfield.com). The Great Escape customizes Range Rover adventures that include activities like mountain biking (011-643-322-5265, www.thegreatescape.co.nz). Active New Zealand, in Queenstown, specializes in customized multiple-activity trips (800-661-9073, www.activenewzealand.com). The New Zealand Kayak School, in Murchison, offers custom trips and courses on 14 whitewater runs (011-643-523-9611, www.nzkayakschool.com). RESOURCES: Tourism New Zealand, www.newzealand.com/travel. —Sally Schumaier
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