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. Auckland airport is served by many flight every day from most cities in Oceania and from all over the world.

Auckland
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.
Auckland - New Zealand Auckland Sky Tower
Pictures of Auckland downtown, characterized by tall buildings.
Auckland marina Auckland port
Auckland NZ Auckland downtown
Other Auckland pictures.
Auckland War Memorial Museum NZ
The War Memorial Museum in Auckland is one of the most important museums of New Zealand and is located near the downtown.
Old tree
Auckland is a very lively city, with relaxing green areas and ample parks. In these photos, an old tree.
Auckland Domain Park Domain Park Auckland



Pictures of Domain Park in Auckland.
Araucaria tree
In New Zealand there are some of the oldest Araucaria excelsa tree that you can find on the planet.
Greenhouse Flowers
Inside the park there is also a large greenhouse with flowers and orchids.
New Zealand waterfall
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.
Kauri tree Agathis australis
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.
New Zealand geko Geko
Some species of gecko endemic to the New Zealand.
Fern tree
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.
Giant fern
New Zealand
This day tour from Auckland continues with a visit to a large beach partially obscured by fog.
Karekare beach New Zealand beach
Piha beach pictures, a wide expanse of volcanic sand containing also lot of iron.
Iron sand
The particles of iron contained in the sand, are captured by this magnet.
Fog on the beach



The endless Phia beach dominated in the distance by the Lion Rock.
Auckland
The trip continues from a top of a hill, from where there is a beautiful view all over Auckland.
Black ferns Ferns
Black fern


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.






Kauri
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.
Kauri log
New Zealand rain forest
The rain forest of New Zealand is very picturesque and has been used as the setting for many famous movies.
Rain forest in New Zealand
Auckland at night
Finally, returning to Auckland in the late evening, I find the Sky Tower all lit up.

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