New Zealand is spectacular from every angle, but the view from above offers a particularly unique perspective.
Here are 10 aerial shots capturing some of the country’s vivid colours and otherworldly natural wonders.
And the bluer-than-blue river above? We’ll let you know where this is at the end…
In Whakarewarewa Forest, on the edge of Rotorua, giant Black Tree Ferns grow amongst even taller Californian Redwoods, the latter planted in the early 1900s as part of a trial to find good species for timber production.
These towering conifers can be admired from ground level along the network of hiking and cycling trails that weave through the forest, or from 20 meters high on the Redwoods Treewalk, a 700 metre long series of 28 suspensions bridges.
See the Whakarewarewa Forest for yourself… on a 14 day self drive: New Zealand Grand Tour
Something arty next. This is the new viewing platform that stretches from Marine Parade over Napier’s black-sand beach to touch the Pacific Ocean (the beach’s colour coming from eroded lava, basalt and other volcanic material).
The town itself is known for its Art-Deco architecture and annual Vintage Car Parade, the next being held on 21st February 2026. Surrounded by vineyards, Napier also boasts a great choice of trendy wine bars and award-winning eateries.
See Napier for yourself… on this 12 day suggested itinerary: North Island by Motorhome
In an ancient caldera, in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, sits Lake Taupō, Australasia’s largest freshwater lake. It is both fed and drained by the Waikato River which, just north of the town of Taupō, makes its way over Huka Falls with thundering force.
At peak flow, over 220,000 litres of water is squeezed through a 15 metre wide hard volcanic canyon every second. You can cross the footbridge to get up close, or take a jet boat ride for an even more thrilling experience.
See Huka Falls for yourself… on a 17 day escorted tour: Kia Ora New Zealand
Rising in the Southern Alps, and fed by snow melt and glacial run off, the Waimakariri River flows for 151 kilometres, out across the Canterbury Plains towards the Pacific Ocean.
An intriguing sight at ground level, its ever-shifting gravel ‘braids’ look like an abstract artwork from above. The water’s turquoise hue is caused by extremely fine glacial sediment called rock flour scattering the blue light waves.
See the Waimakariri River for yourself… on this 12 day suggested itinerary: South Island by Motorhome
You’d be excused for thinking this photo is of The Seychelles! This beautiful beach is in fact on Ulva Island, an uninhabited islet accessible by boat from Stewart Island, itself a ferry ride from New Zealand’s South Island.
Thanks to conservation efforts, Ulva is a sanctuary for wildlife, and one of the best places to see kiwi, saddleback and yellowhead in the wild, often at close quarters. Yellow-eyed penguins also come to the island to breed.
See Stewart Island for yourself… on a 21 escorted tour: Spirit of New Zealand
However tempting, do not dip your toe in! The temperature of the ‘water’ in Champagne Pool, in the Waiotapu geothermal area of New Zealand’s North Island, hovers between 73 and 75°C (whilst the deeper geothermal waters below are a toasty 260°C). The colourful hot spring is around 65 metres in diameter, and reaches 62 metres deep.
Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland is around a 20 minute drive south of Rotorua. The park has three walkways you can follow that pass steaming ground, bubbling mud and sinter terrace formations. Arrive before 10:15 to see Lady Knox Geyser erupt, shooting boiling water and steam 20 metres into the air.
See Rotorua for yourself… on a 6 day self drive: Touring the North
Geology lesson incoming! 7 million years ago, when sea levels were higher, the Aorangi Range, on New Zealand’s North Island, were an island themselves. As the mountains eroded, gravel and scree were washed towards the coast, where they formed a sedimentary layer.
Fast forward to the last 120,000 years, and the seemingly innocuous Pūtangirua Stream has exposed this ancient sediment to rain and floodwater, which in turn have washed away the softer gravel, leaving a landscape of otherworldly ‘hoodoos’, that naturally caught the eye of the Lord of the Rings filmakers.
See the Pūtangirua Pinnacles for yourself… on an 18 day self drive: In Search of Middle Earth
Believe it or not, these are dusky dolphins. In a pod 300-strong, they were spotted on a scenic helicopter flight from the village of Kaikōura, on the north-eastern coast of New Zealand’s South Island. Year-round, sperm whales can be spotted relatively close to shore, and between June and August, migrating humpbacks.
The local scenery itself is nothing short of spectacular, with the village sitting between the rugged Seaward Kaikōura Range and the Pacific Ocean. You can soak it in from above, or from the large windows of the Coastal Pacific train, which connects Christchurch to the Interislander ferry terminal in Picton.
See Kaikōura for yourself… on a 13 day self drive: Spectacular New Zealand
7 km southwest of Dunedin, on New Zealand’s South Island, Tunnel Beach tells a tale of Victorian ingenuity. In the 1870s, local politician John Cargill, commissioned a hand-carved tunnel, through metres of solid rock, to reach a sheltered beach and create a private sanctuary for his family.
Today, the tunnel and beach are open to all, so you too can enjoy the golden sands, wild Otago waters and dramatic rock formations that enthralled the Cargills. Rough-hewn and still showing chisel marks from its creation, the tunnel originally featured a simple slope before concrete steps were later added for safety.
See Tunnel Beach for yourself… on a 17 day self drive: Gardens of New Zealand
And lastly, jumping back to the start.
This is the Rakaia Gorge Bridge, crossing the unbelievably blue Rakaia River in Canterbury, on the South Island, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Christchurch.
Just upstream is the trailhead for the 10.4 km Rakaia Gorge Walkway, that emerges out of the forest to follow a gorse-lined ferryman’s track and glacial and river-carved terraces, to an amazing lookout point.
If you would like to see this incredible land for yourself browse FREEDOM’s New Zealand holiday ideas.
For a few more perspective altering images, check out our other blogs, The World from Above and Australia from Above.
