Nature at its wildest and purest, vineyards that compete with the best in the world, intimate, rarified country lodges. New Zealand has a surprisingly rich supply of pleasures in two compact islands. But it’s the scenery that takes center stage: lush, green hillsides and expansive ranches dotted with millions of sheep; the jagged peaks of the South Island’s Southern Alps bordering glaciers and glassy lakes; geothermal hot springs and geysers rumbling near Rotorua in the North Island; wide swaths of powdery beaches on that island’s north and eastern coasts. Against this background, sports abound — heli-skiing and hiking, trout fishing, kayaking, sailing the waters and the vessels that were America’s Cup winners and golfing some of the top courses in the world.
