New Zealand has once again been named one of the best countries in the world to visit.
Travel guide Lonely Planet has listed Aotearoa at number five in its list of the Top 10 countries to visit in its Best in Travel 2018 edition.
The guide highlighted New Zealand’s tramping tracks as a key reason for it being listed in the top 10.
“Twenty-five years ago, long before it was retrofitted to resemble Middle-earth, New Zealand began actively attracting adventure-seekers,” Lonely Planet explains. “A sweet suite of trails, the Great Walks, encouraged exploration of the country’s exquisite topography, taking tramping travellers through some of the world’s most extraordinary wilderness.”
“In 2018 for the first time since the nine-track network was launched, a new Great Walk will be under construction: the Paparoa Track which will include the Pike29 Memorial Track. This 55km route, which commemorates 29 miners killed in 2010, wends between Blackball and Punakaiki on the South Island’s West Coast, passing through Paparoa National Park, and will offer hikers and mountain bikers a sensational experience.”
Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Countries 2018
Chile
South Korea
Portugal
Djibouti
New Zealand
Malta
Georgia
Mauritius
China
South Africa