newer in New Zealand, december 2010

Hello Olivier and welcome. If you are planning to visit the South Island in early December before the North Island then bring some good wet weather clothing with you. The last few years have had quite wet weather at this time of the year. The Milford track is located in some very beutiful scenery but it maynot be the best place to see wildlife. Native New Zealand animals tend to be wary of humans, and the Milford has alot of people on it every day. Any of the 3 Great Walk tracks near Te Anau (the Milford, the Routeburn, and the Kepler) are all very scenic and good tracks for those new to New Zealand and who have limited time here. There are buses that run from Te Anau to many of the tracks in Fiordland including the Milford. Tracknet (www.tracknet.co.nz) is one such company I have used and found them excellent. They also run buses from Queenstown to tracks near there. If you find yourself near Wanaka or heading over to the West Coast then Atomic Shuttles (http://www.atomictravel.co.nz/) is a bus company that is very happy to drop trampers off at tracks along the main road (not all bus companies will do that). If you wish to see real New Zealand rainforest I would suggest something on the West Coast of the South Island (I am not familiar with tracks there however), or something further South in Fiordland such as the Dusky track. The Dusky is considerably harder to hike then the Great Walks however and you would need to be fit and be well equiped. The rainforest is very scenic though. If you wish to experience what the New Zealand forrest used to be like before humans came I reccomend a trip to Stewart Island to vist Ulva Island. Every person who I have spoken to who has been there raves about the birdlife on Ulva Island. Im not very familiar with Wellington but Karori Wildlife Sanctuary (http://www.sanctuary.org.nz) is supposed to be very good for New Zealand wildlife. Maybe someone else can suggest things in Wellington? Good luck with planning for your trip. Ian.