There are so many things to see everywhere all around New Zealand. And there is just so little time to see everything. This is a list to tell you the main interesting highlights along the 8 National Highways.
It is not possible to cover all the major attractions along all the highways, as some of them are relatively short with not much scenic views unless you consider paddock, cow and sheep as scenery.
State Highway 1 – Desert Road
The Rangipo Desert is not an actual desert, but it looks like one. The vegetation is minimal and in shades of yellow and brown. The lack of greenery is due to the harsh alpine conditions, poor soil quality and drying winds.
A large portion of Rangipo Desert is 1,000 metres above sea level, with ground frosts for about 270 days annually, and heavy snowfalls. Hence, Desert Road is frequently closed off during winter.
Along this road, you get a fantastic view of the 3 volcano peaks – Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. Do you know that the Black Gate of Mordor scenes were shot in this Rangipo Desert in year 2000?
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