A land of towering snow-capped mountain ranges, aquamarine lakes, incredible national parks, bubbling mud pools, gushing geysers, majestic fjords, huge tree ferns, rugged coastlines and glittering glaciers, New Zealand's scenery is guaranteed to take your breath away. Deserving of a top spot on everyone's travel list, its landscapes almost need to be seen to be believed, and the memories of the country will stay with you long after you've left its shores. We spend the first part of our extensive tour on the North Island, meandering from Auckland to Rotorua (be prepared for the sulphuric smell!), New Plymouth and Wellington before crossing the Cook Strait to the South Island, where we are welcomed by the otherworldly panoramas of Marlborough Sounds. Continuing our journey, we also discover Blenheim, the Waipara Valley wine district, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown, with an optional trip to the spectacular Milford Sound. In addition to viewing some of the incredible natural wonders along the way, we take a close look at the flora of the country at its peak springtime beauty, both in its natural habitat and in a cross-section of some of the many wonderful private and public gardens with which Aotearoa is blessed. We see how there are parts of New Zealand that are hugely evocative of Scotland, thanks to the awe-inspiring scenery, familiar place names and various plants which were imported by the early settlers to make them feel more at home. Millions of years before, the native flora evolved in isolation here, after the land split from the supercontinent of Gondwanaland – meaning of the country’s 2,000 or so flowering plants, around 75% are only found in New Zealand. Among the species we can expect to see are Raoulias (Vegetable sheep) and Celmisias, Ranunculus lyalli (Mount Cook Lily), Aciphyllas (Wild Spaniards), Bulbinellas, Chionohebes and Hebes; New Zealand Beech and Tree Ferns, as well as the many non-native plants which gardeners here like to grow alongside the native bush. A tour of a lifetime, look forward to uncovering stunning flowers, spotting unique wildlife, immersing yourself in Maori culture and sampling some of the best wine in the world.