2 Best Sights in Upper South Island and the West Coast, New Zealand

There are few places in the world where you can find a natural gas flame, but this is one. In an ancient forest setting near Murchison, there’s been one quietly glowing since the 1920s, and this tour company has sole access rights. The four-hour tour involves a short, scenic drive, education about local oil drilling and farming, a one-hour backcountry walk (you might get wet feet) through farmland and forest to the flames, and a hot brew and pikelets cooked up on the natural fire. Tour groups are restricted to ten people. Booking ahead is essential.

Ngati Waewae is the iwi (tribe) of this area, a subtribe of the South Island Ngai Tahu. The iwi owns and carves all the pounamu (greenstone) at this center. The artists will reveal how every stone has a story. If you buy a piece, they will give you its unique code, which you can use to trace the story of your stone on the center's website.