Short answer: New Zealand has three World Heritage sites: Tongariro National Park, Te Wāhipounamu in the south-west of the South Island, and the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands. Explera DMC New Zealand plans group visits to Tongariro and Te Wāhipounamu. On 7 October 2026 DOC named nine candidates for a revised Tentative List; they are not World Heritage sites.
Clients and their customers respond to the World Heritage name, and two of the three sites sit on the routes most groups already travel. The point for agents is to use the label accurately.
The three listed sites
- Tongariro National Park. Dual World Heritage status for its natural and cultural values. The mountains are sacred to Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and visitors are asked not to touch or enter the waterways. See our Tongariro Alpine Crossing guide.
- Te Wāhipounamu – South West New Zealand. A single World Heritage Area covering Fiordland, Mount Aspiring, Aoraki / Mount Cook and Westland Tai Poutini national parks. It includes Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, the glaciers and the Hooker Valley.
- New Zealand Subantarctic Islands. Remote islands far south of the mainland, reached on expedition cruises with tightly controlled landings. They are a specialist product, not a stop on a touring programme.
Selling Te Wāhipounamu on one programme
Because Te Wāhipounamu spans four national parks, a classic South Island route can cross World Heritage land on several days: the glaciers on the West Coast, Aoraki / Mount Cook, then Fiordland. Our guides to Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound and the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers cover the logistics, and our Hooker Valley Track guide covers Aoraki / Mount Cook.
The 2026 Tentative List
DOC announced nine sites for New Zealand's revised Tentative List on 7 October 2026, including the Waitangi Treaty Grounds/Te Pitowhenua and Te Tii Marae, Ngā Tapuwae o Mataaho in the Auckland Volcanic Fields, Te Hauturu o Toi/Little Barrier Island and the Kermadec Islands and Marine Reserve. DOC will submit the list to UNESCO, and successful applicants are well placed to prepare a full nomination within the next ten years.
Some of these places already feature in programmes, such as Waitangi on a Bay of Islands extension. Describe them as "on New Zealand's Tentative List", never as World Heritage sites.
How Explera DMC New Zealand can help
We route groups through the World Heritage areas within group tours, cruises and water experiences and great walks and guided walking. See our national parks overview.
FAQ
How many World Heritage sites does New Zealand have? Three: Tongariro National Park, Te Wāhipounamu – South West New Zealand, and the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands.
Which parks make up Te Wāhipounamu? Fiordland, Mount Aspiring, Aoraki / Mount Cook and Westland Tai Poutini national parks.
Are the Tentative List sites World Heritage sites? No. DOC announced them on 7 October 2026 as candidates; describe them as on New Zealand's Tentative List.
Can groups visit the Subantarctic Islands? Only on expedition cruises with tightly controlled landings, so we treat them as specialist product.
Sources
- Potential World Heritage sites announced, Department of Conservation
Talk to the trade desk
Explera DMC New Zealand trade desk — b2b@explera.co.nz, WhatsApp +66 93 656 8090, B2B portal b2b.expleradmc.com.
