Welcome to New Zealand Get ready for mammoth national parks, dynamic Māori culture, and world-class surfing and skiing. New Zealand can be mellow or action-packed, but it’s always epic. Filling in the gaps are the sublime forests, mountains, lakes, beaches, and […]
Welcome to New Zealand
Get ready for mammoth national parks, dynamic Māori culture, and world-class surfing and skiing. New Zealand can be mellow or action-packed, but it’s always epic. Filling in the gaps are the sublime forests, mountains, lakes, beaches, and fiords that have made New Zealand one of the best-hiking destinations on the planet
Kaikoura
Bay Of Islands
The Bay of Islands is a subtropical micro-region known for its stunning beauty & history. For those that love beaches and water activities, it’s paradise. Nature lovers who leave the North Island without stopping off at the Bay of Islands will kick themselves all the way back home. This outdoorsman’s paradise features ample time hiking the nature trails and makes the most of all that water with plenty of opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and sailing.
Rotorua
The geothermal city of Rotorua is a magnet for travelers, who come to discover volcanic phenomena and learn about New Zealand’s Maori culture. Rotorua is part of the Volcanic Zone, a geothermal field extending from White Island off the Bay of Plenty coast to Mount Ruapehu in the central North Island.
Fiordland National Park
Fiordland National park, a truly stunning landscape that surrounds you with mountains, lakes, and wilderness on the west coast of the South Island. One of the southern hemispheres’ great wilderness regions and has achieved World Heritage Status for its stunning natural features, exceptional beauty and role in demonstrating the earth’s evolutionary history. Home to Mitre Peak, the stunning fiords of Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, the beautiful lakeside towns of Te Anau and Manapouri and the Kepler, Milford and Routeburn Tracks. Fiordland is known as the sightseeing and walking capital of the world.
When to go and weather
High Season (Dec–Feb)
- Summer brings busy beaches, gorgeous tramping weather, festivals, and sporting events.
- Accommodation prices rise in most destinations – book ahead.
- The high season in ski towns is winter (June to August).
Shoulder (Mar-Apr)
- Prime traveling time: fine weather, autumn colors, warm(ish) ocean and long evenings.
- Queues are shorter and popular road-trip routes are clear, particularly after Easter.
- Spring (September to November) means the end of snow season as well as cute lambs.
Low Season (May–Aug)
- Brilliant southern-hemisphere skiing and snowboarding from mid-June.
- Outside ski resorts, get accommodation deals and a seat in any restaurant.
- Warm-weather beach towns are maybe half asleep so reserve accommodation ahead.
Sample Itinerary – 10 Days
North & South
From the top of the north to halfway down the south, here’s a quick-fire taste of New Zealand’s best. Kick things off in Auckland, it’s NZ’s biggest city, with amazing restaurants and bars, galleries, boutiques, and beaches. Trek a few hours north to the salt-licked Bay of Islands for a couple of days. Set your bearings southwards to Rotorua, a unique geothermal hotspot: geysers, mud pools, volcanic vents, and Māori culture make for an experience that fires all the senses. Further south, invigorating Taupo has the ragged craters and Emerald Lakes of Tongariro National Park nearby. Get into some tramping, mountain biking or skydiving, then boot it down to Wellington, a hip little city with an irrepressible arts scene. Across Cook Strait, see what all the fuss is about in the world-famous Marlborough Wine Region. If you’re not a wine fan, the hypnotically hushed inlets, ranges, and waterways of the Marlborough Sounds are nearby. Swinging further south, cruise into Christchurch to enjoy southern hospitality in a city of rapid reinvention.
Fast Facts
Capital: Wellington
Currency: New Zealand Dollar
Language: English
Recommendations: Napier, Bay Of Island, Rotoura, Fiordland