How to plan a trip to New Zealand — 15 travel tips for first-time visitors
Part of Aotearoa’s allure is its location at the bottom of the world — but this remoteness also makes it hard to plan a trip to New Zealand.
Where to begin? Let me help.
As an avid traveller, I know how confusing it feels to come to grips with visiting a foreign country.
As a New Zealander, I know New Zealand inside out, so I’m happy to share my thoughts on what you can expect, how to get around, when you need to book in advance, and generally how to make the most of your trip.
I’ve broken this down into the main things you need to consider when planning a visit to New Zealand, with my best tips for each topic at the bottom of each section.
jump ahead.
Tip #1 and a really important thing to note: Don’t forget your New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA)
Most travellers need either an NZeTA or a visa to travel to New Zealand. Make sure you check which one you need and give yourself plenty of time to apply for the NZeTA.
When is the best time to visit New Zealand?
The best time to travel to New Zealand is during the warm summer months from late January to early March. This is my favourite time to travel New Zealand as summer holidays are over and the crowds are gone, but the weather is still great.
Summer days are long and bright, making it the best time to visit beaches and go hiking. The temperature usually averages around 20 - 25˚C (68 - 77˚F), and sea temperatures are warmer too, with the water hovering around 20˚C in summer.
With more daylight hours, you can see and do more. It makes activities like camping easier when the sun sets at 8pm instead of 6pm.
Having said this, there is no bad time to visit New Zealand.
You can have a great visit at any time of year, as long as you are prepared with the right clothes and the right expectations.
One of my favourite South Island trips was in the middle of August, when I spent a day at Maruia Hot Springs watching snow clouds roll across the mountain tops, and then woke the next day to snow flurries in the moody mountain setting.
I also dream of seeing the hoar frosted landscapes around Tekapo in winter.
As a North Islander, winter landscapes magical for me — so the best time to visit depends on what you like or what you most want to see.
Tips on when to visit
2. Pack warm clothes at any time of year — it can get chilly overnight even in summer, and the South Island in particular is prone to cold spells. You’ll also need a warm layer for activities like jet boats or high altitude walks.
3. Summer is the busiest and most expensive time to visit. Winter is cheaper but shorter days make it harder to fit everything in.
How much time do you need in New Zealand?
New Zealand is relatively expensive and hard to get to, given its location at the bottom of the world.
That means you need longer than you might ordinarily take for a holiday.
10 days is roughly the minimum amount of time you need to see New Zealand’s highlights, while 2 weeks means you can see more of both islands and three weeks will let you travel at a more relaxed pace.
The ideal amount of time is two weeks, which gives you enough time to visit both the North and South Islands, seeing highlights like Hobbiton, Rotorua, Wellington, Lake Tekapo, Aoraki Mount Cook, and Queenstown.
I’ve been lucky enough to travel New Zealand for months at a time, but I know not everyone has that luxury.
If you only have a week, you can definitely still see some wonderful parts of New Zealand — just be prepared to leave wanting more.
Is 5 days in New Zealand enough?
It’s possible to visit New Zealand for five days if you choose one base. Staying in Queenstown or Auckland will give you the chance to go on plenty of awesome day trips, without spending most of your time travelling from one location from another.
From Auckland you could visit Waiheke Island, black sand beaches, island bird sanctuaries, and explore the city’s cuisine and nightlife.
From Queenstown, you could visit Milford Sound, Glenorchy, Central Otago vineyards, Cardrona, Wanaka and Arrowtown.
Is 10 days in New Zealand enough?
10 days in New Zealand is enough if you have a shorter international flight (from Asia or Australia).
If you’re travelling from further afield and have a long international flight, staying for two weeks gives you more time to adjust to the time difference, recover from your flight, and make the most of a once in a lifetime journey.
Tips on how much time you need
4. You itinerary is very personal — don’t let other people’s opinions of how much time you need, or how fast/slow you should go stress you out (in some Facebook groups you’ll see locals loudly telling people to ‘slow down’ and ‘do less’. Pack in as much or as little as you want.
5. Renting a car and self driving is the most efficient way of getting around, but tours can be less tiring if you want to cover a lot of ground.
Where to go in New Zealand to see the most in a short amount of time
If you only have a short amount of time in New Zealand, it’s a good idea to base yourself in one island, or even town, and focus on exploring that area.
Auckland
Auckland is a great base for exploring the North Island.
From Auckland you can explore the city and its surrounds, which include stunning black sand beaches and islands like Waiheke.
You can easily take day trips to beaches and nature reserves north of the city — Tawharanui is my go-to weekend destination, with great beaches, walks, and opportunities to spot rare birds.
You could also head to Rotorua for one or two nights, visiting Hobbiton on the way.
Queenstown
Queenstown is the ultimate adventure hub of New Zealand, and makes an excellent base for exploring some of the best activities the country has to offer.
In Queenstown, you could easily spend 5 nights to allow time for visiting Queenstown wineries, going on one of the epic hikes in the area, visiting Milford Sound, and going to Glenorchy for a day trip.
You could spend your entire trip in Queenstown and not get bored. Go bungy jumping, jet boating, horse riding along braided rivers, take a scenic flight to Milford Sound or tour Lord of the Rings filming locations — the options are endless.
Even outside of adventure, Queenstown has a lot to offer. The restaurants in Queenstown are world class, the nightlife is lively, and there are dozens of top notch vineyards within a short drive.
Nelson
Nelson is an awesome place to visit if you’re short on time. Although the town itself isn’t that impressive, the great thing about Nelson is that it’s close to three of New Zealand’s national parks.
From Nelson you can explore the golden bays of Abel Tasman National Park, the glassy lakes of Nelson Lakes National Park, and the dense forests of Kahurangi National Park.
The best way to get around New Zealand
New Zealand is a very car-centric nation. Most cities and towns are very spread out, and a lot of people live in rural or remote areas, so we’re pretty reliant on cars to get around.
You can travel New Zealand by public transport, but you’re going to be very limited in what you can see.
If you’re comfortable driving on the left side of the road, I recommend hiring a car to get around.
Another great way to get around is to rent a campervan. This is a more unique, adventurous way of travelling (and my personal favourite way of seeing New Zealand).
There are hundreds of epic campgrounds around New Zealand, so if you don’t mind roughing it a little bit, travelling in a camper is a great way to immerse yourself in wild places.
Distances and driving times
There is a lot to do in New Zealand and it’s tempting to cram in as much as possible, but it’s a good idea to give yourself some breathing room.
Driving times can take a lot more than Google Maps suggests, for example, as the roads can be narrow, steep or winding. You might also want to stop spontaneously to take in the views, or explore places on route.
Travelling from Christchurch to Queenstown, stopping at Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki, and Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, can take 3-4 days even though it’s only a 6-hour direct drive.
How much does it cost to travel New Zealand for two weeks?
Travelling New Zealand can cost anywhere between $100-$300NZD per day, depending on your travel style and interests.
It’s not cheap to travel in New Zealand, so this factors into how much time you can spend in the country.
If you’re on a shoestring and camping and cooking your own meals, extra time won’t add up to much and the average cost (taking into account your airfare) will come down the longer you stay.
If you’re staying in hotels, renting a car, and eating out, each extra day is going to ratchet up your budget.
Two weeks might cost you $2500-$3000 excluding flights — adding an extra week might cost another $2000-$3000.
How far in advance should you book your trip to New Zealand?
Booking in advance can help you optimise your time and means you can secure your spot for activities and tours you really want to do.
However, just bear in mind that the weather in New Zealand is notoriously changeable, so you might need some flexibility in your plans — activities like heli hikes are very weather dependent, for example.
Should you book hotels in advance?
How far in advance do you need to book rental cars and campervans in New Zealand?
If you plan on travelling New Zealand in a campervan over summer, it’s a good idea to book as far in advance as possible.
Between December and February, campervan rentals tend to book out completely, as this is the peak season for camping and adventure travel.
This is also the most expensive time to travel, so if you book earlier you will have more choice and might be able to find better rates. A last minute campervan booking in December or January will cost a lot.
There’s more flexibility with rental cars, because there are far more rental car providers. For most of the year, you can book just a couple of weeks in advance, but in summer it’s also a good idea to book at least a month in advance.
It’s unlikely that rental cars will be fully sold out over summer, but you will get much higher rates if you book last minute.
You might also not get the type of car you would prefer, and could end up driving something much larger (or smaller) than what you’re comfortable with.
Sometimes this works the other way around though, especially in off-season. If car rental companies want to sell more bookings, they might drop the rates last minute.
Do you need to book campsites in advance in New Zealand?
Outside of the peak summer months, December and January, you don’t need to book campsites in advance (with the exception of some in-demand locations like the campervan parks at Milford Sound Lodge).
Over the Christmas and New Year period, you will need to book very far in advance — as much as 6 months. This is because this is the time of year when New Zealanders go on their summer holidays, which they plan many months in advance.
Any beach front campgrounds are likely to be fully booked by October, or even earlier.
More off the beaten path campgrounds, or ones away from the beach, will be easier to book.
Buy a local SIM card
International roaming rates can be extortionate in New Zealand.
Stay online by buying a local SIM card — the cheapest option is Skinny. You can pick up a Skinny SIM card for $2 at the Auckland Airport or in most supermarkets.
Thanks for reading this far! I hope this has helped you start planning your visit to New Zealand.
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