new zealand
Best Time to Travel:
New Zealand’s busy ‘high season' is summer, while the quieter ‘shoulder seasons’ are spring and autumn. Winter in New Zealand can be busy or quiet depending on where you go – ski areas like Queenstown and Wanaka on the South Island and the Central Plateau on the North Island are always buzzing in the depths of winter, whereas coastal areas and big cities like Auckland and Wellington are less crowded. Traveling in the shoulder seasons can be a good idea as you’ll often find more availability and better rates on accommodation and activities.
Suggested Itineraries:
A good place to fly into is Aukland. Held in the embrace of two harbors and built on the remnants of long-extinct volcanoes, Auckland isn’t your average metropolis. It’s regularly rated one of the world’s most liveable cities, blessed with good beaches, wine regions, fantastic museums, and a thriving dining, drinking, and live-music scene, not to mention sub-tropical weather. However, it’s the rich culture of this ethnically diverse place that makes Auckland stand out on the global stage.
Head to Stewart Island for some bird watching. Birdwatching, kayaking, tramping, and cycling are some of the ways you can explore New Zealand’s third island, one where only 400 people live and 85% of the land is protected by Rakiura National Park. It’s also your best opportunity to view kiwis in the wild. Seeing these small indigenous birds while walking along the beach in the dark under the dazzling Milky Way is an experience to be savored. If you’re lucky, you might even glimpse the Southern Lights.
Or get a glimpse of the country from a train seat that takes you on a scenic journey through mountains and beautiful landscapes. Among the world’s most scenic train journeys, the TranzAlpine cuts clear across New Zealand from the Pacific Ocean to the Tasman Sea in less than five hours. Yes, there’s a vast mountain range along the way – that’s the scenic part. Leaving the Canterbury Plains, a cavalcade of tunnels and viaducts climb up the Southern Alps to Arthur’s Pass, where the 8.5km (5-mile) Otira tunnel burrows through the bedrock of NZ’s alpine spine. Then it’s down the other side to Greymouth... a jumping-off point to adventures aplenty.
If you are in New Zealand from June through July, go whale watching in Kaikoura. First settled by Maōri, who demonstrated their taste for seafood by naming it Kaikōura (meaning "to eat crayfish"), this is NZ’s best spot for both consuming and communing with marine life. Feast on crayfish, go on a fishing excursion, or take a boat tour or flight to see whales, dolphins, seals, and marine birds.
Extensions:
Umbrella
Layers
Sunscreen
Rain jacket
Water bottle
Comfortable walking shoes