A Complete Guide to Planning Your Dream New Zealand Adventure
New Zealand is a bucket list destination for so many hikers – lush rainforests, turquoise alpine lakes, stunning coastlines, active volcanoes, vast glaciers, and rolling hills. The landscapes are all unique, beautiful, and untouched. If you are a hiker or adventure seeker, I’d highly recommend adding it to your list.
There’s so much to see on both islands that I’d recommend spending at least one month exploring. I chose to spend 1 week on the North Island and 3 weeks on the South Island. It was the BEST decision for that time frame. For a breakdown of my itineraries, check out my North Island and my South Island itineraries.
In this blog post, I discuss everything you need to know when planning your dream trip to New Zealand.
Jump Ahead:
Best Time to Visit
New Zealand is located in the Southern Hemisphere so the seasons are opposite from countries in the Northern Hemisphere. I visited in January and the weather was perfect, but the trails were crowded. I’d recommend visiting November to February for best hiking conditions.
Summer (December to February): The most ideal temperatures for hiking and outdoor activities, but the most expensive time to visit. Lots of crowds.
Fall (March to May): Comfortable hiking temperatures but shorter days and colder nights. Less crowds and cheaper prices.
Winter (June to August): Perfect time to visit for winter hiking, skiing, or snowboarding. This is the cheapest and least crowded time to visit.
Spring (September to November): Days are getting longer again and temperatures are starting to rise. It’s a good time for hiking but snow will still be on trails. It’s also lupin season which brings in more crowds.
It’s important to note that weather is very unpredictable in New Zealand. No matter what season, expect random rain showers or weather.
Visa Requirements
The visa requirements for New Zealand vary depending on what country you are from. Citizens of many countries including the United States, Australia, and the European Union can visit New Zealand for up to 3 months with a NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority). A NZeTA costs 17 NZD and is valid for 2 years. You can request one here and they take up to 72 hours to process.
If you’re looking to stay in New Zealand for longer, you might be eligible for a working holiday visa. These visas are available for 18 to 30 year olds from certain countries. The application costs 455 NZD.
Renting a Vehicle
The best way to explore New Zealand is to road trip. There are three main options I’d recommend for rentals: campervan, camp-car, or large SUV.
1. Campervan
A campervan (1-4 people) is the most ideal, especially if you can score a “self-contained” campervan. This will give you the freedom to camp anywhere (“freedom camping”) and not have to pay for campsites. I highly recommend Mad Campers for rentals.
Peak season (Dec-Feb): $100-150/day
Low Season (June-Aug): $60-100/day
Pros: comfortable, lots of space, kitchen, portable toilet, freedom camping
Cons: expensive, must book months in advance, more difficult to drive
2. Camp-Car
A camp car (1-2 people) is a basic campervan that’s typically a small van or a car with a fold out bed. They are not “self-contained” vehicles.
Peak season (Dec-Feb): $80-130/day
Low Season (June-Aug): $40-80/day
Pros: easy to drive, inexpensive,
Cons: small space, limited storage, uncomfortable to live in, no freedom camping
3. Large SUV (Mitsubishi Outlander or similar)
A large SUV is a great choice if there are no campervans available or if they are too expensive. When I arrived in New Zealand during peak season, there were no campervans left. I opted for an SUV and it worked out well, especially since I was solo.
Peak season (Dec-Feb): $80-130/day
Low Season (June-Aug): $40-80/day
Pros: easy to drive, inexpensive, better option if you plan to do any backpacking/hut trips
Cons: must have car or tent camping gear, small space, uncomfortable, no freedom camping
Camping
I highly recommend downloading CamperMate to find all of your campsites. It’s available offline which is ideal since there is limited phone service and WiFi in most places. If you don’t have a self-contained vehicle, you can filter out “freedom camping”. Freedom camping locations are all free but you must be in a self-contained vehicle. Most other camping locations require a fee. DOC campgrounds are normally less expensive but have fewer amenities. Holiday parks are more expensive but have all the amenities you could want (bathrooms, showers, laundry, kitchen, WiFi, etc.). Kiwi camps are somewhere in between the two. I chose to stay in Kiwi camps or holiday parks whenever I was desperate for a shower and laundry.
Backcountry Huts & Reservations
New Zealand backpacking is unique as it has an extensive backcountry hut system. These huts allow you to do overnight trips without actually tent camping. However, the huts are managed by the Department of Conversation and most of the time require a reservation. The huts vary in size depending on their location, but most of them have bunk beds with mattresses provided, a cooking area, a wood-burning stove, and pit toilets.
The “Great Walks” (10 famous overnight hikes in New Zealand) are normally the hardest to secure a hut reservation, especially during peak months. They must be booked online and normally are booked out months in advance. The bookings for Great Walk huts opens in mid-June for the following year.
If you plan to visit a backcountry hut that isn’t on a Great Walk, you have two options for reservations:
Backcountry hut pass – 6 or 12 month pass that will ultimately save you a lot of money if you plan to stay a long time or take a lot of backcountry trips.
Individual backcountry reservation — if the hut requires a reservation, you can book it online starting in mid-June the following year. There are many backcountry huts that do not require a reservation but are first-come, first-served.
If you last minute decide to go on a hut adventure and everything is booked out, keep checking the website! There are cancellations all the time. I was able to book some backcountry huts last minute.
Packing List
No matter what time of year you visit, you’ll want warm clothes and wet weather gear. New Zealand has very unpredictable and chilly weather even in the summer.
If you plan to go hiking or backpacking, check out my complete backpacking gear list. Some additional items you don’t want to forget:
Patagonia black hole duffel 70L — a safe way to carry all of your gear while traveling.
Day pack for shorter hikes and a backpacking pack for overnight trips. Make sure to bring a rain cover if your backpack isn’t waterproof.
Lightweight sleeping bag — necessary if you plan to do any camping, including backcountry huts.
Tent and sleeping pad — necessary if you plan to do any camping, not including backcountry huts.
Trekking poles — the terrain in New Zealand is difficult for hiking. You’ll be happy to have poles, especially ones that collapse so that they’re easier to travel with.
Hiking shoes! Of course!
GORTEX rain jacket — don’t forget it. You’ll need one no matter what season you visit.
Synthetic insulated jacket — a warm jacket is necessary for the Southern Alps. I’d recommend a synthetic jacket so that it keeps you warm even if it gets wet.
Quick Dry towel — holiday parks and campgrounds don’t provide towels for showers.
Water Filter — some areas you don’t necessarily need to filter your water but I do it anyways when I travel.
Dry bag for electronics — keep everything safe from water damage!
Bug Spray (lots of it!) — make sure it protects against sand flies as well.
Other Important Information & Tips
1. Customs check is very strict
New Zealand has the strictest customs check that I’ve ever encountered, especially for outdoor gear. Make sure to declare all of your gear, and clean it well before arrival. They inspected every inch of my tent, hiking shoes, trekking poles, etc.
2. Driving is on the left side of the road
It takes some time to get use to but you’ll get the hang of it. The hardest part for me was adjusting to the turn signal on the opposite side of the steering wheel.
3. Internet access is limited
The phone service in New Zealand isn’t too reliable. I’d highly recommend downloading maps offline for driving and hiking. The best WiFi that I found was at Holiday Parks.
4. “Tramping” is the New Zealand term for backpacking
If you plan to head out on a backpacking or hut trip, you’re actually going tramping.
5. Weather is very unpredictable
I visited New Zealand in the summer and experienced a huge mix of weather - rain, snow, wind, and sunshine. It can change within minutes and varies from town to town. Make sure you are prepared for anything!
6. Driving takes way longer than Google Maps says
The roads in New Zealand are very windy and most of the time one lane — road trips always take longer than it says. There are also many un-paved backcountry roads that you must drive slower on.
7. Sand flies are REALLY bad
Before visiting New Zealand, everyone told me to be prepared for the sand flies. I didn’t realize how bad they actually were. Always wear bug spray on your feet and legs (they like these areas most), and carry anti-itch cream everywhere you go.
8. Hikes are steep
A mile in New Zealand takes about double the time as a mile elsewhere. I used AllTrails for all hiking trails in New Zealand. It was nice to download the trails offline and see how long it should take. You can use code juliet30 for 30% an AllTrails+ yearly subscription.
9. Tipping isn’t necessary
It’s not expected to tip in New Zealand. Some restaurants will add a service charge to your bill but otherwise you don’t need to add anything extra.
10. Hitchhiking is legal
It’s legal and such a great way to get around if you need it. I hitchhiked to get from one end of a hike to another and easily got a ride!
11. National Parks are free
Unlike the US, all National Parks are free to explore!
12. Sheep are literally everywhere
You will see them on hikes, in towns, on the roads, and everywhere else. There are more sheep in New Zealand than humans.
13. Beware of Kea birds
Kea birds are alpine parrots that you’ll be sure to see in the mountains of New Zealand. They are very smart and can be very problematic. I heard many stories of tents and other gear getting destroyed from them.
New Zealand is filled with breathtaking landscapes, diverse trails, and an incredible culture. Whether you’re a beginner hiker or an experienced mountaineer, it’s the perfect adventure destination for anyone. I hope this blog post helps you plan your trip of a lifetime. If you have any questions or would like to share how your trip goes, send me a comment!