The ultimate New Zealand travel guide

Our guide on travelling to New Zealand

Travelling to New Zealand should be on everyone’s bucket list. With pristine beaches, snowy mountains, dense forests and vibrant cities, New Zealand is the travel adventurer’s delight. Rugged coasts, plunging fiords, towering mountains and geothermal marvels - it’s little wonder that travelling to New Zealand is widely thought of as one of the top destinations for beautiful scenery and adventures. The dramatic landscapes stretch across the North and South Islands, and while each has its own unique flavour, the spectacular scenery spans both. Keep scrolling for our New Zealand travel guide, including where to go and how to get around.

Why visit New Zealand?

New Zealand is a hop, skip and a jump from Australia, and caters to any type of holiday, be it road-tripping, bike riding, cruise lining or hiking. With no language barriers and a relaxed, down-to-earth vibe, it’s a delight to explore.

Whether you’re travelling to New Zealand for the adrenaline-fuelled activities of Queenstown, all set for a ski adventure, kicking back on the shores of Lake Wanaka with a glass of the country’s world-famous wine, or wallowing in the bubbling thermal springs of Rotorua, New Zealand is a majestic country ripe for exploration.

When to visit New Zealand

When it comes to creating your personal New Zealand travel guide, it’s important to know what to expect at different times of the year.

Surrounded by ocean and buffeted by some serious winds from the Tasman Sea and the Cook Strait, New Zealand experiences climatic extremes and a variety of micro-climates. Fortunately, that means there’s a different experience waiting to be had every month of the year for New Zealand travellers.

Before you go, just remember to check our NZ travel advice, and the latest health and safety tips. For New Zealand travel restrictions, and entry and exit requirements, check Smart Traveller updates for both international and domestic travellers.

Travelling to New Zealand in summer

Busy and beautiful, summer in New Zealand sees average temperatures run around 25°C, with the climate on the South Island typically a few degrees cooler.

The high season of New Zealand travel is over the warmer months, from November through April. However, bear in mind that a maritime climate prevails over the country, so be prepared for swift weather changes at any time if planning outdoor adventures.

Autumn adventures in NZ

The less extreme weather and long, golden days make travelling to New Zealand in autumn a relaxing time to visit. Now’s your chance for hiking, kayaking or cycling without the crowds, and putting up your feet at the end of the day. Temperatures typically range from 7–21°C.

Winter travelling in New Zealand

If your New Zealand travel guide involves snow sports, skiing or snowboarding during the winter - high season happens between June to August, with temperatures running as cold as -10°C on the South Island. For a slower pace, warm up with a glass of pinot noir at a winery, or check out one of the many winter festivals.

New Zealand's springtime sensations

Spring can still be a chilly time to travel to New Zealand, but the waterfalls are full, the flowers are blooming, and spring lambs are frolicking. It’s a great time to explore the country before the summer crowds arrive.

Top 5 places to go in North and South Islands

Your ultimate New Zealand guide should be chock-full of some amazing places to visit in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Here are our top five places to go across both islands.

1. Auckland

“Layer up” is a good rule of thumb no matter where you are travelling in New Zealand, but especially in Auckland outside of summer. The largest city in the country, Auckland’s heart lies on the water, with the sparkling Waitemata Harbour remaining a beautiful backdrop to an evolving waterfront precinct.

With magnificent beaches only a stone’s throw away, a thriving local wine region, outlying holiday islands and a buzzing restaurant and bar scene, Auckland is a convenient first glimpse to all the natural and man-made beauty New Zealand has to offer.

Stay in the harbour-side suburb of Ponsonby for a glimpse of Auckland’s superior foodie scene: try long-time local favourite Prego or the innovative Orphan’s Kitchen. If you’re feeling thirsty, catch a ferry for a tipple to the beautiful Waiheke Island, also known as the Island of Wine.

2. Wellington

While the popularity of travelling to New Zealand make get its reputation from its awe-inspiring landscapes and breathtaking scenery, don’t avoid its capital Wellington in your rush to hit the hills.

This pretty harbour and hillside city is the cultural lifeblood of the country. Its compact size, artsy vibe, hip restaurants and fascinating museums make Wellington an excellent stopover.

3. Rotorua

While the downside of the bubbling geothermal hotspot of Rotorua is the whiff of rotten egg that hits you before you arrive at this small city, it’s surprisingly quick to get used to and, after a short time, is hardly noticeable.

On lists of where to go in New Zealand, Rotorua is usually near the top. Its main drawcards are the natural hot springs, fiery geysers and boiling mud pools – wildly popular with New Zealand travellers keen to soak in the rich mineral waters while immersing themselves in the region’s fascinating Māori culture.

While in Rotorua, take part in a hangi feast, a traditional Māori style of underground cooking, dabble in a spot of trout fishing or just lather yourself in oozing mud on one of the world’s most lively geothermal fields.

4. Queenstown

Queenstown always packs a punch – whether your New Zealand travel guide itinerary leans towards action and adventure, or soaking up the scenery. Situated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, this destination is an adventure lover’s paradise with every conceivable heart-racing activity on offer. Zip-lining, bungee jumping, sky diving or jet-boating, you’ll be able to glimpse the spectacular surrounds in eye-popping fashion.

If a slower pace is more your thing, there’s plenty of epic landscapes in Queenstown to soak up while out hiking, on a scenic chopper ride, gliding down the ski slopes or just sitting by the lake at dusk. Everyone travelling to New Zealand should approach Queenstown as a great jumping-off point to explore the magical fiords further down south or pretty Lake Wanaka to the north.

5. Milford Sound

If New Zealand’s fiordlands had a pièce de résistance, Milford Sound would be a strong contender. On the South Island’s west coast, a winding drive from Queenstown, sheer cliffs and majestic waterfalls plunge from great heights into waters rich with marine life.

Boat cruises are a popular way to explore Milford Sound – and to spot dolphins and seals – but for an epic reason to travel to New Zealand you should consider its kayaking and hiking options. Don’t be discouraged by the wet weather either, as rainfall makes the waterfalls even more impressive.

How to get around New Zealand

Plane

If you’re short on time and want to hit everywhere to go in New Zealand in a short amount of time, flying is the quickest way to get around the country. Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Queenstown and Dunedin all operate international airports, with many smaller domestic airports on both the north and south islands making air travel around the country a breeze.

Public transport

Who said knowing how to get around New Zealand was hard? Whether it’s buses on country roads or ferries voyaging back and forth across the Cook Strait or world-renowned rail journeys like the TranzAlpine cutting through majestic mountain passes, public transport options in New Zealand are spectacular as well as budget-friendly.

Rental car or campervan

You don’t need a New Zealand travel guide to get you where you want to be. Road travel is incredibly scenic here, with every winding road providing a spectacular view around each corner. The country’s vehicle-hire industry is well established, and tour operators and coach services abound.

Money and preparation when travelling to New Zealand

Currency

New Zealand’s currency is the New Zealand dollar, with notes available in denominations of $100, $50, $20, $10 and $5, and with coins in the value of $2, $1, 50c, 20c and 10c.

Costs

Travelling to New Zealand is relatively affordable once you are there, depending on your travel agenda. However, be aware that adrenaline activities can quickly eat into your travel budget, whereas soaking up the scenic views on a hike offers a much cheaper thrill.

Getting the most out of your New Zealand travels

Here’s how to embrace the incredible culture, experiences and landscapes of Aotearoa.

Maori culture

No matter where you go in New Zealand, you’ll find the cultural fingerprints of the Māori people – the tangata whenua (indigenous people). While the haka, their ancient war dance, is known around the world thanks to the All Blacks’ pre-match ritual, there’s a wealth of customs, rituals and traditions to learn during your travels to New Zealand.

Te Papa Museum in Wellington has a strong Māori collection and is a fascinating place to start. You can even plan your trip around the different festivals and celebrations of Māori culture throughout the year.

If you want to try your hand at speaking like a local, brush up on some basic vocabulary – especially useful Māori words and phrases – before you travel. It’s a respectful way to prepare for any trip to different countries.

To read more about Māori people and culture, we recommend New Zealand Now.

Active experiences

While Queenstown is often touted as the New Zealand travellers’ adrenaline epicentre, the truth is that there are opportunities all over the country to get your blood pumping and your heart racing.

Thrill-seekers can choose from bungee jumping in Queenstown, white-water rafting at Kaituna River, caving at Waitomo and sky-diving in Taupo. Helicopter flights, glacier walks, ziplining, treetop walking and hang-gliding are all on the menu, too.

Since its magnificent landscape was chosen to depict Middle-Earth in the epic The Lord of the Rings series, New Zealand and the realm of hobbits, elves and dwarves have been inseparable. Film fans can tour the home of Bilbo Baggins and key movie locations throughout the country.

Landscapes

The largest freshwater lake in the Southern Hemisphere, Lake Taupo is a wonderland of water-filled fun for anyone travelling to New Zealand. Skim over Lake Taupo on a kayak, blast through on a water-ski and while you’re out, take a peek at the huge Māori rock carving at Mine Bay.

Kaikoura, found on the east coast of the South Island, is one of the only places on earth where you can spot sperm whales all year round. At certain times of the year, orca (November–February) and humpback whales (June–July) can be spotted, and dolphins are an almost-daily sighting.

New Zealand travel restrictions and requirements

While New Zealand is generally considered a safe country to travel to, it’s always a good idea to follow the latest travel advice for your destination. It’s also worth considering the value of international travel insurance, especially when journeying overseas to beautiful New Zealand.

The good news is that New Zealand travel restrictions are no longer as prohibitive as during the height of COVID-19, so travellers looking to experience some of the most incredible landscapes, people and culture in the world can start creating their own New Zealand travel guide for a memorable holiday. 

If you want to journey to a destination like no other, travelling to New Zealand should be top of your agenda. Help protect yourself against the unexpected by taking out the right level of travel insurance before you fly out. Find out more about Medibank’s travel insurance.