Bordering Australia, New Zealand is a stunning destination which consists of two islands; South Island and North Island. This incredible country is home to jaw-dropping scenery including lakes, lush green valleys and snow-capped mountains. Other than the picturesque scenery, New Zealand offers unlimited adventures to its visitors. From Jetboating to bungee jumping to skydiving to kayaking, New Zealand has something for people of all ages. Though you can visit New Zealand all year round, some visitors have their own preferences, depending on what they wish to do in the country. Weather in New Zealand from December to February is usually hot, and the country is crowded with tourists. March to May is an ideal time to visit as you’ll experience beautiful colors all over the country. Winter season is from June to August but the weather is relatively mild, making it easy for the visitors to roam around their favorite spots. September to October is spring season in New Zealand when you can witness snow-capped mountains with lush greenery all over the country. To help you chose the best time to visit New Zealand, we are going to give you month-by-month guide of this country:
January
January is the warmest month in New Zealand with higher crowds of tourists. You might not want to visit New Zealand in this month if you want to avoid crowd. While in some cities, the temperature is a bit warm including Auckland (24 C), Christchurch (22 C), Queenstown (22 C); Milford Sound has a mild temperature during this month which is around 18 C. You’ll also see rainfall in many parts of New Zealand specially in Milford Sound. Make sure to check the summer festivals across the country including the most famous ‘Laneway Festival’ in Auckland and ‘Busker Festival’ in Christchurch. Make sure to book your tour in advance as prices tend to get higher in this month due to peak season specially in Queenstown.
February
February is the end of summer season and it is also the best time to visit New Zealand specially if you want to enjoy water activities. You can simply go kayaking, swim in the beaches or do jetboating. If you wish to attend any festival in February, you can go to Auckland to see Chinese New Year Lantern Festival. Average temperature during February remains between 22 C to 25 C in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. You may also experience rain in many parts of the country. Make sure to pack lighter clothes as it’s going to be warm during the day and a sweater or light jacket for night.
March
March is the start of the autumn season which means, you’ll see colors all over the country. While the temperature may get around 25 C in north side of country and 22 C in the south, weather will still be pleasant to travel across the country. Low temperatures fall between 12 C and 14 C across New Zealand. Temperature is usually chilly in Milford Sound and Queenstown. If you happen to be in wine region of Queenstown, make sure to plan your trip keeping the rainfall in mind. Make sure to attend the Balloons Festival over Waikato if you visit New Zealand which starts from 19th March and ends on 24th March in Hamilton.
April
April is an ideal month for hiking in the alpine ranges of South Island as the weather gets warm in the day and chilly during nights with no strong winds. Average temperature remains between 13 C to 18 C in major tourist spots of New Zealand including Queenstown, Auckland, Milford Sound, Wellington and Christchurch. You’ll witness some breathtaking leaf colors in April almost everywhere in the country but the most beautiful autumn season view can be experienced in South Island. Make sure to attend he Festival of Color in Wanaka which starts from 2nd April and ends on 7th April.
May
May is the end of autumn season and its time to wear warm clothes as the temperature drops to 8 C in North Island and around 5 C in South. May is the month of festivals so make sure to attend country’s most popular Documentary Edge Festival in Auckland and Great New Zealand Food Show in Hamilton. Other then festivals, you can enjoy a number of activities including bungy jumping, mountain biking, fishing and kayaking.
June
June is the first month of winter season in the country. It’s the best time to visit New Zealand as you’ll see start of snow in various parts of country including Queenstown. You can also enjoy a number of events during June in Queenstown such as snow sports, music events and other winter festivals. If you are planning to visit North Island, you can enjoy ski in Otago and Wanaka which are most popular sports for ski activities. Average temperature in North Island remains around 12 C and its 6 C in South Island.
July
Temperature drops to 6 C in South Island in July whereas it’s around 12 C in North Island. Weather in Auckland is rainy during July while its dry in Queenstown. July is also the best time to enjoy a number of outdoor activities in New Zealand including hiking, water rafting and bungy jumping. Queenstown offers best bungy jumping experience over the Lake Wakatipu. You can also take a scenic helicopter ride over the snowy mountains of New Zealand. One of the best tours to enjoy in this month is to Milford Sound through cruise. Make sure to book the cruise tour in advance as it can get fully booked.
August
Winter continues in its full swing during August in New Zealand with a lot of snow in many parts of the country. The average temperature remains around 5 C in both South and North Island. If you are someone who enjoys winter activities, you must visit New Zealand in August. The most popular destination to visit during August is Queenstown. There is a lot to do in Queenstown in this month including gondola ride, bungee jumping, rating and jet boating. You can also drive to Glenorchy and enjoy horse riding there. Another most popular and breathtaking destination to visit from Queenstown is Arrowtown.
September
September is my most favorite month and by far the best time to visit New Zealand. September is the start of Spring season but that doesn’t mean that you can wear light clothes. You’ll experience strong winds in this month and temperature will remain around 16 C across the country with strong winds specially in Queenstown, Arrowtown, Milford Sound and surrounding areas. If you want to experience slightly warm weather, you can head off to Christchurch and enjoy jetboating there. You won’t see many tourists in September which means, prices of accommodation will be slightly lower than usual.
October
October offers mild temperature and a lot of festivals across the country including Dunedin Heritage Festival, Auckland Heritage Festival and Diwali celebration in Wellington and Auckland. Temperature remains 17 C in all the popular tourist destinations in New Zealand. You may also experience rainfall in some parts of the country including Milford Sound. You can pack mix of clothes as it may get slightly warm in the day and cold during night.
November
November marks the end of Spring season and its also the busiest month in New Zealand attracting a lot of tourists from all over the world. Though the ski season is over in this month, you can still enjoy many outdoor activities including hiking, skydiving, fishing and kayaking. In daytime, the temperature may get around 20 C with rainfall. Some parts of New Zealand may see higher rainfall resulting in landslides. Make sure to check weather forecast in advance and plan accordingly.
December
December is wetter than November with heavy rainfall in Auckland and Christchurch. Its an ideal month for those who loves hot weather. If you are planning to visit New Zealand in December, be prepared for the Christmas and New Year celebrations. Its time when you can enjoy all the outdoor activities except ski as therewon’t be any snow left in December. Average temperature remains 22 C in Auckland, 16 C in Milford and 20 C in Queenstown.
CONCLUSION – BEST TIME TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND:
For me personally, the best time to visit New Zealand is the end of September to the start of October. Weather will be cold in Queenstown, while it will be warm and pleasant in Christchurch. The main activities to enjoy during this month are helicopter scenic flights over the alpine ranges, gondola ride of Queenstown, bungee jumping, jet boating, Milford Sound cruise tour, drive to Arrowtown, horse riding in Glenorchy and water rafting in Christchurch.
Plan your trip in your favorite season to this incredible country and have a best time of your life here! If you want to read some interesting stories about traveling, you should check out Sun-Dried Icicles!
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