New Zealand?

[selenak]

I maaaaaaayy manage to go to New Zealand next year. Now, given that winter is summer and summer is winter if you're from the opposite part of the planet, what would be the best time to visit? If I can manage, I want to see as much of the country as possible, which is easier when it's neither too hot to travel nor all snowed in.

Advise me, New Zealanders and fellow travellers, pretty please?

Comments

[lilysea]

Avoid winter (June, July and August) unless you want to ski - whole-of-south-island road closures due to snow and ice on the roads are not unknown.

(I got caught up in one when I travelled there - literally every inland - as opposed to coastal - road on south island was closed for 24 hours. You can imagine how much this disrupted travel.)

There was actually so much snow that they closed the ski slopes at Queenstown due to "too much snow."

[selenak]

Wow. Okay, June, July and August are definitely out. (For skiing, I prefer the nearby Alps.)

[littlerhymes]

Oh, exciting! I went in November a couple of years ago - it was pleasant and sunny on both North and South Islands (I went as far south as Queenstown and Milford Sound, as far north as Auckland and Rotorua).

[selenak]

November sounds good, especially if it's a dreary one over here which is likely!

[frayadjacent]

New Zealand has mild summers -- I'd expect daytime temperatures would generally be in the twenties, unless there's a heat wave -- so probably it's less heat to worry about in Dec-Feb than crowds?

Also, awesome! I'm currently living in Australia and am hoping to make it to NZ in the next year or so. It seems really lovely.

[selenak]

Consideirng we just had a day with 38 degrees C here in Bamberg, temperatures within the 20s sounds perfect!

[frayadjacent]

Eesh, that sounds miserable.

[legionseagle]

Because I find winter (especially short days and overcast weather) dragging me down, from my perspective I'd vote for late Nov for New Zealand, because imagine the boost of having a dollop of emerging spring at the wrong time!

[selenak]

Late November sounds better and better, and the idea of springtime in New Zealand definitely is alluring, thank you!

[baranduin]

We were there at end of February/first part of March. We were on both north and south islands, weather was mild and very pleasant. I hope you can go, wonderful country!

[selenak]

I've dreamt of going for ages, but it's so incredibly far away and thus much more difficult to organize. Still, next year there's a real chance!

[baranduin]

It's a real slog to get there but so worth it. Here's a couple posts I made while there for a little flavor, warning very LOTR intensive :-)

http://baranduin.livejournal.com/95133.html
http://baranduin.livejournal.com/95385.html
http://baranduin.livejournal.com/96029.html
http://baranduin.livejournal.com/96336.html
http://baranduin.livejournal.com/97490.html

That's more than a couple, don't feel any obligation to read! But if you go to Wellington, check out the Mermaid Guesthouse. Lovely place to stay.

[selenak]

LOTR intensive is not a problem, only rl business, but I look forward to reading them all! Thank you so much for linking.