Travelogues New Zealand
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Vacation in New Zealand : Highlights & Travel Tips
New Zealand is a dream destination for travelers who want dramatic scenery, outdoor adventure, and a relaxed, welcoming culture all in one trip. From snow-capped mountains and turquoise lakes to wild coastlines, geothermal valleys, and rolling green countryside, the country packs remarkable variety into two main islands. What makes it especially memorable is how accessible these landscapes feel: in a single itinerary, you can hike through alpine national parks, sip world-class wine, explore Māori cultural experiences, and unwind in small towns known for their friendliness and fresh local food.
Key highlights include Milford Sound and Fiordland for unforgettable fjord views, Queenstown for adventure sports, Rotorua for geothermal activity and cultural performances, and Auckland or Wellington for urban dining and arts. Many travelers also love driving the South Island for its cinematic scenery, including Aoraki/Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo, and the West Coast glaciers. For practical planning, renting a car or campervan offers the most flexibility, but distances can be longer than they appear on a map, so avoid overpacking your schedule. Weather can change quickly, especially in alpine areas, so layers and waterproof gear are essential year-round, and booking accommodations and transport well ahead is wise during the peak summer season.
Popular travel destinations New Zealand
Best time to travel New Zealand
The best time to visit New Zealand is during January and February, when travel popularity peaks and conditions are ideal for road trips, hiking, sightseeing, and enjoying the country’s beaches, cities, and outdoor experiences. December and March are also excellent choices, offering warm weather with slightly fewer crowds than the height of summer.
All travel reports from New Zealand
How paths separate and come together again
Hello!! We have completely changed our plan, we have been driving further and further north. Always little by little, meaning from one free camping place to the next. But...
Auckland and the volcanoes
From the Bay of Islands, we continued to Auckland. We were able to park our van right in the center. We walked to a well-known shopping street and then on to the television...
Arrival in New Zealand and the North
After a relaxing day in Singapore, which we mainly spent eating, we continued towards Auckland in the early evening. The flight was pleasant, and after 10 hours, we arrived in...
Day 12 - Depths and Heights at Franz Josef Glacier
Taratine Tunnel
West Coast
We continued along the West Coast. We drove to Westport and had a great campsite there, secluded and right on the beach. To get there, we had to fight through a lot of...
Farewell to the compact lock and a nuisance
08.02.20 The last hours in the compact lock are approaching. One last breakfast - indoors - and then it's time to pack. The compact lock is not big, but we have surprisingly...
Day 5 - 7 (February 1 - 3) - Kaikoura, Mangamaunu
Day 5 Our first morning in the camper van started at 5:30am. Mattis, after 13.5 hours of sleep, was understandably well-rested. Well, what can I say, I was somehow awake too and...
Day 5 - From Christchurch to Oamaru
I've thrown my plans for today out the window due to the weather forecast. I had originally planned to go to Lake Tekapo and Lake Pukaki, then to Mount Cook National Park, and...
View with surprise and water from above
02.02.20 Today we are heading towards Queenstown. But before that, there is, of course, a lot to see! But the first viewpoint already holds a surprise of a special kind. The...
Day 1 -3 - Arrival from Frankfurt and Singapore to Christchurch
My second trip to New Zealand starts on Friday afternoon with a train journey from St. Wendel to Frankfurt Airport. Check-in at Singapore Airlines and security control goes...
Wind and Water
02/01/20 Was it cold last night! The 13 degrees outside during breakfast were downright cozy! We suffered another loss yesterday. However, of a different kind. One of the...
Golden Bay
01/29/20 We start the day with a cozy breakfast...accompanied by a little splashing. Splashing???? We expected the sound of the sea, after all, the ocean is right behind the...
Work, Work, Work
Our car was now ready and we headed towards Coromandel. However, due to the weather, we had to skip this beautiful part of the North Island for now. Hot Water Beach and...
Road Trip Part 3 - Lake Tekapo to Queenstown
Lake Tekapo
19.12.19 Coromandel Peninsula, the 309 Road & Real Fruit Ice Cream
Today the journey was the destination. Across the Coromandel Peninsula on the 309 Road (gravel) we went to the small Waiau waterfalls. 309 Road 309 Road Along the 309...
29.12.19 Napier and the Pacific Highway
It's freezing cold when I wake up at 7 am. Since all the showers are occupied, I park my camper so that my table is facing the sun. Breakfast with all the trimmings, including...
6.1.20 Chilling, Uretiti Beach and yet no apocalypse
After yesterday's celestial events, it was not clear whether we would all wake up on a different planet today. But no, it's drizzling quietly as I wake up at 7:30. The weather...
Day 23 Ohakune to Taupo & Hukafalls
Today we slept well for the first time, which is remarkable as the house in Ohakune was very noisy. It felt a bit like being in a ski lodge - you could hear every word next...
Day 17 - Mapua, Golf, Massage
Great! Those who read regularly may have noticed that Cordula and I always write in turns without exception. After Cordula's final words from yesterday, it seems that the author...
Day 16 - Abel Tasman Kayaking Tour
We all know we can never get enough of sports, and today, after a tiring day of travel, we dedicated a whole day to kayaking. Unfortunately, we had to wake up really...
Day 14 - Adventure in the Underworld
So, so... another new adventure. Today, rafting, cave and glowworms were on the program, and a few other things came up as well. We started early in the morning to Charleston, a...
Pimp my car
We're in New Zealand and we have a car! As some of you already know, we found a van right at the beginning in Auckland, New Zealand... How? Here, the demand for vans is so...
Day 12 - Long travel day to Okarito
Today we drove a lot, a lot. But first things first. The day started with a lot of errands in Wanaka ... for example, exchanging my new hiking soles, groceries, and so on. Then...
Road trip to the north and back
Monday the 16th til Tuesday the 19th: Claudia and me started our New Zealand road trip from Auckland going north to Waipoua Forrest to see the giant and ancient trees. The rain...
The first few days
At the airport, everything was taken care of and we also had a SIM card. We took the bus to our Airbnb in Otahuhu but the door was locked when we arrived. Great, our host Ady...
Christchurch
On Friday morning we took the Intercity bus to Christchurch, a journey of about 6 hours. In the afternoon, we arrived in Christchurch and checked into our hostel. We then took a...
Working hard on the kiwi farm
Just arrived in New Zealand, now back to work. :-( At six, the alarm clock rings; get up, get ready, have breakfast, brush your teeth, and off to work! At the kiwi farm in...
18.11.2019 Milford Sound. No selfie or anything? Fraser's Beach and Key Summit
Despite the continuous rain, we decided to make our way from Monowai Lake (last free campground for this region) to Milford Sounds. On the way there, we stopped at Fraser's...