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
3.1.2018: Back to the West Coast
From Hanmer Springs, I drive back to the West Coast to Greymouth via Lewis Pass. On the way there, I keep an eye out for the Alpine Nature Walk. But as soon as the next point on...
2.1.2018: Back to Germany
Today Eric is heading back home. In the morning, I receive an email stating that his flight is delayed by one hour and will depart at 3:30 PM. We plan to spend the time until...
23.12.2017: Mountains, the Blue Lagoon, and turquoise rivers
Before leaving Fox Village and heading north, we visit the Peak View Lookout with views of the New Zealand Alps, including Mount Cook. We manage to finish our photo session just...
Can I help you?
Nasty thing: the turn signal lever is on the right!! 😳
09/12/2017 - Bicycle Tour through New Zealand
'Pigs Crossing'
07/12/2017 - Auckland's West Coast
The second night at the Muriwai Beach campground was much more restful than the first, although the mosquitoes still managed to find their way into our car. But this time there...
12/06/2017 - Nikolaus brought us a lot ...
'Tokatoka Lookout Track'
12/12/2017: Surprising farewell from our 'Alexa'
Burger eating in Garston
02/12/2017 - Visiting the Giants
Since we drove from Auckland along the east coast all the way to Cape Reinga, we are now heading back along the west coast. The west coast doesn't offer as many attractions, so...
Wellington
The journey went smoothly through the strait. We enjoyed the 3.5 hours on the sun deck and pulled out the Hawaii travel guide. Since we still have a lot to organize and island...
6.12.2017: Tagesausflug auf dem Kepler Track
Heute müssen wir etwas früher aufstehen als sonst, denn um 9:30 Uhr werden die Takahe, ein einheimischer, flugunfähiger Vogel mit hübschem Gefieder, der im Durchschnitt drei...
26/11/2017 - All about Russell
On the 25th of November 2017, we continued our journey to the north of New Zealand. Thanks to our hosts, we had a great stay in Whangarei. Every guest who stays with Dina and...
24.11.2017: Splendor of colors at Lake Tekapo
On the road...
19/11/2017 - Two days of continuous rain
Two days of continuous rain can be quite exhausting when you only have your campervan with you and have to reach under the bed for everything you want or need throughout the...
16/11/2017 - Out of the city
The day after buying the car, we spent our time figuring out how to fit our belongings under the bed. It quickly became clear that plastic boxes offer the best organization and...
11-12 Day - Leisure
Up with the hands - weekend! Although every day feels the same for us (which is great because there is no bad 'tomorrow is Monday again' mood), we take Saturday as an...
Day 14 Fox Glacier to Haast
The night was again near the freezing point. Woken up by a huge noise. The helicopters are flying back up to the glacier. The day before, it was not possible due to the weather....
Tongariro Crossing, Kayak Carving Tour, Nightlife Walk & Coromandel Walk
Yes - we have been busy the last few days and have been on the move a lot. Since it is sooo summery here now, Kyra and I are of the opinion that we should work on our...
Hokitika - Searching for Pounamu & big fat FUCK OFF!! 2.0
We actually didn't have Hokitika in mind until Kyra came up with the idea of searching for Greenstone herself. In New Zealand, there are several places that are perfect for this...
Fun at the Rere Rockslides
Hello everyone, Here I am again. After getting our swim rings, very cute in donut design, one with chocolate glaze and one with pink glaze, we set off towards the Rere Falls and...
From the West to the Wild
After our experiences on the glaciers of New Zealand we continued along the West Coast ...
The beautiful Catlins
People - spring is coming. In fact, we had almost 4 whole days of sunshine! I just wonder....why the hell are the nights still so damn cold??? :D Today we left the Catlins and...
Excursion to the South of the West Coast - Haast
Hello everyone, I'm back. The past few days were not very eventful, but I saw some beautiful landscapes. Yesterday (17.09) I left Franz Josef Glacier and headed towards the...
Finally Auckland!
The time has come: After 1.5 weeks of hard exertion, strenuous journeys and dangerous expeditions in the urban jungle...
Stuck
Today is February 24, 2011, 6:30 am and we are waiting for the bus that will take us deep into the north of the North Island towards Paihia... unfortunately, German punctuality...
My last days in New Zealand
My last entry from New Zealand. The next one from Indonesia!
Mt. Cook National Park
Exploring the New Zealand Alps
Off to the south!
Wellington and the ferry to the South Island
Paihia - Just holiday
We have pretty much reached the end of our journey. Due to weather conditions, we spontaneously changed our plans and headed north, where the beautiful warm weather tempted us....
Roadtrip North Island
Exploring the North Island with my own car