Travelogues New Zealand
4.0K Travel reports · 265 travel bloggers · 62.7K photos · Best time to travel: January & February · Create a travel blog · About Vakantio
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
Woofing in Richmond
27.12.2016 - 08.01.2017 We applied online to an advertisement to do woofing with a family and were invited for an 'interview' and got the job. We can live and eat there for 20...
Saying goodbye
After traveling with Dibbi for 3 weeks, it was time for her to return to Germany and leave us behind. We had breakfast together one last time, and then our paths separated. On...
Additional costs Additional costs!
30.11./ 01.12.2016 We drive westwards on the Forgotten Highway towards New Playmouth, where we have chosen a campsite for the night. The highway leads past beautiful landscapes....
Waimangu Volcanic Valley
27.11.16 View over the Waimangu Volcanic Valley We are heading to the geothermally youngest area on earth, the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. It was created by a huge volcanic...
Christchurch
Christchurch is a mixture of old buildings, modern buildings, and above all construction sites.
Mistletoe Bay and Queen Charlotte Sound
In the morning at 8 o'clock we took the ferry in Wellington - finally to the South Island. The 3-hour ferry ride was calm, but the weather was slightly rainy. After more than...
Up, up the little Mt. Peel or Huatekerekere
but first Christmas decorations in summer And now it begins..... Always upwards........... until our feet smoke but the...
Day 22 - The volcano
05.12.16 Because we are in an English-speaking country - well, sometimes the spelling of the Kiwis is so bad that you don't understand a word, although it is their own language...
Finally here
A short but long flight, 2 hours drive with our luxury car and we were already in Timaru. A really warm welcome, almost like coming home. First morning in NZ A...
Cape Rainga and 90-Miles Beach
On the west side, we continued northwards. The goal was the northernmost point of New Zealand, Cape Rainga. At the very top of the north, New Zealand becomes very narrow. From...
Raglan - Hamilton - Hobbiton - Tauranga - Rotorua
New tattoo, Hobbiton, camping, Rotorua
Bay of Island
Heading north on the east side of the North Island, we reached the Bay of Islands. The tour, as always, took us through beautiful landscapes on winding roads. There was also the...
The most beautiful place in the world - so far (10/25/16)
The second day of our road trip started in the rainy parking lot in Kaikohe. We ate the canned rice pudding we had bought the day before, which didn't taste very good and later...
always the same
Halloween, picking oranges, happy birthday Fenja! ❤️
Great people, a rainbow, and a milk road
We have really landed in a wonderful place here! Not just in terms of the landscape...
Die Bay of Islands und ein blaues Auge
In the Bay of Islands, you feel like in the Caribbean...dreamy beaches and turquoise water!
First day in Auckland (02.10.2016)
We overslept our first morning in New Zealand by staying in bed until half past eleven. After a good breakfast (fried eggs with the best toast I've ever had), we checked our...
Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Visit to the birthplace of the New Zealand nation.
Kerikeri
We reached the hostel that we had contacted before
Wanaka - Queenstown - Lake Tekapo
Wanaka is a nice little town located by the lake. It's the first time we watched an English movie in a quirky cinema. ;) I chased the 2 boys up the mountain where we had a...
Westport - Lake Mahinapua - Franz Josef
On the way to Westport, we went swimming in the glacier lake with a stunning backdrop. Lukas even caught a duck... just to clarify - it didn't end up as dinner. ;) In Westport,...
The Coromandel Peninsula ....
.... is beautiful. On the first day, we explored the eastern side of the peninsula, including the lovely town of Tairua, the exclusive Paunanui (for the beautiful and wealthy from...
New Zealand 🧡🇳🇿 – The Journey That Opened My Heart
New Zealand was more than a journey for me; it was a feeling, a pause, an awakening. Between the wild Tasman Sea, the quiet magic of Doubtful Sound, and a meeting that touched me...
New Zealand 🇳🇿🧡 – The journey that opened my heart
New Zealand was more than a journey for me: It was a feeling, a pause, a breakthrough. Between the wild Tasman Sea, the silent magic of Doubtful Sound, and an encounter that...
Wellington
I took the cable car to the highest point in Wellington and had a beautiful view of the harbour and the city. The old cable car, see photo, is in the museum and used to take...
25 + 1 - The tour that unfortunately had to be canceled
Today we had actually planned a helicopter flight to Fox Glacier with a glacier hike (3 hours). Unfortunately it rained early and the second tour of the day was also canceled....
Day 22 - Whitewater rafting and onsen visit
Today we had breakfast in Arrowtown. At 1 I was dropped off at the NZ Rafting Station in Arthurs Point to go whitewater rafting. The tour was grades 3-5, went over the Shotover...
Day 7 - Drive to Lake Tekapo / Fairlie
Today we set off and begin our journey north. From Arthurs Point we drove via Cromwell and Omarama past Lake Tekapo and Mount Cook, also called Aoraki (the highest mountain in...
Day 6 - Queenstown Gondola and Deer Park Hights
Today we went to Queenstown again. Among other things, we took the gondola to a viewing platform to take photos of the skyline; here you could also have taken a hiking trail up...