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
Kia Ora, New Zealand
Next stop: New Zealand. I arrived here in Auckland and spent the first few days there. However, there were so many Germans there that after a few days I felt like I had to...
Hooker Valley
This time we are not woken up by the weather, but by our internal clock. Looking out of the camper window, there is a slight disappointment: the mountains that were bathed in...
Cape Reigna & Waipu Forest
Our journey to the northernmost point of New Zealand takes us along beautiful coastlines. The road winds its way along the sea, with occasional inland stretches that offer views...
The Catlins Coast - Solitude in the Southeast
Heading towards Dunedin, we drove along the Catlins Coast, a very remote and pristine area with lots of rainforest and a rugged coastline. There is hardly any infrastructure...
5. Wwoofing with Rachel, Sean, Brodin and Daisy (December 4th - 14th, 2016)
After our time with Conrad and Becca in Lower Hutt, we headed to our next ten-day Wwoofing job in Greytown with Rachel, Sean, Brodin, and Daisy...
Only when you have experienced the bad, do you appreciate the good!
After spending a few days on the small idyllic farm, we decided to continue towards the East Coast to Timaru. Once we arrived at the hostel, it was clear to me that we would...
LAST STOP: AUCKLAND
The last two days in Auckland were a little influenced by our travel fatigue. Therefore, this will be one of my shortest entries. We had a tight schedule for the last 4 weeks...
Dunedin HelpX
First time Helpexchange at Edwina's place in Dunedin
Don't worry, I'm still alive
To get there, we had to drive for over 1.5 hours on a gravel road through the mountains. Even though it probably wasn't good for the car, it was worth it for the view.
Arthur's Pass
According to the weather forecast, it is expected to rain further in the coming days, and then it will pour heavily on the west coast. Therefore, we changed our plan and did not...
Mini Roadtrip from 21.11.2016 to 25.11.2016
After saying goodbye to Birgit, Paul, and Lennart, we went shopping in Napier...
Arrived in Auckland
After about 22 hours of flying, we finally arrived in Auckland. Exhausted and ready for bed, we tried to orient ourselves. Despite the good directions from our 'hostess' Jann to...
Queen Charlotte Track
The Queen Charlotte Track is located in the Malborough Sounds on the South Island of New Zealand. Before our second multi-day hike started, there was a refreshment. ...
Day 7- From today please drive on the left ;-)
Our Jucy Car
Whangarei - heading north
From Auckland, we headed north to explore Northland. Our first destination was Whangarei, which is about 150 km north of Auckland. We found many useful tips for our trip on the...
Christchurch, the city on the rise
Here you can see that everything is still under construction since the earthquake in 2011. Large sections of the city center are blocked off as houses are being renovated,...
21. - 24.10. Fear and Relief
Langs Beach
Birthday party and the hot pools
Birthday party, pre-drinks, party at the pub, hot pools
Rainbow Falls
09.10.2016 We decided to take a trip to the nearby 'Rainbow Falls' with a few people from the hostel (about 1 hour walk). Rainbow Falls Jan, Claudi, Jasmin, Alma, Melissa,...
Wellington the relaxed city
I drove through a beautiful mountain landscape on the way to Wellington. I even saw a dog herding a flock of sheep. Wellington is absolutely relaxed, the harbor with the piers...
The first mountain climbing in NZ!
Today we went to Mount Eden, a volcano in the middle of Auckland with a magnificent 360° view!
Christchurch - Kaikoura
Christchurch is a modern city, unfortunately there are construction sites everywhere. We particularly liked the Botanic Garden! We walked through the city and visited special...
Taupo
breathes
#32 The south island
Resume of the south island:Sparsely populated, gorgeous landscapes, fantastic views and amazing wildlife!The hiking tracks are well maintained and most tourist attractions, even...
#6 Seal colony near Kaikōura
Today we stayed at our camping site at the beach during the forenoon and mingled with some Germans from Frankfurt and some Kiwis (people from New Zealand) from Kerikeri. Based...
Day 18 - Dunedin
Today we drove from Christchurch to Dunedin. We wanted to explore the east coast of the South Island. It is mainly pasture land and farms, compared to the glacier lakes and...
No chithaeglir, last beth there: Rimmo n in bruinen dan in Ulaer!
Day trip part 1 to the river Bruinen, the natural border to Rivendell.
Day 10 - Drive to Christchurch
Our journey north continues, today we drove to Christchurch. In the morning we mainly packed and cleaned up the RBNB. On the way we stopped again at the Burkes Pass Gallery....
Day 5 - Arrowtown and Glenorchy
It rained today. We went to Arrowtown again, this time we went downtown. You can still see the past of the small town as a gold mining village. Afterwards we went hiking to...
Day 16 to 18 - Auckland - Arrive
Kia Ora, New Zealand - as they say here! The flight ✈️ from Los Angeles to Auckland with Air New Zealand in just under 12 hours was almost flawless with a perfect landing. The...