Circa 34 hours travelling time and a minimum of 2 lay overs; that’s what it takes to reach New Zealand. It’s literally as far away from the UK as you could possibly get, without launching yourself into space. This is precisely why it is a once in a lifetime destination for 99% of people. If you are only visiting once, it makes sense to do it right. Whilst it’s a cliché, there really is so much on offer here that planning is essential to ensure you don’t miss out. Sure, you could go to a travel agent who could whip up a 14 day itinerary with a dot on every ‘I’ and a cross on every ‘T’, but the best way to experience it is on a self-organised trip to New Zealand.
Planning such a trip is certainly an arduous task so we’ve compiled a handy guide to help you get started.
An introduction to New Zealand
New Zealand is split into two; the South Island and the North Island. Although they share many similarities, each island also has very distinct differences. The North Island promises lush green scenery, volcanic hotspots, vineyards and dramatic coastlines. That said, it is also home to both the capital city Wellington and the largest of New Zealand’s cities, Auckland, providing a stark comparison between sometimes isolated landscapes and bustling city life.
The South Island provides a blinding contrast, however. Home of the Southern Alps, the south island has much more focus on mountains, valleys and adventure type activities although it is still brimming with natural beauty throughout the year. Home to many charming towns and welcoming cities too, it has a little something for everyone.
How to decide when to visit New Zealand
The beauty of New Zealand is that it is a year round destination. Naturally, the seasons fall at opposite times of the year to the UK, but you will have just as good of a time during the summer as you would during the winter months.
This makes deciding when to visit all the more tricky though. You’ll need to decide how long you want to spend in the country to begin with and what type of weather you prefer. If you love hiking but can’t stand hot weather, you’ll be best to visit in a shoulder season. If you are hell bent on hitting the slopes, naturally winter will be your best choice. Alternatively, if you want to escape the UK winter in search of balmy sunshine, you’ll want to time your visit to coincide with the Kiwi summer.
Essentially, the key to deciding when to visit New Zealand is working out what you want to do the most when you are here.
Booking flights, accommodation and car hire in New Zealand
When you have decided on which areas you want to visit, it’s time to start booking. There’s no way to avoid this but you will need to spend a great proportion of time researching. You’ll need to read reviews, compare prices on different websites, check locations, read the fine print and more, to ensure you get both the best priced and most suitable options for you.
The dedicated New Zealand forum on Trip Advisor will be a valuable resource for any questions you might have during this time, whilst the reviews section is a perfect starting point for researching your accommodation and more.
In terms of flights, it can certainly be a minefield to secure the cheapest price. This is where you need to consider whether to book online or book your flights through a travel agent. Due to the distances involved, it can work out cheaper to secure a ‘Round the World’ ticket as opposed to booking through an online flight service. Companies such as STA Travel who specialise in round the world trips are a great place to start and you can then benchmark their proposed costs and deals against those you can find online. If you do opt to purchase your flights online, take note of these two lots of handy tactics to help you get a better deal.
Once you have your flights booked, the next important step is deciding upon your itinerary. Work out how far you will want to drive each day, mark out your route and include the attractions you definitely want to visit. Remember to leave some spare time for unexpected pit stops and excursions; spontaneity can be the spice of life. MapsEngine from Google is a very handy tool for this exact purpose!
With that in mind, you’ll need a hire car to help you get around. Don’t worry though; driving here is easy and relaxed and you won’t find it much different to driving at home in the UK. Just be sure to check for the inclusion of or additional cost for winter tyres or snow chains if you will be travelling here during the winter months.
For further help, take a look at the holiday tips section on our blog for a whole host of articles that will come in use when booking a self-organised trip to New Zealand.
Organising activities, attractions and tours in New Zealand
There are some experiences in New Zealand that you have to book a tour for either as a result of remote locations, safety, equipment reasons or simply to make it a more enriching experience.
Take for example the likes of ice climbing on the Fox Glacier, the famous Shotover Jet boat in Queenstown, the AJ Hackett bungee jump also in Queenstown, sky diving, canoeing in Milford Sound and the Abel Tasman National Park, body boarding on the Te Paki sand dunes and black water rafting in the Waitomo glow worm caves. Phew that was a mouthful but it’s just the beginning… Get more inspiration here. Naturally, these aren’t activities that you can undertake on your own so be sure to research and include your favourite activities and attractions in your itinerary in advance.
Much of the experience of New Zealand is to be had simply by enjoying the views and that means you will also need to plan your route carefully to ensure you don’t miss out on some of the most spectacular drives. Such examples include Arthur’s Pass, which traverses Arthur’s Pass National Park on the South Island.
Organising a trip yourself is quite an undertaking, that can’t be denied. There are many, many benefits though; you can build anticipation in the planning process and your trip will be tailored exactly to your tastes! We hope this helps you to plan a self-organised trip to New Zealand soon.
