1. bodor
   Member

   hello

   im planning on flying over to new zealand in mid february and plan on backpacking around til mid april (2 months). ive been told that this time of year will be too cold and that i wont get to see all the breath taking views this country has to offer and that all the treks will be closed.
   i was thinking that as the south island has colder climates that ill first go there for about a month and then continue up north. from what i understand the south island is prettier so if it does get too cold during april i could just spend 2 weeks in the north island and go to the main spots
   i would like to know what u think about the climate during these months... and if u could tell me what is the average temp during the day and at night too. just any tips will help!
   im used to very HOT weather here in israel so im a bit worried!

   Posted 2 years ago #

2. lololo
   Member

   You should be OK. The temperature will drop off a bit, but not too sharply. Remember though that NZ is never HOT like Australia. They may be close, but NZ is very similar to the UK in climate. Perhaps a little more reliable in summer, but not a lot hotter. And there are cold parts too.

   The South Island is simply stunning. I don't imagine the tourist industry will shut down, but I can't be sure, so do some homework and email tourist info centres and activity websites to find out what's on.
   Campsites in NZ are very good, and they have cabins which you can rent for as little as $10 (NZ) a day, which will be warmer at night than a tent. But if you're happy camping out then that's not a problem either. Some parts, like the NE coast around Kaikoura can be very windy. The SW coast of the Sth Island is Alpine and can be very wet at almost any time of year.

   The North island is almost as nice (!), particularly the Bay of Islands right at the top. Try Paihia for example. We spent Christmas there and nothing was closed - even on Xmas day!
   You could always spend some time in Auckland. One third of Kiwis live there and it's the only truly big city in the country. Tongariro NP is spectacular, with Mt Ruapehu (Mt Doom in LOTR) mighty impressive - like a jnr Kilimanjaro.

   The key is, be prepared for any weather as even if it isn't cold, it will definitely be changeable. And don't expect to spend much time on the beach. Australia's beaches are the best in the world, NZ's aren't and sometimes the currents are too strong anyway.

   Posted 2 years ago #

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