Question 1

When to Visit New Zealand?

Accepted Answer

The best time to visit New Zealand is during the shoulder seasons between September and November, and March and May. There will be considerably fewer travelers during this time, while most accommodation will offer discounted prices, making your trip way more cost-effective than the peak season (November to March).

The Great Walks of New Zealand are also opening up during this time, which should allow you to experience one of the best hikes in the world. Just make sure you plan ahead and book everything beforehand, as they get booked out extremely fast.

Question 2

How to Get to New Zealand?

Accepted Answer

New Zealand has several international airports, but for this itinerary, we will be flying in and out of Auckland, so that is where our journey will begin.

From the US, there are no direct flights to Auckland, so you will have to rely on transit flights from airlines like Qantas, which often transit in Fiji and take about 19 hours.

From Europe, you can fly from the most popular European hubs like London, Paris, or Frankfurt via Lufthansa, Qatar, Emirates, or Singapore Airlines. You will then have to transit through their headquarters to get to Auckland before continuing on to Dunedin. The flight will take over 24 hours, so gear up and prepare for a long ride.

From Asia, there are several airlines offering various routes from many hub cities such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Jakarta, Bangkok, and Hong Kong that will fly you to Auckland. Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, and Singapore Airlines are excellent choices for traveling this route, with the fastest flight time being 9 hours.

To find a cheap flight to New Zealand, I would recommend that you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule, so you can compare and pick the best one.

Question 3

How to Get Around New Zealand?

Accepted Answer

By Bus: One of the cheapest ways to get around New Zealand is to use its rather good public transportation. For long distances, the Intercity bus is the mode of transportation that we will mainly use in this itinerary.

If you wish to travel by Intercity Bus, I recommend you get the Flexipass, where you buy hours and can travel any route in the country, depending on the length of the bus ride. It is a great way to hop around the country without having to spend a lot of money.

For more information about Flexipass, please visit the official Intercity Flexipass page here.

By Air: New Zealand is quite remote. If you plan to travel between major cities such as Christchurch, Queenstown, Dunedin, Wellington, and Auckland to reach remote areas, I recommend flying instead. It is faster and often cheaper than taking the bus.

Air New Zealand and Jetstar often fly these routes directly and daily, with prices ranging from 35 USD to 100 USD, which is quite affordable, all things considered.

For this New Zealand itinerary, we will only be using one domestic flight from Dunedin back to Auckland on your way out of New Zealand. In all the other places, we will be traveling by land, one city at a time.

By Campervan: One of the most popular ways to get around New Zealand is to rent a campervan, which will allow you to travel anywhere you like and save a ton of money on accommodation by allowing you to sleep at campsites around the country. I recommend that you rent a campervan in Auckland and drive around the country if you have the money.

There are several well-known campervan rental companies that I have seen people driving all over the country, such as Jucy, Spaceships, and Britz, so be sure to check them out when you are in Auckland.

By Car: You can rent a car directly from Auckland International Airport for only around $25 USD per day, and you can drive around the country at your own leisure.

If you have the money and you wish to have the freedom to stop whenever you want (and trust me, you will, as New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world), I recommend you get a car. You can rent a car in Auckland here.

By Tours: For some places like Milford Sound and the Franz Josef Glacier Hike, it is better to go with organized tours instead, as the logistics of visiting these remote places are more accessible if you let the tours organize them for you. For activities, I highly recommend checking Viator.com for cheap deals that you might not get offline.

By Walking: When you arrive in cities and towns in New Zealand, you can expect to walk to most tourist attractions around the city center. New Zealand is known for its abundance of beautiful tracks and trails, and you will find beautiful nature walking trails in just about any city you visit. Plus, they are all free!

Question 4

How Much Does It Cost to Travel One Month in New Zealand?

Accepted Answer

With the one-month New Zealand itinerary recommended here, we can calculate approximately how much you will be spending on this trip as follows:

Accommodation: For 30 days in New Zealand, you will be spending around 712 USD on accommodation.

Food: An average meal in New Zealand costs around $10, so you will be spending around $900 on food for 30 days.

Transportation: If you buy the Intercity's Flexipass, it will cost you 437 NZD for a 55-hour pass, plus 86 NZD for the Routeburn Track transfer, 70 NZD for the Tekapo - Mt Cook roundtrip, 31 NZD for the Tongariro Crossing transfer, 75 NZD for the Abel Tasman Transfer, 57 NZD for a cruise from North to South, and 87 NZD for a flight from Dunedin to Auckland. You can expect to pay around 843 NZD (626 USD) for transportation in total.

Activities: These are all optional, but it would be a shame if you didn't do anything extreme while you are in New Zealand. For activities, you can expect to spend around 838 USD (optional), including skydiving, a Milford Sound tour, a tour in Rotorua, and other activities.

Total Budget for one month in New Zealand: 2,238 USD (3,037.49 NZD) or 3,076 USD (4,174.85 NZD) including extreme activities.

Start Here

One Month Backpacking New Zealand Itinerary

Planning

Discover New Zealand’s South Island: 2-Week Itinerary

12 Picture-Perfect Places in New Zealand You Should Visit

Traveler’s Packing Guide: A Month Long in New Zealand

Dunedin: 10 Fantastic Things to See and Do

8 Wonderful Things to Do in Lake Tekapo & Mt Cook

Hiking Routeburn Track: A Complete Travel Guide

Visiting the Milford Sound: Everything You Need to Know

Explore Queenstown: 10 EPIC Things to Do & Places to Visit

Visiting Wanaka: 8 Awesome Things to Do & Places to Visit

Visiting Franz Josef: Everything You Need to Know

A Complete Travel Guide to Westport, New Zealand

Hiking the Abel Tasman: A One-Day Itinerary

How & Where to Skydive in Queenstown, New Zealand

Explore Nelson, NZ: 7 Fantastic Things to See and Do

How to get from Wellington to Picton, New Zealand

Hiking Tongariro Crossing: Everything You Need to Know

Explore Rotorua: 7 Incredible Things to Do & Places to Visit

Follow Me and I'll Show You New Zealand in 70 Photos

10 Things I Miss Most About New Zealand