New Zealand is a beautiful place to visit, especially if you love having easy access to rolling hills, beaches, and even snow covered mountains all within a few hours of each other. In addition to the wonderful landscapes, New Zealand is home to the Hobbiton Village movie set and the country has a diverse range of wildlife, such as exotic birds like the kiwi and yellow-eyed penguins.

If you plan on visiting New Zealand, making sure you visit at the right time is very important. Here are a few things that you need to consider when determining when is the best time to travel to New Zealand for your trip:

Understand The Seasons In New Zealand

Before you start planning you trip, make sure that you are aware of the season in New Zealand. If you are traveling from countries in the Northern Hemisphere such as the United States, United Kingdom, or Canada, the seasons you are used to are the opposite in New Zealand since it is located in the Southern Hemisphere. The seasons in New Zealand are:

• Spring – September, October, and November
• Summer – December, January, and February
• Autumn – March, April, and May
• Winter – June, July, and August

What Do You Want To Do In New Zealand?

Before you plan the dates of your trip, it is important that you take the time to decide what exactly you want to do in New Zealand. If you want to visit Christchurch and see the snow covered mountaintops, the best time to visit might be in the early spring. That way you are able to see the stunning landscape in bloom but still have a chance of snowfall. A good time for that would probably be in September.

If you are going to New Zealand to visit areas like Mount Hutt on South Island for skiing, you will need to visit during the winter season. Most ski areas start to open in the middle of June which is ideal. If you are planning on having a car hire so you can drive yourself you need to be careful when planning winter trips as road conditions can be difficult in the harsh winter months.

Avoid The Crowds

When you visit New Zealand it is probably best that you avoid any local holidays, especially breaks from school, as this is usually when New Zealanders take their own holiday trips as well which means higher prices for hotels, less accommodation availability, and popular destinations are usually a lot more crowded. Some of the school holidays include:

• Mid-December until the end of January.
• The first weeks of April.
• The first 3 weeks of July.
• The last week of September to the first week of October.

One of the worst times to travel to New Zealand is probably Christmas and New Year. Even though the weather is great during the summer, many stores are closed for the holiday weeks and locals are all taking their holiday trips so everything is crowded.

So when exactly is the best time to visit New Zealand?

If you plan on visiting during the warmer season, February is ideal. The weather is settled, the temperatures are typically warmer, and school has started back by then. Visiting in February will typically help you avoid a lot of rainy days as well.

If you have special plans for your trip to New Zealand, though, such as skiing you will need to plan your trip based on when those type of activities are open. The same goes for whale watching, visiting the penguins, and other wildlife attractions—make sure to research when the best time to see those events are and plan your trip accordingly to avoid popular local holidays.

Whether you are going on a short day trip throughout New Zealand or you plan on going from coast-to-coast to discover all of the hidden gems that the country has to offer, there are a few things you need to take care of before you start any road trip. Without preparing for a road trip in advance you could find yourself in situations that can not only put you and anyone you are traveling with in a bad mood, it could ruin the entire holiday trip. Here are a few things you should do before for a road trip:

Make Sure You Have A Car

If you are planning on visiting New Zealand and you are not from the country itself, it can be really exciting to think about having an amazing road trip across the rolling green hills they filmed The Lord of The Rings at, but if you do not book your car in advance you could ruin your trip before it even starts. Use a service like Car Hire Nation to make sure you have a car reserved before you actually land; this will guarantee you do not have to waste valuable time waiting for someone else to finish their trip before you can start yours.

Plan Your Route

While hitting the open road without a plan can seem thrilling in theory, in practice it could leave you in situations you do not want to be in. Make sure that you plan your trip in advance, even if it is a relatively loose plan, will ensure that you are able to hit all of your preferred destinations without wasting time trying to figure out what to do next. Along your route make sure there are restaurants you will be able to eat at, sites to see, and accommodation for when you need to call it a day.

Don’t Forget To Pack Correctly

If you are taking a road trip, especially during the summer months, there are a few essentials that you absolutely cannot forget to bring. These include:

• Sun Block
• Water Bottles
• Umbrellas
• Sun Glasses
• Cooler
• Bug Repellant
• First Aid Kit

You do not want to find yourself driving in the afternoon sun for 4 hours and get out of your car just to realize that you have a severe sunburn across half of your body. In fact, it may be best to avoid driving too much in the afternoon at all.

Bring The Right Snacks

No road trip is complete without snacks, but there are some things that are going to be a lot better for you than others. While taking a drive and eating nothing but junk food might sound nice, snacks and drinks that are full of caffeine and sugar can leave you with a sugar crash. With a sugar crash you may start to feel a lot more tired than normal, you can become easily irritated, and just feel bad—something you do not want to happen when you are stuck in a car with other people.

Bringing snacks like jerky or fruit can be a lot better for you. Try to avoid the soft drinks as well and opt for water. Staying hydrated will keep you from feeling irritable and even though you are sitting in a car for a long period of time, your body still needs a lot of water.