Welcome to New Zealand
New Zealand — Aotearoa — packs more wonder into two small islands than almost anywhere on earth: snow-capped Southern Alps and blue-green glaciers, mirror-still fiords, geothermal wonderlands, sheep-dotted hills and film-set forests, wrapped in warm Māori culture and superb food and wine. It's just three hours from eastern Australia, easy and safe to travel, and endlessly rewarding. This is the guide we give our own guests — the icons, the regions, and how to plan a trip across both islands.
North Island & South Island
New Zealand's two main islands offer different moods. The North Island is warmer and more populous — home to Auckland, the geothermal heart of Rotorua, the Bay of Islands, the capital Wellington, and Hobbiton. The South Island is grander and wilder — the Southern Alps and glaciers, the fiords of Fiordland, Queenstown, and the wine of Marlborough and Central Otago. Most first trips combine both.
Fiords, geysers & adventure
The must-dos span both islands. Cruise the sheer cliffs of Milford Sound in Fiordland; watch Pōhutu geyser erupt and share a hāngī and Māori cultural experience in Rotorua; walk the blue ice of the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers; leap off a bridge in Queenstown, the birthplace of commercial bungy; and wander the Hobbiton movie set. See our adventure guide.
Food, wine & the great outdoors
Between the big sights, New Zealand rewards the senses. Marlborough pours the Sauvignon Blanc that made the country famous, Central Otago makes elegant Pinot Noir, and the food scene runs from green-lipped mussels to fine dining. Walkers have eleven Great Walks and countless day hikes; the coast offers whales, dolphins and kayaking. It's a country made for the outdoors. See our New Zealand tours.
The essentials
Planning New Zealand: your questions
Immensely. In one compact country you get the geysers and Māori culture of Rotorua, the fiords and adventure of Queenstown and Milford Sound, the glaciers and Southern Alps, world-class food and wine, and the film scenery of Hobbiton. It's scenic, friendly, easy to travel and just three hours from eastern Australia — one of the great trips.
For one island, allow 7–10 days; to see highlights of both islands, plan on 2–3 weeks. A common first trip pairs Auckland, Rotorua and the North Island with Queenstown, Fiordland and the Southern Alps in the South. See our itineraries for sample routes — we tailor the length and pace to you.
Spectacular landscapes — mountains, fiords, glaciers, lakes and beaches — plus Māori culture, adventure sports (New Zealand invented commercial bungy), the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film locations, superb Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, rugby's All Blacks, and friendly, easy travel. It's known as Aotearoa, "the land of the long white cloud."
It depends on your plans. Summer (December–February) is warmest for hiking, beaches and the Great Walks; autumn (March–May) is settled and golden; winter (June–August) is ski season around Queenstown and Wānaka; and spring is fresh. Each island and region varies. See the detailed best time to visit New Zealand guide.
Australian citizens need neither an NZeTA nor the International Visitor Levy — just a valid passport. Australian permanent residents must hold an NZeTA but are exempt from the levy. Most other visitors need an NZeTA and pay the International Visitor Levy (NZ$100). Always check current rules before you travel. See our getting there and visa guides.