Travel New Zealand alone: Best time to visit New Zealand
Learn what time of the year is the best time to visit New Zealand as a solo traveler.
Once you have overcome your fear of traveling to New Zealand alone, the next step in planning a holiday to New Zealand is deciding when you will want to visit New Zealand.
So in this article we will take a look at when it is best for you – as an independent traveler – to pack your bags and fly to the land of the long white cloud, New Zealand.
We live in a 2-by-2 world. What I mean by this is that there aren’t many tour operators and tourist facilities that cater to the needs of solo travelers. Therefore, if you often travel alone and stay for example in hotels, you generally have to pay the full price for rooms that would otherwise be shared in cost by two people.
New Zealand is no exception to this rule. If you want to go on a scenic flight, you need a party of at least two. If you want to go on a kayaking trip, you need a party of at least two. If you want to on a guided hike, you need a party of at least two.
While some tour operators will sometimes bend the rules and give you a discount in the form of paying half the price or thereabouts for your missing second person, there aren’t many who do this.
So, if you are visiting New Zealand as a solo traveler, and you want to do activities that require at least two people, it is best to visit New Zealand when it is at its busiest, so during the warmest months of the year.
Anywhere starting from November (end of spring in New Zealand) until mid-March (beginning of autumn in New Zealand) should guarantee you having other tourists around, who like yourself may be alone or who can serve as "fillers" for the people quota a tour operator needs to reach before he sets out to show you the sights.
And don’t worry… you do not have to find the people to fill the seats; all you have to do is show up at a tour operator or at an office where you can book a tour, and the tour operator will take care of filling the seats if that’s possible.
Another positive thing about visiting New Zealand during summer is that because there are more people on the road during the summer months than there are during winter in New Zealand, you also have a better chance of asking someone for help if you happen to need it. But then again, if you are 100% sure you can take care of yourself on and off the road, and are not visiting New Zealand to go on tours, you can visit New Zealand whenever you like.
The downside of visiting New Zealand during summer is that those months are not only the busiest (since New Zealanders themselves tend to take a break during that time), but they are also the most expensive. Having said that, New Zealand does not really have an "off-peak season". It is always busy and expensive except perhaps in May. Other favorable months to visit New Zealand are April, June, and October.
The time you choose to visit New Zealand depends on what exactly you would like to come do or see over here, so will not always depend on whether you need to fill a quota to be able to enjoy an activity or tour. I have previously written an article about the best time to visit New Zealand based on several criteria, which should help you decide what time is the best time for you to visit New Zealand should you want to avoid the busy travel periods.
Filed under How-To Travel Guide
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