Learn what the 3 busiest months are to visit New Zealand and what the better alternatives are if you are planning a summer or winter holiday.
The busiest months to visit New Zealand are generally the months when it is warm and the sun is out in New Zealand and when snow is falling in New Zealand.
However, the busiest months may not always be the best time to visit New Zealand depending on the type of person you are and what you are looking to come to New Zealand to do or enjoy.
Logic dictates that the busiest months to visit New Zealand would be the summer and winter months, so let’s take a look at them…
Summer months in New Zealand
Summer in New Zealand falls in the months of December, January, and February. The summer months are generally warm and with lots of good weather.
December and January are generally the months in which a massive amount of New Zealanders take a break from work along with their children who are on school holidays.
But because businesses tend to shut down around Christmas time in December until the end of the year, if you are someone who enjoys visiting cities, December would be an ideal time to visit because large cities tend to be less busy then.
If you really want to enjoy the outdoors without the crowds, your best bet would be February. But keep in mind that if you are looking for somewhere warm to go, February in New Zealand tends to be a little bit less warm than January.
Note that tourists have become smarter or have been reading this website (haha), so now more people are visiting New Zealand in February.
Winter months in New Zealand
Winter in New Zealand falls in the months of June, July, and August.
The winter months are generally cold with a great chance of snow.
Late June, ski fields in New Zealand start to open their slopes up to the general public, and in July almost all of the ski fields should be open.
To celebrate the arrival of winter (and snow), every year a winter festival is held in Queenstown late June.
And to top things off, children are off from school in July, so again parents take time off from work.
So it would not surprise you to hear that June and July are busy months in New Zealand with July being probably the busiest.
If you want to enjoy the ski fields or see snow in New Zealand without the crowds, the best time for snow would probably be August.
The least busy months in New Zealand
While December, January, and July can be considered the busiest months to travel to New Zealand, there are also shoulder months in which things are not that busy.
If you are looking for the least busy month to travel to New Zealand, that would be May.
However, May does not bring great weather, it is generally cold, and the autumn colors have just disappeared.
If you are looking for semi-busy months to visit New Zealand when the weather is still good but there are less people out and about, those months would be March, September, and October.
Final words on the busiest months to visit New Zealand
New Zealand is a pretty large country for the amount of people living in it. There are about 4.8 million people living in New Zealand, and even if the entire country took time off, you would still be able to find quiet spots and nice places to go in New Zealand.
But not only New Zealanders go on vacation in New Zealand. Tourists also tend to arrive in the summer and winter months.
The negative thing about New Zealand being busy is that the price of accommodation tends to be much higher in summer and winter than during any other time of the year.
This article falls under Travel Guide.
Note: This article was accurate when it was published. Please confirm all details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.