Learn what November in New Zealand has got to offer, what the weather is like, where you can go, and what you can do in this month in late spring.
November marks the end of spring in New Zealand and can be seen as the month in which accommodation prices start to increase, so the start of the high season.
However, because the big summer holiday for New Zealanders starts in December, you should still be able to find a few good deals.
As far as international travelers are concerned, November is not a very busy month, and if you are looking for an alternative to visiting New Zealand in a shoulder season instead of in the busy summer season, November is the month to do so.
Things to do in November in New Zealand
November generally brings warm weather, so it is a good month for hiking almost anywhere that has a trail along a beach, in bush, or up a mountain.
Always double-check the weather forecast before you head out, though, because New Zealand’s weather is very changeable.
You can do almost anything you can do in summer because almost all tour operators are open for business.
The activities you can do in New Zealand are countless. A few suggestions include:
- Bungy jumping or skydiving if you are into adrenaline rush activities.
- Boat cruising, kayaking, or jet boating if you are into activities on the water.
- Fishing or walking if you are into laid-back activities.
You could also catch a scenic flight over Mount Cook or just go for a scenic drive.
Places to visit in November in New Zealand
While most of the early spring flowers are gone by the time November arrives, lupins and other summer flowers start to pop up. You can head to Tekapo to see lupins.
You could also visit beaches in November so go to places such as Abel Tasman National Park or Kaiteriteri on the South Island of New Zealand.
If you are on the North Island, you could visit the Coromandel Peninsula, the Bay of Plenty, or Gisborne.
While November is not the best month to see snow in New Zealand, mountains like Mount Taranaki and Mount Cook should have snow on them with the chance of snow being greater for Mount Cook than for any other mountain in New Zealand.
New Zealand weather in November
November is a generally dry and warm month.
Daytime temperatures are generally in the high 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) and can even get into the low 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in some places such as Tauranga, Gisborne, Nelson, and Christchurch.
But in general, temperatures on the North Island tend to vary between 4 and 27 degrees Celsius (39 – 81 degrees Fahrenheit) and between 0 and 27 degrees Celsius (32 – 81 degrees Fahrenheit) on the South Island.
The amount of rainfall tends to be low in November but not always. There can be occasional days with lots of rain, some of which may even cause landslides to occur.
Less rain tends to fall in November than in October except for places like Queenstown, where the amount of rain tends to be pretty constant during spring, and places like Whangarei, where there is more rain in November than in October.
In addition, December can be wetter than November in places like Christchurch, Auckland, and Gisborne.
However, the amount of rainfall tends to remain below 80 mm in these places during both months.
The sun rises between 6:10 a.m. and 6:25 a.m. at the beginning of November and between 5:45 a.m. and 5:55 a.m. at the end of November.
The sun sets between 8:00 p.m. and 8:35 p.m. at the beginning of November and between 8:35 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. at the end of November.
So you have approximately 14 hours of daylight, which increases to approximately 15 hours of daylight towards the end of November.
The times mentioned above are for Wellington and Queenstown and may vary depending your location in New Zealand.
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.