I once met someone who was convinced it referred to the season when its too cold to go outside without coverings on ones. Unnecessary travel is not recommended at this time, and flights may be at risk of cancellation. Why shoulder season is the best time to travel in nz sta travel. Nov 01, 2019 if youre looking to book a cruise in shoulder season the time between summers peak season and winters off season now is the perfect window to book ahead and get a great deal. Fishing the shoulder seasons for brown trout in new zealand. Ill go into each consideration in more detail new zealand seasons and weather. New zealands climate is mild, and ranges from subtropical in the north to temperate in the south. As such, frommers travel guide warns travelers that accommodations will. 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.
This means flights and accommodations locked in 6 months prior to visiting new zealand. With helicopter flights one of the must dos in new zealand, shoulder season is the perfect time to do this. January, february, july, and august no significant shoulder seasons fall during these months, but prices drop immediately following the holidays in january. Jun 19, 2017 12 places that shine in shoulder season. Truly, theres never a bad time to visit new zealand. December is one of the busiest times of the year in new zealand, as this is the start of the high season.
But if you travel during australias winter and early spring june. Oct 02, 2017 new zealand budget travelers looking to save a few dollars should consider visiting bucketlist worthy new zealand during the fall shoulder season. Airfare pricing to australia and the south pacific is significantly affected by the dates you chose to travel. The launch of tourism new zealand s next generation of 100% pure new zealand campaign this month marks a significant shift in timing for us as we focus on promoting arrivals in the shoulder season. A shoulder season falls between the peak and offpeak travel seasons.
Best time to visit new zealand depending on what you want to do, you can virtually go all over new zealand at all times of the year. Weather wise mid january till early april tends to be most settled, and if you do get rain on the coast or going into milford sound, consider it a privlege. Before we perfected shoulder season travel, we traveled to new zealand in december. In the early season, fish are actively feeding after winter. Nov 08, 2019 april is shoulder season in new zealand. Information about nepals climate, weather, and trekking seasons, including the fall peak season, the spring season, the shoulder seasons, and when to avoid. The tourism sector is booming queenstown and throughout the country. How to find cheap deals during shoulder seasons cheapflights. The low season juneoct is the cheapest time to travel, however prices remain high at resort towns with ski fields. Easter often falls in april, and new zealand schools, as well as many workplaces, take holidays over easter. Best time to visit new zealand peak season in new zealand. Is it also considered a shoulder season, when there are fewer tourists but reasonably.
Learn how hotels and motels in queenstown differ from other accommodation providers in new zealand when it comes to booking in low and high season. I try to arrange traveling during shoulder seasons for good value when prices might be lower, decent weather, and fewer crowds. Understanding shoulder pain and how to fix it duration. It is not just local tourists since this is also summer school holidays in new zealand, meaning that. It is the quieter period between summer and winter which typically runs between marchmay and septembernovember. Apr 07, 2015 why you should visit new zealand in the offseason. May, june, september and october are still the quietest times for queenstown but tourist numbers have been growing.
The weather is calmer meaning a great chance to get out and view the scenery, whether it be snow. Because april is considered a shoulder season in new zealand, meaning its a season between the peak busy season and the low quiet season, its a great time to travel new zealand if wanting to save a few bucks while still experiencing awesome weather. Fall march may and spring septembernovember are considered shoulder seasons in. Aug 14, 2019 this means flights and accommodations locked in 6 months prior to visiting new zealand. In india, this typically means the travel period between august 1 and august 30, november 15 and december 10, and december 26 and january 24. Generally throughout nz high season is december sometimes november through march. These shoulder months offer pleasant temperatures, mostly sunny.
We spent day exploring the banks peninsula, including an excellent boat trip from akaroa. For our trip to new zealand, i flew into christchurch and met up with my parents, who were there on their own trip. Hotel rates and flights tend to be lower than normal, there are fewer crowds, and everything is a little less hectic in general. Crowds and costs arent as high as in the summer decemberfebruary, but because of relatively warm temperatures, its still busier than the winter juneaugust. Mar 09, 2020 traveling to mexico during shoulder season the periods between the high and low tourism seasons is an oftenoverlooked win for travelers. Busiest months to visit new zealand new zealand travel insider. Currently, kayak has observed decreased prices for several flights because of covid19. Dec, 2018 learn about the new zealand seasons, as well as the peak season in new zealand and the low season in new zealand. Fijis busiest season is between juneaugust when australians and new zealanders flee the winter, but you can get bargains during the shoulder periods in march and november. It was later adopted to refer to the spring and fall in pasture management, the lighter heating season, and other springfall terms.
The days of the tourism shoulder season could be over, industry operators and leaders say, as the number of visitors to new zealand continues to climb. So its pretty obvious theres enough awesomeness in new zealand to warrant a place on the bucket list, but deciding when to go can be a little bit trickier. New zealand in november 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. New zealand had been on our tovisit list for a while, but seasons and distance make it hard to visit during a normal year. The best time to visit for outdoor activities like hitting the beach or the cycling trails is definitely in. Best time to visit new zealand plan your new zealand trip for. Travellers heading around new zealand at this time of year can enjoy the inbetween of summer. The shoulder seasons are when we find great fishing can be had. The majority of our marketing effort is going into attracting visitors during the months of october, november, march and april which is why our campaign is being launched now rather than later in. Oct 24, 2016 lull shoulder seasons in queenstown are disappearing as more tourists visit the resort all year around. Considered a shoulder season, rates for travel and accommodation are much less than during summers peak travel season.
Lull shoulder seasons in queenstown are disappearing. The seasons in new zealand are opposites of the seasons on the northern. However, shoulder season, entering the fall, is also flipped. Its also harvest time for new zealand s wellregarded wine regions, including marlborough. Queenstowns shoulder season disappearing as more tourists. Spring is stunning throughout the country as flowers are in full bloom, and accommodations are much more affordable. Its also harvest time for new zealands wellregarded wine regions, including marlborough. Best time to visit auckland, new zealand weather year round. The majority of our marketing effort is going into attracting visitors during.
Why shoulder season is the best time to travel in nz sta. Because of the holiday season and school holidays, january is still considered high season until the middle of the month when it reverts to a shoulder or low season. A short stop in christchurch, including the banks peninsula and akaroa, at the start of a three week visit to new zealands south island. Can you please advise me what months might be considered shoulder season for travel in australia and new zealand. The majority of our marketing effort is going into attracting visitors during the months of october, november. With the worldfamous lupins probably the most instagrammed flower in the world blossoming, hundreds of other flowers in full bloom, lambs running all around the fields and birds singing their lungs out, spring is the perfect season for apicturesque trip in new zealand. When it comes to choosing what time of year to visit a resort, it pays to check out the value pricing offered during the shoulder season. Shoulder season cycling set to soar tourism new zealand. Travellers on a budget, here are shoulder season destinations. Shoulder season in new zealand brings calm and settled weather, allowing visitors to explore the diverse landscapes available. Lots of longterm, rtw travelers plan their trips around shoulder seasons.
Most people in new zealand take their annual holidays between middecember and february. You will thank yourself later for the smooth itinerary. 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. Save some cash during whats known as shoulder seasonapril to may and september to octoberexpect to travel at a much lower cost than high season. The timing of shoulder season varies, depending on your destination, and what activities youre doing. The seasons in new zealand are opposites of the seasons on the northern hemisphere. At any time of the year, theres always incredible fun to be had an even more awesome views to be seen. Learn about the new zealand seasons, as well as the peak season in new zealand and the low season in new zealand. Day hikes in new zealand s aoraki mount cook national park, including hooker valley, mueller hut, tasman blue glacier, and the red tarns. The us, europe, south africa and new zealand are also ideal during the shoulder season. Charlyn keating is a resort and hotel expert with over 12 years of experience travel writing for the washington post, travel channel online, and other publications. Make sure you visit before christmas, when new zealand suffers from the holy trinity of travel craziness. The launch of tourism new zealands next generation of 100% pure new zealand campaign this month marks a significant shift in timing for us.
Technically, cycling in new zealand is a year round activity so joining in on the cycling fun during shoulder season can still be very much on the agenda. May is an ideal time to catch a destination during shoulder seasonthose few weeks when rates are low and the weather is almost. Destination queenstown chief executive graham budd said the organisations main focus has. New zealand when traveling to the southern hemisphere, travelers should remember that the seasons are flipped. Top 5 things to do during new zealand s shoulder season many of us tend to forget just how awesome travelling in new zealand can be, its pretty much like having the world in miniature because theres something new to do every day. Five shoulder seasons to plan your trip around bootsnall. When it comes to shoulder season, its the best of both worlds. Boom could spell the end of the tourism shoulder season. It can save money when compared to traveling in high season, and the longer youre on the road, the less youll want to deal with the crowds that come along with traveling in the most popular part of the year. While new zealand does not really have a low season it is almost always high. The best times to visit auckland are from march to may and between september and november. Trekking seasons in nepal and when to go switchback travel.
Its autumn in australia, new zealand, and south africa, with shoulder season rates on flights and lodging. We took advantage of my flexibility by planning a threeweek trip to new zealand for february and march late summer early fall. Shoulder season definition, a travel season between peak and offpeak seasons, especially spring and fall, when fares tend to be relatively low. Answer the peak season for travel to and from australia is october to february, which is summer in the southern hemisphere. This means that the crowds of tourists are getting smaller but are still higher than in winter. Its one of the 16 most incredible beauty destinations in the world and a.
Just outside our door on long beach ko phi phi thailand shoulder season in thailand. Spring fishing happens from roughly early october to middecember. For an idea of general costs in new zealand, take a look at this cost guide. Booking queenstown hotels in peak and off season new.
Given the combination of hot weather and the fact that these are the christmas and new year holidays, its no surprise that youll find new zealand to be popular through december. While new zealand does not really have a low season it is almost always high season, pretty much like hawaii there are times when hotels and motels are much cheaper. The spring offers water crossings swollen by snow melt, the snowshoe monorails left over from the winter hiking season, rotten snow, and snow fleas. The great thing about travelling in shoulder season is also. New zealand in november new zealand travel insider. With bike rental providers easily located around the 22 epic cycle trails on offer, theres never been a greater time to explore new zealand by bike. This is a question that i get a lot living in new zealand.
While temperatures this month are a bit cooler than peak summer, april is among the best times to visit new zealand. For caribbean and tropical destinations, shoulder season usually runs july, august and november. May 23, 2019 shoulder season is the best time to visit europe and sits between the peak and offpeak seasons at a particular destination. Even in the wet season there are regional variations, so you can head to drier parts of the islands. Best time to fly southern hemisphere in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are flipped, so january and february are the height of summer. Deciphering shoulder season is one of travels biggest mysteries. The summer months are from november to april, peak season is december, february and march. Shoulder season for us in quite by comparison to high season of late dec jan. Queenstowns shoulder season disappearing as more tourists arrive.