New Zealand. Aotearoa. Center-Earth. No matter you wanna name it, one factor is similar: it’s a spectacular vacation spot. And for many people, it’s a place now we have been dreaming of visiting. However how do you begin planning a visit to this real-life fantasyland? On this video, we’ll stroll you thru the necessities —from timing and transportation to must-visit spots. As a result of sure, it could be an epic vacation spot, however it additionally takes a little bit of technique.
Step 1: Determine how lengthy your journey can be.
Dimension-wise, New Zealand is a bit tough when seen on the map. It does appear to be simply a few droplets within the ocean, particularly when the large Australia is in the identical body. However it’s not that small. And even when it had been, there’s only a lot to see and do. It’s obtained glaciers, glowworm caves, snow-capped peaks, iconic filming places, and charming cities. And chances are high, you’d wish to see all of them.
Our first recommendation is to keep longer. We stayed for 10 days, and it felt actually brief. Attending to New Zealand is just not straightforward or low-cost, so take advantage of out of it by staying longer and seeing extra, particularly in case you plan on making a cease at a number of cities.
However in case you can actually allocate just a few days, that’s high quality, however it’s going to be tougher until you’ll be specializing in only one or two locations.
Step 2: Construct your itinerary.
As soon as you determine what number of days you may be spending in New Zealand, it’s time to start out constructing your itinerary. Step one is to establish what locations are non-negotiable for you. For instance, in case you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, I’m positive you’ll not forgive your self in case you don’t set foot in Hobbiton. Proper?
So listing them out. In our case, we solely had just a few: Hobbiton, Christchurch, and Queenstown.
And simply by wanting on the map, I noticed early on that they’re fairly far aside. So from right here, we tried to give you a route that will join all of those and may realistically be loved in 10 days.
From the get-go, we knew our entry level can be Auckland. As New Zealand’s largest metropolis, it has the nation’s greatest airport and is essentially the most standard jumpoff level to Hobbiton. However as an alternative of going again to Auckland, we determined to remain for a few days to Rotorua, since it’s also a preferred vacationer vacation spot.
Rotorua has an airport, which serves direct flights to Christchurch, so we opted to fly for this leg. However from Christchurch to Queenstown, we wished to journey by land so we might admire the landscapes alongside the way in which. So we’ll solely be reserving 4 accommodations, one every in Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch, and Queenstown.
However as we continued researching, we realized that we might additionally go to different sights. For instance, from Christchurch to Queenstown, as an alternative of reserving a direct bus, we found that there are one-way excursions on Klook. One-way as a result of it is going to choose you up in Christchurch, make a number of prolonged stops at vacationer spots alongside the way in which together with Lake Tekapo and the areas near Mt. Prepare dinner, after which drop you off in Queenstown. It’s like a bus switch and group tour in a single!
On Klook, they’ve Christchurch to Queenstown and Queenstown to Christchurch through Lake Tekapo and Mt. Prepare dinner, and Auckland to Rotorua through Hobbiton.
✅ Auckland to Rotorua through Hobbiton
✅ Christchurch to Queenstown through Mt. Prepare dinner & Lake Tekapo
✅ Queenstown to Christchurch through Mt. Prepare dinner & Lake Tekapo
Step 3: Work out transportation.
One factor that grew to become obvious early on whereas researching for this journey was that public transportation choices between cities in New Zealand had been fairly restricted. This is the reason, many on-line publications will inform you that one of the best ways to get round is by renting a automotive or a campervan.
I agree. By driving, not solely do you may have complete management of your time, you additionally don’t get restricted by inflexible bus or tour schedules. However earlier than you lock it in, be sure to have a sound driver’s license and that you just’re assured driving on the left aspect of the street.
However in case you’re touring alone or a pair, you would possibly find yourself spending extra. It’s extra best in case you’re a part of a gaggle so you may have companions to separate the price with.
If driving is out of the image for no matter purpose, you possibly can take InterCity Buses. However once more, know that departures are few and much between. For instance, from Auckland to Rotorua, there are solely a handful of journeys accessible. However you possibly can completely make it work in case you plan your journey properly.
An alternative choice is by becoming a member of the one-way excursions that I discussed within the earlier part of this video.
It’s also possible to fly. Home flights in New Zealand are delightfully cheap, so don’t rely them out simply but. For instance, after we flew from Auckland to Christchurch, we solely paid round 108 NZD (P3640) per particular person.
Initially we wished to fly straight from Rotorua Airport to Christchurch, however this route was twice or thrice costlier so we determined to journey again to Auckland Airport as an alternative.
Talking of flights…
Step 4: Evaluate flight costs.
New Zealand is fairly distant, so it’s no shock that flights going there are costly. Its nationwide flag provider is Air New Zealand, which has direct flights to and from Taipei, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, Vancouver and varied cities throughout Australia, the USA, and the Pacific. Different airways like Qantas, Jetstar, China Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Air, Qatar Airways and Emirates fly to New Zealand too. So do plenty of American and Chinese language carriers.
We’re based mostly within the Philippines and there aren’t any direct flights accessible. Philippine Airways used to supply direct Manila to Auckland flights, however that route has been discontinued. So we needed to join elsewhere. However this journey is a part of our higher Australia-New Zealand journey so we flew from Melbourne.
In the event you guide prematurely, a roundtrip flight from Manila often prices PHP 40,000 to 50,000 in off-peak season and round PHP 60,000 in peak season.
As a lot as doable, attempt to guide each legs of the journey with the identical airline or at the least airways with code-share agreements, so that you received’t must clear immigration at your layover airport and choose up and test in your baggage once more. Particularly in case you’re connecting in Australia, which would require you to acquire a Transit Visa first.
Anyway, in case you see fares and preparations that you just like, don’t guide simply but. Simply evaluate and canvas. Don’t finalize something.
Step 5: Test lodging choices.
One other factor you want to contemplate is lodging. The excellent news is, most New Zealand metropolis or city facilities usually are not that large. Even Auckland, which is the nation’s largest metropolis, isn’t as bustling and is definitely fairly chill in comparison with different large cities in different international locations. So in principle, so long as you’re throughout the metropolis heart or city heart, try to be high quality.
However one factor you want to be ready for is the price. Whereas planning our journey, we shortly realized that lodging charges in New Zealand are fairly steep particularly in the summertime months.
- In Auckland, we booked a room at SkyCity, which is simply subsequent to the Sky Tower, Auckland’s most iconic landmark. We paid round NZD 170 (P5740) per night time. Nice location, and the Sky Drive, which is the airport bus terminates simply across the nook. Test Charges & Availability! ✅
- In Rotorua, we stayed at Rock Stable Backpackers, a hostel proper within the metropolis heart inside strolling distance of main sights. It was only a fan room, however New Zealand summers are fairly gentle so we didn’t thoughts. It’s outfitted with all the essential facilities, a TV, a desk, toiletries, and all. And sure, it has an ensuite rest room and bathtub. We paid USD 87 (NZD 147, PHP 4950) per night time. Sure, for a fan room. That’s how costly rooms are right here. Test Charges & Availability! ✅
- In Christchurch, we booked a non-public room at Haka Home, which I believe can be labeled as a hostel, however it didn’t really feel prefer it in any respect. It was newly renovated and our room had ensuite rest room and bathtub and every thing was squeaky clear, so it felt like we had been staying at a boutique resort. Superior location, too, near most factors of curiosity together with the Botanical Backyard and Riverside Market. They’d no elevator although, so it may be difficult when you have heavy baggage. This room set us again NZD 183 (USD 109, PHP 6145) per night time. Test Charges & Availability! ✅
- However Queenstown was the priciest of all of them. We stayed at one other hostel known as BLACK SHEEP Backpackers Hostel, in a fan room with out its personal rest room and bathe. The place was neat and good, and it’s not too removed from the middle of the motion, however we shelled out NZD 215 (USD 128, PHP 7240) per night time for this. And this was the most cost effective that we discovered even when we booked this manner prematurely. Test Charges & Availability! ✅
By the way in which, you don’t must memorize all these particulars. We compiled all of the NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL ESSENTIALS together with an inventory of all of the accommodations and hostels we tried within the TPT Masterlist. Simply go to and scroll till you see the part about New Zealand. We even have a compilation for different locations all over the world. Test Charges & Availability! ✅
So yeah, New Zealand lodging is tremendous costly. Simply preserve it in thoughts when budgeting to your journey. That’s most likely why some vacationers select to only hire a campervan.
Anyway, identical to with flights and transpo, don’t decide to your resort reserving but. As a substitute, select properties that supply FREE CANCELLATION. Each Klook and Agoda have these choices.
- In the event you guide with Klook, please use our promo code THEPOORTRAVELERKLOOK for as much as P300 OFF or TPTKLOOK5 for as much as P500 OFF. These codes would possibly change sooner or later so greatest to only go to thepoortraveler.internet/klook to redeem up to date low cost codes!
- In the event you favor AGODA, use our promo code AGODATPT for 10% low cost.
No matter you select, be certain it’s FREE CANCELLATION as a result of there’s one essential factor that you want to deal with first earlier than you make any reserving ultimate…
Step 6: Apply for a New Zealand visa.
You is likely to be questioning why I’m mentioning the visa simply now. Nicely, 2 causes:
First, a New Zealand visa isn’t low-cost. It prices NZD 100 (PHP 3300), as of this writing. And it’s often legitimate for simply 1 yr. It’s not just like the US or Canada visas which may give you as much as 10 years. No, simply 1 yr. So in case you’re not but 100% sure that you just’re New Zealand-bound, don’t apply. You’ll simply be losing cash if you find yourself not utilizing it.
Additionally, earlier than you begin the visa utility course of, it’s greatest that you’ve got a robust grasp of your journey plans. When making use of for a New Zealand visa, you’ll be requested to your journey dates and resort addresses, and you may even submit an in depth day-to-day itinerary to bolster your case. Having a stable journey plan will drastically improve your probabilities of approval. It’s also possible to add your resort bookings as supporting paperwork, though it’s optionally available.
I’m not going to delve deeper into the method as a result of now we have mentioned it intimately in our complete NEW ZEALAND VISA GUIDE! ✅
In the event you favor it in Tagalog or Filipino, simply watch this video.
In keeping with the official New Zealand Immigration web site, visa processing often takes 4 weeks or 1 month. I obtained mine after solely 2 days however don’t rely on it. It’s all the time greatest to use at the least 2 months earlier than your goal departure date.
Step 7: Finalize all of your bookings.
When you’re granted a visa, finalize all of your bookings! E-book these flights, excursions, transfers, and different stuff that you just had been eyeing. Or if issues change, regulate accordingly.
Once more these are all of the promo codes that you should use. We’ve got reductions for accommodations, excursions, and eSIM for web connection. We even have particular charges for journey insurance coverage, unique for TPT subscribers.
Be certain that to additionally accomplish and submit the New Zealand Traveller Declaration Type inside 24 hours earlier than your departure flight. It must be of their system by the point you arrive in New Zealand.
That’s all for now. Keep in mind, plan good, journey secure, and make each journey WORTH IT!
