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 for planning a holiday to New Zealand would be to decide when 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 world of pairs. 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 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 that 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.

Lake Wakatipu and Cecil Peak in Queenstown

Any time from November, which lies at the end of spring in New Zealand, until March, which marks the beginning of autumn in New Zealand, should guarantee having other tourists around who – like you – may be alone or who can serve as fillers for the 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 or book a tour in advance, and the tour operator will take care of filling the seats if that’s possible.

Another positive thing about visiting New Zealand in 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 that 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 wish.

The negative thing about visiting New Zealand in summer is that those months are not only the busiest because New Zealanders themselves tend to take a break during that time but also the most expensive months to visit New Zealand.

Having said that, New Zealand does not really have an off season.

It is always busy and expensive except perhaps in May. Other less expensive and busy months to visit New Zealand are April, June, and October.

The time you choose to visit New Zealand should depend on the activities you would like to do and the places you plan to visit in New Zealand.

Therefore, the best time to visit New Zealand, in your case, may not always depend on whether a tour operator can fill a quota so that you can enjoy an activity or a tour.

I have previously written an article about the best time to visit New Zealand based on several criteria that should help you decide what time is the best time for you to visit New Zealand should you want to avoid the busy months in New Zealand.

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