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Milford Sound, New Zealand

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New Zealand weather, climate and geography

Weather & climate

Best time to visit: 

Subtropical in the north and temperate in the south. The north has no extremes of heat or cold but winter can be quite cool in the south, with snow in the mountains. The eastern areas often experience drought conditions in summer; the west, particularly in the South Island, has more rain.

Spring, summer and autumn are very pleasant throughout New Zealand. Winters tend to be wet and cool, but there's great winter skiing in the centre of the North Island, and in the South Island's Southern Alps, where heli-skiing is particularly popular.

Required clothing: 

Lightweight cottons and linens are worn in North Island most of the year and in summer in South Island. Mediumweights are worn during winter in South Island. Rainwear is advisable throughout the year, and essential if visiting South Island's rainforest areas.

Geography

New Zealand, known as 'The Land of the Long White Cloud', encompasses two major islands stretching north and south and separated by Cook Strait. They are fringed with numerous smaller islands. The more developed North Island (116,031 sq km/44,800 sq miles) is home to the main cities including the country's largest city Auckland; its rolling green hills are dotted with sheep and horses, and the central heartland pulses with geothermal activity; boiling mud pools, geysers and active volcanoes. The dramatic South Island (153,540 sq km/59,283 sq miles), is a stunning microcosm of snow-covered alps, fjords, glaciers and charming British-style towns such as Christchurch and Dunedin.

There are four associated territories: the Cook Islands, which lie 3,500km (2,175 miles) northeast of New Zealand; Niue, 920km (570 miles) west of the Cook Islands; Tokelau, three atolls about 960km (600 miles) northwest of Niue; and the Ross Dependency, which consists of over 700,000 sq km (270,270 sq miles) of the Antarctic.

Note: The Cook Islands and Niue have separate individual sections in the World Travel Guide.

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