What I’d Do Differently: New Zealand Edition

Updated April 2026 | 7 min read

This is the third post from my New Zealand trip with my twin in 2023. The other two cover the full trip overview and costs and the South Island road trip in detail. This one is the lessons. The things I got wrong, the things I’d do differently, and the specific advice I now give anyone who asks me about New Zealand before they go.

I’ve written a version of this post for eleven other destinations. The through lines are in that post. New Zealand has its own particular category of mistakes.

I Underestimated the Drives. Badly.

This is the number one thing. New Zealand is not a small country, and distances on a map are misleading because the roads are mountain roads. A 200-kilometer drive that would take 2 hours in flat country takes 3.5 hours here. The Queenstown to Milford Sound return is 8 hours of driving minimum. The drive from Auckland to Rotorua is about 3 hours. These are not the numbers that feel intuitive when you’re planning at home.

What I’d do differently: open Google Maps for every leg of the trip and look at the estimated drive time, not the distance. Then add 30 minutes to each estimate. Then decide how many days you actually need.

We made the Milford Sound trip a day trip from Queenstown. We left early and got back late and it was fine, but it was also a very long day after several other long days. A night in Te Anau would have changed the shape of that day entirely. I’d do it differently.

The Weather Is Not Like What You’re Used To

Milford Sound gets roughly 7 meters of rain per year. The West Coast is wetter. The South Island can deliver four seasons in one day, which is a thing people say about lots of places but which is literally true here in a way that affected actual plans.

We lucked out on our Milford Sound day. Clear skies, good visibility, good light. Some people on the same itinerary the week before got socked in fog. The cruise still runs — the fiord is atmospheric in fog — but it’s a different experience.

What I’d do differently: build weather flexibility into the itinerary. If you can spend 12 days instead of 10, the extra 2 days give you recovery room when a weather day wipes out a plan. If you’re booking something weather-dependent — glacier heli tours, Milford Sound cruise upgrades, certain hikes — book early in the stay, not on the last possible day, so you have a shot at rescheduling.

Also: check the road conditions for the Homer Tunnel before you leave for Milford Sound. The road closes in severe weather and for maintenance. Arriving in Te Anau only to learn the road is closed is a bad morning.

Packing for Multiple Climates Is Harder Than It Sounds

Auckland in summer is warm and humid. Queenstown is cooler and unpredictable. The Milford Sound dock in wind and rain requires real weather gear. If you’re doing anything in the mountains, you need layers. If you’re in Auckland in February, you’ll overheat in those same layers.

We packed too heavy for Auckland and not heavy enough for the South Island cold. The solution is merino wool, which New Zealand is very good at selling you once you’re there — it packs small, doesn’t smell, and works in a wide temperature range. If you have any merino layers, bring them. If you don’t, budget to buy some in Queenstown because you’ll want them.

What I’d pack for a New Zealand trip specifically:

• A waterproof shell jacket, not just a rain layer — something windproof for the water and fiords
• Merino base layer or two
• One warm mid-layer (fleece or light down)
• Comfortable shoes you can actually walk in, plus one pair of slightly sturdier shoes for any hiking
• Sunscreen — the UV index in New Zealand is genuinely high, higher than equivalents in the northern hemisphere, and the sun will catch you off guard
• Sandfly repellent if you’re doing Milford Sound or the West Coast

Rental Car Tips Specific to New Zealand

Driving on the left is less intuitive to unlearn than you expect. The first day, you will drift toward the left edge of the lane when turning. You will reach for the window wiper when you mean to indicate. This passes, but be patient with yourself on day one, especially if you’re tired from a long flight.

Specific things I’d do differently on the rental:

• Book early, especially for summer travel (December–February). New Zealand tourism has rebounded since COVID and rental inventory gets thin. We booked late and had fewer options than we wanted.
• Get full insurance and don’t agonize over it. The roads are beautiful and narrow and one encounter with a gravel shoulder or a sheep costs more than the insurance premium.
• Get a car with a reasonable amount of ground clearance. Most of the main roads are fine, but if you want to explore any gravel or side roads, a standard sedan is limiting. We were in a a mid-size SUV which was adequate but we could have used a bit more clearance once or twice.
• Fuel up when you see a petrol station. Between Te Anau and Milford Sound there are no fuel stations. Between many South Island towns, there’s nothing. A policy of filling above half a tank saved us twice.
• The car GPS or Google Maps will not always have current road conditions. Download the Waka Kotahi (NZTA) app or bookmark the website for live traffic and closures.

Booking Timing

New Zealand is popular, and the good accommodation books out. We got our first choices in some places and had to take what was available in others. Here’s the pattern I’d follow:

• Queenstown accommodation: book 3–4 months out minimum for summer travel. It fills up.
• Milford Sound cruises: book before you leave home, not when you arrive in Queenstown. The good time slots (early morning) go first. We booked at least two months and it was fine, but the earliest slots were sold out.
• Hobbiton tours (if relevant): book online before departure. It sells out in peak season and there’s no real walk-up option.
• Heli-tours and glacier experiences: these are heavily weather-dependent and many operators offer same-day rebooking if conditions are bad. Book your preferred slot early in your stay, not at the end.

The North Island vs. South Island Question

If we had the trip to do again and the same amount of time, I’d cut the North Island shorter and spend more time on the South Island. Auckland is worth two nights but not more. Rotorua is genuinely worth a day or two — the geothermal experience is unlike anything else on the trip. Beyond that, the South Island competes for time and the South Island wins.

If you have 10 days total: I’d spend 2 in Auckland, 1 or 2 in Rotorua, and 6 to 7 on the South Island. Skip Hobbiton unless you’re a real fan — the 45-minute drive each way adds up when the South Island is calling.

What I Got Right

It’s worth noting the things that worked, because not all lessons are cautionary.

Flying between islands instead of taking the ferry: right call, saved significant time. The domestic flight is easy and cheap relative to the alternatives.

Renting a car instead of booking tours: right call. The flexibility to stop when you want, leave early, adjust plans for weather — you can’t do that on a tour bus.

Going with my twin: this specific trip is better with someone. Long drives pass differently. The decision-making is easier. The costs split in ways that opened up accommodation options we couldn’t have afforded solo. I’d make the same choice.

New Zealand is worth the trip. These are the adjustments I’d make to the version of it we did. For the full overview, costs, and South Island breakdown, start with the New Zealand overview post.

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This post is part of the What I’d Do Differently series. For the full trip, see New Zealand: What We Did and What It Cost and the South Island Road Trip guide.

Travel Tools We Actually Use

New Zealand distances take way longer than Google Maps says. Roads are narrow, winding, and speed limits are strict. Fill up gas whenever you see a station — they are sparse on the South Island.

• eSIM Data: Airalo eSIM for New Zealand — Coverage is spotty in the South Island interior, but you need whatever signal you can get for navigation.
• Car Rental: Compare car rental in New Zealand — Book 6+ months ahead for summer (Dec-Mar). Get the smallest car that fits your luggage — roads are narrow.
• Travel Insurance: — Milford Sound cruises, glacier hikes, and skydiving all get cancelled for weather. Insurance that covers trip disruptions saves you.
• Money: — Best NZD exchange rate.
• Camping App: Download CamperMate or Rankers Camping NZ — finds legal free and paid camping spots, dump stations, and fuel. Freedom camping rules are strict and fines are real.

Book Tours and Activities

• Milford Sound Cruise
• Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
• Queenstown Adventure Activities

Gear We Wish We Had Packed

• Osprey Farpoint 40 – Perfect for road trip hopping between accommodations.
• Rain Jacket (Marmot Precip) – NZ weather changes four times a day.
• Airalo eSIM – Coverage is spotty in the South Island but better than nothing.
• Anker Nano Power Bank – Long drives with GPS running drain fast.
• Packing Cubes – You’ll repack constantly between stops.

Find Your Next Flight

Book on Klook:

• Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
• Milford Sound Cruise
• Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Plan Your Trip to New Zealand

Ready to book? Search flights to New Zealand to compare prices across airlines. And compare hotel rates in New Zealand to find the best deals for your dates.

Affiliate disclosure: This post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. SafetyWing, Skyscanner, Airalo, Booking.com, Viator, Klook.