When to Go
When to Visit New Zealand: Month by Month
Average highs, rainfall and public holidays across all twelve months in New Zealand — and the quietest hours at the places worth going.
- Best month
- Mar
- Average high
- 13–25°C
- Rainfall
- 1269mm
The year at a glance
- Good time to go
- Middling
- Less good
- Best avoided
Colours rank each country's twelve months against one another: how far the month sits from a mild 22°C in either direction, and how much of the year's rain falls in it. The number is that month's average daytime high.
Easiest months to travel
Ranked by how mild and dry each month is on average. A comfortable month can still be a busy one — check its holidays.
Every month compared
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25° | 14° | 79mm |
| Feb | 25° | 14° | 89mm |
| Mar | 23° | 12° | 90mm |
| Apr | 20° | 10° | 97mm |
| May | 16° | 8° | 121mm |
| Jun | 14° | 6° | 143mm |
| Jul | 13° | 6° | 143mm |
| Aug | 13° | 5° | 104mm |
| Sep | 15° | 7° | 114mm |
| Oct | 18° | 9° | 101mm |
| Nov | 21° | 11° | 95mm |
| Dec | 23° | 13° | 93mm |
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Verified quiet times
Real foot-traffic data for places worth timing right.
- Skyline Queenstown Queenstown 6–9 PM
- The Church of the Good Shepherd Lake Tekapo 9–10 AM
- Wellington Museum Wellington Weekdays 4–5 PM
Places to go in New Zealand
attraction Hobbiton™ Movie Set Tours
Hobbiton Movie Set Tours sits on a working sheep farm at 501 Buckland Road, just outside Matamata in New Zealand's Waikato region. 4.8★ (27,632 reviews) — what visitors say, hours, and tips.
attraction Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa sits on the Wellington waterfront at 55 Cable Street, Te Aro, about a 15-minute flat walk from Wellington Railway Station. 4.7★ (26,440 reviews) — what visitors say, hours, and tips.
attraction Sky Tower
Sky Tower sits on Victoria Street West in Auckland CBD. It is a 328-metre needle with glass-floored observation decks, the SkyWalk and SkyJump at 192 metres, and a revolving restaurant. 4.6★ (22,203 reviews) — what visitors say, hours, and tips.
attraction Huka Falls
Huka Falls sits just north of Taupō town in Wairakei. A footbridge crosses the gorge where the Waikato River squeezes through and pushes up to 220,000 litres of water per second over the drop. 4.8★ (13,106 reviews) — what visitors say, hours, and tips.
attraction Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Christchurch Botanic Gardens sit on Rolleston Avenue in Christchurch Central City, inside Hagley Park, with the Avon River curving around three sides. 4.7★ (15,030 reviews) — what visitors say, hours, and tips.
attraction Auckland Museum
Auckland Museum sits on the hilltop of the Auckland Domain in Parnell, about a 15-minute walk from Grafton or Parnell train stations. 4.7★ (14,969 reviews) — what visitors say, hours, and tips.
attraction Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Waitomo Glowworm Caves are at 39 Waitomo Village Road in Waitomo village, roughly a three-hour drive south of Auckland. 4.5★ (13,766 reviews) — what visitors say, hours, and tips.
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Climate figures are 10-year averages for Matamata, from NASA POWER; holidays from public calendars. Updated monthly.