With rugged mountain landscapes, cascading waterfalls, pristine beaches, and lush rainforests, New Zealand is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world. Planning your dream vacation is exciting, but putting together a packing list can be a daunting task. We’re taking the stress out of packing for you! By using our ultimate New Zealand packing list, you can spend more time planning your must-see spots, and less time worrying about not packing the right gear.
Consider the season
One of the main aspects of your trip to consider is what time of year you’re planning on going. If you’re planning a trip in the middle of winter, you don’t want to pack shorts and flip-flops! On the other hand, if you’re planning a trip in the middle of summer, you’ll regret only bringing long pants and sweaters. This is important to note because New Zealand is located in the Southern Hemisphere. This means that when it’s summer in the U.S. and Europe, it’s winter in New Zealand, and vice versa.
New Zealand’s weather can vary drastically whether you’re relaxing on a beach or trekking through the mountains. Regardless of what season you’re traveling in or what activities you think you’ll be involved in, you should always pack multiple layers, a rain coat, and a good pair of hiking boots.
Clothing
Layers, layers, layers. You may start a hike early morning in below freezing temperatures, and by the time noon hits you’ll be sweating and wishing you had worn a t-shirt under that down jacket. This is true no matter what season you are traveling in. Here are a few other articles of clothing you should have on hand:
Year-round
Wind and rain-proof outer layer
Hiking boots
Hiking socks
T-shirts
Jeans
Underwear
Hat
Bathing suit (it may seem silly to pack a swimsuit in the middle of winter, but you may want to visit natural hot springs!)
Comfortable clothing for lounging or sleeping
Sunglasses (snow can be surprisingly bright)
Winter
Down jacket
Merino wool turtleneck
Mid-weight fleece
Gloves
Beanie
Cozy sweater
Summer
Flip-flops
Dresses or skirts (our adventure dress is perfect for traveling!)
Tank tops
Shorts you can hike in
Lightweight pants
Lightweight long-sleeve shirt
Light jacket
Hiking and camping gear
If you’re one of many people who head to New Zealand for an outdoor adventure, you’re going to need the right gear! If you’re scaling the side of a mountain in the middle of winter, you’ll need a lot of specific gear. This list is geared more towards those who’d like to hike and camp under normal conditions. If you don’t want to carry all of this with you, many places will allow you to rent this gear for short periods of time.
Backpacking backpack
One or two-person lightweight tent
Sleeping bag (specific for the range of temperatures you’ll encounter)
Sleeping pad
Hammock
Camping stove and mess kit
Quick-dry towel
Reusable water bottle with filter
Important documents
Requirements vary depending on what country you’re entering New Zealand from, so be sure to do this research before you hop on a plane. Generally, you’ll want to carry your passport, proof of return or onward flight, proof of travel insurance, and even a scanned copy of your passport that you keep in a safe place. Be sure to have a debit or credit card on you, and remember to notify your bank about your travel plans! Having a small amount of local currency when you first arrive can also be helpful, in case you have any trouble taking out cash from a local ATM.
Extras
Do you spend a lot of your free time reading? Are you someone who loves to document every adventure you have? Depending on your hobbies and interests, you may want to bring a few extras along.
Kindle or other e-reader
Waiting in airports, taking long flights, and relaxing in bed at the end of a long day are all perfect opportunities to crack open a good book. Physical books can be heavy, and if you’re a big reader like I am, it can be difficult to pack your favorite novels and stay under airline weight restrictions. This is where e-readers come in handy. You can travel with dozens of books with almost no added weight! They’re also small enough to slip into a purse and carry everywhere.
Camera
New Zealand is a picturesque country, and even if you don’t consider yourself a professional photographer, you’re going to want to take a few photos. Be sure to pack your DSLR, compact point-and-shoot camera, or even just your smartphone.
New Zealand power adapter
If you’re bringing anything that needs to be charged, you’re going to need a power adapter, since New Zealand uses different outlets than other areas of the world. If you’re a big traveler, consider investing in a universal adapter so that you don’t need to purchase a different one for each country you visit.
Are you ready to plan the ultimate New Zealand adventure? Use this New Zealand packing list as a checklist, and let us take the stress out of planning your trip. Whether you’re thinking of traveling later this year or are looking into 2021, we can help. Check out our itinerary for our 7-10 day trips spanning both the North and South Islands, and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
This post was written by Kiri Rowan
Check out more of her adventures on Instagram at @kirirowan