The best fall destinations in New Zealand
And what to expect from fickle autumn weather.
Depending on who you talk to, autumn in New Zealand is either the best time of year or the worst.
In March and April, you can see fall colours sweep parts of the country — particularly around Wanaka and Tekapo.
But by late April and early May, the weather is often grey, damp, and cold.
If you’re in the beginning stages of planning a trip to New Zealand, you’re probably wondering when the best time to visit is — and when you’re most likely to hit the worst weather.
Here’s what to expect from New Zealand in autumn.
New Zealand weather in autumn
Autumn in New Zealand is during the months of March, April, and May.
March and April tend to still be quite warm, but by May the cold, dark weather is drawing in. Busy travel season is usually over by the end of April, and May is a much quieter (and cheaper) time.
The thing with New Zealand weather, though, is that nothing is guaranteed.
I spent all of March and April 2024 in the South Island, and I was freezing most of the time (although I was sleeping in the back of my car fairly often).
Temperatures never went below zero, but it was chilly enough that I was in thick jumpers and jeans most of the time.
Hiking into the mountains was even colder, and I spent a few nights camping in the backcountry rugged up in about five layers.
The best places to visit in New Zealand in fall
As New Zealand native forest is evergreen, only introduced species show fall colours in New Zealand.
Wanaka and Central Otago
Fall colours around Lake Wanaka
An autumn sunrise hike up Rocky Mountain
Queenstown and Arrowtown
Autumn colours on the hillside above Arrowtown
Some downsides of travelling New Zealand in autumn/fall
Days grow a lot shorter, which makes it harder to hike, camp and generally be outdoors
The weather can get wet and gloomy, particularly in the North Island (although the South Island is much colder)
Thanks for reading this far — I hope this gave you an idea of what New Zealand is like in fall.
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