When to go · New Zealand

New Zealand in May

Mixed month. Cool and short days; Great Walk huts leave peak season, services thin; good value in the north.

Key facts

Plan around it

Verdict

MixedVoykit month rating for New Zealand

Cool and short days; Great Walk huts leave peak season, services thin; good value in the north.

Northland and Auckland · Bay of Islands, Auckland, Coromandelfine
Subtropical-mild: humid summers around 24 °C, wet but rarely cold winters (14 °C days); showers in any month.
Central North Island · Rotorua, Taupō, Tongarirocool
The volcanic plateau is high: frosts and snow on the Tongariro Crossing in winter (guided only then); summer is the crossing season.
Wellington and Marlborough-Nelson · Wellington, Picton, Nelson, Abel Tasmanfine
Nelson and Blenheim are the sunniest towns in the country; Wellington's wind and Cook Strait swell can cancel ferries.
Southern Alps and lakes · Queenstown, Wānaka, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Tekapocool
Hot dry summers, clear cold winters with ski fields Jun–Sep; chains needed on passes; autumn colour in April.
West Coast and Fiordland · Franz Josef, Fox, Milford Sound, Te Anaurainy
Among the wettest places on earth (Milford gets 6–7 m a year): rain makes the waterfalls, but slips close roads; sandflies all summer.
Otago coast and far south · Dunedin, the Catlins, Stewart Islandcool
Cool and changeable year-round; short winter days (about 9 hours of light in June).
Auckland17° / 11°, 13 rain days