Ski holidays in New Zealand

New Zealand 

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New Zealand has to be one of the most beautiful and diverse countries in the world, if not the most beautiful. The land is scattered with active and extinct volcanoes, the mountain ranges rival those of the big European ranges, there are beaches galore and the cities are laid back and charming. There are also some world-class ski resorts here, which open from June to October, while the high tourist season for summer attractions is between December and March.

There are more than two dozen ski resorts in New Zealand, of which the Mount Ruapehu ski area on the North Island is one of the country’s favourites. Snowboarders have natural half-pipes created by lava flows, while views from the slopes of adjoining Whakapapa are unforgettable.

Mount Hutt Ski Area is located on the South Island in the Southern Alps, where the mountains are really big. Mount Hutt offers excellent skiing and snowboarding on its wide slopes as well as great off-piste glacier skiing, all with fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean. Mackenzie Ski Area offers superb views of Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest point; the Southern Alps and Lake Tekapo, and it has less crowded slopes than some of the other resorts.

Queenstown is the adventure capital of New Zealand and it offers a full range of slopes on its Remarkables mountain range at the Coronet Peak ski resort. There is night skiing here and snowmaking facilities. Lake Wanaka near Queenstown harbours four ski areas, of which Cardrona is a snowboarder’s paradise, boasting four boarding parks.

Nearly all visitors to New Zealand arrive by air and there are seven international airports, with Auckland handling the bulk of flights. Other airports are situated at Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Queenstown and Wellington. There is no ferry service to New Zealand by sea, although cruise ships regularly dock in Auckland. The rail network isn’t extensive; however, reliable bus services run all over the islands, as do backpacker shuttles. Driving is relatively hassle-free, with good, uncongested roads and cheap fuel, although some mountain tracks can be tricky.

New Zealand is a safe country and the roads here are a pleasure to drive on, although care should be taken on approach to the ski resorts due to hairpin bends and tractors.

http://www.newzealand.com/

If you’re travelling here, we recommend that you take a good guidebook. We like the layout and content of the Lonely Planet book. It provides an excellent mix of travel information and practical advice. Click below to purchase. You won’t regret buying it!