The Ultimate Guide to Visiting New Zealand in The Spring

I’ve been to New Zealand twice— once in the summer and once in the spring. In October, I finally got to experience the South Island from the perspective of a campervan with Travellers Autobarn, which has been a lifelong dream of mine. 

If you’re thinking of booking a trip to New Zealand in the spring, you should! It’s full of lush green valleys, bright flowers, snowy mountains, and few crowds. Sure, you’ll need to pack some sweaters and a raincoat, but nothing beats New Zealand in the spring. 

Everything to Know Before Visiting New Zealand in the Spring

Visiting New Zealand in the spring is magical, but it doesn’t require a bit more attention to detail and preplanning. Here are all my best tips for visiting this time of the year:

1. Rent a Campervan

I’ll get into the details of renting a campervan in New Zealand further in this post, but this is the best way to see and explore New Zealand in the spring. The ruthless sandflies and gnats that have been known run rampant among campsites in the summer have yet to emerge. Better yet, there is plenty of camping throughout both the North & South Islands during this time of year, when finding campsites in the peak summer months can be a major pain.

The weather is *perfect* for a campervan during the spring. Chilly nights are ideal for sleeping, while warmer days are perfect for hanging out and enjoying camp. 

2. Weather can change quickly 

This time of year in New Zealand can be hot and sunny or snowy and chilly. Packing layers and paying attention to the weather is key! You’ll also want to keep your itinerary as flexible as possible. The last thing you want is to be locked into certain places, hotels, or campsites when the weather isn’t cooperating. There are certain places that are OK to visit during the rain, like Milford Sound. And on other days you’ll want the highest chance of sun, like Mount Cook. Keep an eye on the upcoming weather forecast and have a Plan B for your Plan A! 

3. Crowds are sparse

The BEST reason to visit New Zealand in the spring! 

One of the primary reasons I love New Zealand in the spring is the lack of other tourists. Nearly everywhere we went was quiet, refreshing, and uncrowded. In the valleys, everything is incredibly green, and the flowers are blooming. The first time I visited in the summer, it was difficult to find a parking spot, even outside of the most popular destinations.

4. There are SO many places to explore outside of the hotspots 

Queenstown, Milford Sound, Te Anau, and Wanaka are must-visit places on almost every New Zealand itinerary. And although none of those places are bad to visit, you should plan your road trip to include so much more. 

5. Lupine Season 

Many people plan their spring visit to New Zealand around lupine season, which occurs in late spring and early summer. The most common time to visit for lupines is late November and early December. The flowers are spectacular, but know that it is nearly peak tourist season, and the fields of lupines are often packed with travellers looking for that perfect photo-op. 

If I could choose the perfect time to visit New Zealand, it would be late October or early November, when many flowers are blooming and the weather is favorable, but the lupines aren’t quite out yet. 

Everything You Need to Know About Renting a Campervan in New Zealand 

If you're considering a campervan hire in New Zealand, do it. There is no other way to put it. If you want freedom of the open road, the flexibility of an open-ended itinerary, and the joy of sleeping under a canvas of stars, you’ll need to rent a van. The most common campervan rental in New Zealand is this Campervan Rental in Christchurch, which can be picked up in Queenstown, Christchurch, or Auckland. 

New Zealand has very specific laws about where and how you can camp. For example, you can’t just rent a car and pull up to a free camping area expecting to recline in your seat for the night. I made that mistake the first time I visited. 

Self-Contained Camping Laws in New Zealand

To take advantage of free camping, your campervan rental must be verified as self-contained and display a green sticker on the exterior of your vehicle. According to New Zealand law, self-contained camping is defined as "a vehicle that is certified to be completely independent for at least three days, meeting all sanitary and ablutionary needs without external help" via Travellers Autobarn.

When you look at campvan rentals, make sure that you pick one that is classified as ‘self-contained,’ or else you will quickly learn how difficult camping can be in certain areas. 

Best Camping Apps in New Zealand

You’ll also want to download a few handy camping apps before you touchdown. There are two main apps for finding camping locations, dump stations, water refills, and more. 

RankersNZ: Rankers is the #1 camping app used in New Zealand. The best part about the app is the ability to download maps offline and locate camping areas, even when in places without cell service. 

CamperMate is also a good resource for finding campsites, but it offers many other useful filters. We mainly used this app to find dump stations, water refills, and to check pricing information for paid campgrounds. 

We had the Kuga Campervan from Travellers Autobarn for our trip, which was the perfect rig. Big enough to have everything we needed, but small enough to navigate and travel the road with ease. Watching some of the bigger campers on the mountain roads had us sweating! 

Renting Your Campervan Hire From Travellers Autobarn

I've used Travellers Autobarn on two trips - one in the United States and one in New Zealand. If there's one thing I know: It's that I'll never use another company in any country they rent in. Their vans have become our home away from home on the road. If you have a chance to rent from them on a trip, you won't regret it. Their current destinations include:

• New Zealand
• Australia 
• Japan 
• Australia

Best Places to Visit On Your South Island NZ Road Trip 

Read almost any other ‘things to do in New Zealand’ blog, and they will have these places listed: 

• Roys Peak 
• Milford Sound
• Queenstown 
• Morakai Boulders
• Mount Cook/Aoraki National Park 
• Doubtful Sound

And although you should still visit all of those places, there is SO much more to New Zealand than the go-to highlights. If you’re looking for additional places to add to your itinerary, I recommend adding these: 

1. New Zealand’s West Coast 
2. Nugget Point Lighthouse 
3. Haast Public Beach 
4. Abel Tasman National Park 
5. Taoka’s Arches
6. Hokitika Glow Worms (free)

Enjoy your upcoming trip to New Zealand! You will have an absolute blast.