Backpacking in New Zealand

It may only be small, but New Zealand is a land jam-packed with jaw-dropping scenery, thrilling adventure experiences, world-famous silver screen locations, renowned wine regions and friendly locals. There are so many things to do and places to see in New Zealand, it’s hard to know where to begin!

Planning on backpacking New Zealand? YHA NZ has 45+ backpacker hostels located in all the tourist hot-spots as well as off-the-beaten-track in more remote locations.

SKI NEW ZEALAND 

The New Zealand ski season runs from June to October.

Most of New Zealand’s skiing action is based around the Southern Alps, on New Zealand’s South Island. This includes:

• Cardrona and Treble Cone, near Lake Wanaka
• The Remarkables and Coronet Peak, overlooking Queenstown
• Roundhill and Mt Dobson, near Lake Ohau in the MacKenzie Region
• Mt Hutt, near Christchurch

You can also ski on an active volcano, Mt Ruapehu, on New Zealand’s North Island.

BEST PLACES IN NEW ZEALAND

Image - Julian Apse and Tourism NZ

If you want to see the best of New Zealand, stay in one of YHA NZ’s 45+ Backpacker hostels.

On the North Island, YHA NZ has city hostels in Auckland and Wellington, but don’t miss spectacular locations including:

• Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula (Stay at YHA Whitianga or YHA Opoutere)
• Waitomo Caves or Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Reserve (Stay at YHA Rotorua)
• Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu, the longest place name in the world (Stay at YHA Napier).

On the South Island, there are two city hostels in Christchurch, as well as hostels in areas of outstanding natural beauty such as:

• Abel Tasman National Park (Stay at YHA Golden Bay)
• Marlborough Sounds (Stay at YHA Picton
• Kaikoura (Go whale-watching and stay at YHA Kaikoura)
• Mount Cook (Stay at YHA Mt Cook or YHA Lake Tekapo)
• The Remarkables (Stay at YHA Queenstown Central or YHA Queenstown Lakefront)
• Fiordland (Stay at YHA Te Anau)

NEW ZEALAND ADVENTURES

Image - AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand

New Zealand is world-renowned for adventure activities that no-one else has thought of yet!

AJ Hackett began the first commercial bungy jumping operation, off the Kawarau Bridge, outside Queenstown, in 1988.

Queenstown touts itself as ‘The Adventure Capital of the World’ and this nickname is well-deserved, with over 200 adventure activities to choose from. Stay at one of the two YHA hostels in Queenstown and try:

• Tandem sky-diving
• Jet-boating
• Para-gliding
• Quad-biking
• Canyon swinging
• 4WD adventures
• Ziptreks
• Canyoning
• White-water rafting
• Hang-gliding or
• Rock-climbing