NEW ZEALAND

CAPITAL

WELLINGTON

LANGUAGE

ENGLISH

CURRENCY

NZ DOLLAR

1 USD = 1,57 NZD

Visit New Zealand

Get online the moment you touch down and start your adventure right away!

New Zealand's ACC covers visitors who get injured in accidents, but you’ll need to pay for medical care if you get sick.

Hiking in New Zealand

New Zealand is a paradise for mountain lovers. The possibilities are endless, from easy hikes with stunning views to treks that cross the country from north to south.

Whether you’re a mountain fan or not, I promise you’ll love the ones in New Zealand!

New Zealand Working Holiday

The Working Holiday visa gives you the chance to spend a year traveling and working in New Zealand if you’re between 18 and 30. You can work during the popular fruit-picking seasons, tackle the most iconic hikes, or buy a second-hand car and hit the road to explore the country. Whatever you want!

START HERE:

WHAT IS A WORKING HOLIDAY, REQUIREMENTS AND EXPERIENCE

Geothermal parks, boat trips through the fjords, skydiving, adventure sports…

The best way to explore New Zealand is with your own vehicle. Rent a car, camper or motorhome and get on the road!

With a Wise card, you can pay and withdraw money abroad without fees. Ordering it from here is FREE.

FAQs New Zealand

• DATA SIM CARDS

• DOC CAMPSITES + DOC PASS

• DO YOU NEED A SELF CONTAINED?

• HIKING APPS

• TE ARAROA TRAIL

• BACKCOUNTRY HUT PASS

• THE 11 GREAT WALKS

• HOW MUCH DO THE GREAT WALKS COST?

• PHONE PLANS FOR A WORKING HOLIDAY

• WORKING HOLIDAY VISA EXTENSION

Data SIM Cards for Traveling in New Zealand

• Airalo: eSIM you can install from the app, so you’ll have data the moment you land. It doesn’t give you a phone number, just data.

• Spark Travel Packs: great tourist packages at the airport, starting at 10GB for $49 NZD (valid for 3 months).

#TRAVEL

DOC Campsites and the DOC Pass—Is it Worth It?

DOC campsites are basic camping areas managed by the Department of Conservation, scattered all over New Zealand. They usually just have toilets and cost between $8 and $15 per person, per night.

The DOC Pass gives you access to all these campsites for a set period. If you’re road-tripping for a few weeks, it’s probably worth it!

• DOC Pass 1 month : $95 (7 nights x $15 = $105)

• DOC Pass 1 year: $195 (13 nights x $15 = $195)

Even if you plan on sticking to free campsites, sometimes there won’t be any in the area you’re visiting, or another one might be more convenient. I regret not discovering the DOC Pass sooner! [Official website here.]

Do You Need a Self-Contained Vehicle for Traveling in New Zealand?

Self-contained vans meet certain self-sufficiency standards to get the SC certification, which allows you to camp in more free camping spots.

A lot of people go crazy for self-contained vehicles, thinking it’s the only way to travel New Zealand cheaply. But here’s the thing: you’ll probably spend more on the extra cost of getting a self-contained van than you would on paying for campsites.

If you want a self-contained van, great! I didn’t have one and didn’t miss it. I prioritized buying a newer car with fewer kilometers to avoid potential mechanical issues (and costs).

Hiking Apps for New Zealand

• All Trails: info, maps and reviews for any trail.

• Plan My Walk: a New Zealand-specific hiking app..

#HIKING

Te Araroa Trail

Te Araroa is New Zealand’s longest trek, spanning the length of the country on foot—from Cape Reinga to Bluff. That’s about 3,000 km! Believe it or not, around 2,000 people from all over the world complete it every year. It takes around 4 months, and the suggested budget is about $10,000 NZD (€5,600).

How to Pay for Huts in New Zealand: Backcountry Hut Pass

In New Zealand, there are different types of mountain huts. Some require online reservations, while others are “first come, first served.”

If you can’t book and pay online (via the DOC website), the official way to pay is by purchasing a Backcountry Hut Ticket or Backcountry Hut Pass in advance from tourism offices.

You’ll then drop your ticket in a box inside the hut. (Having a ticket doesn’t guarantee a sleeping spot, though.)

What are the 10+1 Great Walks of New Zealand?

The Great Walks are New Zealand’s best multi-day hikes. They aren’t technically difficult but pass through some of the country’s most stunning landscapes. They’re well-marked and have modern huts with more comforts than typical mountain huts.

NORTH ISLAND

1. Tongariro Northern Circuit (41 km, 4 days)

2. Lake Waikaremoana Track (46 km, 3-4 days)

3. Whanganui Journey, ruta en kayak (145 km, 3-5 days)

SOUTH ISLAND

4. Abel Tasman Coastal Track (51 km, 4-5 days)

5. Heaphy Track, West Coast (79 km, 4-6 days)

6. Paparoa Track, West Coast (56 km, 3-4 days)

7. Routeburn Track, entre Mt Aspiring y Fiordland (32 km, 2-3 days)

8. Kepler Track, Fiordland (60 km, 3-4 days)

9. Milford Track, Fiordland (54 km, 4 days)

10. Rakiura Track, Stewart Island (32 km, 2-3 days)

11. Hump Ridge Track, Southland (61 km, 3 days)

How Much do the Great Walks Cost?

The huts on the Great Walks are the largest, most modern, and best-equipped in New Zealand. That, along with the popularity of the routes, means they’re expensive.

Let’s take the Kepler Track as an example:

$120 Night 1: Luxmore Hut

$120 Night 2: Iris Fern Burn Hut

$120 Night 3: Moturau Hut (many people skip this one)

Optional extras:

$30 boat from Te Anau to skip the first 5 km.

$48 boat from Te Anau + bus pickup to skip the last 9 km.

Outside the Great Walks season (from May 1st to late October), huts cost $25/night but are less equipped—no gas, only winter toilets.

If you’ve been in New Zealand for more than 6 months (on a Working Holiday visa, etc.), you can apply for resident prices ($80/night in huts) instead of tourist prices. Just bring proof (visa, work contract, etc.) in case they ask.

If you’re willing to carry your own tent, camping during high season costs $38/night ($25 for residents) and $10 for everyone in low season.

Phone Plans for a Working Holiday in New Zealand

Phone plans in New Zealand are pricey. The most common companies are Spark, Skinny, One NZ, and 2degrees.

My recommendation: Skinny’s $40/month plan. It gives you 8GB of high-speed data and unlimited slower-speed data.

I bought the Spark Travel Pack (50GB for $79) when I arrived at the airport, and after 3 months, I switched to Skinny. Transferring my New Zealand number was easy—I bought a Skinny SIM card at the supermarket for $1, and the rest I handled online through their website.

#WORKING HOLIDAY

Working Holiday Visa Extension

The Working Holiday visa lasts for one year, but you can extend it for an additional 3 months. That means you can live and work in New Zealand for up to 1 year and 3 months.

To qualify for the extension, you need to have completed 3 months of agricultural work during your stay. This includes planting, maintaining, harvesting, or packing crops in the horticulture or viticulture industries. Working with animals or in greenhouses doesn’t count.

Applying for the extension costs $455 NZD ($420 for the visa + $35 for taxes). To apply, fill out the form, gather the required documents, and send them by mail to the immigration offices (as of 2024, this process can’t be done online).

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