Quick! What’s the first think you think about when you hear the words “New Zealand”? The breathtaking scenery? The wildlife? Orcs marching across the land?
Sailboats in Queenstown Harbour, New Zealand
The Lord of the Rings reference aside, New Zealand is a truly wondrous place to explore; a country full of rugged landscapes and untouched wilderness (no dingoes or crocodiles, though, unlike neighboring Australia). It’s also one of the few places in the world where you can crawl through glacier tunnels and get a tan on the beach in the same day!
Glacier hiking in New Zealand
Taking all of these things into account, it’s no wonder New Zealand is fast becoming one of the most popular outdoor adventure destinations in the world. Getting there is just the prologue, though; that’s as simple as booking a flight on dialaflight.com. Once you land in Auckland, that’s when the adventure truly begins. To make sure you enjoy your trip to Kiwi country, here are a few useful tips for the newbie New Zealand visitor.
Backpacking Matt of the budget travel blog Life’s A Journey recommends tailoring your itinerary so you go from the North Island to the South Island. He explains that since the South Island “will be the highlight of your trip, it’s the logical place to finish.”
Beach cairn in New Zealand
Most New Zealand tours can be quite expensive, so you might want to skip them and hire a campervan instead. You can even buy a campervan once you arrive and sell it when you leave. If you really want to go on a tour, choose wisely. You wouldn’t want to end up going home early because you ran out of money.
Accommodations in New Zealand can range from a couch to a hostel. Those who are traveling on shoestring budgets may want to look into the country’s Couchsurfing community. Those who opted for the campervan route can find free holiday park campsites where you can sleep for free. There are also campsites that cost about $30 per person. You can also save money by cooking your own food instead of eating out.
Driftwood on Bruce’s Beach, New Zealand
Finally, don’t try to fit every single activity you want to do in one trip. Unless you plan to stay for a couple of months, you likely won’t experience all of them in one go. Just choose a few things that you absolutely must try on your first trip and same everything else for subsequent visits. After all, it’s kinda hard not to go back to New Zealand once you partake in its marvels.
A Crafty Traveler | Family and Travel Adventures 
I’m going to use this advice when I go!