Oceania & Pacific

New Zealand in December

Beautiful and increasingly busy. Early December is a sweet spot; after Christmas the national holiday migration begins and everything books solid.

GoodEarly summer, highs near 71F (22C)

Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand — New ZealandPhoto: Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

December is a good month to visit New Zealand. Beautiful and increasingly busy. Early December is a sweet spot; after Christmas the national holiday migration begins and everything books solid.

Weather: Early summer, highs near 71F (22C)
Crowds: 4 of 5
Prices: 4 of 5

What December is like in New Zealand

December is early summer. Highs sit near 71F (22C), evenings are long, and beaches and trails are at their best. The first half of the month is a sweet spot, with good weather and manageable crowds. After Christmas, the national holiday migration begins, and campgrounds, ferries and rental cars book solid. Christmas Day closes nearly everything.

December suits families on Christmas break and hikers who booked Great Walk huts early. If you can choose, travel in early December, or wait for February, when summer is steadier and the crowds are gone. Book everything for the holiday weeks months in advance.

Make the most of December

What is especially good about New Zealand this month.

Early December sweet spot

Summer weather arrives before the local holidays, so beaches and walks are still quiet.

Abel Tasman season

The coves and coastal track are at their best from December, whether you walk, kayak or take a water taxi.

Summer on the Great Walks

Huts are fully serviced and days are long, though popular tracks are fully booked.

What to pack for December

High SPF sunscreen and a hat
A light rain jacket
Insect repellent for sandflies
Swimwear and a quick-dry towel

Our timing tip

Plan for December 25 closures by stocking up the day before, and aim to travel before about December 20 for the quietest summer days.

Book New Zealand for December.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in New Zealand
Opens a hotel search for New Zealand in December, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for December
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in New Zealand
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in New Zealand
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in New Zealand for December. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in December

New Zealand summer holidays

Late December through most of January

The nation's own vacation: campgrounds, beach towns, and ferries book out with local families, and prices peak. Book months ahead or aim for February.

Great Walks season

Typically late October through April, varies by track

Hut bookings for the famous tracks, Milford above all, open months ahead and sell out fast. Off-season walking is possible on some tracks but unserviced and for the experienced.

Things to do in New Zealand

Full guide

Milford Sound

Fiordland's headline fiord, spectacular in any weather; rain, which falls often, multiplies the waterfalls. Book the cruise, and treat the road in as part of the show.

Tickets and tours →

Queenstown

The adventure capital: bungy, jet boats, and the Skyline gondola, ringed by the Remarkables. Peak summer and July ski weeks are its busiest.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Tongariro Alpine Crossing

A one-day volcanic traverse past emerald lakes, usually best November through April. Weather turns fast; use the shuttle system and check conditions.

Tickets and tours →

Rotorua

Geysers, boiling mud, and the strongest concentration of Maori cultural experiences, including hangi feasts and marae visits.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Aoraki / Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo

Turquoise lakes, glacier valleys, and some of the world's best certified dark-sky stargazing, sharpest on crisp winter nights.

Tickets and tours →

Abel Tasman National Park

Golden coves and an easy coastal track walked, kayaked, or water-taxied in any combination. At its best December through April.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Come in February or March: you keep summer and lose the January holiday crowds, which is the single biggest crowd lever in the country.
Book Great Walk huts, the Milford road's popular cruises, and campervans as far ahead as the booking systems allow; capacity, not weather, is what actually runs out.
Drive the tourist circuits counterclockwise to the tour buses: hitting Milford Sound before 10am or after 3pm skips the midday coach window.
Base in the smaller neighbor: Wanaka over Queenstown, Te Anau for Fiordland, Hanmer Springs over the busiest resort towns. Same landscapes, calmer nights.

Know before you go

Late December through January is the closure's opposite: everything is open and everything is full. The country's own holiday migration is the crowd event to plan around.
Great Walks run on an official season, typically late October through April: outside it, huts drop services, bridges on some tracks are removed, and winter tramping becomes an alpine undertaking, not a hike.
Alpine roads, including the Milford road and high passes, close temporarily after snow or slips in winter and spring; carry chains where required and check conditions daily.
Glacier heli-hikes, Milford flights, and boat trips cancel routinely on weather in any month; the fix is a buffer day, not a tighter schedule.

New Zealand in December, quick answers

Is December a good time to visit New Zealand?

December is a good month to visit New Zealand. Beautiful and increasingly busy. Early December is a sweet spot; after Christmas the national holiday migration begins and everything books solid.

What is the weather like in New Zealand in December?

Early summer, highs near 71F (22C).

Is New Zealand crowded in December?

New Zealand is busy in December, though mornings and late afternoons stay workable.

What is happening in New Zealand in December?

New Zealand summer holidays (late december through most of january); Great Walks season (typically late october through april, varies by track).