Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Campervan New Zealand in winter ?

14 replies

yallahabibi · 21/04/2015 10:33

I want to do an exciting holiday with my children in June and though campervan in NZ just about the right level of adventure . They will be 5 and 6. Will it be too cold ?
I though just a CHCH - Wellington and back sort of thing or if the ferry crosiing its a go perhaps just to Nelson. We have family in Christchurch but have only previously been to visit in summer with the children . We have seen Akaroa , Hamner, kaikoura etc . I wouldn't want to go to Queenstown again .
My DH will probably not come but possibly meet us afterwards in Asia.
So also looking for suggestions on route . We are in Qatar . It is such a long way !!

OP posts:
ShanghaiDiva · 22/04/2015 03:09

Weather is hard to predict in NZ. I have been freezing there in December and also enjoyed 20 degrees in Wellington in August. I have not toured in a camper van, but possibly too chilly in their winter. Nelson is apparently the sunniest place in NZ so I would include that on your itinerary. You could break the journey in HK with a trip to Disney - it's then about 11 hours to Auckland.

JellyTipisthebest · 22/04/2015 06:08

Only been here 2 years CHCH. I have not found it that cold. Kiwis always wear puffer jacket even in summer. My kids 9 and 13 are yet to wear a winter coat. The only time they have worn one is skiing and then they say its to hot.

It is now 14 outside but it was 17 earlier and was 20 at the weekend. The ski season starts mid June so it might be a good opportunity to take the kids skiing. Kids of that age ski free although you would have to pay for lesson and ski hire.

I don't think the camper-van will have a heater if you need it at night.

LittleRedDinosaur · 22/04/2015 06:24

We did camper an in winter years ago. North Island was lovely and most of South Island was fine. Doors did freeze shut one night in Queenstown but it wasn't cold on the inside!

jalopyjane · 22/04/2015 06:35

I visited NZ in Easter a few years back and found it freezing down in the South (11c) although North Island was a lot warmer. If you're used to Qatar weather it might be quite a contrast!

You'd need some big warm duvets I think :-)

dairyfarmerswife · 22/04/2015 06:55

We drove from Christchurch to Auckland, via a detour to Canterbury, then back north via Kaikoura, Picton, Palmerston North, Taupo, Te Awamutu, in June 3 years ago this summer (route dictated by seeing farms!). It was cold at nights but the campervan had a heater, which was pretty effective so as long as you stick to campsites with electric hookups I think you'd be fine. It was a Maui camper van, all booked through Trailfinders.

Enjoy, I'm jealous, would love to do it again!

dairyfarmerswife · 22/04/2015 06:57

Also the camper van came with thick duvets but we did have to pick up a few warm jumpers, even going from a wet uk summer it was noticeably cold especially in the south island.

Original poster
yallahabibi · 22/04/2015 16:36

Super feedback thanks . We are in possession of coats and thermals for our trips back to the UK .
Do campers go up skifield roads ?
MIght have to make a seperate hire .

OP posts:
specialsubject · 22/04/2015 18:01

rather you than me...

good on you for keeping the journeys short. Short daylight hours and possible icy roads morning and evening.

as you hopefully know, van must be self-contained if you plan to free camp, but sites won't be crowded that time of year. It is supposed to rain less in winter but as mentioned, NZ weather makes the UK look a model of predictability!

I wouldn't take a campervan up an NZ skifield road even in summer.

JellyTipisthebest · 23/04/2015 04:52

There is transport from methern up to mt hutt. I not sure I would take a camper up but I think I have seen them up there

ZacharyQuack · 23/04/2015 05:19

Don't attempt to take a camper van up the ski field roads. Many of them are narrow, winding and often gravel. The car parks at the top are often crowded and with not much space to maneuver a large vehicle. Most ski fields will have parking at the bottom and a shuttle bus to the top.

Original poster
yallahabibi · 23/04/2015 07:06

I'm not sure I can deal with skiing anyway . My children lasted 15 minutes in ski Dubai before claiming being near to death . They'd like the idea of playing in the snow or building a snowman though . Would there be somewhere with snow without treking all the way up to the slopes in June ?

The other thing I was wondering is if there are trains CHCH to Dunedin or ChCh to
Nelson ?
I did the trans alpine a long time ago and wondered if the network extended .

OP posts:
ZacharyQuack · 25/04/2015 09:19

Try here and here for train info.

Snow in June - there might be some in Canterbury if you get a storm. Of just head to Mt Hutt, take a shuttle to the top to play in the snow (you'll probably be able to hire kids ski pants and toboggans there) then buy hot chocolate to drink in the sun on the deck and admire the view and feel like a million bucks.

specialsubject · 25/04/2015 14:02

the NZ train network has shrunk. You've got the Tranzalpine, the Tranzcoastal and the other one that goes the length of the North island. That's it apart from a few local city services.

Original poster
yallahabibi · 25/04/2015 15:46

Thanks zachary and special

I saw the tranzcoastal services don't even operate in the winter !
Its looking harder to fathom a winter trip. Trouble is , both the children and I have our huge holidays June- September and virtually zip at Christmas when its warmer in NZ . In the UK I used to get a better Easter break and could zip downunder for 3 weeks but not so now.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page