5 Places to Visit in Autumn in New Zealand© Destination Queenstown
5 Places to Visit in Autumn in New Zealand

5 Best Places to Visit in Autumn in New Zealand

© Destination Queenstown

Where to Visit in Autumn in New Zealand

There’s something quite addictive about looking at pictures of New Zealand in the autumn (March, April and May). Some areas, in particular, are like walking through a fantasy land, with the rich orange and brown colours coating the land.

With the sunshine hours still clinging on from summer, the temperature starts to cool off just a bit, yet it’s still comfortable to tackle some of those hikes and enjoy New Zealand outdoors. Better yet, the crowds go down from the influx of tourists New Zealand experiences in summer, so in some places, you can really enjoy that feeling of serenity.

Although New Zealand is beautiful all year round, walking in the forest or getting a vineyard view is something extra special during autumn. Autumn is a good time to be in Middle-earth. Before we begin, be sure to bookmark The Best Travel Guide to New Zealand for even more tips.

1. Wanaka

Do you know how hard it is to choose just one picture to capture how amazing Wanaka looks in the autumn?! They all look so good! If you are seeking autumn colours for your travels in New Zealand, then Wanaka is an extremely good choice. Autumn is also a good time to do some mountain biking in Wanaka, as well as preparing for the ski season if you are a working holidaymaker looking for a ski season job.

pxhere© pxhere

2. Hawke’s Bay

The colours from the treelined roads, through the crisp vineyards, and to the coast are pretty darn beautiful. Autumn is a great time to try out the many vineyards and cellar doors of the Hawke’s Bay region during the wine-making season.

5 Places to Visit in Autumn in New Zealand© Hawke's Bay Tourism

3. Mackenzie District (Canterbury)

The Mackenzie district in Canterbury is lively year-round but more particularly in autumn. Heaps of birds are out feasting on the autumn seed heads. The contrasts of seasons with the snowy mountains behind orange fields aren’t bad either.

5 Places to Visit in Autumn in New Zealand© NZPocketGuide.com

4. Gisborne

Near Gisborne is autumn’s hidden gem. Eastwoodhill is an arboretum (tree park) with the largest selection of Northern Hemisphere trees in the Southern Hemisphere, so as you can imagine, this is the best place for rolling in the golden leaves.

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5. Marlborough

Autumn is the best time to experience the Queen Charlotte Track on the Marlborough Sounds. It is uncrowded making it feel like just you and the peaceful world around you. Marlborough is the top wine-making region so a pretty sight is the rows and rows of vineyards.

Phillip Capper on Flickr© Phillip Capper on Flickr

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

Laura S.

This article has been reviewed and published by Laura, the editor-in-chief and co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. Laura is a first-class honours journalism graduate and a travel journalist with expertise in New Zealand and South Pacific tourism for over 10 years. She also runs travel guides for five of the top destinations in the South Pacific and is the co-host of over 250 episodes of the NZ Travel Show on YouTube.

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