Seasonal Travel Suggestions:  When to see what – considering the weather!

My top choices for touring NZ:

In the North Island – the Bay of Islands was put on the map by Zane Grey and his world record-breaking marlin catches. It also offers significant NZ and Maori history.

In the central North Island, Rotorura has top rated Maori cultural offerings, and  interesting geysers and thermal areas.  Nearby is NZ’s largest lake – Lake Taupo – with great trout fishing, 3 volcanoes and lots of hiking.   Off to the east coast are the towns of Napier and Hastings.  They were destroyed by an earthquake in the 1920s and rebuilt in Art Deco style – a must for travelers interested in architecture, not to mention the nearby Hawks Bay wine district.

At the bottom of the North Island is the capitol, Wellington, known as “windy Wellie” by the locals!   This is the jumping off point for the ferry to the South Island.

The South Island has NZ’s most fantastic scenery.  Highlights are Queenstown, the “adventure capitol” and Christchurch, the most “English” of NZ’s cities, which boasts a wonderful craft market and lovely botanical gardens.

The Fiordlands near Queenstown are an absolute must.  Whether you hike, just drive through, or best of all, have an overnight cruise, this is a fabulous place even when it is pouring rain!  

If you can take the time, a very rewarding trip is to take the scenic train from Christchurch to the west coast, then rent a car and drive to Queenstown through glacier country and temperate rainforests.   Along the way I can suggest a few lodges where you can do day hikes and nature walks.

But there is so much more to see on the South Island – the elusive Kiwi birds on Stewart Island, the whale watching at Kaikoura, the Marlborough wine country, birding near Dunedin, fabulous kayaking in the Able Tasman and Queen Charlotte Sound!  

For accommodation, NZ offers a fantastic range of B&B’s, farmstays, world class lodges, budget motels, and fine hotels.
 

Australian summers are hot – both in the cities, and the outback, where temperatures go extremely high.  If you are really keen to see Ayer’s Rock or the Kakadu, wait!   This is the time of year to tour Tasmania, where the lovely Freycinet Peninsula is too often missed by American travelers.  Cradle Mountain with it’s lovely lake, offers short and long hikes.  Port Arthur is where you can learn about Australia’s dark history as a penal colony.  Hobart has what I think are the most interesting craft markets in Australia – be there on Saturday for the best shopping! 

Another good summer option is hiking along the southeastern coast, to linger in city cafes, explore the southern parts from Sydney to Perth – by train.

Not a terrific time to go to NZ – unless you want to ski!  Queenstown is a year-around resort for people looking for action and adventure!

But this is my favorite time for Australia because the outback has cooled down.  Days are warm, and nights comfortable-to-chilly depending on how far south you are. 
 

Here are my top touring suggestions:

Darwin and the Kakadu country are enjoying the dry season, so you can try a bit of camping and it won’t rain.  This is THE time to see the Aboriginal rock art in the central deserts and Arnhemland.  Allow at least 5 days to see Australia’s Top End!  There are some bush camps there that are utterly fantastic, and rarely visited by Americans simply because they don’t know about them.  I’ve been several times… and my clients love these places!

It’s a great time to take a guided tour in the Red Center, visiting Alice Springs, King’s Canyon, and ending at Uluru.  You can camp or stay in lodges.

This is also the best time to see the wild and wonderful Kimberley – the northwestern part of Australia, where the cattle stations are over 1 million acres!   Start or end your trip in Broome, the pearling capitol of Australia, and don’t miss the Bungle Bungles, interesting geological formations in the deserts near the world’s largest diamond mine, the Argyle.

Cairns is the jumping off point for the Great Barrier Reef and the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest.  In winter, the reef enjoys the clearest water visibility!  There are a number of ways to experience the Great Barrier Reef:  since it is a 2 hour boat ride from the mainland, you can go by daytrip.  But a nicer way is to stay at one of the resorts on or near the reef.  These vary from the luxurious diving resort of Lizard Island, the more marine-biology oriented Heron Island, and Dunk Island – which is not on the reef, but a shorter boat ride away and offers its own rainforest and abundant other activities. 

There are rock art sites north of Cairns, many adventure activities (white water rafting, kayaking, rainforest hikes, tandem sky diving….) that are best enjoyed in the dry season.  For a very special Aboriginal experience, the Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival is held in June, alternate years (next festival is in June 2003).

Remember: this is the perfect time to take your children (or grandchildren!) on a family vacation – see our suggested family itineraries!

New Zealand:  March and November are still good times for New Zealand, so I would start your itinerary there.  March is one of the best months to be in New Zealand – and my clients enjoy general touring all over the country then.  The major hiking trails open in November and close around April.  Please read  “Summer” for my top touring suggestions in New Zealand.
 

Australia: you can tour the whole of Australia in spring and fall – please note the places listed in the Winter section above.
 

In addition – here are my top suggestions for places that are best seen in the shoulder seasons: Adelaide is my favorite small city in Australia – the best museum, fantastic cultural offerings, the largest food market in the southern hemisphere!  Nearby you can visit the world class Barossa Wine Valley.  And beyond that… the rugged Flinders Ranges.  Three spots here are not to be missed:  Wilpena Pound and Arkaroola, both nature preserves with accommodation, hiking, scenic flights and more.  And Iga Warta, which is the best Aboriginal cultural experience in Australia.  Stay at this bush camp overnight if possible, to really enjoy your experience learning about bush tucker and their Dreamtime stories. 
 

The drive from Adelaide to Melbourne will include several highlights, including an overnight on a sheep station – the real thing, not some touristy spot – and the Great Ocean Road. 

Melbourne is my favorite city in Australia for eating!  More Greeks here than anywhere on earth outside Greece… and Italian, Asian, you name it!   It has the best zoo, and the best botanical garden.  It has lots of charming old buildings, and time spent wandering its streets and neighborhoods is most rewarding. 

Beyond Melbourne… how about a trek into the Snowy Mountains?  I use a super tour operator who sets up the bush tents for you, and after the mountains you visit temperate rainforests and coastal plains.  Allow 5 days for this special experience.  

Kangaroo Island – my clients’ favorite spot in Australia, is good all year around, due to the prevailing winds there.  A bit hot in summer, a bit rainy and cool in winter, but whatever the season, don’t miss Kangaroo Island!

Last but not least:  Sydney.  Most trips to Australia start or end in Sydney.  The harbor, the bridge climb, the opera house, the aquarium, a few museums that are very “Aussie” – and wonderful food.