What to Pack for a Trip to New Zealand
New Zealand. The Land of the Long White Cloud. A country filled with literally every kind of landscape and climate you can think of — there are beaches in the north, snow-capped mountains in the south, glaciers descending into temperate rain forests in the west, and volcanoes in the middle.
So, needless to say, packing for a trip to New Zealand takes a bit of planning.
Here are my top 3 tips for packing for NZ:
- Pack layers — warmer than you think you'll need, because the weather can change in an instant.
- Bring something waterproof — again, that weather is unpredictable.
- Good shoes are a must, especially if you plan to do any hiking — hiking in flip-flops is NOT going to cut it here.
What to pack for a trip to New Zealand
Here's a look at my New Zealand packing list, which I've used for a trip in November (which is late springtime there) and a trip in March (which is late summer going into autumn). This list can be tweaked for any time of year in New Zealand!
My bag
My go-to bag these days is my Osprey rolling bag. It's a great bag with sturdy wheels and removable backpack straps. Knowing what traveling in New Zealand is like (i.e. no subways to climb in and out of, and mostly getting around by bus or car), I decided to leave the backpack straps at home, since I knew I would have no problem rolling my bag everywhere I would be going.
I've now used this exact bag for more than 4 years of traveling, and it STILL is holding up great; Osprey makes great bags! (Though if you want to see more of my luggage/bag suggestions, check out this post.)
I utilized my favorite Eagle Creek Packing cubes (GREAT for keeping tops and bottoms organized) and and my SegSac (perfect for socks and undies)and packed the following for my 5-week trip.
(Note: I pack the same amount of clothing whether I'm traveling for 2 weeks or 2 months; laundry facilities are pretty easy to come by in New Zealand, so you don't need to over-pack!)
Sample New Zealand packing list
Clothing
- 3 pairs of stretchy jeans/leggings
- 1 pair of zip-off hiking pants
- 1 pair of stretchy, breathable capris (I like these by Columbia)
- 5 t-shirts
- 2 tank tops (for layering)
- 1 long tunic top
- 1 zip-up hoodie (my go-to is the North Face Agave jacket)
- 1 layering shirt (I love this turtleneck by Terramar)
- 1 dress
- 1 cardigan
- 1 set of pajamas
- 5 pairs of socks (including one pair of nice hiking socks)
- 10 underwear (including my favorite ExOfficio quick-dry bikini briefs)
- 3 bras
- 1 swim suit (for all the thermal pools!)
Outerwear
- 1 long casual coat (in spring); one packable down coat (in autumn)
- 1 raincoat (my go-to these days is the Columbia Arcadia)
- 1 knit hat + gloves in autumn
- 1 infinity scarf (I love my Speakeasy scarf, which has a built-in pocket!)
Shoes
- 1 pair of boots (in autumn); 1 pair of walking sandals (in spring)
- 1 pair of Merrell Moab waterproof hiking boots
- 1 pair of Crocs flats (which can double as shower shoes if you're camping)
Other
- 1 quick-drying microfiber towel
- Shampoo and other toiletries (including sunscreen, which you REALLY need in New Zealand since it has basically no ozone layer)
- Travel hair dryer (this dual-voltage one is great!)
All of this easily fit into my bag with room to spare — I ended up coming home with a bunch of gifts for family and friends (we're talking 5 t-shirts, 6 tea towels, some Manuka honey, and a bunch of magnets) and could still zip the bag up without issue.
My carry-on: STM Haven bag
My go-to carry-on backpack is usually the Pacsafe Camsave V17 when I'm taking camera gear and my laptop with me, but another good option (for those not so concerned with photo gear) is the STM Haven bag. This bag isn't too big or too small (it will fit a 15-inch laptop), and I love the “floating” pockets inside to hold laptops and/or tablets. It has plenty of other outer and inner pockets, too, including one on the side for a water bottle.
Inside this bag:
- My Macbook Air
- Kindle Paperwhite
- Electronics chargers, extra batteries/SD cards, etc.
- A power bank so my phone never runs out of juice
- Belkin power strip/surge protector
- Skross travel adapter
- A small make-up bag (with things like my toothbrush, jewelry, etc.)
- My glasses and extra contacts
- A reusable water bottle (I love my CamelBak Chute)
- A travel umbrella
- Inflatable neck pillow
- Small Bluetooth speaker (great if you're roadtripping)
My purse
My trusty Donner bag by Overland Equipment got to visit yet another continent. I love this bag because it’s roomy, yet has a lot of pockets and space for a water bottle or two on the sides. It’s super practical and useful for a traveler like me, AND it's not completely ugly. (Sadly it's not sold any longer, but this Travelon Bucket Bag is really similar!)
In my purse (on travel days):
- Wallet
- Passport
- My Olympus camera
- Extra camera battery and lens cleaner
- GoPro with floaty GoPole stick
- Small zippered pouch with Dramamine, chapstick, Advil, etc.
- Tiny hair brush with attached mirror
- Business cards (because you never know who you'll meet!)
What was I glad to have?
On this trip, there were a few things I was super glad to have. Namely:
A good rain jacket
I got a Sinta jacket from prAna right before my spring trip to New Zealand, and I ended up wearing it nearly every day while I was there. prAna is known for making yoga clothing, but they make a ton of other great stuff, too, including comfy pieces perfect for travel. Not only did I get lots of compliments on this jacket, but it also kept me dry exactly as promised.
My other favorite rain jacket for traveling is the Columbia Arcadia, which comes in a bunch of cool colors and has a nice mesh lining to keep you cool as well as dry. I wore this a lot during my autumn trip to New Zealand, and highly recommend it. (My husband also has the men's version of this coat, and also wore it while we were in NZ!)
My infinity scarf
I almost didn't pack a scarf for this trip, but I'm SO glad I threw one in my bag before leaving the house. It got quite chilly in many places, and I was really happy to have something with me so I could cover my neck. (If you want an infinity scarf that does double duty, check out Speakeasy Travel Supply – they make infinity scarves with hidden pockets!)
My hiking boots
I bought my Merrell Moab waterproof hiking boots specifically with this trip in mind, and was not disappointed at all. Not only do these boots do exactly what they promise (i.e. provide support and keep your feet dry), but they're comfy and required very little breaking in. (And good hiking socks are a smart investment, too!)
Convertible hiking pants
I'm not really a huge fan of hiking, but I WAS very happy to have a pair of zip-off pants with me on my spring trip since it got quite warm on a couple days! The pair I took were Columbia hiking pants, which are very lightweight, yet water-resistant.
How did I do?
On both my spring and autumn trips to New Zealand, I ran into several days that were colder than I expected. A pair of light gloves and an additional long-sleeved top or sweatshirt wouldn't have been a bad idea to add to my bag!
I took too many tops (as always), but I like having a bit of variety to choose from. I also only wore my dress once, because New Zealand isn't a particularly fancy place. But, I think I will always be a bit of an over-packer for as long as I live. #sorrynotsorry
On my spring trip, I only used my microfiber towel twice (since I was mostly staying in hotels and B&Bs where towels were provided), but it takes up hardly any room, so I didn't mind that I packed it anyway. On my autumn trip, I was doing a campervan trip around New Zealand and used my towel every single day. I love these types of towels because they really do dry fast!
RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Campervan Road Trip in New Zealand
What else do I need?
It's not a tangible item, but I also always recommend packing a good travel insurance policy! That way everything from lost luggage to a bad accident is covered – because you just never know! I recommend World Nomads for basic (and really affordable) travel insurance.
What if I'm a dude?
Good news, fellas! I have some New Zealand packing tips for you, too!
Here's a look at some of the things my partner, Elliot, had in his bag during our autumn trip:
- A Columbia rain coat
- 2 zip-up jackets for layering
- 7 t-shirts
- 2 pairs of jeans (including one fleece-lined pair)
- Zip-off hiking pants (2 pairs)
- Hiking shoes by Oboz + SmartWool hiking socks
- Swim trunks (for those thermal pools!)
Stuff you might find useful:
Is there anything else YOU would put on your New Zealand packing list?
Pin it for later:
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
Hi my name is Daisy,
I will be traveling to New Zealand and Australia for 2 weeks at the end of July 2023. Any tips what to pack, and places we should visit for sure.
We will be staying in Aukland for New Zealand for 6 days and Sydney for Australia for 5 days.
This packing guide is what I suggest packing any time of year! (Though be sure to bring warm layers in July.) And I have a ton of NZ content on this site!
Great tips! I’m a Kiwi who left when I was 20 and have been mainly based in Japan since then, but you always carry a piece of NZ with you. It’s always going to be ‘home’. The only other things I think you need to take with you on a trip to NZ are a sense of adventure (the unexpected encounters are often the most memorable moments) and a sense of humour! The weather is a bit unpredictable and the pandemic has made everything harder, but the good stuff–beautiful places, wonderful food and friendly people–are still all there waiting
Thank you for making this blog. It was helpful for packing, I leave for New Zealand tomorrow!
Great to hear, Shemi! Have a great trip!
Your packing list is wonderful with very useful tips for the trip. I am visiting Auckland for 6 days w.e.f 25th April, please guide me about the weather and which places I should visit and stay during this short trip. THANKS
It will be autumn in New Zealand then, but it shouldn’t be too cold in Auckland. I would bring a warm layer or jacket in case you hit a cooler, windy day. As for where to go, you could do day trips to places like Waiheke Island, Waitomo for the glow worm caves, or even Rotorua.
Hi! Great blog:)
Planning an NZ trip soon. What is the location where the fellowship hide from the Crebain from Dunland? And how did you get there? Really want to visit that place!
Thanks for your help
Hey Peter! That location is called Mount Olympus, and it’s accessible only by helicopter. I actually wrote about going there in this post: https://www.dangerous-business.com/2014/12/fantasy-meets-reality-mountaintop-new-zealand/
Loved your blog especially the packing list for NZ. Are laundry services available pretty readily. You didn’t take a lot of clothing.
No matter the length of trip, I always bring enough underwear for about 2 weeks, and clothing that I can mix/match so that I can usually got nearly two weeks before needing to do laundry. But yes, you can usually find laundry facilities throughout NZ!
Hi Amanda!
Thank you so much for your itinerary.
In the South, I was thinking on Napier to break up the travel between Auckland and Rotoura Wellington, would that be too much?
Also, we really wanted to take the tranzalpine , and see Kaikoura on the way down to Christchurch. We have 15 days on our trip in Nov/Dec this year. Any suggestions on where to cut/move/adjust?
Finally, would it be a huge miss to skip Franz Joseph and do another town /route like Hamner Springs?
Thanks for any feedback!
Hey Katie! It’s really tough to fit everything into 2 weeks, I know! On the north island, you could add a night somewhere like Napier or the Wairarapa wine region, but you’d have to maybe cut the Waiheke Island day, or one of the days in Rotorua (if you don’t care about visiting Hobbiton, cutting a Rotorua day might be easiest).
In the South, if you’re not too fussed about doing a glacier hike, then you could indeed head south along the east coast. I personally love the West Coast, but it IS always very likely to be rainy. If you wanted to switch up the route, I would maybe plan to end in Queenstown instead of Christchurch. You could do Nelson-Kaikoura-Christchurch-Lake Tekapo/Aoraki-Wanaka-Queenstown (and Milford), with a detour to Hanmer Springs, or a return trip on the TranzAlpine.
Thank you for the tips. NZ is one of our next trips, maybe in December 2018. Thank you
Great! Thank so much!
Thanks so much Amanda! This is a really helpful blog! We are going to Sidney for a few days and then fly into Queenstown. We’re spending most of our time on the south island and then fly to Auckland for the last 4 days before back to Chicago. So in addition to our 18 hour flight in, we have 3 short flights in NZ. My goal is to pack carry on only for 16 days – you’ve made me feel like it is possible! I’ve already made purchases from your blog! Once concern we have is airport transfer. How easy (or difficult) is it to get around from the airports to hotels? Is this something we should arrange in advance? We have a group of 13 so would really like to avoid chaos!! (we’re traveling with some worry-warts!). Any ideas for me? Thanks again, Nancy
A carry-on is definitely possible and definitely a great goal for a trip with lots of legs/transfers! You’ll appreciate not having to stress about your luggage. As for airport transfers, most airports in NZ have airport buses that run regularly and are affordable. You can buy tickets once you land, or even on the bus itself. In Queenstown, it’s the Connectabus, and in Auckland it’s the SkyBus. Those are probably your best option for a large group!
Hi there! I’m super excited about my trip there in Nov 2018! On the picture, the roll bag seems small. Did it fit all of that stuff in there? Coats, hoodies, etc?
Thank you so much for your list, it has helped a lot!
Yes, everything on this list fit in that bag! It’s 60 liters and soft-sided – you can fit a lot more than you might think if you pack smartly. 🙂
Wow, that’s pretty awesome! I don’t suspect ill need to carry it in my back, so the roller version should be fine! I get cold pretty easily, so I will have more long sleeved shirts and hoodies than you did on your list.
Did you go with a tour?
So excited to go! Thanks again for your list.
I never carry that bag on my back, either – it’s great as a roller bag and has really sturdy wheels. As for my NZ travels, I’ve been to the country several times. I’ve done tours and also traveled independently. You can find all of my New Zealand content here: https://www.dangerous-business.com/destinations/
Very useful. I love reading about what people pack and why……personally I took way too much to NZ. I got the biggest suitcase I could and packed just about everything I could for Summer ( we travelled in December) plus layers for the chillier days and a rain coat too. Didn’t take hiking boots as we didn’t plan lots of off-roading but did take my Merrell ladies hiking trainers. I wore pretty much the same 6 or so outfits for the whole month, washing and drying at camp sites on our travels. Thanks for this article and happy travels!
I’m a fan of packing lists, too! (I’m with you, though – I almost always bring more than what I need, but thankfully I’ve been able to cut back to a small suitcase in recent years.)