HAKA TOURS
NEW ZEALAND SKI SEASON:
What to expect
Introduction
New Zealand ski season is the perfect destination for a winter getaway. With vast open landscapes and postcard worthy scenery, skiing and boarding in the southern hemisphere offers much more than just shredding the slopes. With a massive variety of terrain from heli-skiing to New Zealand ski resorts, whether you are a seasoned pro or have never skied before there’s something in New Zealand ski season for everyone!
Weather conditions in NZ Winter
New Zealand winters are slightly different to the Northern Hemisphere so it is important to know what you are in for weather wise. Winter temperatures off the mountains are usually reasonably mild ranging from 12-16°C (53 – 61°F). Up in the mountains and ski fields the temperatures can drop to around -10 degrees celsius (14°F), but usually sit around 1-5°C (33.8- 41°F). New Zealand weather in winter is unpredictable. It can go from being sunny, to raining, to high winds all in a matter of hours. That makes it all the more exciting to experience! Majority of the time the weather tends to be pretty temperate in comparison to the northern hemisphere, but you should be prepared for anything. Check out our other blog post on how to dress for the New Zealand snow here: https://hakatours.com/blog/dressing-for-the-2019-snow-season-your-ski-tour/
Mountains of choice
You can stay in one town and from there reach multiple New Zealand ski resorts and ski fields all within a similar distance to your accommodation. From The Remarkables Queenstown to Mt Hutt Canterbury, you can easily sample a few locations. A great way to ensure you don’t feel confined to just one mountain and wondering if another would have been better, is to book a Haka Snow Tour! By joining a Haka Tour you are able to see all the best spots for skiing and riding, and all the driving and accommodation is sorted for you, simple.
Accommodation
It might sound like a weird thing to point out, but it is important to note that even your accommodation for a New Zealand snow holiday is situated differently in comparison to the northern hemisphere. The mountain villages where you stay in New Zealand are not on the mountains or beside any ski lifts. Instead, you leave your accommodation each morning to drive up to the New Zealand ski resorts. These drives can last between 20 minutes to an hour depending on which ski field you are visiting. On all of our tours the accommodation and transfers to and from the mountain are all sorted for you, to make your life easier!
Heli Skiing Galore
Heli Skiing operators overseas can be few and far between, but Kiwis love to fly, so if you have ever wanted to give heli-skiing a go, now’s the perfect time to try! New Zealand boasts hundreds of epic backcountry skiing runs, so there is something for everyone (from moderate to expert level). Heli skiing is not only a great way of getting that untouched powder, it is also the only way to see some of New Zealand’s vast and uninhabited land. This is an experience that you won’t want to miss, a once and a lifetime memory you can cherish forever. We recommend checking out our Ultimate Heli Tour package to experience the best of what our mighty country has to offer off the beaten track! This tour boasts three epic heli skiing days, one day of field snow with early bird access and one day of backcountry skiing and riding, which makes for the ultimate heli skiing NZ experience. Alternatively you can add an experience onto one of our other Haka Snow Tours.
Après Ski
Want to have fun on and off the slopes? Queenstown and Wanaka might be the towns for you. These hubs of tourism have anything you could imagine, from gondola rides to zooming down a river on a jet boat, you’ll never have a dull moment. If you are looking for a fun night life, you can’t go wrong here either. The bars stay open till the wee hours of the morning and there is a style of bar to suit all tastes – from classic kiwi pubs, to underground bars, to nightclubs – you’ll be spoilt for choice.
Ready to go!
Now you know all you need to prepare for your epic NZ winter, so get packed, get excited and let’s hit the slopes!
Why not take advantage of exclusive offers on our 7-day Snow Safari departing this season. We have 5 dates departing August – September 2020, and right now you can save $200 off our August departures, so hurry and lock in your mountain adventure today! From $1,799 this small-group tours includes 6 nights dorm-share accommodation (upgrades available); all transport and mountain transfers; 6 x ski lift passes; expert tour manager; breakfasts; and more! Book your tour today. Or why not secure your 2021 snow tour!
