Last time we talked about selecting when you want to visit New Zealand. The dates you select for your vacation are going to impact what activities and events you will be able to add to your vacation itinerary, and they will impact the rest of your vacation planning activities. After narrowing down your possible vacation dates to a certain month, your next step is to select the length of your vacation.
Since this is an international vacation you are going to spend nearly two days traveling to and from the United States to New Zealand. One day there and one day back. This means that you will most likely want to stay at least a full week in New Zealand before heading home to make the cost of your air fare worth it. I would recommend spending at least three to four days on each of the main islands of New Zealand. This will give you at least a taste of what this country has to offer.
If you really want to get a feel of what New Zealand has to offer, I would highly recommend spending a full week on each island. This way you can take advantage of a variety of activities, tours and events that are offered during your vacation. Another time issue that you will have to plan for is the day you lose by crossing the International Date Line. You will lose a day traveling to New Zealand, but you will pick it back up when you return. This can make scheduling your events tricky, so make sure you know how crossing this line will impact when you will actually be in New Zealand and when you will need to be back at the airport.
Next time we will discuss what options you have for flights to New Zealand. More upcoming topics include New Zealand vacation packages and New Zealand accommodations.
Gathering information about lodging options and activities needs to be done early in your planning process. Start with gathering lodging reviews online. Here is one on the Lake Manapouri Lakeview Motor Inn.