I am planning a trip covering some 6 weeks, to Australia and New Zealand.
The only time I can do this at the moment is throughout December and January. My plan is to fly via California to New Zealand arriving around 15th December. I then plan to travel through NZ leaving around 10th January and heading to Sydney.
I have been told that this is the busy season in NZ & Aussie, with school holidays etc.
I am being a little detered, can anyone advise when it starts to get busy and just how busy it gets?
Any tips and advise would be great, I really don't want to put this trip off.
Reply to this School holidays in New Zealand start at the beginning of December and finish late January, so yes you are right you will be visiting during our busy time. However, depending on what you are wanting to do, because most of the 4 million population is spread out throughout the country it is never as busy as a place like California during the summer.
It is busiest just after Christmas (26th Dec.) until about a week after new years.
Reply to this Hi Dave,
Welcome to TravelBlog.
Many of the primary/elementary schools don't break up for the year until about a week before Christmas - but shops generally will be really busy from mid December.
Do you have an idea yet of the places you want to go to/things you want to do?
Reply to this Im planning on starting in Christchurch on 16th Dec, heading down to Dunedin, Queenstown and region, Kaikoura and then across on ferry to Wellington. I basically plan to travel through the North Island ending in Auckland around mid Jan.
Surely it can't be any where near as busy as UK in summer.!
Reply to this Busy season is relative..sure its holidays but its a big country and small population so u can still do whatever u want in reality. U might have to check re ferries and some flights but there is generally somewhere to stay in all price brackets although campsites etc can fill up way in advance
Reply to this I wouldn't be worried at all. January is the quietest time in Sydney because most businesses (outside of retail & hospitality) close down or are running on skeleton staff until Feb. During this time alot of Sydney Siders take off up or down the coast or overseas.
The only time I liked living in Sydney, when I did, was from xmas to 1 Feb. The rest of the year is a rat race.
It's a pity you can't be in Sydney for New Years Eve. That's one night when Sydney is the best place in Australia to be.
Reply to this 
