New Zealand
What can I expect from New Zealand?
New Zealand is a backpacker’s paradise. Whether you buy a van and #vanlife it, do a hop on/hop off bus like KiwiExperience, house sitting, WWOOF, or do a Working Holiday Visa and pick a city to settle down in and work, there is a wonderful backpacker community to help you along the way. During my time in New Zealand, I did a little of everything.
South Island Top 10
- Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers
- Queenstown
- Hokitika
- Punakaiki
North Island Top 10
- Tongariro Northern Circuit (Great Walk)
- Ski Mt. Ruapehu
- Wellington
- Auckland
- The Northlands
“Mt Doom”
“Abel Tasmen”
Backpacker Budget
Accommodation – Hostels can be pricey. Expect to pay $15-35 USD/night. Cost to park your van depends on if you’re self contained or not, but you can expect $5-$15/night.
Food – A backpacker mostly lives on hand pies and fish and chips ($5). Get used to paying extra for your tomato sauce, Americans!
Transportation – Buy a van, rent a car, Intercity bus, take a flight or hitch hike. (Yes, Americans, hitch hike!)
Gas is a little under $2 USD/liter in 2021, making it about $7 USD/gallon.
Bus prices on Intercity will run you around $40 to go from hot spot to hot spot.
Hitch hiking is not only legal in New Zealand, it is 100% safe and a completely normal thing everyone does. In fact, in some rural areas you will find yourself riding with the post man. Oh, and it’s free!
Suggested daily budget – $40-100 USD/day.
New Zealand Food
Pack your backpack
Everything you need from great walk to glacier.
Shop coming soon!
