Best Place to Ski in New Zealand

Where and Why?

There are a lot of people who plan their vacations to New Zealand with one clear goal-to go skiing and get to the best place to ski in New Zealand. New Zealand is famous all over the world for their wonderful and challenging terrains. The terrains all make for an exciting ski trip with some bungee jumping, snowboarding, kayaking, swimming with the dolphins, shopping and watching the sunset on the side.

Now, before you book your ski trip to New Zealand, learn about some of the awesome features. This way you will know where to go and maximize your vacation. Here are some choices for the best place to ski in New Zealand:

North Island

In the North Island of New Zealand, there’s Ruapehu National Park. It has sunsets which are dressed in different colors and awesome cloud formations that cap off the amazing country scenery. Towering over this great view is Mt. Ruapehu, one of the tallest spots to receive a great snow shower year after year.

There are two ski fields in Mt. Ruapehu. One’s Turpa and the other is Whakapapa. They have similar facilities and resemble each other’s terrain. The good thing about both fields is that they both cater to neophytes and veterans alike. Some parts are flat and some parts are so challenging that they need a special T-bars to access them.

In Ruapehu, you can also spend a wonderful night, enjoy nature’s very own spa - hot pools - in Turpa.

If you want a more intimate setting for skiing, in the North Island of New Zealand, you can head west and you will find Mt. Taranaki. Mt. Taranaki houses Stratford Mountain club, another getaway spot, which provides a small, community centered ski area. This is not as commercial as Mt. Ruapehu, but well worthy of your visit.

South Island

There is no doubt that the South Island indeed has more to offer, when it comes to giving you a list for the best place to ski in New Zealand.

Mt. Hutt usually gets a longer snow time, because it is located at the northern part of the island. The ski area is good for intermediate skiers, not as extreme as those at Queenstown, but not as quiet as those in Wanaka. What most vacation love about skiing in Mt. Hutt are their club fields. Club fields are private mountain patches, which are turned into commercial ski field operated and managed by exclusive ski clubs. If you ever find yourself wanting to visit here, the Ohau and Temple Basin are our top picks for their up-to-date skiing facilities and the amazing view of Lake Rotoiti.

The Back Country

Saying that you are going “back country” means that you are done with the commercial ski fields and you want to leave the crowd behind and just go to an extreme ski trip. People who say they want to go “back country” want to snowshoe, hike, camp, climb and pant their way into the snow. This is how to find your way into a virgin patch, where you will find great secret spots. There’s a lot of back country trips happening here on the South Island of New Zealand.

Now, since going back country doesn’t usually have a published, familiar place as a common goal, the best way to go about this is traveling with a tour guide. Riding a helicopter can get you there (it’s a famous choice of transportation). Snow-cat skiing is where you ride on big tractor-like vehicles designed to stomp on snow and help you get across difficult terrains.

Queenstown

According to many tourism studies in New Zealand, Queenstown is definitely the most famous winter destination on the South Island. This lovely town sits beside Lake Wakatipu and is a tourist-dense town. In this town you can enjoy many activities, aside from skiing, namely horseback riding, bungee jumping, jet boating, shopping, find dining, motor biking and even wine tasting. Your vacation schedule will be booked when you visit Queenstown, eh?

The most popular ski fields in Queenstown are the Coronet Peak and The Remarkables. The former is said to be best for night skiing while latter has very challenging terrains that it’s best for extreme adventurers.

Wanaka

If you’ve been to Queenstown and you want something new and more peaceful, you can spend an extra hour on your trip and unwind at the serene town of Wanaka. This quiet town also enjoys the view of a beautiful lake. The town is filled with many charming cozy cafes and pubs with great food, at affordable prices. Wanaka is not as commercial as Queenstown, so it remains a quiet little secret to enjoy. It is also the home of two of the most sought-after ski fields in the South Island: Cardona and Treble Cone.

Cardona is famous for being a child-friendly ski field; with many facilities and programs geared towards children. The Treble Cone, on the other hand, is best talked about because of its magnificent horizon. Think blue sky, virgin mountains, a bright aquamarine lake and snow-drizzled mountains - like a shot out of a postcard. Who’s to say this is not one best place to ski in New Zealand?