The Best Ski Destinations New Zealand has to Offer!
New Zealand skiing and snowboarding are world famous. New Zealand ski fields not only offer great skiing and snowboarding but also spectacular scenery to add to the experience.
If skiing, snowboarding or heliskiing are what you are after then New Zealand is your number one winter destination.
Skiing is very popular in New Zealand, so plan your ski vacation to avoid the school holiday periods if possible.
Ski
The New Zealand ski season generally runs from June through to early November.
Conditions permitting, the major commercial ski areas usually begin opening in early June, with the smaller ski areas opening in late June or early July.
You’ll find all you could want, from well groomed beginner slopes to thrilling off piste chutes & powder bowls; from adrenaline-pumping pipes culture to tranquil cross country skiing trails.
Most commercial fields have highly qualified ski schools, catering for the novice through to experienced skier and snowboarder, along with equipment rental, and cafe, restaurant.
New Zealand offers numerous ski areas, one Nordic cross-country area and a host of heliskiing operators, where choppers are used to lift skiers to the top of long, isolated stretches of snow. All ski and snowboard areas in New Zealand are treeless offering wide-open slopes and a perfect mix of undefined terrain and marked trails.
Waiorau Snow Farm (35 km from Wanaka 55km from Queenstown) is New Zealand’s only Nordic and cross-country ski area. With 55 kilometers of carefully groomed trails snaking across the hight Pisa plateau The main season runs from the beginning of July through to the end of September. Events are held during the season and cater for all levels from the citizen skier to the international racer.
New Zealand is home to 14 commercial ski areas, nine ski clubs, heli skiing and cat skiing operations, as well as numerous opportunities for back country skiing.
New Zealand Ski Resorts
North Island Ski Areas
Manganui Ski Area, Stratford Mountain Club / Turoa, Mt Ruapehu / Tukino, Alpine Experience / Whakappa, Mt Ruapehu.
Top of the South Island
Rainbow Ski Area.
North Canterbury Ski Areas
Hanmer Springs Ski Area / Mt Lyford.
Canterbury Ski Areas
Craigleburn Valley / Heli Park / Mt Cheeseman / Mt Hutt / Mt Olympus / Porters / Temple Basin.
Mackenzie Ski Areas
Mt Dobson Ski Area / Ohau Snow Fields / Roundhill.
Queenstown Ski Areas
Coronet Peak / The Remarkables.
Wanaka Ski Areas
Cardrona Alpine Resort / Snow Park NZ / Treble Cone.
New Zealand Heli Skiing
At weekends and school holidays the tow queues at the major fields can be quite lengthy; the ideal solution is heliskiing.
Heliskiing combines the thrill of a helicopter ride up and around the grandeur of the Alps, and then skiing on superb runs free from the crowds - an experience which cannot be surpassed.
The main prerequisites for heliskiing are a little experience in powder, intermediate skiing ability and a reasonable level of fitness.
With thousands of hectares of pristine peaks to choose from heliski operators are adept at choosing the right terrain to suit you level of skill.
The heliski areas are monitored for avalanche risk and the guides are well trained in safety and first aid procedures.
At the bottom the helicopter awaits to lift you effortlessly to the top of another peak.
A safety briefing is given covering avalanche, transceivers, helicopter and mountain safety, then you fly off to the first heli-ski run.
Get together a group of friends and charter a guide and helicopter for a day or a week.
The combo of flying in a helicopter and accessing New Zealand’s best backcountry slopes make the heli day one to remember.
The Southern Alps that surround Wanaka are also renowned for heliskiing and heliboarding.
Accommodation
Unlike other countries, New Zealand’s commercial ski areas are generally not set up as resorts with chalets, lodges or hotels. Most of New Zealand’s ski fields have plenty of rental equipment available on hand for your skiing and snowboarding trip.
You won’t find the massive on-site resorts of the scale found in North America and Europe; skiers commute daily to the slopes from nearby ski towns.
Conclusion
World-class ski fields combined with top quality accommodation options and great nightlife at nearby towns make New Zealand the perfect ski holiday destination.
Book your ski pass or lesson package online. Many of New Zealand’s top ski areas offer online bookings - check them out now.
Weather
Auckland, NZ
Temperature: 57°F (14°C)Humidity: 72.1%
Sky Conditions: partly cloudy
Conditions: clear
Wind: from the WSW at 22 mph
Last Updated: 09/03/2010 4:00 pm
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Travel Itineraries
There are limitless options for routes and activities in New Zealand. Our itinerary suggestions will give you a few ideas of the range of experiences on offer.
Included are some of the more famous destinations and highlights along with some of the lesser known but equally breathtaking sights.
Use them as a guide to help plan a perfect New Zealand holiday.
