Skiing in New Zealand | Snowboarding Holidays in NZ
New Zealand is a sensational destination for a skiing and Snowboarding holiday. Travel to excellent NZ skiing destinations on both the north and south islands and you really have a great choice as to what type of terrain you ski on and the accommodation options are terrific. On the North Island the two main resorts on Mt Ruapehu have now joined together as one. Whakapapa and Turoa now provide sensational facilities on the slopes of an active volcano. There are plenty of lifts and the other things you need like ski and snowboard hire, lessons, ski patrol and restaurants and cafes are all well catered for. Most of the accommodation is off mountain, in local villages or in nearby Taupo and Rotorua. Snow Chains are often necessary to get to the slopes so don’t be caught out. Overseas access to these slopes is through Auckland and then it is best to hire your own vehicle to access the ski fields.
On the South Island there are many more options. Most people arrive from overseas through Christchurch however direct flights to Queenstown are available from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Close to Christchurch are a number of ski fields. Mt Hutt is the largest of these and it is a large resort with plenty of great facilities. There is no on snow accommodation so most people stay in Christchurch accommodation and then drive themselves or take the shuttle bus service to the skiing area. In this region you can also ski at Hanmer Springs and a number of other smaller ski fields along the road to Arthurs pass. Queenstown is the center of the skiing region in the south of the South Island. There are a number of excellent, world standard, ski and snowboard resorts within easy driving distance from Queenstown. There is almost no on snow accommodation so Queenstown is the base and has a huge range of all different sorts of accommodation.
The most popular ski fields in this region are Coronet Peak, The Remakables, Cardrona and Treble Cone, however there are other smaller fields like Mt Ouhu, Snow Park and several others. It is also possible to go cross country skiing and Heli skiing. Coronet Peak is only twenty minutes drive from Queenstown along a sealed road. It has a wide range of terrain, three large chairlifts plus a number of tows and pomas. The Remakables resort is higher and sometimes has better conditions. It is great for beginners and experienced skiers alike. There are three chairlifts and some really good intermediate and advanced slopes. Cardrona is a little bit further in to the mountain range and the drive is a bit longer however you will be rewarded when you get there as this is the best ski and snowboard resort in the region. Treble Cone is closer to Wanaka and also has fantastic facilities. A planned gondola connecting Wanaka with the resort is now approved and when completed will make access to the resort really simple. All four resorts have a shuttle bus service and great restaurants, cafes, equipment hire services, ski school, and ski patrol. If you come to Queenstown for a skiing holiday you should try to ski at each of these great resorts.
If you want something different for your next skiing holiday then come and enjoy the fabulous scenery and conditions in New Zealand’s spectacular snow country.
