Best time of year for Aaustralia and New Zealand tour?

HuntNfun · May 2013

My husband and I want take this tour in 2014 but are trying to decide on the best time if year to go. Any insights or comments would be appreciated. I do not want to be there in the heat of the summer, prefer the spring when the flowers are blooming. Thanks for suggestions and comments.

Sue · May 2013

I was on this tour years ago in our fall (their spring) and the weather was beautiful. A year or two before that, a tour director on another tour, who also did this tour, said that the best time to go is spring or fall--not too hot or too cold.

Sue

crackers54 · May 2013

I did this last year in November. We had great weather. Only one day of rain in Queenstown, NZ and that was only for part of the day. Jan from Melbourne will give you the low down on weather in Australia when she sees your question. New Zealand is cooler no matter when you go so I would not want to go in our spring if New Zealand will be cooler their fall.

cantraveller · May 2013

We were there in mid Feb in 2008. The weather was hot in Australia in the north but great in Sydney and New Zealand. It could not have been better! I only wish we had more time in New Zealand as it is fantastic. No rain.
Gary

jdurkin · May 2013

HuntNfun wrote:

My husband and I want take this tour in 2014 but are trying to decide on the best time if year to go. Any insights or comments would be appreciated. I do not want to be there in the heat of the summer, prefer the spring when the flowers are blooming. Thanks for suggestions and comments.

Hi HuntNfun,

It's certainly a good idea to avoid high summer for the centre and I always suggest there are much nicer times to visit the tropical north than in the monsoon and cyclone season! Gosh, it just seems so obvious!

I'm assuming that by flowers blooming you mean our native wildflowers? For wattle, that would be late winter and early spring ... say, September. Western Australia, in particular, is famous for its wildflower season. This site ... http://www.westernaustralia.com/en/Things_to_See_and_Do/Forest_and_Flowers/WAWildflowers/Pages/WAWildflowers.aspx
... should be able to help. Keep in mind though, the Tauck trip doesn't take you to Western Australia, only to the Northern Territory for a night or two at Uluru, but the seasonal information is the same. Winter & early spring are certainly the best times to visit the outback, no question. And what a lovely way to extend your visit to our continent!

As for New Zealand ... different country and very different flora and fauna. When you are trying to see the best of two worlds, (one very large and the other a cross between Switzerland & Yellowstone!) it's very difficult to say when, given the very short length of the tour, but I would respectfully suggest no later than the first week of November and no earlier than March. Go for the shoulder seasons. For you and your wildflowers ... September/October? If by chance you mean exotic spring blooms, well many bulbs, for example, will start flowering in the southern states from July on. Naturally, this is not the type of thing you'd see in the tropics, but in the South Island of New Zealand ... hey, they love their exotics as much as I do in the temperate south of Melbourne! The Royal Botanic Gardens are just a stone's throw form your Melbourne hotel, and for garden lovers, they are not to be missed.

Cheers,

Jan

HuntNfun · May 2013

Thanks for all of your responses. I mentioned the flowers, but that is not my primary reason for going. I want to enjoy the beauty of Australia and New Zealand during great weather, as everyone else does, who goes on this tour. So, based on the vast amount of territory covered, what month would you recommend? It really is a difficult choice to make.
Thanks for your guidance . By the way, when is the monsoon and cyclone season?

HuntNfun · May 2013

Sue and crackers54, would you share with me the date you chose for this tour? Thanks. Jam, which month or date would you choose? Thanks.

jdurkin · May 2013

Hi HuntNfun,

Cyclone/Monsoon season = November to February in the tropical north ... approximately. Mother Nature keeps her own calendar.

Which month to visit? Twist my arm ... March. But I'm biased, of course. What would I know? I just live in Melbourne and autumn is usually gorgeous here. Early November is usually nice, too.

Cheers,

Jan

crackers54 · May 2013

HuntNfun wrote:

Sue and crackers54, would you share with me the date you chose for this tour? Thanks. Jam, which month or date would you choose? Thanks.

I started the tour on November 12th I believe last year. I mostly did the trip this time of year to not have it too hot in the outback for the rock and not too cold in New Zealand. And we were really lucky on the weather for the whole trip.

nyfeds · May 2013

We took the New Zealand portion of this tour, two years ago, early November. Weather could not have been more perfect. New Zealand is spectacular and we'd return again in a nanosecond! The tour was all we hoped for and more!

TL19711 · May 2013

We went on this awesome tour during March 2013! Weather was wonderful on the Australia portion of the trip. It was warm at Ayer's Rock, but that was expected (actually I rather enjoyed the weather!). During the New Zealand portion it was chillier in both Te Anau and Queenstown. I needed a jacket on some of the days, my husband seldom used his jacket. The other places we visited in New Zealand, a jacket was not needed by either of us. If I was to do just the New Zealand portion of the trip, I would go in February, but then I prefer warmer weather. This is a fabulous trip. Make sure you allow extra time in Melbourne...it's a great city! Enjoy!

HuntNfun · May 2013

TL19711, Jan, et al.....
Well, it's decision time for me as to when to go to Australia and New Zealand in 2014? So I am down to the final three--March, October, November--- or another month? Since, we are going on the Grand Australia and New Zealand tour, which month, in your opinion, offers the best compromise?

We are also considering the China, Yantgze River, and Hong Kong tour in 2014, so I need to decide which tour to choose for the first part of the year and which to choose for September/October/ or November.. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks,
Ruby

jdurkin · May 2013

HuntNfun wrote:

TL19711, Jan, et al.....
Well, it's decision time for me as to when to go to Australia and New Zealand in 2014? So I am down to the final three--March, October, November--- or another month? Since, we are going on the Grand Australia and New Zealand tour, which month, in your opinion, offers the best compromise?

As I said, March. March for Australia and March for New Zealand. Start in early March and you can spend the best part of March in the Antipodes. IMHO.

Cheers,

Jan

must travel · July 2013

I have read all of the replys and suggestions for the best time to go to Australia and New Zealand but I have another question. Considering that my husband and I do not mind cooler weather (for example, 60 degrees F plus or minus), what would be the better months to take this wonderful tour?
The most difficult part of this trip is making decisions on flights--- which airlines, whether to do overnight stopovers, etc. Some friends suggested stopping in Honolulu for a few days. Any comments on that idea? Thanks!

jdurkin · July 2013

Hi Must Travel,

Excellent question! The prime time for travel to the Australian outback is in our winter, so July or August. The weather should be good in the tropical north then, too. Melbourne will be cold, but nothing you can't handle. As for NZ, the South Island will be "snowy" cold and it's possible this might put some restrictions on local travel. The North ISland will be cold, too, but again ... nothing you can't handle.

As a compromise .... I know it's hard and you are talking about a huge geographical area ... I'd hedge my bet and suggest May or September. How's that for indecision!

Cheers,

Jan

HuntNfun · August 2013

Hi, Jan, I have read all of your responses to the question"when is the best time to visit Australia and NZ?" In one of your posts, you state, "I would respectfully suggest no later than the first week of November and no earlier than March. Go for the shoulder seasons. : Did you mean that you would recommend starting the tour no later than the first week of November and no earlier than March or did you mean we should finish the tour no later than the first week of November or no earlier than March? Just wanted to make sure.
Thanks,
Ruby

OzJohnno · August 2013

I think posters are starting to "split hairs" when discussing the best time to visit us down here. Jan lives in Melbourne and gives excellent advice and suggestions for tourists. I live in North Queensland around Mackay which is a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and I agree with Jan that it is not nice travelling in our part of the world during our Cyclone Season. That said our really "wet" season doesn't start until mid-January and is usually over by March. The best time to see the tropics of Australia is in September/October. The weather is usually just great with warm days around 80 -85 degrees F and very pleasant nights where the temps drop down to just 65-70 degrees. I think this time of the year is "the best" for tourists as everything we have to offer is showing its best.

Just as a comparison here it is early August when the southern part of Australia is quite chilly I'm having a warm sunny day in Mackay with an expected top of 25 degrees C which is around 75-80 degrees F. Perfect.

HuntNfun · August 2013

OzJohnno, you have told us the best time of year to come to Australia, but what about NZ? Is Sept/Oct the best time to make this trip considering both Australia and NZ?

OzJohnno · August 2013

I really have no idea on NZ weather. We've only travelled the Tasman a couple of times, once in March and once in November and it was raining much of the time on both occassions. Weather is a strange animal - never predictable. Whenever you decide to come south of the equator both NZ and we in Australia will welcome you with open arms and I know you'll have a very rewarding holiday.

crackers54 · August 2013

I was in New Zealand late Nov and the weather last Nov could not have been better. If you start the Aus trip in Nov. you will be there in their spring and not to hot not to cold. As far as rain in New Zealand it is very green so there is no predicting that, but we had rain only one day and was just a shower that was over by early afternoon.

HuntNfun · September 2013

Crackers54,
You mentioned that you took ths trip in November of last year. When did you go--early, middle, late November? Did you make your flight arrangements independently or through Tauck?

ValerieM1 · October 2013

I am taking the October 10th tour. I will post my experience..but it is shaping up nicely.

crackers54 · October 2013

HuntNfun wrote:

Crackers54,
You mentioned that you took ths trip in November of last year. When did you go--early, middle, late November? Did you make your flight arrangements independently or through Tauck?

I took trip starting Nov 11th I think it was day after Veteran's day last year. I always do my flights independent. I find I get good rates and can chose airline with the best times for me. My travel agent does it all for me. I sometimes do extra nights on my own or thru Tauck depending on rates. I prefer thru Tauck that way I know will not have to change rooms if not say level as included in tour.

Best time of year for Aaustralia and New Zealand tour?

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