Where to ski in New Zealand?

Wanaka, South Island

Ski season in New Zealand

The country offers some of the best ski facilities in the Southern Hemisphere. Numerous mountains provide spectacular sightseeing while skiing. Unlike Europe, Canada, Japan or USA, ski areas are quite small, they offer a real "authentic skiing experience", far from Aspen (USA) or Courchevel (France).

The ski season runs usually from mid June to late October. It, of course, depends on each area. Big commercial areas are opening the earliest using artificial snow systems. The best month to ski in New Zealand is definitely August.

Best cities for the New Zealand winter season

In New Zealand you will find two types of areas, commercial ski areas and club fields. Commercial areas offer world-class facilities, meaning big chair lifts, snow systems, perfect snow grooming, and comprehensive base and dining facilities. Club fields are usually way smaller and run by a group of enthusiasts. They have simple facilities, such as rope tow or T-bar lifts, generally no snow grooming, but good day lodges. Often, there's more social atmosphere.

New Zealand is equipped for all types of snow sport. Almost every one offers some kind of snow park.

If you plan on spending the season skiing or snowboarding, there are 20+ areas in the South Island to enjoy and only three in the North Island. That said, the largest ski area in New Zealand is one of those in the North Island.

To state the obvious, if you only have a week or two to go skiing, stay away from public and school holidays, as it can be a nightmare. Those small areas are not ready for the big crowds.

Skiing in New Zealand is definitely a "must-do" down here!

Check our map to find the best spot to spend your winter season. This easy-to-read map gives you the basic information about each area and their websites to learn more.

Trails are given as an overview of the difficulty of the area. In New Zealand trails are rated from green (easy) to black (you better know what you're doing).

Highest altitude refers to the highest peak of the area.

Average snow depth is an average from the last few years, it does not mean that it will be the same next season.

Skiable area is stated in hectares (ha).

"Lift" includes chairlift, T-bars, platters, rope tows, and magic carpet. Basically, everything that gets you back up the mountain.

Snowplanet

Indoor skiing

3

Website

Temple basin

Green, Blue and Black

1753 m

108 cm

320 ha

3

Website

Craigieburn

Blue and Black

1811 m

89 cm

400 ha

3

Website

Broken River

Mostly Black

1820 m

99 cm

300 ha

5

Website

Mt Cheeseman

Blue and Black

1840 m

76 cm

170 ha

3

Website

Mt Olympus

Blue and Black

2096 m

115 cm

60 ha

4

Website

Porters

Mostly Black

1950 m

89 cm

250 ha

5

Website

Ohau Snow Fields

Mostly Blue

1825 m

94 cm

125 ha

3

Website

Treble Cone

Blue and Black

1960 m

89 cm

550 ha

4

Website

Snowfarm

Cross country skiing

Mostly Blue

1980 m

 

50 km

 

Website

Cardrona

Mostly Blue

1860 m

75 cm

345 ha

7

Website

Coronet peak

Blue and Black

1649 m

59 cm

280 ha

7

Website

The remarkables

Green, Blue and Black

1943 m

89 cm

220 ha

7

Website

Whakapapa

Mostly Blue

2322 m

194 cm

400 ha

9

Website

Tukino

Green, Blue and Black

2020 m

57 cm

19 ha

2

Website

Turoa

Mostly Blue

2322 m

194 cm

400 ha

9

Website

Rainbow

Mostly Blue

1758 m

57 cm

300 ha

6

Website

Mt Lyford

Green, Blue and Black

1750 m

93 cm

180 ha

5

Website

Hanmer Springs

Blue and Black

1769 m

55 cm

52 ha

3

Website

Mt Hutt

Mostly Blue

2075 m

110 cm

365 ha

4

Website

Fox peak

Blue and Black

1910 m

61 cm

500 ha

5

Website

Roundhill

Blue and Black

2133 m

73 cm

550 ha

2

Website

Mt Dobson

Mostly Blue

2030 m

65 cm

400 ha

4

Website

 
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