Wintertime is snow skiing time in New Zealand.
Wherever you are in the Land of the Long White Cloud, and particularly in the South Island, you’re never too far from a ski slope. In fact, you should be able to go cross-country skiing in New Zealand almost anywhere there’s snow.
The two skiing destinations on the South Island which come immediately to mind are Queenstown, which calls itself the Adventure Capital of the World, and Christchurch with its major international airport.
Doing it in Queenstown
The ski slopes are so close to Queenstown you can stay in comfortable accommodations there and easily travel to your choice of slopes daily.
But be warned: Book your accommodation well in advance or you’ll miss out on a warm bed in the city.
The nearby slopes are Coronet Peak and The Remarkables which are suitable for all levels of skiers and snowboarders.
If you wanted to go farther afield you can take the shuttle from Queenstown to Cardrona or drive to Wanaka where Treble Cone says it has the longest vertical rise in the Southern Lakes district in the South Island.
Or base yourself in Christchurch
If staying in Christchurch, you can take shuttle buses or tour coaches to the Canterbury Plains skifields.
The best known slopes in the area are in Mt Hutt.
Other skiing areas in this region of New Zealand are Porter Heights, Temple Basin, Craigieburn Valley, Broken River, Mt Olympus, Mt Lyford and Mt Cheesman.
Between Christchurch and Queenstown, you can take a helicopter to Mt Cook and ski the Tasman Glacier, and it doesn’t even have to be winter for you to do this.
Next page: Skiing on the North Island
