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New Zealand turns the ski calendar on its head. While the northern hemisphere is enjoying summer, the Southern Alps are deep in winter, with a season that runs from June into October — which makes it the perfect way to chase a second winter, or your first if you'd rather ski in the middle of the year. The appeal isn't just the timing. It's the scenery, the space, and the sense of getting somewhere genuinely different: wide, open slopes high above the treeline, far smaller crowds than the Alps, and a backdrop of mountains and lakes that's hard to match anywhere in the world. It's a long way to travel, so most people make a proper trip of it, combining time on the snow with everything else the South Island has to offer.
If you already know New Zealand is the one, take a look at our New Zealand ski deals for the latest packages and prices.
Most New Zealand ski trips with WeSki centre on Cardrona, set high in the Southern Alps and well placed between two very different base towns. Which one you choose shapes the feel of your whole trip far more than the skiing itself, so it's worth thinking about the kind of evenings you want as much as the days on the mountain.
Queenstown is New Zealand's adventure capital and the livelier of the two bases. It's a year-round resort town with a bar and restaurant scene that punches well above its size — craft breweries, lakeside dining, and late-night spots all within walking distance — plus lake cruises, walking trails, and no shortage of ways to fill a day off the snow. If you want energy in the evenings and plenty going on for a group or a mixed-ability trip, Queenstown is the one. It's a longer but very doable drive up to Cardrona, with daily shuttles running to the mountain.
Wānaka is the quieter, more relaxed alternative, sitting closer to Cardrona on the other side of the mountain road. It's a lakeside town with a growing food scene, a handful of good bars with water views, and an easygoing pace that suits families and anyone who'd rather unwind than go out late. You're closer to the slopes here and further from the crowds, with the same shuttle access up to the resort. For a trip that's more about the mountains and the lake than the nightlife, Wānaka is a lovely place to come back to each evening.
The season runs from mid-June to early October, with July and August offering the most reliable snow. September can be great for spring skiing, with warmer temperatures and longer days.
Fly into Queenstown or Christchurch, typically via a stopover in Asia or the Middle East. Total travel time is roughly 24 hours. WeSki packages include flights, so you can compare routes and prices as part of your deal.
Very much so, and it offers something the Alps can't — a winter in the middle of the year, exceptional scenery, and slopes that are far less crowded. The experience leans towards space and views rather than the sheer scale of a linked Alpine area, and there's terrain to suit every level once you're there.
It's broadly comparable to a mid-range European trip once you're on the ground, where food, accommodation, and ski passes are reasonable. The main difference is the flight, which is longer and typically pricier than a short hop to the Alps — though the uncrowded slopes and the chance to ski in our summer are hard to put a price on.
Not necessarily. There are daily shuttles to Cardrona from both Queenstown and Wānaka, so you can manage without one. That said, a car gives you more freedom to explore the wider South Island, which is well worth doing on a trip this far from home. WeSki packages offer car rental as an option alongside transfers.
Given the travel time, most people go for at least ten days to two weeks and build a proper holiday around the skiing — pairing time on the snow with the lakes, towns, and scenery of the South Island. WeSki packages let you set your own trip length, so you can shape it around your plans.
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4.9/5I usually book flights, transfers, hotel, ski rental and lift passes myself but this year used WeSki for a trip to Morzine. It was so much easier. Everything worked perfectly - transfers arrived on time and there was plenty of feedback throughout the whole process giving you confidence the holiday would go smoothly.
A really useful service that is so much easier to use than other 'all-inclusive' sites. It nicely bridges the gap between a travel agent and booking the trip yourself online. I will use WeSki every time I go skiing from now on.
We booked a late minute skiing trip to Morzine through we ski. We looked at booking the trip ourselves but could get anywhere near the price quoted by we ski. The company was excellent and we had no problems at all from start to finish. I would definitely use them to book another weekend skiing trip.
Seamless experience from start to finish. I was spending ages trying to sort out a weekend break and managed to do it with we ski in minutes and for the same price as booking it all up yourself. Flight, transfer and accommodation was all as expected and faultless.
WeSki is a trading name operated by WeTrip Ltd. All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.caa.co.uk.
Package holidays that do not include travel by air are financially protected via ABTOT.
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