{"id":564232,"date":"2026-08-10T00:58:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T00:58:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/564232\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T00:58:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T00:58:13","slug":"new-zealand-expert-reveals-new-zealands-best-kept-secret-for-a-snow-holiday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/564232\/","title":{"rendered":"New Zealand: Expert reveals New Zealand\u2019s \u2018best-kept secret\u2019 for a snow holiday"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Zealand<\/a> is one of the most sought-after places in the world to ski<\/a> and there is one big secret experts say many travellers should know about booking a snowy getaway<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A short flight from Australia<\/a>, New Zealand has plenty of options to ski, snowboard and all the other snow<\/a>-bound activities.<\/p>\n

\"Treble<\/p>\n

Treble Cone resort in New Zealand is part of the biggest area to ski in the country.\u00a0Treble Cone<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re heading over, there are some ways to make the most of your holiday and save money.<\/p>\n

Jon Gass is Instructor and Training Development Manager at two major resorts in the Southern Alps on the South Island.<\/p>\n

Cardrona and Treble Cone form the nation\u2019s biggest skiing area and are close to the hugely popular towns of Queenstown and W\u0101naka <\/p>\n

And while winter<\/a> is now in full swing, Jon revealed the prime time to head to the slopes if you\u2019re on a budget is still approaching.<\/p>\n

\"Treble<\/p>\n

Cardrona and Treble Cone and are close to the hugely popular towns of Queenstown and W\u0101naka.\u00a0Treble Cone <\/p>\n

Cheapest time to ski in New Zealand<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your schedule is flexible, aim for September or October,\u201d Jon, who started skiing aged four, told nine.com.au.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce the July school holiday rush is over, flights and accommodation tend to become more affordable, and spring skiing is one of New Zealand\u2019s best-kept secrets. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe weather is often milder, the snow is soft and forgiving, and shorter lift lines mean you spend more time on the slopes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Booking lift passes in advance and hiring gear is another way to stretch the budget.<\/p>\n

\"Cardrona<\/p>\n

Cardrona Alpine Resort is snowy wonderland in the winter.\u00a0Cardrona Alpine Resort<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can hire just about everything you need, including skis, snowboards, boots, helmets, goggles, and waterproof outerwear, either on the mountain or from rental shops in W\u0101naka and Queenstown,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

And if maximising your time on the slops is key, Jon has a tip to make sure you\u2019re not missing a moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cSort your lift passes, lessons, and rentals online before you land, and if you\u2019re hiring equipment, collect it the afternoon before your first ski day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means your holiday starts on the chairlift, not in a rental queue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019re all set to go up the mountain, set your alarm, it\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n

\u201cCheck the 6.30am snow report over breakfast and aim to get up the mountain early,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Jon<\/p>\n

Jon Gass is Instructor and Training Development Manager at two skiing resorts in New Zealand.\u00a0Supplied<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing among the first in the carpark means you catch an incredible alpine sunrise, grab a quiet coffee, and enjoy freshly groomed runs before the crowds arrive. <\/p>\n

\u201cThose first few laps are often the best skiing you\u2019ll have all day.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to save money on a ski holiday<\/p>\n

And while dining by the mountain can be great, save yourself some money and time be preparing ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cPack a few snacks in your jacket, have lunch outside the busiest rush, and you\u2019ll squeeze even more out of your day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Booking an apartment with a kitchen also helps as you can shop at the supermarkets and fix your own meals rather than eating out.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things that\u2019s unique about skiing in New Zealand is that you\u2019re not staying in purpose-built ski resorts,\u201d Jon said.<\/p>\n

\"Queenstown,<\/p>\n

Queenstown, New Zealand is popular in winter and summer.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

\u201cMost people base themselves in either W\u0101naka or Queenstown and head up the mountain each day, so you get the ski experience alongside everything the towns have to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQueenstown is ideal if you\u2019re looking to combine skiing with a bigger holiday,\u201d Jon said.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegular ski buses also make getting to the ski fields straightforward if you don\u2019t want to hire a car.<\/p>\n

\u201cW\u0101naka has a more relaxed pace and is a fantastic base if skiing is your main priority. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the closest town to both Cardrona and Treble Cone, so you\u2019re spending less time driving and more time on the snow.\u201d<\/p>\n

In terms of when to travel, consider going mid-week to avoid weekend price hikes on flights<\/a> and hotels, he added.<\/p>\n

\"Cardrona<\/p>\n

Even if you\u2019ve skied before, don\u2019t underestimate what some more lessons can do.\u00a0Cardrona Alpine Resort<\/p>\n

Do you need to do a ski lesson?<\/p>\n

Even if you\u2019ve skied before, don\u2019t underestimate what some more lessons can do.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven one lesson can build confidence, improve your technique and help you discover parts of the mountain you might never have found on your own,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

As for dealing with those aching muscles, get your fitness up before you go. <\/p>\n

\u201cI recommend giving your ski legs a head start before you arrive with our simple ski fitness plan<\/a>,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u200dIn 2026, Cardrona is open until October 11 and the Treble Cone season ends on September 27.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"New Zealand is one of the most sought-after places in the world to ski and there is one…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":564233,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[111,43,139,69],"class_list":["post-564232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/564232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=564232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/564232\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/564233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=564232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=564232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=564232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}