Cool and refreshing, a winter wonderland awaits at New Zealand ski resorts, and the best news of all, they are opening soon for the 2024 season. From Queenstown in the South Island to National Park in the North, there are several great options for skiing and snowboarding in New Zealand.
While all ultimately cater to every ability level, knowing some of the differences will help you find the best New Zealand ski resorts for you.
Skiing and snowboarding in New Zealand are popular with both domestic and international travellers. New Zealand’s reputation includes uncrowded runs, plenty of gentle family-friendly slopes, wide-open bowls, and no trees.
Add to that world-class training facilities and a high percentage of world champions from such a small country and it’s easy to understand why skiing and snowboarding in New Zealand are so popular.
Traditionally, ski resorts in New Zealand are daytime venues. Most visitors to the area revel in the après ski of off-mountain ski towns and make the daily drive from either Queenstown, Wanaka, Methven, Christchurch, or Ohakune.
Skiing and snowboarding in New Zealand by region – large fields and opening dates for 2024
Whether you are a skier or a snowboarder, there are several amazing options for your next New Zealand snow holiday. Here are the major ski resorts. We also included a list of some of the smaller ones below.
- South Island skiing and snowboarding
- Cardrona (Wanaka or Queenstown) opens from June 15 – October 13, 2024
- Treble Cone (Wanaka) – opens from June 29- September 29, 2024
- The Remarkables (Queenstown) – opens from June 15 – October 13, 2024
- Coronet Peak (Queenstown) opens from June 15 to Sept 22, 2024
- Mt. Hutt (Christchurch) – opens from June 14 until October 13, 2024
- North Island skiing and snowboarding
- Happy Valley (Whakapapa, Mt. Ruapehu, Tongariro National Park) – open from 27 June until 13 October
- Whakapapa (Mt. Ruapehu, Tongariro National Park) – opens on 12 July for Skiing and Snowboarding to 27 Oct, although if you can’t wait, from 1 June to 27 Oct, you can visit for sightseeing, sledding or snow play.
- Tūroa (Mt. Ruapehu, Tongariro National Park) – Open 28 June 2024 – 28 October 2024.
Cardrona Alpine Resort
Cardrona is a family-friendly environment perfect for all ability levels with loads of wide-open trails. As our former home away from home for 19 months (over 5 winter seasons), we are biased towards Cardrona. The dedicated beginner hill welcomes newcomers, while daredevils head straight to NZ’s most extensive terrain park or the 22-foot Olympic superpipe. Here, visitors frequently find themselves practising alongside world-class athletes.
Cardrona features the country’s most successful snow sports training centre. Our girls trained here and both are former Jr. National champions.
What makes Cardrona truly unique is that it is the only ski area with accommodation on the mountain. With fifteen self-contained apartments and a restaurant that stays open late to accommodate guests, Cardrona is setting a new trend.
Ski pass: Avoid the queues and purchase in advance with options for single or multiday passes, lessons, equipment hire, and transport to the mountain. Reserve your Cardrona ski/snowboard packages here.
Driving tips: If you self-drive, be aware that the 10km access road from the valley to Cardrona is unpaved and often requires snow chains. Drivers unfamiliar with snowy mountain roads may want to take a shuttle available from either Wanaka or Queenstown.
Where to stay: Wanaka or at Cardrona.
Note that in extreme weather the Crown Range road closes, making it a long bypass drive from Queenstown. Check road conditions before you go.
Treble Cone Ski Area
The largest ski area in the South Island, Treble Cones’ vertical rise of 700m offers challenging fun and loads of dry powder. It’s the ideal choice for intermediate and advanced skiing and snowboarding in New Zealand. Catering to everyone, Treble Cone has an excellent beginner programme for both skiers and snowboarders.
Treble Cone is located at the southeast end of the Southern Alps, just 30km from Wanaka. I love it for its impressive views while the rest of our family returns for the dry powder, challenging black runs, off-piste options, and New Zealand’s longest groomed intermediate run at 4km.
Ski pass: Treble Cone
Driving Tips: The final 7km of the access road is unpaved. While it rarely requires snow chains, carrying them is still advised.
Where to stay: Wanaka
The Remarkables Ski Area
Just a 45-minute drive from Queenstown, The Remarkables is the full package. All ability levels can enjoy a day of skiing or snowboarding followed by an evening of Queenstown fun. Relaxed and friendly, the atmosphere at The Remarkables will keep you coming back.
Loved by experienced skiers for both black diamond and a 1.5km ‘in-bounds’ backcountry run, The Remarkables also has a progressive network of terrain parks and an award-winning snowboard and ski school.
Ski pass: Bundle and save. Reserve transport and ski pass (single or multi-day) with optional gear rentals.
Driving tips: Much (13km) of the windy road up to The Remarkables is unsealed. You can reserve your shuttle from Queenstown.
Where to stay: Queenstown
Coronet Peak Ski Resort
If you are looking for a long day on the slopes, Coronet Peak is for you. It’s the first to open in the morning and the only slopes offering Wednesday and Friday night skiing. Featuring the largest snowmaking facilities, they are the most likely to be open when nature doesn’t cooperate.
Often called a roller coaster terrain, Coronet Peak is both fun and challenging, with options for all ability levels. And, if you get tired, there is often live music on the heated decks.
Ski pass: Bundle and save. Reserve transport and ski pass (single or multi-day) with optional gear rentals.
Driving Tips: A sealed road will bring you to Coronet Peak, so self-driving is a good option. However, if you prefer. You can reserve your shuttle from Queenstown.
Where to stay: Queenstown
Photo credit: Destination Queenstown
Mt. Hutt
A 90-minute drive from Christchurch, the ski fields at Mt. Hutt are at the foot of the Sothern Alps. Located a bit more than 2,000 metres above sea level, it is the highest ski area on the South Island. As a result, it typically has the longest ski season from early June to late October.
A family-friendly ski resort, it caters to all ability levels, from beginners through to those brave enough to tackle the double black diamond run on the south face of the mountain. And it’s been named by the World Ski Awards as New Zealand’s best ski resort for the past eight years.
Mt Hutt is the only New Zealand major ski field on this page that I have not personally been to; however, one of our children competed here. They say that on a clear day, the magnificent views from Mt Hutt extend from the Pacific Ocean across the Canterbury Plains to Aoraki Mt Cook.
Ski pass: Mt. Hutt.
Driving Tips: The road up to the mountain is steep, unsealed near the top, and often requires snow chains. Therefore, even many New Zealand drivers prefer to take the ski shuttles either from Methven or Christchurch.
Where to stay: Methven
Whakapapa on Mt Ruapehu
Whakapapa is New Zealand’s largest ski area, featuring a volcanic terrain covered with plenty of big basins and wide runs. It is also home to the country’s largest and most technically advanced gondola and the country’s premier beginner facility in a self-contained dedicated area.
Located on the northern slopes of Mt. Ruapehu, Whakapapa is fun for all abilities. It is one of the few, if not the only, places in the world where you can ski on an active volcano.
Note: Both Whakapapa and Tūroa are covered by a single ski pass.
Driving Tips: The access road is sealed, and there is plenty of car parking. A shuttle bus is also available.
Where to stay: Ohakune.
Tūroa on Mt Ruapehu
Located on the southwestern slopes of Mt. Ruapehu, Tūroa has a long season and is the place to go for spring skiing in New Zealand. It is probably best known as being home to the longest vertical descent in Australasia at 720m.
Tūroa has a dedicated terrain park as well as some amazing natural features offering challenges and fun for intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders. These include kickers, wide-open slopes, a natural halfpipe, and challenging terrain created by old lava flows.
Note: Both Whakapapa and Tūroa are covered by a single ski pass.
Driving Tips: The access road is sealed, and there is plenty of car parking. A shuttle bus is also available.
Where to stay: Ohakune
Compare New Zealand ski fields
| Field | Skiable area | Lifts | Terrain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardrona | 345 hectares | 7 | Beginner – 25% Intermediate – 55% Advanced – 20% |
| Treble Cone | 550 hectares | 5 | Beginner – 10% Intermediate – 45% Advanced – 45% |
| Remarkables | 220 hectares | 7 | Beginner – 30% Intermediate – 40% Advanced – 30% |
| Coronet Peak | 280 hectares | 8 | Beginner – 25% Intermediate – 45% Advanced – 30% |
| Mt. Hutt | 365 hectares | 4 | Beginner – 25% Intermediate – 50% Advanced – 25% |
| Whakapapa | 1050 hectares | 11 | Beginner – 25% Intermediate – 50% Advanced – 25% |
| Tūroa | 500 hectares | 6 | Beginner – 20% Intermediate – 55% Advanced – 25% |
Smaller snowfields in New Zealand
Above, we featured all of the larger New Zealand ski fields. Here are some of the smaller ones, a few of which are club fields that are also open to the public. New Zealand club fields typically have accommodation on-site and are often only open to club members.
- South Island skiing and snowboarding
- Snow Farm – the place to go for cross country skiing. (Wanaka) – Click here to check for discounts at Snow Farm.Roundhill – small family-friendly ski field for all ability levels. It even has a terrain park. (Lake Tekapo)
- Mt. Dobson – club field open to the public for all ability levels. (Lake Tekapo)
- Mt. Ohau – small family-run commercial field for all ability levels. (MacKenzie High Country)
- Craigieburn Valley – privately owned and best for the more advanced athletes with challenging skiing and plenty of powder. (Canterbury)
- Mt Cheeseman Ski Area – A family-friendly club field open to the public (Craigieburn Ranges – 99km from Christchurch)
- Hanmer Springs Ski Area – privately owned club field best for intermediate skiers. (Hanmer Springs)
- North Island skiing and snowboarding
- Tukino – a family-friendly ski field with heaps of activities. (Mt. Ruapehu, Tongariro National Park)
- Manganui Ski Area – a no-frills club field. (Taranaki)
Indoor skiing and snowboarding at Snowplanet
Good news if you’re in Auckland. New Zealand’s only indoor snow dome is a short drive north over the bridge. At Snowplanet, visitors can ski, snowboard, or tube regardless of the weather in a consistent -5°C. There’s even a beginner’s area as well as a small terrain park. The main hill is 200m long.
Use this link to check for discounts on a two-hour pass with gear or this link for snow tubing.
General information on skiing and snowboarding in New Zealand
Regardless of where you choose to ski or snowboard in NZ, there are a few things you should know.
- New Zealand is located in the southern hemisphere; therefore, winter runs from June to August.
- A note about winter weather and the ski fields. We found the weather in Wanaka and Queenstown to be the most consistent, nearly always offering at least one field that was open on poor weather days. Similarly, at National Park, if one field is closed, the other is often open. However, at Mt. Hutt, there is only one option.
- Most New Zealand ski fields are open from late June until early October.
- Unlike many other countries, in New Zealand, most people stay at après ski towns and commute to the mountain for their day of skiing.
- Snow chains (or 4WD vehicles) are often required when driving the access roads to or from NZ ski resorts. More than once, it began snowing while we were on the mountain, and chains were required to get home. We recommend carrying chains in your vehicle so you don’t get caught out and have to buy an overpriced option just to get back home.
- Looking for what to do when you come off the snow? We have complete guides for Queenstown, Wanaka, and Christchurch.
Save on your NZ trip with these resources
These are our go-to companies when we travel. We believe this list to be the best in each category. You can’t go wrong using them on your trip too.
- Flights: we use Expedia for the best and cheapest flight options.
- Accommodations: we use Booking.com (hotels), Bookabach (self-contained in NZ), or Hostelworld (budget). See all our personal favourite NZ hotels here.
- Cars (gas or electric): we use RentalCars to search for deals and dealer ratings.
- Motorcycles: we have heard good things about BikesBooking.
- Campervans: Our readers prefer Jucy, and we get consistently great feedback.
- Activity discounts: we check Bookme.com for discounts of up to 70% on activities.
- Private guides: we do have a go-to when we hire a private guide from Viator.
- Travel Insurance: while not required, we always opt for travel insurance and start at InsureMyTrip to compare coverage plans.
Check out our travel resources page for more companies that we use when you travel. And don’t forget to download our free New Zealand packing list when you sign up for our newsletter.
Save for later
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Which is your favourite ski field? Where will you go skiing and snowboarding in New Zealand?
For more on New Zealand, start here: New Zealand Road Trips: Itineraries for North or South Island Adventures, or you might like …
Photo Credits
Photos on this page are either shot by our team and watermarked as such, in the public domain, or some stock photos were supplied by DepositPhotos.
Lauren
Reading this post and just looking through the pictures gave me a little relief. It’s over 100 degrees here in Madrid! I would happily jump in that snow in my dress right now :p and I’m not even a great skiier haha .. Enjoy the ski season for me!
Monica
Very detailes guide on all things skiing and snowboarding NZ. Well done! Thanks!
The lost mirmaid
These resorts look awesome! Being a huge snowboarder myself in Colorado, I’ve want to visit New Zealand slopes! I heard the terrain is so different there! Also crazy that they open up in July!! Could be a good summer ski trip from the US
Michelle
Wow! This sounds absolutely amazing. The skiing and snowboarding in New Zealand is epic I am sure! I would love to visit one day and thanks to your guide I know exactly where to go!
Rosey
I like that there are no trees. I also like that it isn’t crowded! My 2nd oldest is the big snowboarder in our family. None of us has ever been skiing (on snow).
Paul Pietrangelo
Beautiful Photos Rhonda. I laughed a little when I saw these dates June & July. Here in Amherstburg, these dates pertain to 80’s & 90’s. My AC is on at that time. I wish I could ski. Since my leg & foot are not well ( since the stroke ) I can’t do some sport things like other can but I’m just happy that I can be alive and writing to you my friend. See ya.
Cruisin Paul ( My friend in England, Steve, calls me Lockdown Paul LOL )
Shafinah Neville
This is amazing – I never knew there were so many ski resorts in New Zealand! Definitely gonna give this a go as it’s definitely closer to where I am than Europe is!
Harshita
I have actually never been skiing or snowboarding but something I have been wanting to try. So definitely would want to try out indoor skiing and snowboarding first and then I feel like Cardona and Remarkables would work better for me being a beginner or rather even the many smaller snowfields.
So glad NZ is open once again for visitors! Wanted to explore NZ for so many other things but never thought of making a ski trip out of it until I read this post.
Alan Bates
Great photographs. I love it that there is skiiing going on there while it is roasting hot here.
Nancy
I know I’m terribly ignorant, but I never thought of New Zealand as being a go-to location for winter sports. My imagination has you mostly warm there.
Thanks for broadening my narrow horizons.
Ryan Biddulph
Looks like a blast to me Rhonda. I was there just as autumn set in. Snow had yet to take over because it was not cold enough; especially where I was at the time. I can only imagine the beauty of the place in snowy conditions, especially in person.
Ara Patria
I’ve always been interested in snowboarding and skiing. However, I live in a tropical country and have never experienced doing these thrilling activities. I hope I can visit New Zealand.
Lana
This is such a useful guide and what makes it even better are the beautiful photos!! So informative and helpful, I am not a skiier myself but this post makes me want to get into it! Thanks!!
Lydia C. Lee
Looks stunning!
Val
You know, I’ve never learned to ski but I could certainly do it in such beautiful places. The views from Treble Cone are fabulous and how cool that there’s also an indoor snow dome in Auckland, it must be amazing! Also, well done for inserting that ski fields table, it’s super useful 🙂
Linda (LD Holland)
I always forget that the seasons are opposite in New Zealand from those at home. So skiing is a great topic for locals. Or people who want to travel for winter activities. It looks like there are some great areas for skiing. And those views are stunning. I like that there are some ski resort options. For those of us who like the apres ski experience.
Tina
New Zealand has been on my travel bucket list for such a long time. Such an informative post. Makes me want to learn how to snowboard and ski! 🙂
Sherianne
I never would have thought of taking a ski vacation to New Zealand. I love that there isn’t any tress to possibly crash into, I’m not a good skier! I bet Coronet Peak Ski Resort Is popular. The idea of roller coaster terrain and a fun terrace with live music sounds perfect.
Kelly
Wow! Coming from BC, Canada I had no clue there were so many places available for skiing and snowboarding in New Zealand! Looks like there are some incredible mountains and resorts. I would love to go skiing at some of them one day. Thanks for the tips 🙂
Ilene Modica
Great post and fantastic photos! Have never been to New Zealand but it is on our Bucket LIst!
Vanessa Shields
All of these ski resorts look gorgeous! I had no idea skiing was so popular in New Zealand. I used to snowboard but after an injury I’ve shied away. Reading this makes me want to get back out there! I’d especially enjoy Cardrona and the Remarkables.
Cecilie
Wow those views are just breathtaking!
I love New Zealand, I really hope I can get to enjoy their slopes one day 🙂
Lauriane
We are planning a trip in New Zeland next year – but at the beginning of autumn. Skiiing will not be part of our activities for this time but it may help us to decide to come back ;).
Cosette
So, I didn’t know there were so many ski slopes in New Zealand. Is snow shoe walking also a thing in New Zealand?
Josy A
The views are amaaaaazing!
I have only learned to ski in the last few years (I’m mostly in it to see the mountains covered in snow) but I have never considered skiing in Kiwiland. Oh dear…you have just given me another reason to want to go back to NZ!
Taylor
Skiing in New Zealand looks awesome! I visited NZ during the summer (February), so now I have a reason to revisit during July! All of the resorts look so beautiful. 🙂
L. Diane Wolfe
It’s been years since I went skiing, but if I’m going to try it again, I’d come there.
At least you guys can get out and enjoy everything now! Wish we could go to movies and concerts and just anywhere we want.
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Hi Rhonda – wonderful you’re all out of lock-down and can at least travel about … a ski holiday sounds wonderful … and you’ve given us great choices … take care and enjoy the freedom – Hilary
Nish
Wow! I had no idea there were so many skiiing and snowboarding options in New Zealand!
Sandee
So lovely. There are so many that enjoy this. I’ve never been on skis. I tried ice skating once and I was down more than up so decided ice and snow wasn’t my friend. I do enjoy watching others ski though. Beautiful photography.
Have a fabulous day and weekend, Rhonda. ♥
Anda
You really have beautiful ski resorts in New Zealand, Rhonda. Trying to compete with California? I didn’t realize you can ski both on the North and South Islands. Mt. Hutt looks fabulous with all that snow on it. Hope to see it someday.
Kaitlin Terese
Indoor ski and snowboarding? I have never heard of such a thing! I feel that I would most benefit from the ‘Remarkables Ski Area’. Being that it sounds ideal for a newbie such as myself having the award winning school. The added touch is mention of it being a friendly and having a wonderful atmosphere! Or better (safer) yet, maybe I’ll just stick to the snow shoeing at the ‘Snow Farm’! Either way I’m sure this would be a trip to remember!