What to pack for New Zealand in January
January is the height of summer in New Zealand. The days are long and warm, the lakes are swimmable, and the famous hikes are open. But the weather is changeable everywhere, especially in the mountains and on the west coast, where you can see sun, rain, wind and even snow in a single day.
So the list is built for four seasons, with summer clothes at the center. Pack a waterproof jacket and a warm midlayer for every hike, sturdy shoes and serious sun protection, because the UV here is among the strongest in the world. The country is very casual, and outdoor clothes are fine almost everywhere.
Checked
The weather
- Daytime high
- 72°F
- 22°C in Queenstown. Auckland is a little warmer.
- Overnight low
- 50°F
- 10°C in Queenstown. Cold in the mountains.
- Wet days
- ~9
- Much wetter on the west coast and in Fiordland.
- Daylight
- 15.5 h
- Sunset after 9pm in the south. The UV is very strong.
The capsule
Two weeks, one traveler, Boathouse palette. Navy, ivory and chocolate for trails, lakes and small-town dinners. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.
Layers
Waterproof shell
Fleece jacket
Tops
Merino long-sleeve
Cotton tee
Long-sleeve tee
Bottoms
Hiking pants
Chinos
Shorts
Shoes
Hiking boots
Leather sneakers
Flip-flops
Three days from this capsule
Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.
The full list
Clothes
- Waterproof jacket with a hood
- Fleece or insulated midlayer
- Two merino tops for hiking
- Three or four T-shirts
- Hiking pants and shorts
- Jeans or pants for evenings
- Swimsuit
- Beanie and light gloves for alpine hikes
Shoes
- Broken-in hiking boots or trail shoes
- Comfortable shoes for towns
- Sandals or flip-flops
Outdoors
- SPF 50 sunscreen
- Hat and sunglasses
- Insect repellent that works on sandflies
- Refillable water bottle
- Packable daypack with a rain cover
Documents and tech
- Passport
- Electronic travel authority, arranged ahead
- Driver’s license, and an international permit if it is not in English
- Hut, hike and campsite bookings
- Travel insurance details
- Type I plug adapter (230V)
- Power bank
Toiletries
- After-sun lotion
- Anti-itch cream
- Any prescriptions, in your carry-on
Gear worth the space
A waterproof shell
Light enough to carry on every hike, and essential when a sunny morning turns wet.
Merino tops
Warm when damp, cool in the sun and wearable for days on a road trip without smelling.
Broken-in hiking shoes
Trails range from smooth gravel to steep, rocky alpine tracks. Grip and comfort matter most.
A daypack with a rain cover
For water, layers, snacks and sunscreen. The rain cover earns its place on the west coast.
Sun, rain, wind and even snow in a single day. Packlier packs your January for all four, in one bag.
Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Launching this year on Android, with iOS to follow.
One email at launch, nothing else.