The big trip to New Zealand is coming up, but what to put in your suitcase?. Backpack? What things do you really need and what can you leave at home??
These are the questions every traveler asks before starting a longer trip to New Zealand. Whether you are planning a work and travel, or simply a longer trip to New Zealand on a tourist visa, it does not matter. Here the question is which things really make sense to take with you and which things you can easily buy locally. If there is enough space in your luggage you can pack everything you can think of to be prepared for all eventualities, but backpacking with a 25 kg backpack is not really fun anymore.
The ultimate New Zealand packing list
To help you pack a little bit, I have created the following packing list, where you can see what you could take with you and what you could use. This means that not every item on the New Zealand packing list must necessarily be included in the luggage, but should be selected individually after weighing the benefits, weight and personal preferences.
So, now to the packing list, around which everything revolves here. For the sake of clarity, I have divided these into different topics and listed the most important items under each of them.
Backpack, hand luggage& Accessories
To the equipment of every backpacker belongs of course a backpack, but also with suitcase or travel bag you can survive a work and travel stay in New Zealand well. So that you don't always have to have the big backpack with you, it is also recommended to buy a normal daypack, which you can then also take with you on the plane.
Whether one gets a protective cover for the flight and for on the way, is left naturally to everyone itself. However, many airport employees are not very careful with luggage, which is why I can only recommend the purchase of such a cover from my own experience.
| Trekking backpack (50 – 80L) |
| Small backpack as hand luggage |
| Protective cover for the backpack |
| Combination lock to lock your backpack/locker in the hostel |
| Compression bag to create more space in the backpack |
Clothes
Of course, what to take from the New Zealand packing list depends on various factors such as the time of year or itinerary. For this reason, I have also listed clothes that are more likely to be used in the winter months in the following list. If you are traveling in the summer, you can of course leave one or the other item off the packing list and buy it in New Zealand if needed.
| 1 x Comfortable shoes like z.B Nike Free Run |
| 1 x FlipFlops |
| 1 x hiking shoes -> for men -> for women |
| 5 – 7 x socks |
| 5 – 7 x underwear |
| 2 x long pants |
| 2 x shorts |
| 1 x swim shorts/bikini |
| 4 – 5 x t-shirts/tops |
| 1 x shirt/blouse |
| 1 x longsleeve shirt |
| 2 x sweaters |
| 1 x softshell jacket for women and here for men |
| 1 x winter jacket for women and here for men |
| 1 x work clothes |
| 1 x Cap/Good |
| 1 x hat + scarf + gloves |
| 1 x Accessories |
| 1 x sunglasses |
Electronics
Staying in touch with home, taking high quality photos, looking for jobs online, packing the right electronic gadgets has a lot of advantages during a backpacking trip through New Zealand. In the following list you see what to write definitely on the packing list or. should be packed in the luggage.
| Smartphone (without simlock!) |
| Tablet and/or laptop |
| reflex or mirrorless system camera. I personally have the Canon EOS 1200D. It is enough for me in any case and shoots super photos and videos in HD. |
| Actioncam like for example the GoPro HERO4 Or if you don't want to spend so much money you can also use the Sony HDR-AZ1. |
| External hard drive for secure data storage |
| USB-stick as storage medium for application documents and co. |
| Memory cards Either Micro SD or the normal SD cards for camera and co. |
| Socket adapter for New Zealand |
| German 3-socket power strip In the hostel there is never anything free 😉 |
| Headphones I swear on the Beats by Dr Dre On-Ear headphones. The best sound in the world |
| Do not forget the charging cable! |
Care articles
Care products may not be missing of course also. By the way: Always pack liquids in the backpack downwards. Firstly because they are usually one of the heaviest items in the backpack and thus distribute the center of gravity ideally and secondly if something should leak, they do not soak all the items underneath.
| Small towel |
| Large towel |
| Toilet bag |
| Toothbrush |
| Toothpaste |
| Shower gel |
| Shampoo |
| Deodorant |
| hairspray or hair wax |
| comb and/or brush |
| Cosmetics |
| razor |
| nail scissors, -arrows or -clippers |
| tweezers |
| Hairdryer |
| Sunscreen |
| Mosquito spray or. Insect spray in general If you want to be on the safe side take Bushman! Comes from Australia, but also works in New Zealand go everything and everyone. |
First Aid Kit
Also a small supply of medicines should be absolutely with you. Here, of course, everyone should know best which additional means are needed individually.
| Headache tablets |
| Anti-nausea and anti-vomiting medication |
| Remedy against diarrhea |
| Plaster |
| Blister plaster |
| Wound and healing ointment |
| Disinfectant spray |
| Insect repellent |
| Contact lenses + liquid |
| Contraceptives |
Important documents
Here you can see what you should not forget in any case! Keep the most important documents like your passport or credit card separate from each other, so that in case of theft or loss you don't have to reapply for everything, but only for one of these things.
| * Passport |
| * Plane ticket |
| * Confirmation from working holiday visa |
| * Insurance documents from the health insurance abroad |
| * Proof of financial means (bank statement) |
| * credit card |
| International driving license |
| German driver's license |
| Booking confirmations from the hostel& Co. |
| Directions to the hostel |
| Cash (100 – 200 Euro) |
| Number and address list of banks, insurances& Co. |
Other
Here you can see what else you can take with you that might be helpful.
| Neck pillow If you need to save space you can get the inflatable version. |
| Guidebook I personally would always go for the Lonely Planet. Because of its fame you won't find any insider tips in it, but you will find everything else. A little cheaper and also very recommendable is the Stefan Loose. |
| Earplugs for sleeping |
| Swiss Army Knife Not(. ) into your hand luggage |
| Headlamp |
| Normal flashlight |
| Dictionary |
| eBook Reader like e.g. the Kindle Paperwhite |
Packing tips and what you should better not take with you
To find out for yourself if you really need a certain item, just ask yourself the following 3 questions!
- Do I really have a benefit from this item?
-> No? Then better leave out.
-> Yes? Go to question no. 2 - Do I still have enough room in my bag?
-> No? Then leave it at home. Unless you have already packed something that you find less useful. Then just change it and the problem is solved.
-> Yes? Then please go to question no. 3 - Can you also buy this item cheap(er) in New Zealand?
-> No? Then definitely pack it.
-> Yes? Then better cross it off your packing list.
In general, when packing for long-term travel, the following also applies: less is more!
Even if your backpack has enough space for "what if items", keep the weight as low as possible. This will not only make it easier for you to walk around with your backpack, but will also give you enough storage space for things you will buy in New Zealand.