- autumn
- shoulder
Avg temp 10–20°C
Rainfall Lower
Daylight 11-13 hr
Phase Shoulder
Early autumn
Driving a NZ motorhome in March
March is the start of the shoulder-season sweet spot. Temperatures drop slightly, daylight is still 13-14 hours, and motorhome rates drop noticeably from February.
March marks the transition from peak summer to shoulder. Daytime temperatures fall to 16-23°C across the South Island and 18-25°C across the North, daylight contracts from about 13.5 hours at the start of the month to 12.0 hours at the end, and most of the country is still in dry settled-weather mode. Rental rates step down 15-25% from peak, holiday parks have spare sites, and the Cook Strait ferry is bookable 4-6 weeks out without stress.
Why March is many returning travellers' first pick
Stable weather, light traffic on the main routes, holiday parks half-empty, autumn colours starting in Otago and the Mackenzie Basin, and prices roughly 20% below January for the same vehicle. The trade-off is sea temperatures starting to drop — North Island swimming is fine, South Island sea swims are bracing.
What changes from February
Sunset moves from about 8:30pm at the start of March to 7:30pm by month's end, which compresses driving days slightly. Mountain temperatures drop into single digits overnight — pack a warm sleeping kit if your dates push into late March around Aoraki, Tekapo or Tongariro.
Easter caveat
Easter weekend falls in March or April — when it falls in March, the surrounding 4-day weekend (Good Friday to Easter Monday) is a peak domestic travel weekend. Holiday parks at Bay of Islands, Coromandel, Tekapo and Wanaka fill up. Plan to be on the road on those days or book 6-8 weeks ahead.
Other months and seasons
- NZ motorhome trip in January — Peak summer
- NZ motorhome trip in February — Late summer
- NZ motorhome trip in April — Autumn colour
- NZ motorhome trip in May — Late autumn
- NZ motorhome trip in June — Early winter
- NZ motorhome trip in July — Mid-winter
- NZ motorhome trip in August — Late winter
- NZ motorhome trip in September — Early spring
Want help picking the right month for your trip?
Tell us what kind of trip you're imagining and your flexibility on dates. We come back with month suggestions and what each one will cost.