New Zealand packing list for a working holiday
This New Zealand packing list is built for a working holiday, not a fortnight's sightseeing. You need layers for weather that changes by the hour, clothes you can work in, and a bag light enough to carry up a hostel staircase. Tick items off as you pack. Your progress saves in this browser, and you can print the list for the night before you fly.
Your New Zealand packing checklist, by category
The short answer: for a New Zealand working holiday, pack about a week of clothes built around layers, a properly waterproof jacket, one warm merino or fleece layer, shoes you can work and hike in, your passport, visa and insurance documents, and a Type I plug adaptor. Most other things are cheaper to buy after you land than to carry for a year.
Documents 📄
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Clothing 👕
0 of 9 packedToiletries 🧴
0 of 6 packedTech 💻
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Outdoor / Adventure ⛰️
0 of 7 packedHostel Essentials 🏨
0 of 6 packedWork Essentials 👷
0 of 6 packedWhat to pack for New Zealand's weather
"Four seasons in one day" is the line every Kiwi uses on visitors. It's also the most useful packing advice you'll get.
New Zealand is long, narrow and surrounded by ocean, with mountains running down most of its length. That's why the weather turns so fast. A clear morning in Queenstown can become sleet on the Remarkables by lunch. Wellington gets wind that shoves you sideways on the footpath. Parts of the West Coast and Fiordland measure their yearly rain in metres.
The fix isn't a heavier bag. It's layers. A merino or synthetic base layer, a fleece or light down jacket, and a shell that genuinely keeps rain out will take you from a February beach day to a July frost, provided you can pull them on and off as the day changes. The thing to leave at home is cotton. It soaks up rain, stays wet for hours and pulls the warmth straight out of you.
| Arrive in | What it's like | Add to your bag |
|---|---|---|
| December to February (summer) | Long, warm days and the strongest sun of the year. Nights in the mountains and the deep south still get cold. | Sun hat, sunglasses, extra sunscreen, swimwear, one warm layer for evenings |
| March to May (autumn) | Often the most settled weather. Crisp mornings, and harvest season in the orchards and vineyards. | Work clothes for picking, a fleece, gloves for early starts |
| June to August (winter) | Frost and snow inland on the South Island, cool and wet in the north. Ski season in Queenstown and Wanaka. | Thermals, an insulated jacket, waterproof boots, beanie and gloves |
| September to November (spring) | The most changeable months. Snow still on the peaks, sunny spells, then a cold front out of nowhere. | Your rain shell on every day out, plus layers you can strip off |
A rough guide, not a forecast. The South Island runs noticeably colder than the North, and the mountains make their own weather whatever the month says.
Where you'll be matters as much as when. Our own rule of thumb, from travelling the length of the country: the North Island in summer, the South Island in winter. Summer in Northland and the Coromandel is beaches and bare feet. Winter in the south is when the ski towns hire. If you're planning to follow work around the seasons, the New Zealand harvest calendar shows which region picks what, month by month.
Then there's the sun, which no weather app will warn you about properly. Summer UV in New Zealand reaches levels that are rare in most of Europe, and you can burn badly on a cool, breezy day without ever feeling hot. Sunscreen is easy to buy in any supermarket or pharmacy when you land. The hat is what people forget, and on an outdoor shift it matters more than the cream.
What to pack for working in New Zealand
Pack for the jobs you'll realistically get in your first months, not the one on your LinkedIn.
Most working holiday jobs in New Zealand fall into a few groups: orchards and packhouses, vineyards, hospitality, ski fields, and labouring. Each has its own dress code, and a fair amount of the kit comes with the job. Packing for all of them "just in case" is how a 20kg bag turns into 28kg.
Hospitality is where a lot of first jobs land. Matt's did. He flew into Auckland in September, sent about thirty applications and got exactly one reply, from a hotel in the Bay of Islands. That's the case for packing one pair of black trousers and decent black shoes. When a café or hotel offers you a trial shift for tomorrow morning, you can say yes.
| Job | Pack from home | Usually supplied or bought there |
|---|---|---|
| Orchard picking and thinning | Boots or sturdy shoes you can stand in all day, a sun hat, long sleeves, a rain layer | Picking bags, bins and ladders come from the orchard |
| Packhouse | Closed-toe shoes and warm layers, because cool stores are cold | Hairnets, aprons, gloves and hi-vis are normally supplied |
| Vineyard pruning (winter) | Thermals, waterproof jacket and trousers, warm gloves, waterproof boots | Secateurs are often supplied, though some contractors expect you to buy your own |
| Hospitality | Black trousers or skirt, black non-slip shoes, a plain black top | A branded shirt or apron from the venue |
| Ski fields | Thermals, a warm hat, gloves, goggles if you already own them | The staff jacket and uniform are usually issued |
| Construction and labouring | Your own steel caps, but only if you already have a broken-in pair | Safety boots, hi-vis and hard hats. If the job requires them, the employer has to provide them and can't charge you |
"Usually" means usually. Ask what's supplied when you're offered the job, before you buy anything.
Steel caps deserve a paragraph of their own, because they're the heaviest thing on most packing lists. In New Zealand, safety boots count as personal protective equipment. WorkSafe New Zealand is clear that a business can't pass the cost of PPE on to its workers, in full or in part, and can't make you bring your own as a condition of the job. You're allowed to use your own pair if you genuinely want to. So if you already own broken-in steel caps, they're worth the space. If you don't, wait until a job actually needs them, and ask who's paying before you buy.
For interviews, smart casual is plenty almost everywhere. A clean shirt or plain top with trousers that aren't jeans works for a café, a hotel or a temp agency. A suit would look odd. What gets read far more closely than your outfit is your CV: one page, no photo, laid out the way our working holiday CV guide shows. Where the jobs get advertised and what they pay is in our guide to finding work in New Zealand.
Bring it or buy it in New Zealand?
New Zealand has shops. Everything you buy there is something you didn't carry through three airports.
The rule we'd go by: bring what's personal, hard to replace or already worn in. Buy the bulky, cheap and consumable stuff after you land. A year is a long time to haul a family-size bottle of shampoo around.
Bring from home
- A waterproof jacket you already trust. Good shells are rarely cheaper in New Zealand, and you need one from day one.
- Merino and outdoor layers you already own.
- Hiking boots, already broken in.
- Prescription medicine, glasses or contact lenses, and copies of the prescriptions.
- A laptop or tablet if you have one. CVs, visa admin and tax forms are miserable on a phone.
- Your backpack, tested at home with real weight in it.
Buy when you land
- Toiletries and sunscreen, from any supermarket or pharmacy.
- Bedding, towels and kitchen basics for a flat, from The Warehouse or Kmart.
- Cheap work clothes, from the same two shops.
- Camping gear, often second-hand on Trade Me or Facebook Marketplace.
- Steel caps and specialist work gear, once you know the job needs them.
- A local SIM card, unless you set up an eSIM before you fly.
Second-hand is the smart buy for anything you'll only need for a few months. Backpackers on their way out of the country sell tents, sleeping mats, cookers and whole car-camping set-ups for a fraction of what they paid. Hostel noticeboards fill up with them in autumn, when the summer crowd starts flying home. Buy it, use it, sell it on to the next person when you leave.
If you end up buying a car, a lot of the camping kit may come with it. Plenty of backpacker cars change hands with a mattress, a gas cooker and two folding chairs still in the back. Our guide to buying a car covers the checks to do before you hand over the cash.
Can you bring food, hiking boots and medicine into New Zealand?
Mostly, yes. You just have to declare them, and New Zealand checks harder at the border than almost anywhere.
The short answer: you can bring most food, used hiking boots, camping gear and your own medicine into New Zealand, but you have to declare them. A biosecurity officer checks what you declare and cleans, treats or keeps anything risky. Don't declare risk goods and get caught, and it's a NZ$400 instant fine, even for a forgotten apple.
Everyone arriving fills in the New Zealand Traveller Declaration, ideally online before you fly, and the biosecurity questions are part of it. New Zealand Customs lists what counts as a risk item, and two lines on that list catch working holidaymakers more than any other: any food, whether fresh, dried or packaged, and any shoes, sports or outdoor equipment you've used. Your tramping boots, your tent, your walking poles. All of it.
The reason is the economy. Farming, forestry and horticulture are a huge part of it, and the country is free of plenty of pests and diseases that are routine elsewhere. Soil in a boot tread can carry seeds, fungal spores or worse. So the airport treats a muddy boot about as seriously as a bag of fruit.
Medicine. New Zealand Customs allows up to three months' supply of a prescription medicine, six months of oral contraceptives, and no more than one month of a controlled drug, a group that includes many ADHD medicines and strong opioid painkillers. Bring it in the original packaging with a copy of the prescription or a letter from your doctor, and declare controlled drugs on the traveller declaration. On a 12-month visa, plan ahead: see a GP in New Zealand about a local prescription well before your supply runs out.
How to make it painless. Scrub your boots, tent pegs and walking poles at home until there's no soil left, then let them dry. Pack anything you'll declare near the top of your bag, so an inspection takes a minute rather than twenty. And eat the plane snacks on the plane.
Documents, money and travel insurance
The checklist names them. Here's what each one actually has to show.
Passport. Immigration New Zealand wants it valid for at least three months after your visa expires, so check the date against the end of your planned stay. If yours runs out sooner, renew it before you apply, not halfway through the year, because the visa is tied to the passport you applied with.
Your visa. New Zealand visas are electronic, so there's nothing stuck in your passport. The approval letter is your proof. Airline staff and border officers can see the visa on their systems, but a printout and an offline copy on your phone cost nothing and save an awkward conversation when the check-in desk's system is slow.
Proof of funds. On most schemes you need NZ$4,200 for living costs, and British citizens need NZ$350 for each month of their visa. On top of that comes a ticket out of the country or the money to buy one. Carry a recent bank statement as a printout or a PDF you can open offline. Border officers can ask to see it, and "it's in my banking app" doesn't help much in an arrivals hall with no signal.
Driver's licence. You can drive on a current overseas car licence for 12 months from the day you last arrived in New Zealand. That's the rule from 1 November 2026, when a temporary 18-month extension ends, according to the NZ Transport Agency. If your licence isn't in English, you also need an accurate English translation or an International Driving Permit, carried together with the licence itself. When the 12 months are up, you either convert to a New Zealand licence or stop driving.
Travel insurance. For most passports, this one isn't optional. Immigration New Zealand makes medical insurance, including hospital cover, a condition of the working holiday visa for your entire stay, and you can be asked for proof when you arrive. Citizens of Ireland, Japan, Malaysia and the United Kingdom are exempt under bilateral agreements. Everyone else packs the policy with the passport.
ACC, New Zealand's accident compensation scheme, does cover visitors who get hurt here. It doesn't cover illness, though, and it won't fly you home. A burst appendix, a dental emergency or a medical flight back to Europe is yours to pay for without a policy. When you compare policies, read the wording against the year you're actually planning. Does it run for the whole stay? Does it cover you while you work, and for the kind of work you'll do? Does it include the bungy jump you've already promised yourself?
SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
A monthly subscription with no fixed end date, so it runs as long as your trip does and stops when you fly home. A $250,000 medical limit, and most adventure activities are covered. Check that the wording meets your visa's medical and hospital requirement before you rely on it at the border.
Get a free SafetyWing quote →The SafetyWing link above is an affiliate link. If you buy through it we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we'd recommend without the commission. Details are in our affiliate disclosure. Five providers side by side, including the ones we don't work with, are in our insurance guide.
Money. Your wages will go into a New Zealand bank account, which you can open once you've arrived. The weeks before that first payslip run on money from home, and a normal bank card can quietly take a few percent on every payment and withdrawal. A card like Wise, linked in the checklist above, converts at the mid-market rate. Pack a second card from a different bank in a different bag, so one lost wallet doesn't leave you with nothing. How the local accounts compare is in our banking guide.
How much luggage do you need for a year in New Zealand?
Less than you think. One main bag and a daypack is plenty.
Pack for one week and do laundry. Almost every hostel and holiday park has washing machines, and you'll end up wearing the same few favourite things on repeat anyway. A 40 to 60 litre backpack or a mid-sized suitcase, plus a daypack for flights and day hikes, is enough for a whole year in New Zealand.
Backpack or suitcase comes down to how you'll move. Buses, ferries, tramping and gravel campsites favour a backpack. If you'll fly in, base yourself in one city for months or buy a car in week two, a suitcase is perfectly fine and much easier to live out of. Whichever you pick, test it at home: load it, put it on, and walk up and down the stairs a few times. Now imagine the fourth floor of a hostel with no lift, at ten at night, after 30 hours of travel.
What goes in your hand luggage
Passport, visa letter, insurance certificate and bank statement. Everything a border officer might ask for should be on you, not in the hold.
Prescription medicine. In its original packaging, with the prescription, and enough for a few days in case your checked bag goes missing.
Power bank and any spare batteries. Airlines don't allow spare lithium batteries in checked luggage, so they travel in the cabin.
Phone, chargers and your plug adaptor. You'll want them working in the arrivals hall, not after you've found your bag.
One warm layer and a change of clothes. Long-haul cabins are cold, and bags do sometimes take a different flight.
Your baggage allowance is whatever your ticket says, so weigh the bag at home before the airport does it for you. Then think beyond the long-haul flight. The cheapest fares on domestic flights inside New Zealand usually include cabin baggage only, which means a heavy checked bag gets paid for again every time you hop between islands. Flights, fares and the open-return question are covered in our flights guide.
What not to bring
The stuff people pack and regret, every single time.
Only summer clothes. New Zealand weather can turn in an hour, even in January. You need warm layers whatever the season.
Heavy cotton hoodies and jeans. They soak up water and stay wet for days. Merino or synthetic layers dry faster and keep you warmer.
A hair straightener or curling iron on the wrong voltage. Most made for 110V fry instantly on New Zealand's 230V supply. Buy one locally if you need it.
A first-aid kit the size of a hospital bag. There's a pharmacy in every town. Pack the basics, not a field hospital.
Stacks of "just in case" outfits. You'll wear the same five things on rotation. Every extra outfit is just extra weight on your back.
Brand new, unworn hiking boots. Break them in at home first, or you'll be nursing blisters through your first tramp.
Expensive jewellery or watches. Hostels are generally safe. They're still not the place to risk anything irreplaceable.
Food you haven't checked. Fresh fruit in your daypack is the classic way to collect a fine at Auckland Airport. Eat it on the plane or bin it before you reach the officers.
Travelling solo? Our solo travel safety guide covers hitchhiking, hostel vetting and farm work safety on top of what to pack.
New Zealand packing list FAQs
The questions people ask before a working holiday in New Zealand, answered short.
What should I pack for a working holiday in New Zealand?
Pack about a week of clothes built around layers: a waterproof and windproof jacket, a merino or fleece mid-layer, quick-dry trousers, shoes you can work and hike in, and a sun hat. Add your passport, visa approval letter, insurance policy, proof of funds and a Type I plug adaptor. Toiletries, bedding and most work gear are easy to buy after you land.
How much luggage should I take for a year in New Zealand?
One main bag of 40 to 60 litres, or a mid-sized suitcase, plus a daypack. Almost every hostel and holiday park has laundry, so a week of clothes is enough. Check your ticket's allowance, and remember that the cheapest domestic fares in New Zealand usually include cabin baggage only.
Do I need hiking boots in New Zealand?
Only if you're planning multi-day tramps such as the Great Walks, or work in muddy orchards and vineyards. For day walks, sturdy trail shoes are fine. If you do bring boots, break them in at home and scrub every trace of soil off them before you fly, because used outdoor gear has to be declared at the border.
What should I wear for fruit picking in New Zealand?
Sturdy closed shoes or boots, a wide-brimmed hat, a long-sleeved shirt for the sun, and a rain layer. Your clothes will get dirty and torn, so bring old ones or buy cheap ones locally. The orchard supplies the picking bags, bins and ladders.
Can I bring food into New Zealand?
Often, yes, but you must declare all of it, whether it's fresh, dried or packaged. A biosecurity officer checks what you declare and hands back anything that's safe. If you don't declare food and it's found, New Zealand Customs can give you a NZ$400 instant fine. The easy fix is to eat or bin fresh food before you land.
Do I have to declare hiking boots and a tent in New Zealand?
Yes. New Zealand Customs lists any shoes, sports or outdoor equipment you've used as risk items you must declare, and officers may inspect them for soil, seeds and pests. Scrub everything clean and let it dry at home, and the check usually takes a few minutes.
How much prescription medicine can I bring into New Zealand?
Up to three months' supply of a prescription medicine, six months of oral contraceptives, and no more than one month of a controlled drug, according to New Zealand Customs. Keep it in the original packaging, carry a copy of the prescription or a doctor's letter, and declare controlled drugs. For a longer stay, you'll need a New Zealand prescription for the rest.
Do I need travel insurance for the New Zealand working holiday visa?
Yes, for most passports. Immigration New Zealand makes medical insurance, including hospital cover, a condition of the visa for your whole stay, and you can be asked for proof when you arrive. Citizens of Ireland, Japan, Malaysia and the United Kingdom are exempt under bilateral agreements. ACC covers accidents, but not illness or a flight home.
Is it cheaper to buy clothes and gear in New Zealand?
The basics are fine: The Warehouse and Kmart sell cheap work clothes, bedding and kitchen gear, and second-hand camping kit is easy to find on Trade Me. Branded outdoor gear is rarely cheaper than at home, so bring a good rain jacket and boots you already own.
What plug adaptor do I need for New Zealand?
New Zealand uses the Type I plug, with three flat pins, one of them an earth pin. It's the same plug as Australia. The supply is 230 volts, so phone and laptop chargers work fine, but hair tools and other heating appliances built for 110 volts can burn out.