Australia and New Zealand from India: days, seasons, visas and routes

How many days do we need for Australia and for New Zealand?

Plan 10 to 14 nights for Australia and 10 to 14 nights for New Zealand; neither works in a week from India. Ten nights in Australia covers Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef and Melbourne with the Great Ocean Road; fourteen adds Uluru, Tasmania or Kangaroo Island. Ten nights in New Zealand covers the South Island properly; fourteen adds Rotorua, Auckland and Waiheke Island in the North.

• Air India lists nonstop flights from Delhi to Sydney and Melbourne; check the current schedule.
• New Zealand is usually reached with one connection, through Singapore or Australia.
• Every extra stop in Australia is a flight, so fewer bases make a better trip.

Source: Air India: flights to Australia

When is the best time to visit Australia and New Zealand from India?

March, April, October and November are the best months to see both countries together: mild weather, lower rates than summer and fewer school-holiday crowds. The seasons are reversed, so December to February is their summer and the most expensive time. June to August is ski season in Queenstown and the dry season on the Great Barrier Reef, which suits the Indian summer holidays if you skip the far south.

• The Great Barrier Reef is best from June to October, outside the summer stinger season.
• Book Christmas and New Year in Sydney and Queenstown six to nine months ahead.

What does a two-week Australia or New Zealand trip cost for two from India?

A private two-week journey to Australia or New Zealand costs about ₹18 lakh to ₹38 lakh or more for two, land only with internal flights. That buys five-star city hotels, private touring on the days that matter and at least one lodge stay. Lodge nights, helicopters and a driver-guide instead of self-drive are what move the figure. International flights are quoted separately.

• A family of four usually pays 1.7 to 1.9 times the price for two.
• December and January add 30 to 40 percent and sell out six to nine months ahead.

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How do Indians get Australia and New Zealand visitor visas, and what do they cost?

Indians need a visitor visa for each country, applied for online before travel. Australia's Visitor visa (subclass 600), Tourist stream, costs from AUD 250 (about ₹16,250) and is lodged through ImmiAccount; you are told if biometrics are needed. New Zealand's Visitor Visa is listed from NZD 441 (about ₹23,400), and Immigration New Zealand decides 80 percent of applications within two weeks. Apply six to eight weeks before flying.

• The Australian visa can allow a stay of up to 12 months; the period granted is decided case by case.
• Check Immigration New Zealand's fee page for what the NZD 441 covers, including the International Visitor Levy.
• Apply early for a December trip, when both countries are at their busiest.
• Neither country gives Indians a visa on arrival, and the NZeTA is only for visa-waiver nationalities.

Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs: Visitor visa (subclass 600), Tourist streamSource: Immigration New Zealand: Visitor Visa

New Zealand North Island or South Island: which should we choose?

Choose the South Island for a first trip of up to ten nights. It holds the landscapes most travellers come for: Queenstown, Wanaka, Milford and Doubtful Sound, Aoraki Mount Cook and the West Coast glaciers. The North Island is gentler and more cultural, with Rotorua's geothermal valleys and Maori heritage, Hobbiton, the vineyards of Waiheke Island and the Bay of Islands. With fourteen nights, do both and fly between them.

• Arriving in Auckland and leaving from Queenstown or Christchurch avoids doubling back.
• Keep driving to three or four hours a day; the roads are slow and scenic.

Can Indians self-drive in New Zealand on an Indian driving licence?

Yes. Visitors can drive in New Zealand on a current, valid overseas licence for up to 12 months from arrival, and the country drives on the left, as India does. If your Indian licence is not in English you must also carry an accurate English translation or an international driving permit. Keep the licence with you whenever you drive, and plan no more than three to four hours on the road a day.

• The 12-month limit applies to arrivals on or after 1 November 2026; earlier arrivals had 18 months on a car licence.
• Roads are narrow and winding, often one lane each way, so distances take longer than maps suggest.
• The private alternatives are a driver-guide, or self-drive between lodges with a helicopter on the long legs.

Source: NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi: visiting New ZealandSource: NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi: time limit for driving on an overseas licence

Where are the best luxury stays on the Great Barrier Reef and in Queenstown?

On the Great Barrier Reef, base yourself in the Whitsundays: qualia on Hamilton Island, or InterContinental Hayman Island Resort on its own island. In Queenstown the leading stays are Eichardt's Private Hotel on the lakefront, Rosewood Matakauri above the lake and Blanket Bay at Glenorchy. Expect about ₹75,000 to ₹2.5 lakh a night for two; check the current rate. Three nights at each is right: one day on the water or in the air, one at rest.

• The reef is best from June to October: dry, clear and outside the stinger season.
• From Queenstown, a helicopter to Milford Sound replaces a full day on the road.
• Queenstown works all year: skiing from June to September, lakes and walking from December to March.
• Lodge rates often include breakfast and dinner, so compare like with like.

Can we combine Australia and New Zealand in one trip from India?

Yes, with 16 to 18 nights; two weeks does one country properly or a thin slice of both. A shape that works is Sydney for four nights, the Great Barrier Reef for three, a flight across the Tasman Sea to Queenstown for four, then Fiordland or Wanaka and a last stop in Auckland. Budget about ₹22 lakh to ₹45 lakh or more for two, land only, and two separate visas.

• With only 14 nights, pair Sydney with Queenstown and leave the rest for another trip.
• Apply for both visas together, six to eight weeks ahead.
• March, April, October and November suit both countries at once.
• Book the long-haul ticket into Sydney and out of Auckland to avoid doubling back.