We’re halfway through our 7-continent journey, and this year our fourth conference brings us to the spectacular setting of Wellington, New Zealand.
This small country is a bounty of cultural, adventure, and community experiences. You can hike a glacier, watch cute penguins, soak on a natural hot water beach, go wine tasting, and – of course – hang out with 100 of your closest nomad friends while you’re here!
But the fact remains that New Zealand is far from pretty much everywhere except Australia. So, now that you’ve got your ticket, how are you going to get here?
Option 1: Fly to Auckland
While our conference takes place in Wellington, New Zealand (the best city in the country and one of the most spectacular in the entire world… not that we’re biased) that doesn’t mean you have to fly straight here. There are far more international carriers flying into Auckland and prices can be much cheaper!
If you’ve got a couple of days to spare, it could benefit not only your wallet but your wanderlust to fly into AKL. Spend a day in the city recovering from jet lag, and then you have four options to get down to Wellington:
• Rent a car. Take the long way down and experience some of the North Island’s most spectacular sights like Cathedral Cove, Hobbiton, Lake Taupo, and more.
• Take the train. The scenic Northern Explorer train is equipped with open-air viewing carriages, panoramic windows and skylights, audio commentary, and gorgeous scenic views the whole way. You leave Auckland in the morning and arrive in Wellington in the early evening. It’s the perfect way to get acquainted with this spectacular country without having to drive!
• Take the bus. The lowest-cost option is to take the overnight bus from Auckland and arrive bright and early the next morning. Prices start at just NZ$1 if you book early enough. (Or book the sleeper coach for slightly more!)
• Fly! Book your international flight into AKL, and then hop on a smaller plane for the 1-hour flight to Wellington. Jetstar and Air New Zealand both operate multiple flights a day starting around US$29!
Option 2: Move Slowly
Obviously, a lot of us nomads have flexibility in our travel plans, which is why many Year Four attendees are gradually making their way towards New Zealand over the course of the next few months. With stays in Thailand, Bali, Australia, and other Indo-Pacific countries, 7in7ers are saving money by making their way to New Zealand slowly, country by country.
When you’re going all the way to New Zealand, it would be a shame not to stop off and see a bit of Australia or say hello to friends in Canggu while you’re at it!
Option 3: Be Flexible
You know this one. Use a tool like Kiwi.com to find unconventional flight paths, or Kayak.com to see if the algorithm recommends you buy now or wait. And make sure you put in flexible dates!
With Kiwi, you can even enter something like “From: Western Europe” and see which city is cheapest to fly from!
Pro Tip: Set up a price alert so you don’t miss a sale! We’ve seen prices from US$500 from the United States (LAX on Air New Zealand), United Kingdom (LHR on Singapore Air), and other popular nomad hubs. If you want to book a return ticket, prices get even better, with round-trips from London, Los Angeles, and Bangkok starting around US$750.
You do not want to miss out on seeing this incredible country with your 7in7 nomad family. We’ll see you in New Zealand!
