When to go · Queenstown
Queenstown in March
Great month. Inside Queenstown's best window: Dec–Apr for hiking and lake days; Jul–Aug for skiing; Mar–Apr and Oct–Nov for fewer crowds.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Temperature
- 21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C) / 9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 8
- Crowds
- Medium
- New Zealand overall
- Prices
- Medium
- New Zealand overall
Verdict
Inside Queenstown's best window: Dec–Apr for hiking and lake days; Jul–Aug for skiing; Mar–Apr and Oct–Nov for fewer crowds.
Is another month better than March?
No other month rates higher than March for Queenstown in this guide.
Weather in March
- QueenstownHighs around 21 °C (70 °F), lows around 9 °C (48 °F), rain on about 8 daysHighs around 70 °F (21 °C), lows around 48 °F (9 °C), rain on about 8 days
- Southern Alps and lakes, New Zealand · Queenstown, Wānaka, Aoraki/Mount Cook, Tekapobest weather
Hot dry summers, clear cold winters with ski fields Jun–Sep; chains needed on passes; autumn colour in April.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Easter big impact
Mar–Apr (Good Friday to Easter Monday) · New Zealand
Most shops closed Good Friday and Easter Sunday by law; roads and holiday towns busy.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · New Zealand overall
- Medium
- Prices · New Zealand overall
- Medium
New Zealand overall: Warm, stable and quieter: the pick for the South Island and Great Walks.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Queenstown, side by side.
Verdict
Mar: Great
Jan: Great
Daytime high
Mar: 21 °C (70 °F)70 °F (21 °C)
Jan: 23 °C (73 °F)73 °F (23 °C)
Night low
Mar: 9 °C (48 °F)48 °F (9 °C)
Jan: 11 °C (52 °F)52 °F (11 °C)
Rain days
Mar: 8
Jan: 8
Crowds
Mar: Medium
Jan: High
Prices
Mar: Medium
Jan: High
Festivals listed
Mar: 1
Jan: 1
March: Inside Queenstown's best window: Dec–Apr for hiking and lake days; Jul–Aug for skiing; Mar–Apr and Oct–Nov for fewer crowds.
January: Inside Queenstown's best window: Dec–Apr for hiking and lake days; Jul–Aug for skiing; Mar–Apr and Oct–Nov for fewer crowds.
Queenstown: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm layer for the evenings