New Zealand travel planner - the decisions, in order.

Summer (December-February) brings long light and the busiest roads; small hotels, rental cars and popular cruises sell out first. Autumn and spring are quieter and often the best value, and winter suits skiers and anyone happy with crisp, clear days. The season decides what is realistic, so settle it before anything else.

New Zealand looks small on a map and drives long in real life. With a week, pick one island and do it well. With two weeks or more, both islands become comfortable, usually joined by a domestic flight rather than a long drive.

The North Island is culture, geothermal country and coast: Auckland, Waitomo, Rotorua and Wellington. The South Island is mountains, lakes and fiords: Christchurch, Queenstown, Wānaka and Milford Sound. Our North Island itinerary and South Island itinerary show how we pace each one.

Self-drive gives the most freedom; we arrange cars through our rental-car partners, and in peak season automatics and one-way hires should be booked before flights. For arrivals, long days and special occasions, a pre-booked chauffeur takes the stress out of the first hour - see airport transfers.

Two nights in a place is the minimum we like; one-night stops add up to a lot of packing. Mix city hotels with the small, characterful places New Zealand does best. Our partner properties are where we have direct relationships or preferred rates, and the luxury travel guide covers how we choose rooms.

Our usual order: flights into and out of the country, then rental cars and small properties, then cruises and signature experiences, then dinners. If a ready-made route suits, our travel packages bundle stays and transfers together.