NZ School Holidays 2027

📷 Unsplash / Leo Rivas

Term dates are set by the Ministry of Education. Dates below are for most state schools — some private schools and regions may vary slightly. Always confirm with your school directly.

✅ Official dates: These are the Ministry of Education's published 2027 term dates. The April, July and September holidays are fixed nationally; Term 1 start (late Jan–early Feb) and Term 4 end (by 17 Dec) vary slightly by school — confirm yours at education.govt.nz.

Holiday period	Dates	Duration	Crowd level	Book ahead
Summer Holidays 2026–27	17 Dec 2026 – 31 Jan 2027	7 weeks	PEAK	4–6 months
Term 1 ends (Autumn Break)	10 Apr – 26 Apr 2027	2.5 weeks	HIGH	6–8 weeks
Term 2 ends (Winter Break)	3 Jul – 18 Jul 2027	2 weeks	HIGH	8–10 weeks (ski)
Term 3 ends (Spring Break)	25 Sep – 10 Oct 2027	2 weeks	MEDIUM	4–6 weeks
Summer Holidays 2027–28	18 Dec 2027 – Jan 2028	7 weeks	PEAK	4–6 months

2027 Public Holidays That Affect Travel

Holiday	Date 2027	Impact
New Year's Day	1 Jan 2027	Peak summer — book months ahead
Waitangi Day	6 Feb 2027 (Sun) — observed Mon 8 Feb	Long weekend — Bay of Islands busy
Good Friday	26 Mar 2027	Many attractions closed; free activities day
Easter Monday	29 Mar 2027	Long weekend — book accommodation early
ANZAC Day	25 Apr 2027 (observed Mon 26 Apr)	Dawn services — quiet morning, busy afternoon
King's Birthday	7 Jun 2027 (first Mon in June)	Ski season opening weekend — Queenstown busy
Matariki	25 Jun 2027	Mid-winter long weekend — last break before July holidays
Labour Day	25 Oct 2027 (last Mon in October)	Long weekend — spring travel; book ahead
Christmas Day	25 Dec 2027	Peak summer — book 4–6 months ahead

2027 Travel Planning Tips

Summer campervans: Book your December 2027–January 2028 campervan by June 2027 — peak season vans sell out fast.
Ski holidays: July 2027 school holiday ski accommodation in Queenstown and Wanaka — book by May 2027.
Easter 2027 is late March (Good Friday 26 Mar – Easter Monday 29 Mar) — it falls in term time, two weeks before the April school holidays, so it's a separate long weekend rather than part of the break. South Island autumn colours peak during the April holidays.
Best value: May 2027 and August 2027 — lowest prices, smallest crowds, all attractions open.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are the April 2027 school holidays in NZ?

The autumn school holidays run from Saturday 10 April to Monday 26 April 2027. Term 1 ends Friday 9 April and Term 2 starts Tuesday 27 April. ANZAC Day (observed Monday 26 April) falls on the final day of the break.

When are the July 2027 school holidays?

The winter school holidays run from Saturday 3 July to Sunday 18 July 2027. Term 2 ends Friday 2 July and Term 3 starts Monday 19 July. This is peak ski season — book Queenstown and Wanaka accommodation by May.

When are the September–October 2027 school holidays?

The spring school holidays run from Saturday 25 September to Sunday 10 October 2027. Term 3 ends Friday 24 September and Term 4 starts Monday 11 October.

When do the 2027–28 summer holidays start?

Term 4 must end by Friday 17 December 2027, so summer holidays start by Saturday 18 December 2027 and run until schools return in late January or early February 2028 — exact return dates vary by school.

Do Easter and the school holidays overlap in 2027?

No. Easter 2027 is late March (Good Friday 26 March, Easter Monday 29 March) and falls during Term 1, two weeks before the April holidays — so families get two separate breaks close together.

Based on Your Trip — Useful Links

🚐 Compare Campervan Prices Jucy, Maui, Britz from $89/day. Saves $600+ on accommodation for 7+ day trips. 🎫 Pre-Book Activities Up to 40% off NZ attractions via Bookme. Rotorua, Queenstown, Taupo. 🛡️ Travel Insurance Cover-More — NZ's most trusted travel insurer. Essential for families.

Other Travel Tools

🗺️

NZ School Holidays 2027 — All Term Dates & Holiday Planner