Month guide · Queenstown · New Zealand
Queenstown in October
What October is really like in Queenstown: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: André Richard Chalmers, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
October is a good-value shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 15°C (59°F), lows of 4°C (39°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 13.5 hours of daylight. Ski areas close around early October and the town is quieter; good-value rooms but unpredictable weather.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 15°C (59°F) / 4°C (39°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 13.5 hours
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in October
October is the 7th-warmest month in Queenstown: days average 15°C (59°F) against a yearly average high of 15°C (59°F), and nights fall to about 4°C (39°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with September (12°C (54°F)), October is warmer; by November highs climb to around 17°C (63°F).
- Sunrise (15 October)
- About 06:51
- Sunset (15 October)
- About 20:10
- Daylight
- About 13.5 hours
Summer (December–February). Warm, long days for hiking, biking, lake swimming and wine touring, with the busiest roads and highest summer prices.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, October rates 2 for crowds (the peak is January at 5) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in January). That makes October one of the better-value months to book.
Events in October
October has no major recurring festival in Queenstown, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in October
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Nature · Arrowtown
Lake Hayes walk
An 8-km flat loop circles Lake Hayes between Frankton and Arrowtown, famous for mirror reflections of the surrounding hills on calm mornings and for its autumn colours.
- Time needed
- 2–2.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
- Nature
- Kids
Nature · Moke Lake Road
Moke Lake
Come at dawn or dusk for still water and fewer people; there are no facilities beyond the campsite toilets.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Historic site · Shotover River
Skippers Canyon
A narrow, cliff-edged road built for gold miners in the 1880s winds into the Shotover River gorge to the old Skippers settlement, its schoolhouse and the Skippers Suspension Bridge.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Views
- Active
Zoo · Queenstown Town Centre
Kiwi Birdlife Park
Time your visit with a kiwi talk; the birds are hard to spot in the dark houses without a keeper's guidance.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Rainy day
What to pack
For highs near 15°C, lows near 4°C and 10 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is October a good time to visit Queenstown?
A good-value shoulder-season month. If your dates are flexible, July–August and December–March are better overall. Compare every month.
Queenstown in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is October a good time to visit Queenstown?
It is a good-value shoulder-season month. Ski areas close around early October and the town is quieter; good-value rooms but unpredictable weather.
+How warm is Queenstown in October?
Average highs are around 15°C (59°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Queenstown in October?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.