In 2027, New Zealand schools break from 10 to 26 April, 3 to 18 July and 25 September to 10 October, and finish the year by Friday 17 December. The busiest long weekends for camping are Waitangi Day (observed Monday 8 February), Easter (Friday 26 to Monday 29 March, in term time), Anzac (observed Monday 26 April, at the end of the autumn break), Matariki (Friday 25 June) and Labour Day (Monday 25 October). Regional anniversary days add a long weekend in each region. We read the Ministry of Education's Gazette notice and Employment New Zealand's 2027 list on 3 November 2026.
2027 school terms
Terms 2 and 3 are the same for every state and state-integrated school. Term 1 starts between Thursday 28 January and Wednesday 3 February, as each school chooses, and term 4 ends no later than Friday 17 December, so a school can finish a few days earlier.
The school holidays are the gaps: the autumn break runs from Saturday 10 April to Monday 26 April, the winter break from Saturday 3 July to Sunday 18 July, and the spring break from Saturday 25 September to Sunday 10 October. Private schools can set their own dates.
| Term | Starts | Ends |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Between Thursday 28 January and Wednesday 3 February | Friday 9 April |
| Term 2 | Tuesday 27 April | Friday 2 July |
| Term 3 | Monday 19 July | Friday 24 September |
| Term 4 | Monday 11 October | No later than Friday 17 December |
- Autumn: 10 to 26 April
- Winter: 3 to 18 July
- Spring: 25 September to 10 October
Public holidays and long weekends
Several 2027 holidays fall on a weekend. Waitangi Day is Saturday 6 February and Anzac Day Saturday 25 April, and each is observed on the Monday for people who would not have worked the Saturday. Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on Saturday and Sunday, so the observed days are Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December.
Matariki is Friday 25 June, the Friday before the winter school holidays, and the King's Birthday is Monday 7 June. Labour Day is Monday 25 October, two weeks after term 4 starts, and is the first long weekend of the warm season for many campers.
| Holiday | Date | Long weekend |
|---|---|---|
| New Year | Friday 1 January; day after observed Monday 4 January | Friday to Monday |
| Waitangi Day | Saturday 6 February, observed Monday 8 February | Saturday to Monday |
| Easter | Good Friday 26 March to Easter Monday 29 March | Four days |
| Anzac Day | Saturday 25 April, observed Monday 26 April | Last weekend of the autumn break |
| King's Birthday | Monday 7 June | Saturday to Monday |
| Matariki | Friday 25 June | Friday to Sunday |
| Labour Day | Monday 25 October | Saturday to Monday |
| Christmas and Boxing Day | Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 December, observed Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December | Four days |
- Waitangi and Anzac move to Monday
- Matariki: Friday 25 June
- Labour Day: Monday 25 October
Turn the stops into a trip
Regional anniversary days
Each region has its own anniversary day, and it brings a long weekend to the campsites within a few hours of that region's towns. Wellington's falls on Monday 25 January and Auckland's and Nelson's on Monday 1 February, a week before the Waitangi weekend, so late January to early February is one long busy stretch in the north.
Otago's anniversary is Monday 22 March and Southland's Tuesday 30 March, the day after Easter Monday, so Southland gets a five-day weekend. Canterbury's anniversary is the Friday of show week, 12 November. Employment New Zealand notes that local dates can differ, so check with the council.
| Region | Observed |
|---|---|
| Wellington | Monday 25 January |
| Auckland | Monday 1 February |
| Nelson | Monday 1 February |
| Taranaki | Monday 8 March |
| Otago | Monday 22 March |
| Southland | Tuesday 30 March |
| South Canterbury | Monday 27 September |
| Hawke's Bay | Friday 22 October |
| Marlborough | Monday 1 November |
| Canterbury | Friday 12 November |
| Westland | Monday 29 November |
- Auckland and Nelson: 1 February
- Southland: five days at Easter
- Canterbury: Friday 12 November
What the dates mean for camping
Easter falls inside term 1 in 2027, so Easter weekend is busy but short, and the autumn school holidays follow two weeks later. The autumn break ends with the Anzac long weekend, which makes Saturday 24 to Monday 26 April one of the busiest weekends of the year at campsites near the cities.
Matariki on Friday 25 June starts a long weekend a week before the winter holidays. Labour Day weekend is often the first warm-season trip, and DOC treats 1 October to 30 April as peak season at the campsites that take bookings in summer.
- Easter and autumn break are separate peaks
- Anzac weekend closes the autumn break
- DOC peak season: 1 October to 30 April
When to book
DOC takes bookings for huts and campsites up to 30 June 2027, so every 2027 date before then is already open. DOC keeps no waitlist and spaces go first come, first served, so book a holiday weekend as soon as you know your dates. Bookings for the next season, from 1 July 2027, open on DOC's site on the dates it announces.
Holiday parks set their own booking windows, peak rates and minimum stays, so check those for Easter and long weekends before you plan a single night.
- DOC bookings open to 30 June 2027
- Book holiday weekends early
- Ask about minimum stays
Planning holiday trips in KiwiCamping
KiwiCamping lists DOC campsites and huts with their fee and whether they take bookings, and holiday parks and tours from BookIt that you can book in the app. When the campsite you want is full for a long weekend, look at the next valley or town on the map and save the alternative to your trip.
Saved campsites keep their details on the phone, so a long weekend in a valley without coverage still has its fees and facilities to hand; the map, directions, weather and photos load again once you have signal.
- Find a second campsite fast
- Book holiday parks in the app
Places along the way
Check before you go
Rules and conditions change. Recheck the official source and the page for your exact park or campground before departure.
Common questions
When are the New Zealand school holidays in 2027?+
The autumn break runs from 10 to 26 April, the winter break from 3 to 18 July and the spring break from 25 September to 10 October. Term 4 ends no later than Friday 17 December, and term 1 starts between 28 January and 3 February, as each school chooses.
When is Waitangi Day observed in 2027?+
Waitangi Day falls on Saturday 6 February 2027, so it is observed on Monday 8 February for people who would not have worked the Saturday. That makes a long weekend, a week after Auckland and Nelson anniversary days on Monday 1 February.
When is Matariki in 2027?+
Friday 25 June 2027, the Friday before the winter school holidays start on Saturday 3 July.
Plan the drive
Save the stops. Plan the whole trip.
Free to download. BookIt holiday parks and tours are free to browse and book; DOC campsites, huts, dump stations, the in-app guides and trip planning need the Premium pass.
KiwiCamping is an iPhone app. There is no Android version.
