About Nelson

Nelson region of New Zealand sits at the top of the South Island and offers almost every kind of landscape. Travel website TripAdvisor in a June 2009 “TripWatch” identified Nelson as being in the top three most charming small towns in the world.

The region is home to some of the best and most popular national parks in New Zealand - Kahurangi, Nelson Lakes and Abel Tasman, where you can enjoy a wilderness experience or indulge in cruising or kayaking along a coastline of safe golden beaches, all within relatively close proximity.

The Nelson region is generally the sunniest place in New Zealand. There are four distinct seasons, with January and February being the warmest months of the year (between 15-30°C) and July being the coldest (between 8-18°C). Even in winter we are blessed with many clear sunny days, so we can largely enjoy operating in the outdoors all year round.

Access to Nelson is easy, with the major regional airline being based here, offering access through Auckland (80 minutes), Wellington (35 minutes) and Christchurch (50 minutes). We also offer a charter flight service to quickly access the region from the provincial centres.

The Lifestyle

Ask Nelsonians why they live here and they will say: it’s sunny, diverse lifestyle, close to varied and beautiful landscapes, art and the easy access to the artists and of course it’s renowned cafe and food culture.

Natural Beauty

Nelson has a remarkably diverse and stunning variety of landscapes and natural features. No other city in the country has three National Parks within 1 hour driving, but then no other province has three national parks anyway. Click here to find out more about our National Parks.

Art and Cultural Heritage

Nelson is home to over 350 working artists and has a proud history of innovation as more people from all over the world have moved to the region for its superb climate and abundance of fresh food. The same sunshine and clear air that inspires the region’s artists allows locals and visitors to enjoy the fresh fruit and award winning wine along with an amazing selection of seafood.

Simply Wild also offers art tours of the region, wine and food tours and “best of Nelson” tours that bring visitors closer to the personalities, flavours and inspiration of Nelson.

More Information

To find out more about the region try these organisations
Nelson City Council
Tasman District Council
Events in Nelson
Nelson's weather
Nelson History


Here at Simply Wild we say “This is our place. We know it intimately. We love it passionately. Come and journey through it with us.”