15 Farm Visits in New Zealand That Repay the Detour

1.Queenstown Lake Cruise and Walter Peak Farm Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 950 reviews · 3h 30m · from $80Our pick

Cruise Lake Whakatipu aboard the TSS Earnslaw steamship or Spirit of Queenstown, then join a guided Walter Peak farm tour. You may meet guides such as Josh, Ashley, or Phillip, watch sheep shearing and dog work, feed animals, and enjoy a generous morning or afternoon tea. The 3.5-hour outing suits families and mixed-age groups.

“Loved watching the sheepdog perform. Would like to see more.”

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2.Dinner at Walter Peak High Country Farm and Cruise from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 576 reviews · from $117

Cruise from Queenstown to Walter Peak on the 1912 TSS Earnslaw or modern Spirit of Queenstown. Enjoy a generous BBQ buffet at Colonel’s Homestead, then watch sheepdog work and shearing before returning across Lake Wakatipu. Farm demonstrators, including Joe and working dog Echo, bring rural New Zealand to life.

“10/10 experience, from the TSS Earnslaw Steamship Cruise, absolute stunning views and the Walter Peak High Country BBQ smorgasbord 🤤 then farm show with Mia the farm dog😮‍💨👌🏽 10/10 😘 Highly recommended, dress for 4 seasons in oneday🤣❄️🌬️🌦️🌈 19 Dec what summer 🤣 Must do!!”

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3.Queenstown Lake Cruise and Walter Peak Farm Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 439 reviews · from $83

Spend about 3.5 hours crossing Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Explore the vintage TSS Earnslaw, meet sheep, alpacas, cattle, goats, and farm dogs, watch a sheepdog demonstration, stroll the gardens, and enjoy afternoon tea with scones. Spirit of Queenstown operates during Earnslaw maintenance.

“Beautiful place, great food and the animal experience was fantastic. Would be good to feed the animals . Gardens are gorgeous and the boat ride over was amazing”

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4.Authentic Kiwi Farm Experience at the Agrodome

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 270 reviews · 2h 30m · from $38Best value

Spend 2.5 hours at Rotorua’s 350-acre Agrodome with an entertaining farm show, sheep shearing, sheepdog work, cow milking, an animal nursery, and an all-terrain farm tour. You can feed sheep, alpacas, deer, cattle, llamas, ostrich, pigs, and more, then taste kiwifruit juice and farm honey with an English-speaking guide.

“Mr. Jack, who took us for a ride, was awesome. The sheep show performer also provided a mind-blowing experience.”

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5.Agrodome Farm Experience including Farm Show and Farm Tour – Rotorua

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 197 reviews · from $40

Spend 2.5 hours at Agrodome, 10 km from Rotorua, with a one-hour sheep show and an all-weather tractor tour. Learn about 19 sheep breeds, see shearing and dog work, then hand-feed sheep, alpacas, deer, cattle, llamas, pigs, ostriches, and emus. Guide Jack is known for his humor and farm knowledge.

“We were there with our family including or 4 year old granddaughter. The experience was wonderful. I had been before a few up on a farm. The presentation was great and the opportunity to interact with the animals was very good.”

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6.Shamarra Alpaca Farm Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 117 reviews · from $38Top rated

Drive to Shamarra Alpacas, about 20 minutes from Akaroa, for a one-hour visit with friendly alpacas. Guides such as Jean explain care, fleece, behavior, and the difference between alpacas and llamas. You can pet, cuddle, and feed the animals, see newborns, and enjoy Akaroa Harbour views. Transport is not included.

“Lovely team. They’re so passionate about their work. It was a great afternoon with them. Alpacas are super friendly. But more than that, I really enjoyed interacting with the staff - they genuinely love their work and care for the animals. It was a phenomenal experience.”

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7.Sheep World Country Tour from Auckland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 67 reviews · from $175

Travel north from Auckland in a small air-conditioned minivan with a guide such as Jose, Jennine, Marama, or Allan. Visit a honey centre, country sights, and Sheepworld Farm Park for sheep-shearing, sheep-dog work, and animal feeding. Some departures add gardens, forest walks, beaches, or wine tasting at your own cost.

“We had a great time. We had the excursion all to ourselves except for the guide snd and a trainee ( sorry I can’t remember names). They took us all over the place to unique adventures, as well as the fun Sheep World. Very educational there.”

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8.Lake Cruise to Walter Peak Farm with BBQ Buffet

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 66 reviews · 3h 30m · from $95

Cruise from Queenstown to Walter Peak on the Spirit of Queenstown, then enjoy a wood-fired BBQ buffet at the Colonel’s Homestead. You’ll have time for a farm demonstration, lakeside gardens, and views across Lake Whakatipu. Jo leads the sheep-shearing show, while Jacob has been praised for warm lunch service.

“Great trip to Walter’s Peak, food was great and plenty to choose from.”

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9.Sheep Farm Day Trip from Christchurch + Lunch and Winery visit.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · from $183

Join guide Simon for a 7-hour day from Christchurch to Glenafric Working Sheep Farm near Amberley. Meet farmer James, watch sheep shearing, feed animals, enjoy Zoe’s local grazing lunch at Louise’s Lookout, then taste Waipara wines with Kirk. The tour also includes Christchurch Botanic Gardens and pickup for cruise passengers.

“This experience is a must do, it is a perfect day trip from Christchurch and should be a top priority for anyone in the area! Simon was a wonderful guide and had loads of information to share about New Zealand, the area, the farm, and the winery.”

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10.Lake Tekapo High Country Farm Tour (Carbon Positive)

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 26 reviews · 2 hours · from $89

Join Andy or another English-speaking guide for a two-hour 4WD tour across a 50,000-acre Mackenzie farm. See Merino sheep, Angus cattle, alpacas, horses, working dogs, Irishman Creek Hut, Swan Tarn, and a private Mt. John lookout. Honey, spring water, animal feeding, and a small group of up to 10 are included.

“Excellent farm tour with very knowledgeable staff. Learned so much about agriculture and farming in the region. Andy was an outstanding guide and answered every question with enthusiasm. Highly recommend this tour!”

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11.Merino Sheep Shearing and Sheepdog Demonstration

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · 1 hour · from $59

Spend one hour at Mt Hay Station near Lake Tekapo with guide Ethan, watching a Merino sheep being shorn, learning how wool is handled, and seeing trained sheepdogs herd their flock. You will also hear about farm life, sustainable wool production, and enjoy a lively sheep race, with the Southern Alps behind you.

“Brilliant tour, I highly recommend it if you are on the edge! Ethan, our tour guide, covered a lot during the tour: sheep (their behaviour and needs), their wool (from sheering, differences in quality, all the way to packaging for further processing), herding (incl. sheepdog demonstration, whistles and how to train the dogs), and a little bit about farm management. Highly educational - and fun!”

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12.Walter Peak Farm Tour and Lake Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 25 reviews · 3h 30m · from $80

Cross Lake Whakatipu aboard the Spirit of Queenstown, then tour Walter Peak High Country Farm with an English-speaking host. Watch sheepdogs work, help feed sheep and deer, see Scottish Highland cattle, and enjoy tea with scones, cakes, and slices in the old woolshed. Guide Joe has received high marks for clear commentary and a well-run show.

“Great day out with the family! Thoroughly enjoyed all of it! The views were breathtaking.”

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13.Lyttelton Cruise Excursions: Christchurch Sightseeing with Sheep Farm

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 20 reviews · from $123

Leave Lyttelton for Christchurch sights, hilltop views, Mona Vale, Cathedral Square, and Riverside Market, then visit Toby Hill Farm. Watch sheep dogs work, see shearing, learn about wool, and enjoy tea with the farmers. Past guides have included Graham and Kevin. Expect scenic driving and a full six-hour day.

“The farm was wonderful, great learning how the family farm operates. Lovely scenic drive to the farm as well. Small group tour is the way to go.”

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14.4×4 Self-Drive Buggy Tour Through Farm and Bushland

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 14 reviews · from $89

Take the wheel of a two-seat 4x4 buggy for a one-hour guided run through Rotorua countryside and native bushland. You’ll begin with a safety briefing and practice lap, then follow an English-speaking guide in a support vehicle to scenic lookouts. A valid car license is required, and both passengers may drive if licensed. Expect dust, views, and plenty of mud-free fun.

“This activity was great! Driving the 4x4 was fun for my husband, I enjoyed the ride!! Our guides were great too, we had a good vibe from the get go! Be prepared to get dirty/dusty (especially if there hasn’t been rain to keep the dust down), we would recommend a bandanna to cover your mouth otherwise you’ll end up with dust as it’s hard to keep your mouth closed from smiling so much during the ride, you’ll see some amazing views! On that note, sunglasses too (dust in eyes). Also, anything you bring on to the buggy will get dusty, BUT they do have compressed air and they will happily…”

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15.Akaroa Shore Excursion: Akaroa Harbour and Sheep Farm Local Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · from $71

Meet your guide at Akaroa Wharf for a 2.5-hour tour through French-influenced Akaroa, over Summit Road, and into the bays. Stop for views, tea, local cheese, a sheepdog demonstration, shearing, and afternoon tea at a working family farm. Groups are capped at 22, with cruise-port pickup and return.

“A superb tour. The farm experience was incredible, all the way from dog sheparding, through shearing, friendliness of the farmer, including an excellent tea with bodies on the front lawn.”

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