Where to Go: the 10 Best Farm Tours in New Zealand

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 tour Walter Peak Farm with a rural guide. Expect sheep shearing, working dogs, animal encounters, and a generous afternoon tea. Guides such as Josh, Ashley, and Phillip have helped make the farm visit lively and hands-on, though the vessel can change.

“Loved everything about this tour! The boat ride was so smooth and it was fun to watch the workers run the boat. The farm tour was so much fun. Ashley was a terrific guide, giving us lots of opportunities to feed animals and providing tons of information about the farm. She did a great job shearing the sheep and it was amazing to see how her dog herded the sheep. The morning tea was to die for with tons of scones, desserts, and other appetizers plus delicious choices of tea and coffee served buffet style. The gift shop is also excellent and we bought lots of gifts for friends back…”

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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 historic TSS Earnslaw or modern Spirit of Queenstown. Enjoy a generous BBQ buffet at Colonel’s Homestead, then watch a sheepdog and shearing show featuring working dogs such as Echo or Mia. Commentary, mountain views, gardens, and the return cruise are included.

“Enjoyable outing if you’re not just going to do adventure sports in Queenstown. Farm show was very entertaining and the buffet meal was plentiful in the beautiful homestead building. It’s time to upgrade the sing along song list on the boat, reRead more”

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3.Queenstown Lake Cruise and Walter Peak Farm Adventure

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

Take a 3.5-hour round trip from Queenstown to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Cruise Lake Wakatipu aboard the TSS Earnslaw, or Spirit of Queenstown during maintenance, then meet sheep, alpacas, cattle, goats, and working dogs. A farm tour, sheepdog demonstration, gardens, and freshly baked afternoon tea are included.

“Wonderful and fun experience for the whole family. We had the opportunity to feed several different animals. We had a wonderful high tea with delicious treats. Boat ride to the farm was breathtaking.”

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4.Rotorua: 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, animal feeding, orchard stops, and a visit to the Farmyard Nursery. Guides such as Jack, Sarah, and Jamie add useful local detail and humor. The all-weather trailer keeps the tour running in rain or shine.

“We only did the farm show but last year I did the show and the tour. A great well run outing, and I’m from a farming background. Highly recommend 😊”

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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 Rotorua’s Agrodome with a one-hour sheep show and a tractor-trailer farm tour. Meet 19 sheep breeds, watch shearing and dog work, then hand-feed sheep, alpacas, deer, and other animals. Guides such as Jack add humor and local farming insight. Morning and afternoon departures are available.

“This tour is worth the money, informative and definitely family fun. You learn about sheep breeds, witness how a sheep is sheared and see working dogs interacting with sheep. There is some interactions of the audience on stage. The second part is a tractor pulled trailer ride across the farm which allows interactions with farm animals.”

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6.Shamarra Alpaca Farm Tours

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

Spend about an hour at Shamarra Alpacas, a hillside farm overlooking Akaroa Harbour. You’ll learn how alpacas differ from llamas, meet newborns, pet the adults, and feed them grass. Guides such as Jean explain alpaca care in a warm, hands-on visit, with time for photos and the farm shop.

“The tour consists of 3 ares. The first you get to pet the alpacas, the second you get to see the newborn alpacas but for obvious reasons you’re not allowed to pet them, and in the third area you are given grass in bowls and get to feed them. That was pretty cool the guide Jean was great”

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7.Nelson: Guided Quad Biking Tour Through Forest and Farmland

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 106 reviews · 90 - 150 minutes · from $80

Drive your own quad bike through native forest, farm tracks, river flats, and hill trails near Cable Bay. Guides such as Harry, Georgia, Fletcher, and Cortez provide patient instruction and local stories. Choose a 90-minute Farm Forest Ride or a 2.5-hour Bayview Circuit with coastal views, photo stops, and refreshments.

“It was an excellent afternoon on the quads, we had an absolute ball. Our guide was fun, knowledgeable and a great instructor Highly recommend”

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8.Lake Cruise to Walter Peak Farm with BBQ Buffet

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

Take the Spirit of Queenstown across Lake Whakatipu to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Enjoy a wood-fired BBQ buffet at Colonel’s Homestead, watch a family-friendly farm demonstration that may include sheep shearing, and explore the gardens before your return cruise. Allow 210 minutes, plus extra for drinks and photos.

“Beautiful food and stunning views on the farm. Loved the show, staff were welcoming and farm staff were friendly and informative”

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

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

Meet guide Simon for a Christchurch and North Canterbury day trip that pairs the Botanic Gardens with Glenafric Working Sheep Farm. Feed Donnie the pony, watch sheep shearing, ride a farm trailer, enjoy Zoe’s grazing lunch, and taste Waipara wines with Kirk and his team. Cruise pickup from Lyttelton is available.

“1. Great scenery in this Private Tour 2. Meet cute animals 3. One of the very best Boxed Organic Lunch ever experience”

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10.Sheep Farm Experience with Lunch & Winery

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 24 reviews · 6 hours · from $176

Travel from Christchurch to Glenafric, a family-run 770-hectare sheep and beef farm by the South Pacific. Guide Simon and farmer James Hoban introduce you to sheep, farm dogs, shearing, old tractors, and rural life. After a locally sourced picnic, visit a Waipara winery, then see Christchurch highlights on the return.

“Simon was amazing, from the very moment we sat in the car. The farm was just gorgeous, as was the winery. Everyone we met was amazing, including Pepper!”

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