New Zealand’s breathtaking landscapes extend far beyond its famed mountains and coastlines into pastoral paradises where working farms offer immersive accommodations. These agricultural havens combine authentic rural experiences with comfortable lodgings, allowing visitors to disconnect from urban pressures while connecting with the land. From sheep stations spanning thousands of acres to boutique operations producing artisanal goods, these farm stays showcase the agricultural heritage that remains central to Kiwi identity.
Here is a list of 15 extraordinary farm stays across New Zealand that might have you reconsidering your city apartment lease.
Wharekauhau Country Estate, Wairarapa
This luxury sheep station spreads across 3,000 acres of dramatic coastal landscape where Romney sheep graze against Pacific Ocean backdrops. The elegant Edwardian-style lodge features soaring ceilings and expansive views across Palliser Bay while maintaining authentic connections to its working farm roots.
Guests can participate in sheepdog demonstrations and farm tours, and even try their hand at shepherding under the guidance of multi-generation farming families.
Kamahi Cottage, Waitomo
This boutique farm stay situated on a 1,200-acre sheep and beef farm offers panoramic views across the King Country. The standalone cottage features farm-to-table breakfasts showcasing produce grown on the property and honey from the farm’s beehives.
Guests can bottle-feed lambs during spring, collect eggs from heritage-breed chickens, and explore the farm’s native bush trails leading to hidden waterfalls.
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Criffel Station, Wanaka
This historic high-country Merino sheep station dates back to 1859 and sits beneath the stunning backdrop of the Southern Alps. Renovated shearers’ quarters and homestead accommodations blend historic character with modern comforts while maintaining authentic connections to the property’s agricultural heritage.
The working farm produces some of New Zealand’s finest Merino wool, and visitors can witness seasonal activities from lambing to shearing, depending on timing.
The Landing, Bay of Islands
This coastal property combines a vineyard, a wetland conservation project, and a working farm across 1,000 acres of stunning Northland landscape. Luxury residences feature native timber and stone sourced from the property and are designed to frame extraordinary views across the heritage farm and bay.
Guests can harvest vegetables from heritage gardens, learn about indigenous planting projects, and sample wines produced from the estate vineyards.
Poronui Station, Taupo
This 16,000-acre high-country estate operates as both a working cattle ranch and a luxury wilderness retreat in the volcanic heart of the North Island. Traditional timber lodges and streamside cabins blend seamlessly into native beech forests, while cattle graze nearby highlands visible from private decks.
The property practices sustainable farming methods balanced with extensive wilderness conservation, offering authentic insights into modern New Zealand agricultural approaches.
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Aorangi Sheep Station, Wairarapa
This sixth-generation farm opens its historic homestead and converted farm buildings to guests seeking authentic sheep station experiences. The 2,000-acre property runs Romney and Perendale sheep along with Angus cattle using traditional farming methods alongside modern sustainable practices.
Visitors can participate in seasonal activities from mustering to wood chopping, while enjoying farm-to-table meals featuring lamb and beef raised on the surrounding hills.
Mt. Nicholas Station, Queenstown
This 100,000-acre high-country Merino station offers glimpses into one of New Zealand’s most remote and stunning working farms accessible by boat across Lake Wakatipu. Simple yet comfortable farm cottages provide authentic accommodations amid landscapes featured in The Lord of the Rings films.
The station supplies wool exclusively to the Icebreaker clothing company, allowing guests to witness the entire process from sheep to high-performance natural fiber products.
Blue Duck Station, Whanganui
This 7,200-acre conservation-focused station blends farming with extensive environmental restoration projects along the Whanganui River. Rustic accommodations in converted farm buildings place visitors in the heart of operations focused on preserving native wildlife alongside sustainable farming practices.
Guests can participate in trapping programs protecting endangered whio (blue duck), plant native trees, and join farmers mustering cattle on horseback through spectacular backcountry terrain.
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Kuriheka Estate, Oamaru
This historic farm estate centers around a Category 1 heritage homestead built in 1897, showcasing Victorian farming grandeur at its finest. The 1,000-acre working farm continues traditional sheep and cattle operations while maintaining one of New Zealand’s most significant private museums of agricultural implements and rural artifacts.
Accommodation in the historic homestead features period furnishings alongside modern comforts, creating a living museum experience.
Blackmore Farm, Hawke’s Bay
This boutique farm stay operates within a working avocado orchard and olive grove in one of New Zealand’s premier food and wine regions. The solar-powered farm cottage, constructed from sustainable materials, offers views across the productive landscape and the Pacific Ocean.
Guests can participate in seasonal harvesting, learn traditional preserving methods, and enjoy farm-produced olive oils and avocados straight from the trees surrounding their accommodation.
Hurunui Jacks, West Coast
This remote farm stay borders both working farmland and pristine rainforest along the Hokitika River on the wild West Coast. The handcrafted timber glamping tent and cabin sit within organic gardens where heritage vegetables grow alongside native plants that attract abundant birdlife.
The surrounding farmland produces grass-fed beef using regenerative agricultural practices while maintaining significant areas of protected native bush.
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Maungaturoto Farm, Waikato
This innovative organic dairy farm opens its sustainable operation to guests staying in a converted barn overlooking the milking shed and pastures. The 500-acre property employs regenerative farming techniques focusing on soil health and carbon sequestration alongside commercial milk production.
Visitors can participate in morning milking, help move electric fences for rotational grazing, and learn about modern sustainable dairy practices firsthand from farmers committed to environmental stewardship.
Bendigo Station, Central Otago
This historic 12,000-acre Merino station, established in 1858, offers accommodations in beautifully restored stone buildings from the early farming era. The high-country landscape alternates between rugged mountains and lush valleys, where some of New Zealand’s finest Merino sheep produce world-renowned wool.
Guests can explore abandoned gold mining remnants on the property while witnessing contemporary farming operations that have evolved over five generations of continuous family ownership.
Kahikatea Farm, Kapiti Coast
This permaculture demonstration farm showcases innovative sustainable growing practices through accommodations set within food forests and organic gardens. The straw bale cottage, built using materials from the farm, features a passive solar design and rainwater collection systems that demonstrate self-sufficient living possibilities.
Visitors can attend workshops on everything from cheese making to natural building methods while harvesting fresh food steps from their door.
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Closeburn Station, Queenstown
This historic high-country station borders Lake Wakatipu with accommodations perched above the crystal-clear waters with views toward The Remarkables mountain range. The working Merino sheep farm operates across some of New Zealand’s most challenging alpine terrain, producing exceptionally fine wool from sheep adapted to high-altitude conditions.
Farm activities change with the seasons, allowing guests to witness and participate in traditional farming practices that have changed little in generations.
Trading Urban Concrete for Pastoral Paradise
These farm stays offer more than just accommodations—they provide windows into a lifestyle increasingly distant from urban existence. They demonstrate the continued relevance of agricultural traditions while showcasing innovations in sustainable farming practices across New Zealand. By temporarily stepping into these working environments, visitors gain an appreciation for the sources of their food, the stewardship of rural landscapes, and the rhythms of life dictated by seasons rather than schedules.
The farming families who open their properties to guests create meaningful connections between agricultural producers and consumers, potentially inspiring permanent shifts in perspective about what truly constitutes the good life.
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