The picturesque Waikato countryside with its tree-lined paddocks and meandering river truly offers insight into heartland New Zealand. Stop at a roadside stall to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, or perhaps flowers freshly cut from a nearby garden. Take in the ever changing views of hills and hedgerows and keep an eye out for the sight of a herd of cows ambling up the race to be milked or thoroughbred stallions grazing in their paddocks.
Stay a while
Kamahi Cottage
Abundant farmstay options provide an ideal way to sample the rural lifestyle and meet the people who farm the land. If you want to know the story of the Waikato Region, and enjoy its setting, there is no better starting point, with the chance to sample fresh local produce at the same time. Stay among orchards, tour a dairy farm, walk through an olive grove or vineyard – the options are numerous. Search accommodation options
On Show
Authentic farm shows provide an insight into rural life in New Zealand and offer up-close animal encounters. In Waitomo, the Roseland Waitomo Farm Show takes a lighthearted and entertaining look into life on the farm with sheep mustering, sheep shearing and animal health and care demonstrations.
Built for speed
The region is home to thoroughbred racing in New Zealand, producing the likes of legendary sire Sir Tristram and his equally successful son Zabeel. Leafy oak trees border the iconic horse stud fences and you can take a tour of a stud farm at Cambridge or Matamata to learn more about this multimillion dollar industry, or watch the horses compete at one of many thoroughbred racing, trotting or polo meets around the region. Also from the region is Olympic show jumping champion Charisma and equestrian rider Andrew Nicholson who has won gold at the World Equestrian Games and scooped silver and gold medals at the Olympics.
Cream of the crop
The Waikato Region’s lush growing conditions have proven to be the perfect setting for a variety of food producers. Market gardens and orchards are spotted throughout the region, which is also home to New Zealand’s only tea plantation - Zealong Tea Estate. It’s not surprising that the country’s top dairy region is also home to award-winning cheesemakers, and the growing food scene has led to the proliferation of farmers markets and specialty food stores selling fresh and local produce.