Let’s be honest: who hasn’t dreamed of frolicking through a fragrant, purple field of lavender? It’s pretty, it’s colorful, and it smells amazing!
In truth, I didn’t even know that New Zealand had lavender farms until I began researching our detour through Wanaka, on the way from Queenstown to Mount Cook. Turns out, there are actually about a half dozen of them scattered around the North and South Islands.
But with the Wanaka Lavender Farm directly on our route, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit.
After departing from Queenstown that morning, we started our short visit to Wanaka with coffee and breakfast at Alchemy Cafe (the pesto and poached eggs was so earthy and satisfying!), followed by a stroll along the waterfront and a few photos of #ThatWanakaTree.
Then we hopped back in our rental car, and less than 10 minutes later found ourselves pulling into the long gravel driveway of the Wanaka Lavender Farm.
Wanaka Lavender Farm: Things to See & Do
Stroll Through the Gardens & Lavender Fields
After purchasing our tickets in the gift shop, we made our way outside to begin our exploration of the lavender fields. The first thing I noticed was the scent: it was heavenly. Our February visit coincided with the end of the summer season, when the lavender was at its most vibrant.
The second thing I noticed was the size of the farm: the fields were much more expansive than I expected, and the sight of the of the mountains rising in the distance beyond the sea of lavender was magnificent.
The third—and most unsettling—thing I noticed was the loud buzzing sound that greeted us as we neared the lavender fields. Holy cow, I had never seen so many bees in my life!
You can’t see them in these photos, but each row of lavender was surrounded by hundreds of bumblebees. I’m not particularly allergic to bees, but I’m also not keen on the idea of getting stung. My original vision may have been to frolic through the lavender fields, but that was decidedly not happening now.
Instead, we strolled alongside the rows of lavender, which was perfectly lovely. As we walked, we breathed in the fresh floral scent and soaked in every drop of late morning sunshine. Every color on the farm was so bright and cheery: the lavender flowers, the cornflower blue sky, the rolling green hills.
So peaceful!
See the Farm Animals
While exploring the lavender fields, you will inevitably stumble across some of Wanaka Lavender Farm’s resident animals. We visited with the goats and pigs first, before making our way over to the chickens, sheep, and alpacas.
There are even mini donkeys (which will always remind me of our wedding) and Shetland ponies. Such cuties!
Sample Lavender & Honey Treats in the Tea Room
We spent a bit less than an hour exploring the lavender fields and seeing the farm animals, before seeking shelter from the mid-day sun in the tea room. The gift shop has plenty of locally made spa and beauty products you can shop for, but we were more interested in the edible goodies!
There were three varieties of ice cream on offer that day, but we both went with the classic honey and lavender ice cream. Yes, it was exactly as delightful as it sounds, and yes, I could have eaten three servings in a single sitting.
There were also all sorts of chocolates, honeys, and other sweet treats that I was 100% eyeing up in the display cases, but sadly had to turn down due to our four-day Cookie Time streak in Queenstown…plus, um the ice cream we had just eaten? And our daily happy hours? And the amazing pastries we had eaten for breakfast every morning? And…well, I’ll stop there.
I do recommend looking around the shop before you head out, since it’s a good place to grab a cute souvenir to take home. I really loved the tea towels and other kitchen accessories.
Wanaka Lavender Farm: Practical Information
Address: 36 Morris Road, Wanaka 9382, New Zealand (just 5-10 minutes from downtown Wanaka)
Hours: 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week
How Long to Spend: 1-2 hours
Cost to Visit: $10 for adults and $5 for children in high season (December – February); $5 for adults and $2 for children in low season (March – November); free for children under 5 years old
When to Visit: The lavender is in full bloom during the summer months (December – February), so that’s when the fields are at their brightest and most lush. We visited in early February, which was a great time. During the spring you’ll see the first lavender blooms popping up, along with other flowers like tulips and daffodils. This is also when the baby farm animals are born! The fall brings changing leaves and less growth on the farm, while the winter is mostly frost-covered. If I visited during the winter, I would probably skip the fields and just visit the shop for some lavender tea and chocolate.
Other Tips for Visiting: I recommend wearing sunscreen or hat during your visit. We were outside for about an hour around 11am, and my face and chest got sunburned. These are the actual products I always use to protect my skin when traveling, FYI:
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Have you ever visited lavender farms? Would you add the Wanaka Lavender Farm to your New Zealand bucket list? Any questions about visiting the Wanaka Lavender Farm?
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