Wairarapa
Over the hill and a world away
Wairarapa is the perfect rural retreat in the very heart
of New Zealand. Located in the south east of the North
Island, Wairarapa is just an hour away from the vibrant
capital city, Wellington. You can make an easy day trip
from the capital to see working farms, country gardens,
and wild coastline complete with seal colonies. Or stay
overnight in one of the region's many farm stays, bed
and breakfasts, country cottages or exclusive lodges.
Off the beaten track you'll be awed by the region's unique
natural heritage. The rugged Tararua Mountains to the
west and the wild Pacific Ocean to the east create a sense
of isolation and wonder. The untamed coastline from Palliser
Bay in the south to Akitio in the north is raw in energy
and rich in Maori mythology. Learn about nature at Mount
Bruce National Wildlife Centre - New Zealand's showcase
for the captive breeding of threatened species. For a
more active appreciation of the outdoors, the full range
of classic kiwi adventures are on offer from jet boating
to hot air ballooning, from superb fishing to surfing.
Country culture abounds. The intense competition of Golden
Shears brings the world's best sheep shearers to Masterton
every year. Carterton is renowned as New Zealand's Daffodil
Capital and you can view live paua at the local paua shell
factory. Historic Greytown has the country's most complete
main street of original wooden Victorian architecture
and is a popular place to stop for coffee or shop for
antiques.
Wairarapa is a superb place to experience rural New Zealand.
Rich in Maori and European heritage, this is a living
land with wild, untamed coastlines; while long hot summers
and stony ground give birth to world-famous
Martinborough wines
Wairarapa has always lived off the land
and today the region's wine and food make it a treasure
trove for gourmets. Diners can sample anything from venison
to mushrooms, berry fruit to crayfish, eels to olives.
Discover the wine the world raves over in Martinborough
Wine Village, famed for its international award-winning
Pinot Noir.The wine trail continues north from Martinborough
to the emerging wine regions of Gladstone and Masterton,
where Wairarapa's first vines were planted in 1883. Most
wineries are open through summer and a number are open
all year.
Celebrate at one of Wairarapa's quality events. Toast
Martinborough, New Zealand's most exclusive wine, food
and music event, takes place amongst the vineyards of
Martinborough.
Climate
Average Annual Sunshine over 2000 hours yearly
Average annual rainfall 977 - 1091mm (38-43 inches) yearly
Temperature
Average summer: 22.6 Celsius (73 Fahrenheit)
Average Winter: 11.3 Celsius (52 Fahrenheit)
Adventure
Wairarapa specializes in outdoor adventure activities,
whether you are seeking a soft adventure, a challenge
or something for the 'not so faint hearted' our leading
professional adventure and activity specialists will give
you the ultimate Wairarapa experience and you don't need
to be an expert to enjoy it, in fact you don't need any
experience in any of the activities you undertake. Our
specialists can provide combinations of activities from
outdoor experiences to total adventure packages or create
your own personal adventure.
For total thrills, excitement and adventure try some
of these: eco tours, mountain biking, sky diving, canoeing
/ kayaking, tramping, rafting, abseiling, caving, bridge
swinging, ballooning, quad biking, jet boating, fishing,
hunting, walks, surfing, scuba diving, clay bird shooting,
horse trekking, gliding, flying, golf, wine trails, guided
farm tours, and much more.
Fishing and Diving
Go whitebaiting, dive for paua and crayfish, surfcast
on the beaches or arrange a charter fishing trip at Ngawi
and Castlepoint. Uncrowded rivers offer excellent trout
fishing.
Hunting
Three forest parks and many areas of bush reserve on private
property.
Mountain Biking
Power out for a bike adventure on one of Wairarapa's awesome
trails - from bush tracks to coastal splendour.
Surfing
Ocean swells that have caused ships to founder on Wairarapa's
coast make for some of the best and least crowded surfing
in New Zealand.
Visit
the Go Wairarapa website
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