Visit Wanaka Lavender Farm, New Zealand: Tips + Things to Know

I couldn’t hold in my excitement as we drove up the dirt driveway to the Wanaka Lavender Farm. The view to the right was a riot of purple against a pale blue sky, with dark green trees and summer-dried mountains between. As we got closer to the lavender, the hum of bees began to fill the air.

I’ve always wanted to visit a lavender farm, but I never thought I’d be doing it during our honeymoon in New Zealand! Running (carefully) through lavender fields is something I’d pictured more easily in somewhere like France, so when we found out about the Wanaka Lavender Farm from our Airbnb hosts, I really wanted to go.

The area around Wanaka is well known for outdoor adventure and adrenalin-inducing activities, so taking time to chill out and soak in a bit of the beautiful surroundings at a peaceful location sounded ideal. Plus. Lavender Farm. Need I say more?

Started about 6 years ago by two brothers, Tim and Stef Zeestraten, the lavender farm in Wanaka consists of 10 acres of lavender fields and displays in rows and other patterns, plus a lovely shop selling all things honey and lavender based (even ice cream!) and a tea room. The Wanaka Lavender Farm continues to be a family affair to this day and that comes across in everything they do there.

Table of Contents

• 1 What to see at the Wanaka Lavender Farm
• 2 When to visit the Wanaka Lavender Farm
• 3 Taking photos
• 4 Practical Info

What to see at the Wanaka Lavender Farm

Lavender

Lavender, of course! You have free reign to wander around the gardens and lavender fields. The Wanaka Lavender Farm is about a 5-minute drive from Lake Wanaka itself, which is where you might normally be looking for beautiful views. But the lavender fields against the backdrop of the mountains surrounding Wanaka is simply stunning.

Visit the farm animals

In addition to the lush gardens, there are several fields for farm animals at the lavender farm. It was funny coming across a Highland Coo on our travels so far from home. There’s also pigs, alpacas, sheep, chickens, and beehives. It’s a great place to take a family!

Shop & Tea Room

We skipped quickly through the shop and tea room when we first arrived at the lavender farm, eager to get out in the fields in the early morning sunshine. When the January day started to heat up it was a welcome respite to be able to go into the delicious smelling shop and browse.

They have everything from honey and lavender products made onsite (and samples!), to lavender themed souvenirs. When you think lavender you might think Grandma’s house, but they have designed the shop in a way that makes everything look clean and modern rather than aged and fuddy-duddy.

There is also a tea room where you can enjoy some of their products, like herbal tea or lavender ice-cream.

When to visit the Wanaka Lavender Farm

The best time to visit the lavender farm depends on what you want to see. Most likely you’re after the lavender in full-bloom, which means you should visit in summer. From late October you can expect to see the first lavender plants flowering, as well as some spring flowers like tulips and daffodils, and blossoms.

As the season continues different varieties emerging up until mid-December. There are also roses and sunflowers in the gardens. The main lavender fields will then be in full bloom until March when they begin to fade as autumn begins.

If you’re not visiting Wanaka in the summer don’t worry, you can still visit the farm and enjoy the other blooms, the animals, and the tea room. In autumn the trees will be shades of orange, red and yellow, and roses and dahlias are still blooming.

Winter will see frost-covered grounds so less growth, but the surrounding views of snow-capped mountains still make for an enjoyable visit.

We visited first thing in the morning and had the whole place to ourselves, as other visitors slowly trickled in, but I imagine it’s beautiful in the late afternoon too.

 

Taking photos

One of the amazing things about this beautiful place is how photogenic it is! Although we went to chill out and enjoy the space we really enjoyed trying to capture how pretty it is. The time we arrived was perfect, due to the lack of people but also due to the light and the temperature! 

The farm is very happy for you to explore its grounds so if you do want to capture some instagramable content I suggest making sure you wear something that will stand out against the mass of lavender. 

We shot these images on my Sony A6000 and our Nikon 2100 but newer iPhones would work well too! 

Practical Info

What you’ll see in different seasons

Spring – Blossoms, tulips, daffodils
Summer – Lavender, dahlias, roses, sunflowers
Autumn – Trees changing colour, roses, dahlias
Winter – Snow-capped mountains grounds often covered in frost

Hours

From 9am-5pm, 7 days a week

How to get there

Address: 36 Morris Rd, Wanaka 9382, New Zealand

Drive time:
Wanaka 5km – 6mins
Queenstown 65km – 60mins

Entry fee

December – February Adults $5, Children 5-15 $2, under 5s free.
March – November Adults $2 children under 15 free.

Looking for other things to do around Wanaka? Aside from sky-diving, hiking, and lake-based activities like paddle-boarding and kayaking, there are awesome mountain biking trails, and of course, Puzzle World with its outdoor maze!

Planning your New Zealand trip? Check out these posts!

• 23 Epic Destinations for a Honeymoon in New Zealand
• North Island Itinerary Ideas + Best Places to Visit
• South Island Itinerary Ideas for 1-4 Weeks
• 8 Top Tips for Planning a New Zealand Trip
• 15 Best Day Hikes in the South Island, New Zealand
• Things to Do in Mount Cook, New Zealand
• What to Do in Christchurch, New Zealand
• What to Do with 2 Days in Auckland
• Black Water Rafting at Waitomo Caves

Sonja x

If you liked it, pin it!