Love visiting farms? Here's why your next vacation has to be in New Zealand

Step outside the cities and away from beaches, and New Zealand’s productive green pastoral landscapes, punctuated with cute farm animals and agricultural activity are a big part of what any visitor to this country will see. For those who’ve never set foot on a farm before, there are opportunities to stay on a farm – hosted by a farming family who will introduce you to their way of life and some of their animal residents.

Throughout New Zealand you’ll find a great range of ‘farmstay’ luxury accommodation on different types of farms and with options for pocket-sized luxury. While farming is a year-round activity with each season bringing its own highlights, there’s no denying the special attraction of new arrivals. For that, you might want to schedule a visit sometime between late winter and the months of spring (August to November) when cuteness is rampant down on the farm.

Choose to stay at a five-star cottage in Waitomo and plan a self drive to visit attractions all around. There’s the Otorohanga Kiwi House just a short distance away and Native Bird Park where you can watch kiwi bird having lunch. At Waitomo Glowworm Caves, take a guided tour or try some thrilling black water rafting – a must-do caving experience.

For a quirky rural home away from home, choose to stay at any Alpaca Farmstay. Here, your family can enjoy elegance in accommodation plus the company of the four-legged Alpacas roaming in the surrounding paddocks. Farmstays can be invigorating as gardening can truly turn out to be fun.