Wairarapa, in the southeast of New Zealand’s North Island, is the stellar wine region you’ve probably never heard of. But that’s changing as visitors realize this under-the-radar destination offers much of the best of New Zealand: world-class wine, pristine night skies, storied country towns and wild, empty beaches – all within an hour’s drive of Wellington.
Roughly 50,000 people live in Wairarapa, scattered along State Hwy 2 from Featherston, at the base of the Remutaka ranges, to the inland country towns of Greytown, Carterton and Masterton. Of that number, a few thousand have veered off the main trunk line to settle in Martinborough (15 minutes’ drive southeast of Featherston) and the more remote east coast farming villages of Castlepoint and Riversdale and Ngāwi and Cape Palliser in the south.
With 2023 ushering in Wairarapa’s new era as a Dark Sky Reserve and even more winery and accommodation openings in 2025, there’s every reason to visit. Here’s what you need to know before you go.
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When should I go to Wairarapa?
If sampling Wairarapa’s award-winning pinot noir and its other cool-wine varietals is top of your list, then visiting Martinborough – the region’s principal wine district – in New Zealand’s summer (December to February) is pretty hard to beat. This is when Martinborough is abuzz with visitors, particularly weekenders from Wellington keen to visit the region’s more than 20 cellar doors (tasting rooms) and 40-plus wineries.
Cellar doors, many within a flat stroll or bike ride from the village center, tend to extend their hours of operation for tastings and Wairarapa’s typically warm, dry weather (24°C/75°F on average) provides the perfect backdrop for relaxed riverside and vineyard sessions.
But arriving in peak season doesn’t come without its challenges. You’re best to book ahead for wine tastings, tours, accommodations and even bike hire, particularly if you go on the weekend or your visit coincides with Martinborough’s popular summer festivals.
The one-day TOAST Martinborough wine festival, a ticketed event held in late January, attracts big crowds. Martinborough Fair, said to be the largest craft market in the southern hemisphere, does too, taking place on the first weekend in both February and March. Meanwhile, Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival, held in mid-February, usually sees plenty turn out to mark the start of the region’s grape harvesting season.
My favorite month to visit is March. The crowds are fewer and places to stay are easier to find, but heat can still be felt in Wairarapa’s fall days, when the late afternoon sunlight bathes its pastures in gold.
Winter offers a quieter, cooler vibe and is still a lovely time to visit. You’ll just need to wrap up warmly (expect average daily temperatures of around 12°C/54°F) and sip your wine indoors next to a roaring fire. Again, planning your trip to check vineyard opening hours and tour availability during the slower, off-peak season will mean you can still enjoy the best of the region.
How much time should I spend in Wairarapa?
It’s possible to visit the Wairarapa on a day trip from Wellington. But you’ll need at least a weekend to explore Wairarapa’s many vineyards and soak up the relaxed country vibe – and longer if you’re keen to explore some of what else the region has to offer. Here are two itineraries to help you plan your time.
A weekend of wine and stars without a car
From Wellington railway station, catch the Wairarapa Line train to Featherston, taking the number 200 bus to connect through to Martinborough. On your first day, grab a map of the wine village from Martinborough Wine Merchants, a wine specialty store on Kitchener St, then stroll to Green Jersey Cycle Tours to hire a bike and begin a day’s exploration of the village’s wineries. Grab dinner at any one of the village’s restaurants – my favorites are Mesita (its Te Makutu oysters from Waiheke Island are super popular) and Karahui Wine Bar & Restaurant for its great wine list. Book taxi or shuttle van transport for the short drive to Star Safari. Here, you’ll end your night with stargazing guided by personable, expert astro-guides, Haritina Mogoşanu and Samuel Leske. The next day, visit more wineries and venture further afield on a van tour with one of Wairarapa’s well-regarded operators such as Martinborough Wine Tours.
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Four days of coastal adventures on a self-guided road trip
Pick up a rental car from Wellington airport to head up and over the gnarly Remutaka range separating Wellington from Wairarapa. Check out the bookstores and main street shops of Featherston before spending a night in Martinborough. Dine at the Runholder, a winery restaurant set on one of the village’s best known and longest standing wineries. Travel State Hwy 2 to pass through Greytown and Carterton, stopping to wander the heritage villages as you go. Keep heading east to Castlepoint for an overnight stop in this rugged coastal village. Hike to the lighthouse, then make your way south to Cape Palliser to look at seals, hike to the Putangirua Pinnacles (fascinating rock formations) and stay in an off-grid farmstay or local bach (holiday house).
Is it easy to get in and around Wairarapa?
The two main options include driving or traveling by train.
Commute by train to base yourself in Wairarapa’s main towns
From Wellington, it is possible to travel to and from Wairarapa’s main towns of Featherston, Carterton and Masterton by daily commuter train. A local bus runs regularly from Featherston to Martinborough, collecting passengers at the Featherston terminal.
Self-drive to explore the region more extensively
Driving is a common way to get around Wairarapa, particularly for trips beyond Martinborough. Rent a car from Wellington airport. App-operated car share services Mevo and Cityhop vehicles can be hired at a day rate and rented overnight, with both services accepting international licenses.
Top things to do in Wairarapa
Sip wine on a tour or at a festival
Base yourself in Martinborough, where New Zealand’s first pinot noir vines were planted, to walk or bike around the village’s wineries. Alternatively, book tickets and arrive in January for TOAST Martinborough or in February for Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival to sip the range in a day.
Explore the region’s twinkly night sky
Add stargazing of Wairarapa’s internationally recognized night sky to your plans by heading to Star Safari (an observatory run by an astrobiologist and an astrophysicist), booking a tour with Under the Stars (which will bring telescopes right to your accommodations), or exploring Stonehenge Aotearoa (a stone circle and open-air observatory).
Take a road trip into the region’s rural heartland
Featherston, Greytown, Martinborough and Carterton are all charming country towns to visit on a road trip. Head further east to the rural beach townships of Castlepoint, Riversdale or Ngāwi near Cape Palliser for an overnight stay in a quintessential Kiwi bach.
My favorite thing to do in Wairarapa
Escaping the city – it takes just an hour to drive to Wairarapa from my apartment in Wellington – for a weekend away in an off-grid farmstay is one of my favorite things to do in Wairarapa. I love the immersion in nature, rural views and the inevitable outdoor hot-tub soak. At Palliser Ridge Retreat, a farmstay near Cape Palliser, you get views all the way to the South Island and it’s within easy reach of the Land Girl cafe, the popular Putangirua Pinnacles walk and a coastal seal colony at Ngāwi. It’s self-catering, so I always stop at Featherston’s award-winning cheesery, C’est Cheese, for a couple of local cheeses, followed by a detour to Martinborough for a bottle of my favorite Huntress pinot noir made by local winemaker, Jannine Rickards.
How much money do I need for Wairarapa?
In Wairarapa you can spend up large or mix it up, choosing where to channel that extra spend and where to save your money.
For a more affordable stay, book a night or two at Martinborough TOP 10 Holiday Park in a self-catered cabin and hire a bike from there to ride the vineyards in your own time. Visit cellar doors, paying for as many tastings as the budget allows and splurging for dinner at the Runholder on Martins Rd or Karahui in the revamped heritage bank in town later that night.
With a bigger budget, a rural farmstay is a good option. To enjoy Wairarapa’s stars, hire a mobile star guide (Under the Stars guides come to you) and self cater with your choice of local wine and goodies picked up from stores like the Martinborough Wine Merchants and P & K’s, the general store on the Square.
It’s worth knowing that Martinborough’s wines aren’t your mass-produced varietals. These are carefully handcrafted wines made in small quantities in the European tradition. That’s what makes them special – and sets the bottle price fairly high. Expect to pay as much as $40–50 (US$23–29) for a bottle of pinot noir in Martinborough.
A weekend in Martinborough won’t be cheap, but with some planning it shouldn’t give you the feeling you’re leaking cash as can be the case in some of the country’s more touristed destinations. That said, even with the weakened Kiwi dollar factored in, New Zealand isn’t really a budget destination regardless of which region you choose to visit and spend time.
In Wairarapa, like most of New Zealand, you can pay with cash or with a credit or debit card online or in person using New Zealand’s electronic EFTPOS payment system.
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Train (one way to Featherston for one adult) from Wellington: from $17 (US$9.74)
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Cellar door wine tasting for one in Martinborough: from $20–25 (US$11.45–14.32)
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Day bike hire for a self-guided wine tour of Martinborough vineyards: from $30 (US$17.18)
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Half-day wine tour for one adult in Martinborough: around $150 (US$86)
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Mobile stargazing for one adult in Martinborough: from $195 (US$112)
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Unpowered campsite in Martinborough: from $60 (US$34)
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Campground cabin in Martinborough: from $108 (US$62)
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Heritage hotel accommodation in Martinborough: around $280 (US$160)
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Off-grid farmstay near Martinborough: from $380 (US$218)
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Bottle of organic pinot: around $40 (US$23)
What if I’m not into wine – is Wairarapa still worth visiting?
While wine is one of Wairarapa’s biggest drawcards for international tourists, it’s just one of many reasons to visit. Vintage shopping in Greytown, hiking or cycling farm and conservation lands or simply weekending in an off-grid homestay with incredible views and not a soul for miles are others.
