Wairarapa Travel Guide
Wairarapa accommodation, Wairarapa activities and attractions, Wairarapa maps, transportation to and around Wairarapa - the ALL NEW Jasons Wairarapa Destination Travel Guide is your complete visitor guide for Wairarapa.
A 75 minute drive from the capital, Wairarapa has become increasingly popular with weekend visitors from Wellington, and it's easy to see why. As you wind your way over the rugged Rimutaka Ranges and down into the vast Wairarapa Valley, you’ll pass by rolling vineyards, orchards, olive groves and charming heritage towns. Wairarapa is bordered by the rugged Tararua Mountains to the west and the wild Pacific Ocean to the east. The Wairarapa’s rivers, hills, forest parks and coast lend themselves well to outdoor adventure.
Lake Ferry and the stunning coastal areas at
Castlepoint,
Riversdale Beach and Cape Palliser offer fishing, swimming, surfing and native wildlife, or head into the Wairarapa countryside for heritage trails, hiking, abseiling, jetboating, mountain biking and horse treks.
Activities in Wairarapa run the full spectrum, from adrenaline-pumping action to relaxing over a glass of wine. Explore the colonial-style rural towns with their museums, antique stores, galleries, cafés and restaurants.
Masterton is the Wairarapa’s key centre, and the charming wine village of
Martinborough is a perfect base for visiting the local vineyards. You can enjoy the colonial character and cafés of historic
Greytown, visit the paua shell factory at
Carterton, browse for antiques at
Featherston, or just relax and sample the country hospitality at the rural towns of
Eketahuna and
Pahiatua. Visit Mt Bruce National Wildlife Centre or take a scenic drive to the seal colony at Cape Palliser.
Geographic Location
The Wairarapa occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, extending from rugged Cape Palliser and Palliser Bay in the south to the rolling farmland around Pahiatua in the north. Framing its western boundary are the hills and peaks of the Tararua and Rimutaka Ranges, and to the east lies the Pacific Ocean.
Population
39,000
Climate
Summer average temperature: 23°C
Winter average temperature: 11°C
Average rainfall: 1050mm per year