Tussock Ridge Farm Tours
Tussock Ridge Farm Tours
Tussock Ridge Farm Tours
5
Cultural Tours4WD, ATV & Off-Road ToursNature & Wildlife Tours
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Full view
About
Experience the unique beauty of rural New Zealand with Tussock Ridge Farm Tours located 20 minutes from Wellington city. Enjoy an unforgettable 3 1/2 hour 4WD journey across 3 privately-owned farms in Ohariu Valley, with over 6000 sheep, 400 cattle, 100 horses and 26 turbines part of our wind farm. Morning tea is served at our shepherd's cabin with stunning views of the Cook Strait & south island.
Similar Experiences
Tussock Ridge Farm Tours
Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor
Want other options you can book now?
Show optionsContribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
5.0
59 reviews
Excellent
59
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
ChasToronto
Toronto35 contributions
Feb 2020
A unique New Zealand experience. Feed eels, wild horses, sheep and pet sheep, visit wind turbines up close, see herding dogs and learn all you can possibly think about the life of NZ farming. Host Ward is gracious and proud, and well he should be. And don't forget to try his wife's blueberry muffins.
Written 18 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Midori
8 contributions
Definitely a highlight of my trip to Wellington! Farmer Ward took us on a tour through the wind turbine farm and mountainous roads to his seaside cabin. We stopped to feed carrots to the wild horses he saved and had a leisurely afternoon tea and homemade blueberry muffins with sheep. Everyone fell in love with Mr. Bumpy the sheep who thinks he is a dog! Finally, we stopped by a freshwater stream to feel the giant eels. Ward is a wonderful guide and hardworking farmer. Recommend this unique experience for everyone of all ages!
Written 6 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Doug and Maggie M
Sydney, Australia7 contributions
Dec 2019
I can highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Wellington and wanting something authentic and a bit different. Not only do you meet a Ward who was delightful company, but you feed carrots to wild horses, make the acquaintance of a group of tame sheep who eat ginger nut biscuits, tour his impressive wind farm and meet the eels who eat chicken. The farm itself is magnificently sited and the scenery is spectacular. Ward's wife provided the muffins and tea and we were picked up and dropped off at the wharf as we were on a cruise. So much better than the organised tours through the ship. Thanks so much Ward for an unforgettable day.
Written 6 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Maggie,
It was really nice to meet you all and get to show you Tussock Ridge farm.
We have just finished dagging and drenching 1800 sheep and the sheep dogs are a bit tired from the mustering we had to do.
Hopefully you had a great time and thank you for your review and hope to see you again.
Best regards
Ward and Alexandra.
Tussock Ridge Farm
Wellington
Written 13 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kurtis
Sydney, Australia9 contributions
Ward and Alex were so amazing.
Extremely friendly and knowledgeable.
The scenery was spectacular and some that we would have never had seen as this was a private tour on a private farm and land.
Ward came and pick us up right on the pier so it was so easy and stress free... we didn't have to worry about being late or meeting up somewhere in a city that we had never been to before.
Thank you again for an awesome day... it will be one we will never forget.
P.S. Alex your homemade muffins were AMAZING.
Extremely friendly and knowledgeable.
The scenery was spectacular and some that we would have never had seen as this was a private tour on a private farm and land.
Ward came and pick us up right on the pier so it was so easy and stress free... we didn't have to worry about being late or meeting up somewhere in a city that we had never been to before.
Thank you again for an awesome day... it will be one we will never forget.
P.S. Alex your homemade muffins were AMAZING.
Written 30 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your great review. Alex's muffins are quite special. We were glad you got to see the amazing view across to the South Island and the countryside which encompasses rural Wellington.
Hope to see you all again.
Best Regards
Ward and Alexandra
Tussock Ridge Farm
Written 13 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kandace
1 contribution
Dec 2019 • Couples
Without giving too much of the fun away, I would like to HIGHLY recommend going on the Tussock Ridge Farm tour. Ward was so lovely to be around and was very accommodating. He picked us up from our Airbnb and dropped us off at the botanical gardens! He is so knowledgeable of the area and we loved meeting his doggos and of course the famous Mr. Bumpy (aptly named of course). If you have a half day in Wellington this is hands down one of the coolest things to do. 10/10
Written 21 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Kandace,
Thank you for your great review.
It was nice to meet you both and get to show you over the farm and the animals that live there.
Mr Bumpy is definitely not your usual sheep and we think he is very cool.
Have a great Christmas.
Best regards
Ward
Written 22 December 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Standu
Manitowaning, Canada32 contributions
Visit a real family on their (beautiful) real farm as you slip into the magnificent countryside just outside Wellington. Our host graciously scooped us up from the train station (could have been our cruise ship or hotel) and we were quickly meeting his delightful family, his friendly, curious dogs and picking up treats to be enjoyed later. This is a large farm with lush terrain from hilltops to the ocean so there is lots to see and photograph as you get your bearings. Wind farm towers, Cook Strait, sheep, cattle and horses surround you, but once you meet “Mr Bumpy” you will get a crash course on sheep, or rather sheep who think they are playful puppies. Mr Bumpy or any member of his gang are the perfect introduction to the world of animals with personalities. (Mr Bumpy has his own FaceBook page so look him up. Lula is prettier but a bit shyer — I can’t believe I’m describing a sheep as prettier, but this is New Zealand!) Feed these performers some arrowroot cookies and they are your friends for life. When you take your break for tea, fresh, home baked muffins, crackers and cheese at the cliff top cabin, your new arrowroot friends will probably insist on coming inside with you to check it out but they are less than graceful around furniture and best pushed back outside if you want to sit and relax with your treats. They will, however, keep an eye on you until you come back outside and one may just dance on the picnic table for your attention.
From the clifftop you can see the South Island across the strait and if you are lucky will experience the full Windy Wellington treatment. We were surprised we didn’t see any sheep or cows aloft! Bouncing along past 4-legged Angus beef who eyed us without fail and trusted us not in the least we made more feeding stops with the wild horses who liked us much more once they saw we care with carrots.
This is what a farm tour or visit should be. Suitable for anyone who has an interest in and love for nature and animals. Up close and personal it is the perfect way to step away from the city and the plastic.
Almost forgot, but one more stop was to feed the eels. If you, like me, always think of the Great Lake Lamprey-type (really ugly) eels you will be pleasantly surprised by these magnificent and graceful swimmers if you can coax them out into the stream. Don’t miss them.
Highly recommended. You won’t want to leave the farm!
From the clifftop you can see the South Island across the strait and if you are lucky will experience the full Windy Wellington treatment. We were surprised we didn’t see any sheep or cows aloft! Bouncing along past 4-legged Angus beef who eyed us without fail and trusted us not in the least we made more feeding stops with the wild horses who liked us much more once they saw we care with carrots.
This is what a farm tour or visit should be. Suitable for anyone who has an interest in and love for nature and animals. Up close and personal it is the perfect way to step away from the city and the plastic.
Almost forgot, but one more stop was to feed the eels. If you, like me, always think of the Great Lake Lamprey-type (really ugly) eels you will be pleasantly surprised by these magnificent and graceful swimmers if you can coax them out into the stream. Don’t miss them.
Highly recommended. You won’t want to leave the farm!
Written 13 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sorry for the late reply, your review is absolutely amazing. Hopefully you experienced what it is like to live and work on a New Zealand farm.
Our pet sheep are a definite highlight of the tour as are the wind turbines when on the day you were on the tour the blade tip speed was about 140kmh.
Thanks again.
Best regards
Ward
Written 22 December 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jean
1 contribution
Oct 2019
Memorable day interacting with horses and sheep on the BREATHTAKING Tussock Ridge Farm. Ward, our host, was engaging and informative about not only the farm, but also life as a Kiwi living just outside of Wellington. Homemade blueberry muffins for tea were an added bonus. Would do this entire day again in a heartbeat! Almost forgot to mention the wind turbines, eels, ...
Written 8 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your great review. We strive to show everyone on our tours what it is like to live and work on a New Zealand hill country farm. Our pet sheep and wild herd of horses let people get up close to them which is a great experience and the blueberry muffins are very good too.
Best regards
Ward
Written 21 November 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
cruise4two
Sydney, Australia36 contributions
My husband and I (who are Americans living in Sydney) and our friends from Florida who came to visit us and go on a cruise, took this tour together after I had read the reviews on TripAdvisor. The four of us met over 25 years ago working in the travel industry, and needless to say we have been on many tours in many cities across the world together.
Our day with Ward, the owner of Tussock Ridge Farm, will go down as one of the most memorable tours we’ve ever done.
I won’t go into all the details, but we got to feed wild rescue horses, see innumerable sheep, learn about and get up close to the wind farm on the property— which was incredible, and hang out with Mr. Bumpy, the sheep who thinks he’s a dog.
The level of commitment and hard work it takes to have a farm like this was evident, and the way Ward interacted with the animals was pure love.
Today, as we toured wineries in Marlborough, we reminisced about yesterday’s tour of Tussock Ridge and all agreed we will be talking about our day there for years to come! Thank you Ward!
Our day with Ward, the owner of Tussock Ridge Farm, will go down as one of the most memorable tours we’ve ever done.
I won’t go into all the details, but we got to feed wild rescue horses, see innumerable sheep, learn about and get up close to the wind farm on the property— which was incredible, and hang out with Mr. Bumpy, the sheep who thinks he’s a dog.
The level of commitment and hard work it takes to have a farm like this was evident, and the way Ward interacted with the animals was pure love.
Today, as we toured wineries in Marlborough, we reminisced about yesterday’s tour of Tussock Ridge and all agreed we will be talking about our day there for years to come! Thank you Ward!
Written 26 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Laura,
My wife and I were reading your review and felt very emotional. Your kind words make all the hard work worthwhile. Your review is very humbling. We are blessed to be able to live here and to meet people from all over the world and show them the amazing landscape and the animals that live here.
Best Regards
Ward and Alexandra Kellahan
Tussock Ridge Farm
Written 31 October 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Neil Dio
1 contribution
Oct 2019
Highly recommended specially when you are going to visit Wellington. We arrived in the City with already impressive scenery only to find that there are more beautiful views behind it. It was quite an experience and Mr. Ward had a very interesting and educational commentaries about the site. My 70 year old Mom enjoyed every activity specially with Mr. Bumpy and the Gang.. The horses and the baby lambs are really friendly.. not to mention his Labrador.. Again in behalf of my Mom and My sister.. Thank you Mr. Ward. it was a unique experience. God Bless and More Power!
Written 11 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mgeorge79
Queenstown, New Zealand8 contributions
This tour was wonderful! Mr. Kellahan has a beautiful place filled with sheep, cattle and horses! He was full of information and lovely to speak to along with the other tourists. The timing of my tour was just after the lambs were born so we were able to see the babies along side their mothers. Feeding the few wild horses that came to us was spectacular. Visiting the cabin with its amazing views and having afternoon tea and muffins is something I will not forget. Of course Mr. Bumpy is someone not to be forgotten and he will definitely leave an impression on you. Was also able to meet Mr. Kellahan’s lovely family and have tea with them. Thank you Mr. Kellahan for a memorable tour!
Written 9 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Marylyn,
Was great to meet you and glad you had a great time visiting Wellington and our farm. Mr Bumpy definately isn't your average sheep. Being raised from a lamb with our Labrador "Jasper" he thinks he is a dog. He is one of the many highlights on our tour.
Thank you for your kind words.
Best Regards
Ward
Written 1 October 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience