New Zealand walking holidays up are suitable for all seasons, every month throwing different scenery into the mix. But it’s not just New Zealand’s scenery that changes on a seasonal basis; the country also has some vibrant and off-beat festivals that change with the seasons. Here are our top five:

Wildfoods Festival

Have you got an uncontrollable urge to snack on writhing witchetty grubs, or eat a blackened sheep’s tail? If so you should arrange your New Zealand walking holiday for the month of March, when the Wildfoods Festival is in full swing in Hokitika. During the day you can dine on worm sushi and crunch on deep-fried grasshopper before joining the locals in a wild dance in the evening at Cass Square. All the unique food comes fresh from New Zealand’s West Coast and all the produce is local. However, if you’re of a sensitive disposition you might want to stick to the national dish of hangi-cooked roast lamb and vegetables.

Shepherd’s Shemozzle

When walking New Zealand you can’t fail to notice the sheer number of sheep. The country has around 9 sheep to every 1 human; but, in a country full of sheep, where are all the shepherds? Come October, they’re all in Hunterville taking part in the annual Shepherd’s Shemozzle. The Shepherd’s Shemozzle is a race run by locals, but until the day of the event the locals don’t know what’s expected of them. Last year’s event saw locals competing to eat dried weetabix and bull’s testicles; could we be sensing a theme to New Zealand’s festivals?

Englefield Bathtub Derby

Taking to the streets whilst lying in your bathtub might be your biggest nightmare, but in New Zealand it’s just another of their bizarre festivals. In November, on Takapuna Bay, a fleet of unusually decorated bath-tubs takes to the water in a whole host of different shapes and designs. There are three separate races that entrants can compete in; a motorised boat race, a sail boat race or a pedal and paddle boat race. In the evening, there’s a barbecue on the beach and a series of games like beach volleyball that will appeal to the whole family.

Matariki Festival

When you’re walking New Zealand in June you’ll probably come across the Maori New Year celebrations. The Matariki Festival in Auckland is a month of celebrations based on Maori culture and heritage. Events that guests might come across include traditional dance, exhibitions and tree-planting ceremonies.

Matariki occurs when the seven sisters are spotted and the first new moon is sighted, so the dates can change on an annual basis. However, the usual dates are from mid-June to the beginning of July.

Queenstown Winter Festival

When walking New Zealand’s Queenstown, you’ll notice a hubbub of culture, sophistication and the arts; that is unless you visit the city during the annual Winter Festival in July. At this time of the year the locals celebrate with a host of wacky events from frisbee tournaments to the dog derby, where farmers and their dogs are required to slide down the snow on their bottoms. Lake swimming in freezing waters is a test of strength for the locals and the festival culminates in some serious partying. If you’ve also always wanted to take a hot-air balloon flight then the festival is the place to experience this.

Author Bio: Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. Operating since 1946, they now offer over 250 guided group walking holidays in more than 90 different countries. While in New Zealand walking with Ramblers Worldwide Holidays, you can see the most scenic locations & landscapes at the best value prices.

Category: Travel
Keywords: New Zealand walking