Visitors to the tiny New Zealand town of Te Kuiti -- population 4,500 -- can thrill to the sheep-related festivities at the annual Te Kuiti Muster and Running of the Sheep, held the weekend after Easter, according to New Zealand.com. Watch sheep shearing contests and sheep races as well as performances by indigenous Maori cultural groups. Other local attractions include the Tatsuno Japanese Garden, the Mangaokewa Scenic Reserve and the nearby Waitomo Caves, with their underwater rafting trips and glow worm grotto.
The Waitomo Motor Lodge is located at the north end of Te Kuiti. The Waitomo Motor Lodge is across the street from Brook Park, where guests can walk through a conifer plantation, and a café and coffee shop. The hotel’s front desk will make reservations at local attractions such as the Waitomo and Ruakuri Caves, the Otorohanga Kiwi House aviary and nature center and for underground rafting trips and area tours. Guest rooms feature king-size beds, spa tubs and complimentary breakfasts.
Te Kuiti’s Panorama Motor Inn is located at the south end of town. The hotel is within 10 miles of two golf courses and within walking distance of Brook Park. Rooms offer features such as spa bathtubs, kitchenettes and views of the countryside. In the summer, guests can swim in the outdoor, in-ground pool. Guests can choose between a continental or cooked breakfast. An on-site restaurant serves dinner.
Eleven miles from Te Kuiti, the Waitomo Caves Hotel is set on a hillside overlooking the Waitomo Caves and Waitomo Village. The historic hotel, built in 1908, is within walking distance of the caves, black water rafting, the Waitomo Museum, horseback riding and the town’s information center. The hotel’s 33 rooms feature options such as en suite bathrooms, balconies and four-poster beds. The hotel’s Garden Room restaurant serves breakfast and lunch and the Fred Mace Restaurant serves dinner. Both are licensed to serve alcohol.
The Otorohanga and Waitomo Motel is located 11 miles from Te Kuiti. The motel is near attractions such as the Otorohange Kiwi House, Native Bird Park, Altura Gardens and Wildlife Park, Mt. Pirongia Forest Park and the Wharepapa rock climbing field. The motel’s 12 rooms feature full kitchens. Other motel amenities include an outdoor pool, hot tub, children’s play ground and charge-back arrangements with local restaurants.
The Kiwi Paka is located in Waitomo, 11 miles from Te Kuiti. Choose between a dormitory-style room in the main lodge with shared bathroom facilities and a self-catering kitchen, or en-suite chalets, some with kitchenettes. The Kiwi Paka is within walking distance of Waitomo Village and the Waitomo Caves. Staff can arrange tours, excursions and activities in the local area. The hotel’s Morepork Pizzeria and Café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
