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Food on our trips

Food is fuel, there’s no question about that. But food is also a passion, a delight, a simple pleasure that connects generations and creates memories. We believe that good food makes your New Zealand trip that much more enjoyable. And the New Zealand food culture has never been more alive and thriving than it is right now. So, what better way could there be to discover the country than sharing our delicious local cuisine and enjoying a taste of the real New Zealand!

New Zealand food

New Zealand food is traditionally hearty and healthy. If you search New Zealand famous food online, you’ll be presented with an array of mouth-watering options.

We do simple well and with the best local produce on offer, New Zealand is rapidly gaining an excellent reputation for outstanding cuisine. From fresh seafood and shellfish to local lamb, venison and beef; tasty vegetables such as kumara, pumpkin and watercress greens, to sweet juicy stone fruit, zingy kiwifruit and ripe feijoa, there’s plenty to excite and delight the foodie in all of us!

New Zealand restaurant quality salmon

Enjoy the New Zealand food culture on our trips. It's healthy and delicious, you'll taste the very best New Zealand has to offer!

We’re hikers and foodies!

Our team of Kiwi travel experts and guides work up a healthy appetite out on the hiking tracks and trails. Our hunger for the great outdoors is matched only by our hunger for freshly prepared meal at the end of an incredible day in the Kiwi countryside.

Our standards are high, we seek out the freshest produce, the best flavours and the tastiest local fare. As self-confessed foodies, we won’t settle for second-best when it comes to our taste buds (or anything to do with our trips for that matter) and we’re determined that our guests enjoy the very best of what’s on offer as well. Food is a key part of what makes a New Zealand Trails trip so special.

What will I eat during my trip?

You don’t have to worry about what you’re going to eat during your trip, but we understand if you’re curious – sometimes reading the menu is an enjoyable as actually tasting the food!

We take pride in sourcing the best New Zealand produce and your meals throughout the trip will reflect this. Depending on which trip you choose, you’ll dine out at a variety of excellent eateries and cafes, including award-winning restaurants, or enjoy tasty home-cooked meals and fresh picnic lunches created by our very talented guides who moonlight as local food aficionados. Many of our guests say they want to take the guides home with them at the end of trip, not least of all because they are tremendous cooks as well as lovely people!

We cater for all dietary requirements, from vegan and vegetarian, to gluten and dairy free and everything in between. Nothing is too much trouble and we’ll always make sure that you’re well fed and content. If there’s something you’d like to try or you have a favourite treat, just let us know and we’ll do our best to find it for you.

New Zealand tour group dinner Akaroa

We've hand picked some pretty special meal places - like this spot on the Akaroa harbour!

Because our trips are active, you might be a little hungrier than usual, so there’s always food available, fresh fruit and snacks, as well as nourishing breakfasts to keep you going and pre-dinner nibbles to whet your appetite for what’s to come.

Keen to know more about New Zealand food and drink?

Head over to the food section of our blog for more mouth-watering articles and sign up to our newsletter if you’d like to receive articles on New Zealand food culture and tasty New Zealand food recipes direct to your inbox every now and then.