The Bee’s Knees

Mānuka honey bee, Te Puke © Bay of Plenty Tourism

There are 28 species of bees in Aotearoa and you can thank every single one of them for making your life better.

Bees are responsible for pollinating one-third of the food we eat; if it wasn’t for their nifty ability to pollinate crops, fruit and veg, our diets would be a boring mix of rice and grains. Bees also contribute over $270 million per year to New Zealand’s economy and their honey is a game changer when it comes to upgrading your toast. To appreciate these busy workers in all their multi-million dollarmaking glory, try a unique, New Zealand bee experience.

NZMA Beekeeping Experience Centre, North Shore, Auckland

Head to Redvale, just 30 minutes out of central Auckland for a hands-on bee experience at New Zealand Mānuka Apiculture. Don the traditional white beekeeping suit and learn how a beehive behaves. Pick up a hive frame, swarming with bees, and sample honey straight from the source.

Huka Honey Hive, Taupō

Introduced to Aotearoa in 1839, honey bees are not native to New Zealand, but they are responsible for our world-famous manuka honey. Learn more at The Huka Honey Hive in Taupō. With free entry, enjoy New Zealand’s largest selection of honey products as well as The Honey Shack Tour, a beekeeper-led hive experience open from midOctober to April.

Bee keeper checking their hives

© Bianca Ackermann

Bees also contribute over $270 million per year to New Zealand’s economy and their honey is a game changer when it comes to upgrading your toast.

Hunt and Gather Beekeeping Experience, Raglan

Husband and wife duo, Rory and Hannah O’Brien, have been harvesting honey since 2015 and selling it across the Waikato. By lifting the lid (quite literally) on every beekeeping secret, they share their beekeeping expertise on a three-hour honey tour. Take a look inside the working beehive and tuck into a complimentary morning tea.

Comvita Wellness Lab, Auckland CBD

Discover the art of honey making with a guided, 45-minute multi-sensory experience. Located in the Viaduct, Comvita invites guests to learn the history of New Zealand honey via a 180-degree state-of-the-art theatre experience and by sampling various flavours.

For the Love of Bees, Auckland

A fantastic co-op in Auckland called For the Love of Bees are responsible for several eco-friendly initiatives across the city. One being a monthly beekeeping meet-up at Victoria Park in central Auckland. Join enthusiastic beekeeper Walter Dendl on the first Sunday of every month for a free walk and talk around the park’s three active hives.

Honey Centre, Warkworth

A 40-minute bee tour aimed mostly at adults, learn all about the life of the honeybee, take a peek into the company’s packing plant and pour and label your own complimentary 250g jar of honey. Available by arrangement only, call ahead at least one week prior. There’s also a café on site and a shop selling honey and bee-related skin care products.

Buzzstop Bee & Honey Centre, Queenstown

Bottle your own jar of honey at the much-loved Buzzstop Bee & Honey Centre. There are a variety of experiences on offer here, from simple honey sampling to creating personal honey-based products like soap and lip balm. In summer, visitors can join the beekeeper outdoors and open a working beehive, while year-round experiences include spinning a frame of fresh honey.