SHENANDOAH TOUR: EXCLUSIVE TO XPLOR TOURS

Join us for a unique and exclusive Wellington sightseeing experience.

Shenandoah, one of our favourite Wellington tours and exclusive to Xplor Tours, takes you to perhaps the best but least known destination in the region.

Approximately 20 minutes’ drive from Wellington, overlooking the sparkling Pauatahanui Inlet and linked with Battle Hill (a significant Maori War site), Shenandoah is a working farm and hidden historical gem inside a native wild birdlife reserve.

Once Xplor Tours drops you there, owner and proud Kiwi Simon takes you on a unique and magical tour around his beautiful, relaxing property, and through its history.

Originally a Maori Fortress Pa for Ngati Toa in the 1800’s, the property has seen three different owners over 150 years. After withstanding a major battle with English troops, it became a Crown Fort to guard the stagecoach road from highway robbers. Some of the first settlers to New Zealand made contact with the local iwi here, before the whalers and settlers transformed Pauatahanui into the thriving rural community of today.

Early in World War II, Shenandoah was commandeered as a US Marine training base and housed over 100,000 troops, ushering in the next military episode of the site.

The history isn’t just told in stories though; behind the barn doors, a private museum is filled with artifacts found on the property which date back over the last 150 years.

As part of your day trip to Shenandoah with Xplor Tours, you can relax by the pond and jetty or other seating areas in the gardens, and enjoy a tea or coffee with morning or afternoon tea.

Simon’s passion and ability to enthral makes this Wellington tour experience genuinely unique and one that will stay with you long after you leave Shenandoah.

Come on a Shenandoah tour with Xplor Tours and you will see why “Pauatahanui” means “the place you never want to leave from.”