Way back when in 2015 we came to NZ on a bucket list trip and tour included this demo of sheep shearing and types/breeds of sheep. When in NZ appreciate the sheep as a major industry. We were told of one ranch that 12K sheep. Wool is an important commodity and worth the visit to understand where that nice sweater came from. read more

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Absolutely wonderful tour and show - our tractor driver, Jack, was fun and educational. The show was brilliant, the variety of sheep, shearing display, delightful children's participation with small animal bottle feeding, adults milking the very patient Holstein Friesian cow and of course the heading and hunt away dogs. Everyone enjoyed the day - will highly recommend to all. RB read more

I loved this show but I'm an animal person. I came to New Zealand to see the sheep and I definitely got my fix here. The dog show was great too and she got people on stage to feed the lambs and milk a cow. Afterward the farm tour was so beautiful. We got towed behind a tractor in a seat caravan. Very fun thing to do in New Zealand read more

Excellent show but no garbage cans. Caused our tour delay and ended up setting it on a counter at the farmers market

While in New Zealand, if you really want to get close and personal with sheep, the Agrodome is a great place for the family to learn more about how this awesome animal helps the local economy. It kicks off with an hour show that covers the 2 dozen breeds of sheep! I would have guessed about two - white and black. They had a sheep shearing demonstration where they could shear the a sheep in less than 4 minutes. It was followed by a sheep dog exhibit where they run across the backs of all the sheep. Following the show, you could go up and get pictures with both the dogs and the sheep. There was a petting zoo pen where the baby animals are kept. Afterwards, you are taken on a tractor out to the fields where they make 3-4 stops and you can "mingle" amongst the sheep, alpacas, and cows. The ostriches are kept safety away from you behind a fence but you can still try for some selfies. Gift shop had lots of wool clothing, boots, and accessories for purchase along with lots of stuffed animals for the kids. Overall, it was a great outing for a family that has spent their whole life in the cities/suburbs to see and experience animals in farm-like setting. read more

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One of the weirder shows and attractions, but I will admit that I enjoyed it. We ended up attending a show a the agrodome that went over all the different types of sheep species in New Zealand, how they herd them, how they shear them and other cool tricks. Plus let's not forget the petting zoo where I spent way too much time with baby goats and lambs, which were soft to the touch. I even let one little guy come and try to eat my shoe laces, although I had to shoo him away since he was getting a bit too attached to my shoes. Overall, enjoyed it and it was part of a tour stop. However, not sure I'd go if the Trafalgar tour didn't take us through first. read more

I have to admit: I didn't know what I was expecting for a visit to the farm when I first booked our tour. I thought it would be innocent and pure, like just watching animals, petting and feeding them. Right off the bat, we joined the show where we were shown how to "control" a sheep and shave its wool off--and boy, was I not prepared for that at all. I cringed as I watched a helpless sheep get its pride shredded off--I'd say that this was memorable to an uncomfortable level. Although I do eat meat, watching an animal getting controlled was not satisfying in any way. It took me a little bit to try to wallow in what just happened, but I'm pretty sure this is normal for them since the wool industry is one of the main economic drivers for New Zealand. Other than the show, which left a pretty bad taste in my mouth, this place pushed me way out of my comfort zone. I'm not a huge animal person--especially when it comes to animals bigger than the size of a puppy--but you will be exposed to a lot of farm animals up close and personal. The farm tour was actually really nice and the farm itself is quite beautiful and big with a genuine island-rural feel to it and a lot of activities behind it. If you love animals, you may or may not love this place. Overall, my feelings about this place are mixed--the people who work here were extremely nice and the farm is beautiful and tour is such a raw, hands-on experience, but I still can't get the image of a sheep getting sheared out of my head. read more

Ok, so I think I have seen this sheep show about four times. I have always brought about 40+ high school students and they have always loved it. The show is informative and entertaining, and the highlight of the show is when they bring members from the audience to participate in the show. I also love when they bring the sheep dogs out to run on the back's of the 20+ breeds of sheep; apparently this is a real maneuver that sheep ranchers use to break up a stubborn herd of sheep. The Agrodome has a very nice petting pen for the little ones where students can cuddle with a lamb to their heart's content. Ok, I admit it, somewhere, I have a photo of myself holding a little lamb up to the camera (I secretly named him Mint Sauce). After visiting the petting zoo, I suggest checking out the Agrodome's gift shop which is spectacular. You name it, they have it: Sheep skin blankets, gloves, hats, and booties line the shelves of this must see store. The Agrodome will also offer transportation to an extreme sports park where you can bungy jump, swoop, and Zorb. Trust me, you really haven't done New Zealand until you have rolled down a hill in a huge plastic ball (zorb). read more

I have to say I enjoyed it more than I thought, but this is definitely much pricier than what one should truly be paying. I think the price tag (33.5 NZD pp) is pretty ridiculous for this 1 hour farm show. They get 80-90% of their business from tour buses (mostly Asian countries) so I can see why they can charge whatever they want and still stay afloat. There's 10% off coupons floating around or 15% off if you combined it with their farm tour. The host is funny and amusing and learning about 19 different types of sheep definitely expanded my sheep knowledge. Other things that happen in the show is that you can get observe a sheep shearing and cow milking and watching some really smart dogs do nifty tricks with the sheep. My favorite part has to be the opportunity post-show to pet/take up close photos with all the sheep. They are pretty mellow and chill. Along with your ticket, you also get to check out their nursery to pet baby sheep and rabbits. Go: if it is a rainy day and there's nothing else to do or if you are traveling with kids. We definitely felt like we weren't the targeted demographics and perhaps should have went zorbing next door instead! read more

Yes, this is a very entertaining place, but that's largely where it ends. I've come here twice before in different decades, and it really hasn't changed. I have very mixed feelings about captive animals performing, even though these are domestic animals, and this isn't much different to what they do anyway. Still, the wool industry definitely has had its low points, and as a vegan I need to question any animal exploitation. It's true that farming is a huge part of NZ's heritage, unfortunately the show and facilities aren't terribly informative. Maybe if you do the extra farm tour. But I grew up around farms, as did my son, so it was skipped. read more

Agrodome - Tours Near Me - Ngongotaha, BOP

Went here with my tour group while touring Rotorua. This place is cold during the winter so bring your coats. We sat in the main "stadium/auditorium" area for the sheep sheering demonstration. Watching the different kinds sheep was interesting and a learning experience. I especially liked seeing the herding dogs do their thing! They're very intelligent and well trained. Seeing the baby animals in the nursery was cute, but also a little depressing since they are separated from their mothers and will probably be made into food or handbags. The store had some nice things for purchase. Their grounds are nice and I enjoyed the ride around the greenery. The bathroom was cold too. Sigh, that's winter for you. Sheep shearing really isn't my thing and I could have passed on this visit. read more

The animals and attractions are cute if you're someone who does not interact with nature or have seen alpacas and goats often. I would have given more stars if it wasn't for the rude lady in the gift shop. First of all, being Chinese and the lady being Chinese as well, I thought there would be mutual kind of respect. So far many locals and natives I have met have been extremely kind and respectful. From her accent it would seem that she is not a native of New Zealand. Though Chinese I am born and raised in the United States so I know all about the stereotypes and prejudices of Chinese tourists. So mind you, I was not rude at all and have traveled to many places so I know what it means to be a respectful tourist. Once entering the gift shop, I had sampled the local New Zealand honey TWICE to ponder if I wanted to purchase it due to the fact that I will be carrying it through THREE different countries and going through THREE different customs. Furthermore I had only taken a size of a thumb nail as I was not being rude or inconsiderate of other people. But this lady had the audacity to come up and tell me "you've seem to have tried a lot already" while pointing to the two sticks in the used cup. The one other one was not even from me it was from another guest in the store. She then proceeds to take the entire honey jar away. It was extremely disrespectful and I was left stunned. So I left that gift shop and purchased the honey from the other gift shop on the same farm. They were much more respectful and answered all my questions about the honey travel restrictions. It's a nice place but this woman ruined my experience there. read more