CHECKING IN: ORCHARD VALLEY
By Sarah Norris
Experience the height of luxury eco camping at Orchard Valley, King Country.
In the new age of domestic travel, we’ve taken to the gravel roads to explore our backyard in a different way. We’re heading to smaller local communities and turning off our phones to spend a night or two off the grid. I like to think of it as the youth concept, camping out in the backyard of your childhood home, setting up the tent with a half blown up air mattress and dads head torch, telling wood tales of the old lady who lives in the haunted house at the end of the street. The only difference now is we have a gin in hand and have to remember to soak the pan before bed. We travelled to Orchard Valley to experience just this, a night away from the city lights and a night with nothing but the fire roaring and a few gins in hand.
Orchard Valley is located in King Country. The region, albeit loosely defined, is very significant in New Zealand's history. The term "King Country" dates from the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s, when colonial forces invaded the Waikato and forced the Māori King Movement south of the boundary line of pa, alongside the Puniu River near Kihikihi. Land behind the boundary line remained native territory, with Europeans warned they crossed it under threat of death. King Country is known for its rugged, rural roads and diverse landscapes.
The stay itself is a beautiful safari styled tent, tucked away on a large lifestyle farm. You’ll find the stay easily enough as there are signs to guide your way. Upon arrival, you’ll find a seperate enclosed outdoor bathroom, a large main tent and a seperate outdoor kitchen ~ meticulously considered details for the perfect glamping stay. The tent, as luxurious as it may look, is actually totally off the grid and spares no cost to its environmental impact. Run on solar and groundwater, it is the epitome of elegance and style without harmful waste.
To get to know a bit more about the land, we sat down with owners Cheryl & Te Taki and spoke with them about their life at Orchard Valley. A sweet love story, Cheryl & Te Taki met in Otorohanga in primary school at the age of ten. A few house moves, date nights and one land purchase later, they now reside back in Otorohanga with their four beautiful children as well as an abundance of fruit orchards and a few cheeky kuni kuni pigs to go with. They felt a connection to this land and intended to give their children the same joy’s they experienced when they were young. It was important to them to be able to spend more time with their four children, teaching them invaluable life skills of growth and regeneration on the land.
You’ll find the basics for a delicious breakfast including Te Taki’s fresh loaf of bread, eggs, milk, coffee and tea. A sweet compost bin is available for any leftover food (feeding the sweet kuni kuni pigs onsite!). A mini fridge as well as all the cooking utensils you could need. Our favourite small detail was a s’mores kit set up on the counter top, Whittakers chocolate, marshmallows and biscuits for the sweet tooth!
A beautiful indoor bath & shower inside a heated enclosed bathroom. Eco products line the countertop and two gorgeous bathrobes for those who love to wander around and re-enact a lazy Parisian Sunday afternoon scene. A chic composting loo has been installed, so remember folks, nothing but what comes out a human goes down! You’ll also fine the sweetest wood fire tub outside. You can opt at a little extra cost have the hot tub heated prior to your arrival. This saves you on a few hours of waiting around for it to heat up. We ended up heating it ourselves which took a couple hours, so just remember if you want one early eve, get the fire burning when you first arrive!
“We looked out over the orchard valley, experiencing serendipitous moments of light dancing off the lake edge. Blissful peace, and quiet.”
Inside the main tent is something to truly behold, one of the most amazing interior styled sites we’ve seen. Styled by Sacha Wackrow of Wackrow Studio we were spellbound by its charm and delightful aura. The tent is a boutique ‘safari style’ tent, making its way from South Africa, the only tent of its kind in New Zealand. With wicker lampshades and chairs and chic custom made Totara furnishings, its eco-luxury at its best. Cheryl & Te Taki chose this specific tent as its durability and comfort excel all others, insulated floors and and strong canvas material mean’s its the most energy efficient tent of its size in the country. There are two large beds at either end of the tent and an indoor fireplace to heat the space on cooler evenings. The fireplace is a bio fuel fire, a clever and ingenuitive idea (sparking interest of our own to buy one for our tiny home)
You are able to pre-book a signature grazing platter for $60, filled with cheeses, fruits, fresh vegetables, olives, charcuterie, crackers, nuts, nibbles and sweet treats. For a celebratory event, order a beautiful champagne package on arrival for $90. These kind of small touches are exactly what make Orchard Valley stand out among the rest. With all these details in mind, the rates are on the ‘eco-luxury’ end. We found that although you’ll be spending a bit more to experience a night or two here, owners Cheryl and Te Taki have dedicated a lot of time to making sure you’re getting exactly what you pay for. A night at Orchard Valley is around $480 but comes with everything you could need & more.
After a weekend of smores, hot tubs, card games and conversations, we packed our belongings and jumped in the car. As we made our way out the farm gates, we looked back and snapped this one last picture. A little taste of the off grid soothes the soul… and makes for a great story.
Book your stay at Orchard Valley HERE
More ‘Checking In’ On The Journal
Featured
