Zealandia Small Group Eco Wildlife Night Tour
Description
Explore the sanctuary by torchlight as your guide leads you in search of some of the more distinctive sights and sounds of New Zealand’s native forest. Enjoy a night discovering New Zealand’s evolution and natural history at Zealandia, located just minutes from central Wellington. The discovery begins with a guided tour through Zealandia: The Exhibition, a state-of-the-art indoor exhibition showcasing New Zealand’s natural history and world renowned conservation movement. As darkness falls, your guide will lead you into the Sanctuary Valley, the world’s first fully fenced urban eco-sanctuary in search for little spotted kiwi and the many other nocturnal animals that call the sanctuary home. Witness firsthand why Zealandia has been named the top tourism operation in Aotearoa New Zealand 2023, winning the prestigious Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award. This is an unforgettable Wellington experience not to be missed!
Tour Options
Itinerary
The tour begins with a short film and introduction inside the Visitor Centre's interactive exhibition. Afterwards, the guide leads the group on an exciting walk through the sanctuary in search of wildlife.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Wear sturdy footwear, bring extra layers of clothing and a waterproof jacket. Torches (flashlights) are supplied
- Minimum age is 12 years
- Please arrive 15 minutes before your tour start time
- To get to ZEALANDIA at night we recommend you book a taxi via your hotel concierge team or call Wellington Combined Taxis Ph: (04) 384 44 44
- Not recommended for travelers with limited mobility, or difficulty walking for 2 hours in low-light conditions
Reviews(150)
It was a very enjoyable and informative experience. The guide spoke with great passion and a real depth of knowledge. Zealandia is a true gem.
This was a fantastic experience, and we really enjoyed doing the tour at night. All I wanted to see was a kiwi, and I did, so I was thrilled! However, when the tour finished and we were told how many kiwis were in the area, we were surprised that we didn't see more. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, and the headsets were an excellent addition. They meant everyone could clearly hear the commentary regardless of where they were in the group. Our only criticism was that we felt the group size was a little too large. We missed seeing the second kiwi, and my husband wasn't able to get a clear view of the takahē because there were too many people gathered around and he couldn't get to the front in time. An added bonus was that the ticket also allowed entry the following day. Unfortunately, our travel plans meant we were leaving Wellington, so we weren't able to take advantage of this. Had we known about this benefit in advance, we would have adjusted our plans to make the most of it.
Such an informative, fun and healthy activity. It was a cold wettish night but as long as you are dressed for the conditions, it was quite comfortable and pleasant. We saw plenty of nighttime activity and the guide along with a volunteer spotter of wildlife were great. Highly recommend.
Matt and Cami were fantastic. A wonderful and unique experience. I would heartily recommend this to anyone. Listening to and seeing kiwis was incredible, and I will always remember fondly.
Matt and Brie were so good at spotting wildlife—even bugs and slugs. We had 5 kiwi spottings! The red light torches provided gave ample light for walking. Matt was very knowledgeable about Zealandia and its “residents” and was inspiring to listen to. Excellent tour!
Zealandia was AMAZING. I would give a million dollars to them if I could. Their conservation work is incredible. Walking into the reserve felt like walking into prehistoric times. I saw FIVE of the lesser spotted kiwi (one ran up to me) and also two Takahe!!! Amazing tour with a great tourguide.
Do NOT MISS . Did the night tour and despite rain and chill we saw an incredible array of animals including immature KIWI at the very end. Our path was illuminated by the glow worms which gave us an extra blessing👍
This is such a fun activity. The park at night is full of bird calls and the nocturnal animals you won't see in the daytime. Chief among those nocturnal species is the kiwi bird. There are roughly 200 in the park, so your odds ofvsering one are good.
I wish I could remember our guides’ names cause the ladies were great! I did the night tour with red light torches and they helped us find tuatara, weta, tons of birds, fish, and glowworms. We even saw four kiwis (which I hear is pretty insane so DON’T get your hopes up!) Thanks zealandia for an unforgettable experience!
Magical evening, saw lots of fantastic wildlife including Takahē, Tuatara, kiwi, Gherkin slugs and native tree frogs . Tony and Kathy were a fantastic team. The set up was very professional. Loved it.
