Kiwi Night Encounter at Nga Manu Nature Reserve
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
The Kiwi is one of New Zealand's national icons. The two kiwi on this tour are part of the NZ North Island Brown Kiwi Breeding Recovery Program. The kiwi are in their own private natural habitat, away from the public. They share this with two ruru (morepork or brown owl).
This kiwi tour is an incredibly intimate experience, in groups of up to 10 people. The experience offers you an up-close viewing advantage of the ever-elusive kiwi in its natural habitat. Private tours also available. For bigger groups we do waves of 10 people at a time.
Additional Info
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Hosted by your Kiwi Night Encounter volunteer guide, learn about the Kiwi and Ngā Manu’s contribution and participation in the Kiwi recovery programme. You will be taken out to a private enclosure for Kiwi viewing in the dark. See the Kiwi in it's habitat and using an ultra red light, watch it go about it's normal routine without knowing you are there while ruru (also called a small brown owl or morepork) fly around you as you do.
What‘s Included
Kneel pads
No photography
Options
Kiwi Night Encounter
Theo's Cottage stay overnight
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Reviews
5 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great experience
Agnieszka O,Mar 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Friendly staff, who shared their knowledge
See Kiwis in natural habitat, fantastic !
startwithaclick2015,May 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A great experience and so much more than we expected, interesting, safe and an entertaining thing to do for school age kids as well as adults. The Kiwi viewing was extraordinary ! It took a little while for them to come forward towards the seating gallery but then we knelt down near the little wall and had a face to face viewing of 3 incredible Kiwis. Thoroughly worth it, book direct at Nga Manu and just go !!
Still haven’t seen a Kiwi
Cathryn T,Mar 28, 2024
- Review from Viator
2.00Given it was an experience to see the Kiwis in their natural habitat unfortunately our night didn’t turn out like that as after sitting for quite some time they chose not to come out which I understand was rare. On the plus side thanks to the guides I know a lot more about a Kiwi, still waiting to see one though, maybe next trip.
Check the time!!!!
Mariska S,Jan 24, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00We could NOT go, due to the wrong times given in the app. We expected the world of it but had to cancel. And we were só sorry to miss this experience. The app said 18:45 start and 20:15 finish time. It appeared to be 20:40 starting time and 22:30 finishing time. Even being in Wellington trying to book the ecperience to see what time would be given there, it said 18:45 like it did in the Netherlands. From Wellington we could not realize that since we were lesving the next morning to the south. Please can you fix this time VIATOR! Gna Manu is not to blame here.
Great experience, we had...
rosanna s,Sep 26, 2023
- Review from Viator
5.00Great experience, we had an amazing time and would love to come back again next time. Seeing the kiwis so close was quite the experience and highly recommended to anyone visiting new zealand.
From NZ$80.00
Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour
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Operated by Ngā Manu Nature Reserve