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Wellington Tours
Zealandia - Twilight Guided Eco Wildlife Tour
4.5

Zealandia - Twilight Guided Eco Wildlife Tour

By ZEALANDIA Ecosanctuary
Recommended by 96% of travellers
96% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Ages 5-99, max of 12 per group
Duration: 2h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
More


  • Guided walking tour of Zealandia: The Exhibition and Sanctuary Valley
  • Entry to Zealandia as a general admission visitor on the day of or day after your tour.
  • Hot kawakawa tea (a natural herbal tea) is served on the tour, to enjoy in the forest.
  • Entry/Admission - ZEALANDIA Ecosanctuary
What's not included
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off


Start:
  • 53 Waiapu Road, Karori, Wellington 6012, New Zealand
    Departure Point: Zealandia Visitors Centre Address: End of Waiapu Road, Karori, Wellington Directions: To get to ZEALANDIA at night we recommend you book a taxi or uber. You can call Wellington Combined Taxis Dates: See Availability
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5306P6

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • Children must be accompanied by an adult
    • Minimum age is 5 years
    • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
    • Wear sturdy footwear, bring extra layers of clothing and a waterproof jacket.
    • 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
    • Please arrive 15 minutes before your tour start time
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travellers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5306P6

    From
    AU$93.07
    per adult
    Select date and travellers
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    Similar experiences

    Itinerary
    • 53 Waiapu Road, Karori, Wellington 6012, New Zealand
      Departure Point: Zealandia Visitors Centre Address: End of Waiapu Road, Karori, Wellington Directions: To get to ZEALANDIA at night we recommend you book a taxi or uber. You can call Wellington Combined Taxis Dates: See Availability
    • 1
      These exclusive tours start 2 hours before sunset, when the last of the daytime visitors have gone. You will begin your tour with the highlights of Zealandia's interactive exhibition where you will uncover the unique natural history of New Zealand and hear about the 500-year vision of the sanctuary. Your guide will then lead you on an after-hours tour through the regenerating valley during one of the most active times of the day for many of our species. Encounter unique wildlife such as wētā, takahē, tuatara and more. You may even experience the first sounds of the nocturnal birds, such as kiwi and ruru (morepork) as they wake.
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • ZEALANDIA Ecosanctuary
      2,921
      Wellington, New Zealand
    • MattoTravel
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      Nice
      I liked it. Nice walk near city. Lots of birds and a tuatara or two. Quite chilled. Peaceful. Calming. Nice gift shop and friendly staff.
      Written 28 November 2024
    • car0T
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Highly informative tour
      Having left it too late to organise any tour other than a daytime one while spending 2 nights in Wellington we were not sure whether we would enjoy a tour or not. We had, after all, spent 3 weeks in the South Island visiting bush areas. However, our guide, Matt, was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and amenable to answering questions and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour. What an amazing project Zealandia is and great to see so many children there too.
      Written 25 November 2024
    • Linda M
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fabulous Zealandia
      Wow! We absolutely loved this tour. Oliver led us and Amanda and Sharon went ahead of us to spot the animals. We were fortunate to be able to see the spotted kiwi, tuatara, and pateke and we were surprised to see glow worms. Friendly, knowledgeable staff and a nice gift shop. They even served us tea made from the leaves of a pepper-like plant after the tour. They are passionate about their mission and do an excellent job of explaining the natural history of NZ and their 500 year vision for the future. Well worth a visit.
      Written 25 November 2024
    • F5670UCmichaela
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Well worth a visit
      Really interesting goal to restore the habitat and wild life. To get full value and understanding of what has been achieved and what is still to come I recommend using one of the passionate guides.
      Written 22 November 2024
    • Nickki A
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Zealandia vision inspirational
      Amazing place with inspiring history. Maria was such a great guide- her passion and knowledge added so much to the experience. Learnt and seen so much in such a short time. Lovely little boat ride added to the fun.
      Written 19 November 2024
    • writedesign
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A Real Highlight!
      We were on a cruise ship and had to find our way past ship shuttles, the cable car, and a van to take us to the site. It was wonderful!! I'm ready to move to Wellington to become a member! Got to see many new bird species. Did as many trails as I could handle.
      Written 11 November 2024
    • Excursion396591
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great, informative tour
      Very informative tour. We saw and heard a number of New Zealand birds and plants. It was so helpful to learn more about the different species. We were fortunate enough to see a kiwi on two different occasions. While there's no guarantee, it's nice that there was a ranging guide ahead of us besides the guide giving commentary who was on the lookout for spotting opportunities. The gift shop is also lovely and it's great that they keep it open after the evening tour concludes so we could still make our purchases :)
      Written 4 November 2024
    • G3657WKjohnc
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Zealandia - a must place to visit
      This place is amazing. Being up close to some of NZ's most iconic native birds is an experience I will not forget. If you are in Wellington, you must visit Zealandia. My wife and I self-guided around the ecosanctuary, almost Jurassic like walking in native bush with native birds flying around you.
      Written 27 October 2024
    • DaltonGaudin87
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Beautiful birds, great tour! Worth a visit.
      Our tour guide Lorna was really friendly and knowledgeable. She took us on a really informative walk through the sanctuary. It’s a beautiful place with lots of pretty birds. The perfect forest hike. Their mission is worth supporting.
      Written 21 October 2024
    • FlyingClog
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Incredible experience - A must do !
      Came for a nite tour and had an extremely knowledgeable guide. Given "red lights" to help guide on the paths and to not scare the wildlife. Was able to see many types of birds, lizards, plant / tree life and the highlight of the night - a kiwi. The sanctuary do amazing work to preserve the natural flora and fauna of NZ and this was a great experience.
      Written 18 October 2024
    • martincS2512NK
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Good if you are reasonably fit.
      Very impressive. Good signage. Tuatara easy to see. Good selection of NZ native birds but only in small numbers. Paths good quality but one needs to be reasonably fit as many of the paths are steep. Plenty of toilets Shop disappointing and expensive, with a lot on offer made in China.
      Written 11 October 2024
    • Happiness02024602995
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A must do experience in Wellington
      This was an experience that exceeded all my expectations. From the free shuttle service making it easy to get there to the excellent coffee in the cafe. The philosophy of the place is really awesome and what they have achieved is astounding. I saw so many birds and tuataras close up in their natural habitat it was amazing. The paths were beautiful kept and the walk enjoyable. Almost every bird mentioned on the entrance sheet was spotted. A great very reasonably priced activity for all ages.
      Written 1 October 2024
    • nchristos
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great up-close experience to see NZ wildlife!
      What a great, educational experience! When learning about NZ wildlife, this is a great experience to get up close and learn from the great tour guides! We did the night time tour and although we weren't able to 'see' everything that you see during the day, it was interesting as we got to see the kiwi bird several times in their natural habitat, which is the whole reason we did this tour. The tour guide was great - she kept us informed throughout the tour and educated us on the NZ wildlife. Great family or couple experience.
      Written 6 September 2024
    • Ruben L
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing nature and well maintained and organized hiking tracks
      I went there early in the morning till the afternoon and it was awesome. I saw so many different birds and could hear even more of them. No matter where you walk/ hike, it‘s a sound experience in and of itself when you take into account all of the different bird sounds that you literally hear all the time. The tracks themselves are organized and it‘s hard to get lost if you take a good look at the map beforehand, but even if you don‘t, there are many maps with „you are here“ indicators along the way as well. The rainforest like forest that you walk through is also incredible, large ferns, palm trees and various other cool plants surround you at all times. If you are in Wellington, then you definitely have to check it out. I just bought the general admission ticket, which is valid for 48 hours, so I could hike where I wanted to but you can also book a tour. Overall, I definitely recommend visiting the ecosanctuary and just see it for yourself.
      Written 4 September 2024
    • Janice_travels_lush
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Nature IN YOUR FACE
      Your part of the exhibit view rare New Zealand birds and reptiles face to face on the trails or onboard the cute boat. An amazing story of restoration and also prehistory larger than life on the screen.
      Written 7 August 2024
    See all 2,921 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    4.5
    4.5 of 5 bubbles26 reviews
    Excellent
    22
    Very good
    3
    Average
    0
    Poor
    0
    Terrible
    1

    jesseMN
    Savannah, GA200 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    $95 Snipe hunt conducted with little structure and direction, too much backstage information masking as your tour of animals in hiding unless they are feeding them (parrots). Wave red flashlights around for 15 minutes.
    SAVE YOUR MONEY. Ducks and tiny fish can be sent in many waters. NZ zoos. Botanical, gardens., and museums are much more informative and will not waste your precious vacation time. It is not accessible. Our guide gave the tour to a few people who could crowd around her to be able to hear her mumbles.
    Written 17 January 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    lonk55
    Irvington, NY110 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Truly a highlight of our trip! Two guides and the two of us walking Zealandia for 2.5 hours. What a tremendous undertaking Zealandia is, and what a success it seems to be. Starting at dusk, we first got to witness the birds, many of which were endangered, coming back to the preserve to roost. Nico led the way, accompanied by Ruth, and identified species by appearance, flight patterns and call. At dark the adventure truly started. Aided by infrared lighting Nico showed us birds, lizards, insects and, best of all, 5(!) separate kiwi sightings! We can’t recommend this highly enough and the private tour added to the experience.
    Written 25 April 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Fforde
    Manchester, UK433 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2021
    A dusk tour offered the best of Zealandia, with the start of the tour having a plethora of bird song and flying birds catching insects. Lots of tui, piwakawaka, takahe that came close enough to eat your shoelaces. A number of tuatara were sunning themselves. After a hot cuppa provided by Alison and John, the tour guides, we started the night portion of the tour. Kiwi and tuatara were again to be seen, along with glow worms.

    Easy walking paths with seats to rest. There are steps to assist those of short stature to see tuatara.
    Written 12 February 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks for visiting, we're thrilled you enjoyed your Twilight Tour!
    Written 14 February 2021
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Julia @Scrumptious Solent
    Southampton, UK4,387 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We did the nighttime tour with knowledgable guide (Alan) and scout volunteer (also called Alan) and very much enjoyed our trip. Walking round the sanctuary at night is a very different experience and although we didn’t get to see the elusive kiwi, we did get to see the tuatara (lizard type creatures), the takahe (bird), the kereru (bird) glowworms, weta, ducks, fish and a variety of other birds. You’re given red torches so you can try and spot wildlife and earphones so you can hear the guide easily.

    It was interesting to hear how New Zealand’s flora and fauna had evolved since the arrival of man, and their plans to return the area to indigenous flora and fauna.

    Your evening tour ticket also lets you return first free the following day during daylight so you can see the sanctuary from both perspectives.
    Written 21 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    MLYang
    Singapore224 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Pleasant and knowledgeable guide. Quite enjoyed the twilight tour although we didn’t really get to see much more than what we saw when we visited Zealandia earlier in the afternoon. Price tag is a little on the high side but I suppose it’s a cause worth supporting. Worth a visit if the weather is nice but one visit is good enough for me.
    Written 11 March 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Sophie
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2020
    I did the Zealandia by night tour with a friend as a 'leaving Wellington' gift and we had the most wonderful time.
    Clarisse from the Tours Team was so helpful and positive via email when booking.
    Jac was our tour guide, she was a delight! Shared a plethora of knowledge, answered a multitude of questions. The walk was beautiful and we got to see so many birds. We could really feel Jac and Judy's genuine love for Zealandia and the work it does.
    Thank you for all you do at Zealandia!
    Written 20 December 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you for your review, we're so glad you enjoyed your ZEALANDIA By Night tour!
    Written 21 December 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    PMarch
    Tacoma, WA108 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2023 • Solo
    Unusual and fun experience. Thankfully, we had good clear weather to enjoy the tour and headsets and flashlights were provided. Emily was an engaging, knowledgeable and passionate guide with excellent assistance from Byron as a spotter. Zealandia is wonderful representation of all the work that New Zealand is trying to do in preserving the natural habitat and reversing some of the damage of the past. Highly recommend this tour day or night.
    Written 26 November 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Mikey Smyth
    Wellington, New Zealand7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great tour last night with Troy, we saw a kiwi, tuataras, keas, tui, wetas, frogs, spidrts, slugs, bugs and so much more. Even if we hadn't seen a kiwi still would have had an amazing time. Loved hearing about the history of the reserve and efforts of all the volunteers to sustain it fir the future.
    Written 25 October 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thanks for your review! We're thrilled you enjoyed your ZEALANDIA By Night tour.
    Written 26 October 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    David W
    Washington, District of Columbia, United States27 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2024 • Couples
    We took the twilight tour (the night tour was booked) and were glad we did. We saw lots of birds before dark and particularly enjoyed hearing their songs. Then after dark we were lucky enough to spot a kiwi. Guide (Alan) was terrific as was his sidekick (Ava). Gift shop is unusually interesting. Remarkable that the city and citizenry created this oasis.
    Written 8 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Journey31183358395
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2024 • Family
    Our guide, Amanda, and volunteer scout Anthony made sure we had the most amazing visit. Amanda was very knowledgeable and Anthony scouted ahead so that we were able to have encounters with the wonderful wildlife. We were fortunate to see three Kiwi - sigh! Zealandia is a fabulous place and we were glad to be able to visit and support the protection of the various species that reside there. Going at twilight was extra special - I'm so glad we chose this tour.
    Written 14 April 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    Zealandia - Twilight Guided Eco Wildlife Tour provided by ZEALANDIA Ecosanctuary

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