New Zealand · PENGUINS KIWI AND WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS
20 reviewed
Good penguin & kiwi encounters fill up over a New Zealand summer and the best of them are gone by October. The 15 that stand out are below, with current prices and what makes each one different.
Gannet Colony Safari at Cape Kidnappers, from Clifton. Air-conditioned ride, cliff views over Hawke's Bay, and close gannet action.
“Fantastic experience, very knowledgeable driver and a great trip to do. Unbelievable how close we got to the birds!”
Watch tiny little blue penguins return to Ōamaru nests at dusk. 90 minutes of expert commentary, plus possible seals nearby.
“What could you not love about this experience with these cute penguins. We saw over 230 come back from a days fishing. The guides were great giving really interesting information. People need to behave, we are privileged to see these cute birds in their natural environment so we need to keep quiet and put our phones away without trying to break the rules. We also need to wrap up warm and wear a woolly hat as it gets chilly by 11pm!”
Rotorua Kiwi Hatchery tour: egg and chick viewing, nocturnal kiwi house, and 100% ticket funding conservation in 1 hour.
“Nico was an amazing tour guide! And so very knowledgeable! we were so blessed to see the 2 kiwi and a newborn hatchling just 24 hrs old!! 🙏 thank you for all the conservation efforts to save these National Kiwi treasures!”
Guided evening penguin viewing on Dunedin’s Otago Peninsula, with expert-led talks, close-up little blue penguins, and no-flash photos.
“This was an amazing experience and I would highly recommend it! It was very cold and windy down at the lookout point when we went so wear very warm and wind proof clothes (27/9). The tour guides were so interactive and friendly, and we saw a lot of penguins. The guides rotated our groups around the lookout point as well which was great and allowed everyone to get different views and angles of the penguins. The beginning of the tour also started with 30 minutes of an introduction and a bit of history which we absolutely loved. Great effort!”
90-minute Dunedin wildlife and penguin tour on Otago Peninsula, including a rehab centre, nature walk, and chance to see hoiho and kororā.
“Eden did a fantastic job, would highly recommend it!”
A 1-hour guided kiwi hatchery tour in Rotorua to see egg incubation, hatching, and nocturnal kiwi foraging, with a kiwi burrow add-on.
“Good visit got to see kiwis, guide was informative and helpful. Note all kiwis and exhibits behind glass and no photography.”
Guided boat cruise and torchlit kiwi search on Stewart Island, with hot drinks, small groups, and marine wildlife at dusk.
“I must admit to not quite knowing what we had booked, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it was so much more than just a Kiwi encounter trip. The guides were very professional, the crew friendly, and we had a fabulous time. We saw a Kiwi which of course was the bonus. Thank you”
Otago Peninsula wildlife drive plus close blue penguin viewing at Taiaroa Head. Small-group pickup, photos allowed (no flash).
“This is a very worthwhile tour, with not only the penguin viewing but lots of information on the history, geology, stars, and birds of this beautiful peninsula. I was impressed with the depth of knowledge in the interesting narrative along the way. Read more”
Spend half a day trekking with your own llama on Kaikoura beaches, then watch New Zealand fur seals at Ohau Point.
“Trekking with the llamas was such a surprisingly fun and exotic experience! Kevin, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable and informative. Our interaction with our llama was wonderful! I’m sold on those big soulful eyes, fluffy fuRead more”
Akaroa 4WD eco-tour to Pohatu Bay and Flea Bay. Feed sheep, ride to volcanic lookouts, and learn little penguin conservation.
“The conservation project is really nice and doing a great job of preserving the pinguins but also the native nature. Our guide Meg was great!”
A 3-hour evening penguin monitoring walk at Pohatu/Flea Bay, with a 4WD scenic ride from Akaroa and conservation support.
“Great to see the little guys and learn about the conservation efforts!”
Auckland kiwi spotting at Tawharanui Regional Park, plus stargazing. Track North Island brown kiwi in the dark with a local guide.
“Excellent tour . Highly recommend. My daughter, who is 9 y.o , absolutely loved seeing kiwi in the wilderness.”
Small-group Dunedin city sights and Otago Peninsula views, then a guided OPERA penguin reserve walk with binoculars, photo stops, and wildlife.
“This was a great day! Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgable and fun. We really enjoyed all the stops, especially the penguin reserve. So fun for my kids as well.”
A dusk kiwi hunt on Stewart Island, starting with a catamaran wildlife cruise, then a torchlit forest-and-beach walk for tokoeka.
“A great trip highly recommend, great guides, very knowledgeable and friendly, would definitely come again”
Six-hour Dunedin and Otago Peninsula tour with scenic drives and a guided Yellow-eyed Penguin reserve visit at The Opera.
“Loved the nature walk at Opera and seeing the penguins. Warren was a very informative guide. He was very easy to listen to. The tour was a variety of things to see and do. It worked well for our day off the cruise ship.”
