New Zealand’s Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari launches new kiwi experience tour New Zealand’s Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari launches new kiwi experience tour

You’re likely to be familiar with kiwis (the fruit) and kiwis (the people), but we’re willing to bet there’s a good chance you’re unacquainted with kiwi (the bird) – at least IRL, that is.

But Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in New Zealand is offering you the chance to correct that through its new Kiwi Experience Tours, which are launching for the first time this spring.

Marking 20 years since kiwi were reintroduced to Maungatautari, the country’s largest ecological bird and wildlife reserve, visitors will be able to see the flightless animals with fur-like feathers up close during a routine health check before being moved to a new habitat.

Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is involved with growing populations of North Island Brown Kiwi across the western region, undertaking the country’s largest kiwi translocation project each year.

During the 90-minute tours, you’ll learn about the ngahere (forest), the 3,400 hectare sanctuary and its kiwi conservation efforts, and witness a kiwi health check.

As the tours will only be available as the sanctuary prepare for the birds’ translocation, limited tours are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from March until early April. Priced at NZ$95 (£42) per person, you can find out more and book your spot on the Sanctuary Mountain website.

As part of the tour, you’ll also be given a Sanctuary Explorer Day Pass, giving you access to the Te Tūī a Tāne (Southern Enclosure) which has 5 km of metal walking tracks. There are a number of different routes available, and, if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to spot birdlife including kākā (a type of parrot), kererū (New Zealand wood pigeons), pōpokotea (Whiteheads) and tīeke (North Island Saddlebacks).

Read next:

7 ways to unravel New Zealand’s Māori heritage

The 10 Great Walks of New Zealand

10 of the best eco-friendly stays in New Zealand that will get you back to nature