How to visit New Zealand’s White Heron Sanctuary

Last updated on January 13th, 2026 at 03:20 pm

white-heron-sanctuary-whataroa-new-zealand — White Heron Sanctuary

The White Heron Sanctuary in Whataroa, New Zealand is a mystery of nature!

Every year the entire New Zealand population of white herons comes to nest in this one place and only this one place – from mid September to March.

Nobody knows why only this place. There are plenty of other very similar spots nearby and across the country, but no – they come to this one spot!

I love this place – partly because I went with my mum when she was dying and it was something she had always wanted to do but not got to yet – so off we went! We had the most wonderful time there.

First a few important links to use when you plan your trip. They are affiliate links, but I use them all for my travels, and if you do too it will help me keep producing this content – and at no extra cost to you. Cheers!

Plan for your trip

Flights – use skyscanner to find and book your flight – I often find the same flight for a lot cheaper than booking direct with the airline!

Insurance – Use EKTA or SafetyWing. TBH I usually use EKTA – any nationality, any age and its ok if you are already traveling – which is perfect for me!

Accommodation – use booking.com or Tripadvisor, or for a hostel – Hostelworld. I use all three.

Internet – buy a yesim eSim or Airalo before you go. I use both depending on where I am going.

Buses, trains, ferries – 12Go is always my first option for buses, ferries and trains

Car rental – use DiscoverCars – they are my ‘go-to’ car rental site

Tours and Activities – book with Viator, GetYourGuide, or Eatwith

Hiking – I use AllTrails for online and offline hiking trails – it means you know exactly where you are on the trail and makes getting lost a lot harder!!

Thanks so much if you use one of these links – it costs you nothing but helps me keep writing!!

The White Heron Sanctuary Tour

You can only visit the sanctuary on a tour, which leaves from Whataroa. I came here with my mum on a bucket list trip for her. It was a real treat.

The family that runs the tours have been in the area for generations and have great knowledge of the birds and the area. You travel in their minivan to the forest surrounding the sanctuary, where you walk about 10 mins along a well laid out path to a hide across the swampland water from the nesting site.

The herons all gather in this area for nesting. You are likely to see Spoonbills and Little Shags too. It was an extra treat for us to see the Spoonbills with their mating crest on top of their heads. It really is a beautiful little trip.

Tours leave three times a day during the nesting season – the great thing is they limit the numbers to 8 with a maximum of 10 people. The tour isn’t cheap ($150) but the money is well spent.

The family do a huge amount of work in predator control and maintenance in the sanctuary for DoC and to ensure the birds survive. I felt it was going toa really good win-win cause as well as an income for the family.

Early in the season the birds grow a stunning delicate ‘mating’ plumage. Later the chicks arrive and both parents care for them in the nest. There is something to see at any time of the season, but I would recommend mid season as the best time as then you are likely to see the mating plumage as well as the early chicks.

Note that you are across the wetland from the birds so a zoom lens is needed for close up shots, but the hide is set up well with binoculars and telescope so you will get to have a really good look.

A few things to know about the White Herons

The population of white heron in New Zealand is small – only about 150 birds.
The birds come together in Whataroa from September to March to breed. The rest of the year they live alone in places scattered across the country.
The herons are also found in China, India, Japan, and Australia. Scientists think the first white herons were blown with the wind to New Zealand from Australia.
The scientific name for the white heron is Egreta Alba Modesta , and the local Māori name is Kotuku.
The White Heron is featured on the NZ $2.00 coin.
For Māori in the past, it was believed that seeing a white heron, just once in your life, was great fortune. Likening a person to a kotuku was a huge compliment.