The 7 best places to see kiwis in the wild in New Zealand
Last updated on May 31st, 2026 at 10:23 am
What are the best places to see kiwis in the wild?
Well, kiwis are nocturnal and kind of shy so seeing them in the wild is not as easy as saying ABC! Many kiwis (New Zealanders) have not even seen them in the wild themselves. However, there are a few places that give you a much better chance of seeing them than normal. So let’s get straight to it – here are the best places to see kiwis in the wild.
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Plan for your trip
Insurance – Click here for travel cover with SafetyWing. Almost any nationality, its ok if you are already traveling, up to 64 years old. Or click here for cover with EKTA – any nationality, any age and its ok if you are already traveling!
Accommodation – book a hotel with booking.com or Tripadvisor, or, a hostel with Hostelworld
Internet – get a highly rated yesim eSim before you go – click here for yours
Car rental – compare prices and get the best deals with DiscoverCars
Tours and Activities – book with Viator, Eatwith, or GetYourGuide. Recommended options to see kiwis in the wild are:
1. Kiwi night tour from Auckland
2. Kiwi spotting on Stewart Island
3. A brilliant overnight kiwi spotting tour on Kapiti Island
4. Not in the wild, but guaranteed – Kiwi VIP Backstage Pass Tour at Franz Joseph
Buses, trains, ferries and Flights – 12Go is now my first option for this, but for flights you can also find a good deal through Kiwi.com
Hiking – use AllTrails for online and offline hiking trails – know where you are on the trail!
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Okay lets go kiwi spotting!
1. Trounson Kauri Park
This is a great place to camp AND to go for a nocturnal walk to get a very good chance of seeing kiwis in the wild. The campground is small and quiet, and the walk through the amazing kauri tree forest takes about 40 minutes. Its something you should do during the day to see the trees as well as the night to see the North Island brown kiwi. You might also see bats (pekapeka) and kauri snails while you walk.
Trounson Kauri Park is in Northland about 40km north of Dargaville on Trounson Park Road.
Stay in the campground, nearby, or at Opononi at..
High End – Waipoua Lodge
Mid range – Opononi Bliss, and for a small group or family – Waiotemarama Falls Lodge
Budget – Wisteria Way
2. Opito Bay
This pretty bay is worth visiting before dark and having a swim or walk on the headland. I went having heard it was a good spot for kiwi spotting, but didn’t really expect to see any. However, as soon as it was dusk out they came – two kiwis in quick succession poking their way around the bush and grass above the beach. Perfect – and so easy! I think it must be one the best of the best places to see kiwis in the wild!
Opito Bay is also in Northland 16km to the east of KeriKeri at the end of Opito Bay road.
Stay in nearby Paihia at..
High End – Tarlton’s Lodge, or, Sanctuary Palms
Mid Range – Rekindle Treehouses, or, Allegra House
Budget – Bay of Islands Lodge, or, ASURE Admirals View Motel
Backpackers – Bay of Islands Lodge, or, Centabay Lodge, or Haka House Bay of Island
3. Tawharanui Regional Park
This is another wonderful camping / kiwi spotting option near Auckland. The end of this peninsula is a regional park and fenced off to protect the kiwis and other birdlife from predators. You can book to camp here and there are other accommodation options as well. Lie in your tent at night and listen to the kee-wee callings.
You can also do night tours from Auckland!
Tawharanui Park is 70 kms and about 1 hour from central Auckland at the end of Takatu Rd out from Matakana.
Stay in the campground, or nearby in Matakana at..
Higher End – Matakana Retreat
Mid Range – Matakana Luxury Escapes
Budget – Bushy Retreat or Matakana Motel
4. Kapiti Island
The whole of Kapiti Island is a nature reserve under the care of the Department of Conservation. There is accommodation available on the island for overnight stays and you can book an overnight kiwi spotting tour to get the best chance at seeing one of the kiwis.
Kapiti island is offshore from Paraparaumu north of Wellington.
Stay in nearby Paraparaumu at..
Higher End – Greenmantle Estate Hotel
Mid Range – Raumati Sands Resort
Budget – Kapiti Lindale Motel & Conference Centre, or Theo’s Cottage
5. Ngā Manu
I nearly didn’t include this – but it is almost au-naturel and good to support this initiative! The Ngā Manu Reserve is worth considering as it is participating in the Kiwi recovery programme. You can take a guided night tour where you will be taken to a private enclosure to see the kiwi in their natural environment – as well as morepork. Even though this is in an enclosure you are not quite 100% guaranteed the kiwis will come out to forage etc!
Please note to double check the times before you go – there has been some confusion in the past!
Stay in nearby Paraparaumu at..
…any of the places listed in 5. Kapiti Island above.
6. Zealandia
This is a fully fenced conservation park. I also nearly didn’t include this, but it is more than 225 hectares so pretty much wild even though its almost right in the city. You can take a night tour here which is your best chance to see a kiwi here – although once again, this is not guaranteed.
Zealandia is in Wellington just a few kms outside the city center.
Stay in Wellington at..
High End – Bolton Hotel or for luxury – The Residence Suite at Bolton Hotel
Mid Range – The Intrepid Hotel, Quest 256 Lambton, Ohtel Wellington, or Sofitel Wellington
Budget – Sojourn Apartment Hotel – Ghuznee, or, Adina Citylife Wellington, and for Backpackers – Worldwide Backpackers, or, The Marion
6. Okarito
This is a remote little village with its own special kiwi – the rare Okarito kiwi. You can try your luck walking around the village area at night, but a local family-owned company takes small-group kiwi-watching tours which gives you a great chance of spotting the kiwi.
Okarito is at the southern end of the West Coast of the South Island, 30kms north of Franz Joseph Glacier.
Stay in Fox Glacier or Franz Josef at..
Higher End – Rainforest Deluxe
Mid Range – Aspen Court Franz Josef, or, Te Weheka Hotel Fox Glacier
Budget – Mt Cook View Motel – Fox Glacier, and for backpackers, try the Ivory Towers Backpacker Lodge
8. Kiwis on Stewart Island
This is the most famous place for seeing kiwis in the wild! Do the great walk on the island or just stay at a local hotel or hostel. Your chances of seeing kiwi at night are very high. If you want to be almost guaranteed to see kiwi you can book a tour with a local operator. But give it a shot on your own first as this is probably the best of the best places to see kiwis in the wild!
If you want to learn about the kiwi and feel more sure you will see them, this a great option for a guided Kiwi spotting session on Stewart Island, or try this Stewart Island: Wild Kiwi Experiences
Stewart Island is south of the South Island. Fly there from Invercargill, or take a ferry from Bluff (with sea-sick pills at the ready)!
Stay on Stewart Island at..
Higher End – Kowhai Lane Lodge with great hosts who will look after you well. or Evening Cove or Butterfield Beach Studio
Mid Range – Try either The Bay Motel or the South Sea Hotel
Backpackers – stay at the great Stewart Island Backpackers!
Places to see kiwis – but not in the wild!
Kiwis in the North Island
The Whangarei Bird Recovery Centre rehabilitates injured birds then releases them into the wild again. Around 60% of these birds are successfully released back into the wild – some of them are kiwis. Give them a call and see if there are any kiwi residents at the moment! There is also a dedicated nocturnal kiwi house at Kiwi North!
The Otorohanga Kiwi House and Native Bird Park has nocturnal houses where you can see kiwi as well. There are tuataras and other birds like the kaka there too. You can take a day tour from Auckland that takes you to the Waitomo Caves, Zealong tea, and yes, this kiwi house!
Rainbow Springs Nature Park in Rotorua is the largest kiwi hatchery in NZ. You can see kiwi eggs being incubated, understand the Kiwi hatching process see the newly hatched kiwi chicks in their state-of-the-art facilities. Book a ticket for the kiwi hatchery!
The Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre, north of Masterton, is a great option if you want to see kiwi in a nocturnal house, as well as plenty of other native birds and tuatara. There are feeding sessions and bushwalks – its a great place to spend a good part of the day!
Kiwis in the South Island
The Orana Wildlife Park just outside of Christchurch, has a breeding and recovery programme for the kiwi. You can watch he kiwis being fed at 1:30pm daily in the nocturnal Kiwi House. Book your ticket here.
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch has kiwi as well as kea, kaka, takahe, and tuatara. The Kiwi Nocturnal House is open from 10:30 AM daily. Book your ticket here.
The National Kiwi Centre in Hokitika has the rare Rowi kiwi, the Haast Tokoeka and the Great Spotted Kiwi. In the centre the kiwis are incubated and hatched. When they are older they are released into the wild. Book your ticket here.
PS – You can even see sculptured kiwis in Hokitika at the Driftwood & Sand Festival in Feb.
The Franz Josef Wildlife Center has two rare kiwi species – the Rowi and Haast Tokoeka kiwis. There is a kiwi viewing area and an incubation center for baby kiwis. You can see tuataras and learn about glaciers there too! Book yourself a treat, with a Kiwi VIP Backstage Pass Tour!
The Kiwi Birdlife Park is in Queenstown and has a breeding programme that enables them to release kiwis into the wild once they are big enough to protect themselves. You can see kiwi feedings and nocturnal houses so you can see the kiwis during the day. Book ahead here – you will see many other birds as well as kiwis, and given this used to be a rubbish dump – you will support a great conservation initiative!
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