Saw 12 Tuatara today. Unbelievable. Kaka, Robin, Tūī, Saddleback, amazing day. Go every time we can when we go to Wellington.

We paid $26 each to walk around a park! We saw a few ducks and 2 other bird species. We see far more birds in our own garden! This was a very disappointing experience and I would suggest a walk around a local park would expose you to more birds than we saw at Zealandia. Don't waste your money.

We heard about Zealandia while we were in Wellington and decided to visit. In short, it is amazing!! For those new to this, Zealandia is an eco sanctuary which is entirely enclosed and pest free. The sanctuary is designed to protect species that were at risk in Aotearoea including Tui, Takahe, Tuatara and Kiwi. Zealandia runs 2 electric shuttles which are free but you can also donate to them using the box within the shuttles. The shuttles pick up from opposite the Anora hotel near iSite (where Weta and other day trips also do pick ups and drop offs) and also from the top of the cable cars. Both gave their own timetables which I can pick up either from iSite, Zealandia or the cable cars. Visitors have the option of entry alone or various different guided tours in the day, evening or night. We opted for entry and were amazed at how beautiful and stunning the sanctuary is. Visitors will have to conduct bio security checks on their clothing/bags prior to entry but once inside there are various different paths to view the sanctuary and wildlife. Visitors can travel to a heritage area with viewing tower for some great views. Along the way, there are feeding stations where you can see Kaka and another enclosure where tuatara lie waiting for sunlight. At weekends there is a boat which runs and also relies on donations. You are guaranteed to see and hear the vast array of wildlife at Zealandia and we would recommend visiting to learn more about why New Zealand’s wildlife needs protecting.

It was an amazing experience - we saw 3 kiwi, 1 morepork and heaps of tuatara, weta and glow worms all really well. Our tour guides Caitlin and Lara were brilliant.

Wish we had more time to wander this sanctuary. We would have loved to take a tour but the timing didn't work. We very much enjoyed walking on the paths and finding the birds and lizards. We encountered staff who were most helpful pointing out the different species. You could tell the staff loved their jobs. One woman was super excited to show us an albino tui. We had a light lunch at the sanctuary which was good. We really appreciated the free shuttle which picked us up and dropped us off from the top of the cable car. It wasn't clear to me how often the shuttle ran. I was also concerned because it only seats nine. I had made a back up plan (the Number 4 bus) in case the shuttle did not work but the shuttle was great. The shuttle was waiting at the cable stop when we arrived and took us immediately to Zealandia. When I asked how often the shuttle ran, the driver said "Frequently." He clarified that to be about every 20 - 30 minutes or so. Would definitely recommend the sanctuary if you want a peaceful walk amongst trees and birds. My only critical remark is that I would have loved a laminated card which would have identified the bird species which we could return to the sanctuary after use. Maybe that exists and we just missed it.

Amazing. Matt was a fantastic guide full of enthusiasm, knowledge and a passion for nature. We saw lots of things even a kiwi which just capped off the whole amazing experience. This is a must do tour if in Wellington, book well in advance as places are limited. Go and you will not be disappointed. Outstanding value too.

Interesting tour with information about zealandia. They are obviously very passionate about their work. Didn’t see a kiwi but obviously nothing is guaranteed with wildlife. Did see some rarities but overall not that much wildlife. Think there could have been more information to keep us all engaged though when we asked questions more info was forthcoming. The main issue for us was that the flora and fauna names used were all Māori names. Whilst this is understandable, to our English tourist ears it was difficult to remember the names. An additional ‘also known as’ in English or even the official Latin name might have helped. I came away remembering the visuals but not the names. As we were told, our entrance fees keep this place going so it’s important the guides put themselves in the tourists shoes and not just give out their own messaging.

Definitely try to do this tour. We took the evening walk - timed to maximize the chance to enjoy the sunset, see kiwis, and hear the songbirds. An easy and non-demanding walk, with a team of guides who provided a wealth of information. For a first-time visitor to New Zealand, the level of the country's attention to its environment is stunning. Taking this tour with first-hand exposure puts it in context - a project with a meticulous long-term commitment.

Firstly, what an amazing setup and organisation. They really care about the environment and wildlife, and taught me so much in such a short space of time. I started this tour a little envious of the people going out on the night tour, as kiwi are more often seen later on, alas there were no spaces left. Firstly, our guide Oliver introduced himself and fellow guide Heather, who would trek out ahead of us and act as a wildlife spotter. Next we were treated to a film explaining the ethos of the Zealandia organisation and the ambitious 500 year plan upon which they have embarked. Then we ventured out into the forest - or “bush” - and instantly saw / heard various birds which were pointed out to us and their habits / conservation plans explained. This is where Oliver came alive: his passion for the flora and fauna was unparalleled and infectious. Both plants and wildlife were pointed out and enthused about so vividly that you couldn’t help feeling the same about them. Heather did an excellent job of spotting wildlife up ahead, including a rare frog which Oliver revealed was only his third sighting! As the sun set we were encouraged to turn on our red light torches to help us spot wildlife and stay safe on the path, which (for me at least) added a sort of intrepid aura to the experience. Suddenly Oliver bade us gather around and revealed in the undergrowth a kiwi foraging for food. This bird stayed around for over 5 minutes, apparently unperturbed by our presence, before we moved on so as not to disturb. Next we saw a giant Wētā, again a rare sighting, then, astonishingly Heather spotted a second kiwi! This one soon disappeared into the forest, but as a group we felt so lucky to have experienced two sightings that we all left on quite a high. I cannot recommend this experience highly enough.

Such a cool experience! Matt and Rosemary were so knowledgeable about the ecosanctuary and all of the birds contained within. It didn't feel like we were anywhere near Wellington - it's so quiet and peaceful. We were so lucky to be able to see a kiwi off the trail with our red light torches at the very end of our tour. If you have mobility issues, be mindful because though there are clearly marked paths, there are also exposed roots and uneven terrain. Plus this was a tour at night and it was pitch black without the red light torches.

This is the most magical place- a wonderful haven for plants and wildlife. I went to university in Wellington in the 1980s, now live in the UK and had come to rediscover the city. Several friends had recommended Zealandia as a place to visit and I was not disappointed. I spent three hours revelling in the sights along the tracks- all the fabulous flora and animals. The guides along the way were so helpful and really contributed to the experience. I finished the trip in the cafe with an excellent salad and coffee. Special shout outs to Elizabeth the guide and Paul the shuttle driver, who whetted our appetite for Zealandia on the journey there with fascinating facts. It was an unforgettable experience.

not for the average adult or teen. Of course the grounds are pleasant & whatnot but there was not much to see (though I did manage to see one tuatara) at around 11 am in the morning nor even all that much to hear. I had allocated 2 hrs. but quickly changed my gait & easily covered all of it save the harder hiking trails in 1 hr. in order to catch the shuttle bus back down since it only runs once an hour.

We thoroughly enjoyed our twilight tour of Zealandia...definitely worth the time and money. We learned a lot on the tour and thanks to our expert guides, Allison and Autumn, we even got to see a Kiwi in the wild. Kiwis are nocturnal, and it was amazing that Allison and Autumn were able to detect one and point it out to us using their special red "night flashlights so as not to disturb the Kiwi. They made sure that everyone in our small group was able to see this elusive bird when we were fortunate to come across one. Not every tour is so lucky.

If you have any interest in wildlife or conservation this experience is a must-do! Party of four adults on a Thursday evening. Mat was our guide with Anthony assisting - both were fabulous. Saw some very diverse wildlife including Kiwi, More Pork and Tuatara. But coolest part was the ambitious, ingenious and dedicated nature of the conservation taking place there. Really awesome and highly recommended

Spent a few hours here. It was a great way to see birds native to NZ, though we wished a bit that we had done a guided tour as the staff probably knew the best places to see the different birds. Even so, we were still able to find most of the birds printed on the back of the map (no kiwis though because we visited during the day). The little fantail was our favorite diurnal bird, very fun to watch fly.