Tiritiri Matangi Island

Tiritiri Matangi Island

Tiritiri Matangi Island
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Duration: More than 3 hours
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  • PippaJ60
    Auckland, New Zealand6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fabulous trip. Don't miss it!
    From beginning to end this was one of the best trips I have ever done. Wonderful guides Stacey and Pam shared their knowledge of plants and birds along with the fascinating history of Tiritiri Matangi. I took a UK friend and it was my third trip. It surprised me that it still exceded all my expectations and I learnt and saw so many new things! While my friend has more to see in NZ, I am confident it will be amongst her highlights. Highly recommend it especially with a volunteer guide.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 15 February 2024
  • betteskid
    Boston, Massachusetts1,351 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing place - a definite must see
    We had a wonderful time visiting this special place. You access it by ferry from Auckland (one ferry per day) and spend the entire day on the island. You have the option to select a guided walk (I highly recommend doing this) that is really amazing. The island itself is beautiful and there are many, many native birds to see. There is also a small beach where you can go swimming if you happen to be there on a warm day. This was one of the very best things we did during our stay in Auckland.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 16 February 2024
  • flightattendant1998
    Omaha, Nebraska7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great one day trip
    It was a great one day trip. We paid $10NZD for a guide and it was totally worth it! We saw 20 different types of birds and the island was beautiful. There’s also a beach so bring swimwear
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 20 February 2024
  • EdR_12
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic bird sanctuary run by volunteers
    I've had a fantastic day. A small island turned into bird sanctuary heaven. Our guide was amazing. Worth payjng the small sum of $10nz for a guided tour. The guides know where the opportunity to see wildlife is the greatest, they can tell you a lot about the island and how it was turned into a sanctuary for rare species. Loved it. Great day trip. Suggest you book in advance. Make sure you bring water/drinks and lunch. You get free tea/coffee at the lighthouse and there's a lovely souvenir shop which they rely on as all goes back into the care of the island.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 2 March 2024
  • Léo R
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing day and super guide!
    Today we spend a couple of hours on the island and it was one of our best experience in New-Zealand. Malcolm, our guide, was the key of this success: he was adorable and teach us with passion his knowledge about nz wildlife. Thanks to him we’ve seen a lot of rare native birds, learnt many things and spent a great moment!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 23 March 2024
  • Sam M
    Santa Clarita, California20 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great Day on Tiritiri
    I saw the great reviews, so I had to book a tour. It was great. The Island, hike , and the tour guides were wonderful. My wife and I were the only 2 on our tour. Our guide was extremely informative and pointed out all the birds and interesting facts. I would highly recommend going if you are in Auckland a few days. The guide is only an additional $10 and well worth it.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 15 April 2024
  • Sophia G
    96 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wonderful experience
    Had the most amazing day on Tiri with our guide, Linda! We all returned desperate to come back for an overnight stay and hear the dawn chorus for ourselves. Such a treasure to have so close, we were amazed by the number and variety of birds we saw. Being immersed in such lush native forest for the day was so good for the soul. The walk we did was easy for kids ages 5+ and our guide allowed for plenty of stops for photo-taking, bird-watching and resting. We enjoyed the wonderfully-appointed visitors' centre and learned so much. We can't wait to come back!
    Visited October 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 15 October 2024
  • Charles B
    Oxford, United Kingdom508 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place with excellent guide
    We arranged a private guide through Gail for our morning walk on the island. Our guide, Peter, was excellent and everyone we spoke to praised their volunteer guides (there are around 190 volunteers). The bird life is very good and the birds are not too shy. Thoroughly recommended.
    Visited October 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 October 2024
  • T T
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nature lovers dream just outside the city
    Tiritri matangi was easily the highlight of my trip to Auckland. It’s a must do for anyone visiting. The island has been returned to a natural state through extensive volunteer work, and it feels like a privilege to get to visit it. For an extra ten dollars, you can add on a guided tour with the ferry ticket. It was worth so much more than this small fee, which also goes toward supporting the island. My guide, Ian, spent nearly three hours teaching us about the island, including its history, the flora and of course, the birds. His knowledge was extensive and his passion was infectious. I wish I had another day to go back again! Saw almost twenty different species of birds. Just sit and soon you become immersed in the forest as birds flutter past and their songs fill your ears. Absolutely worth it.
    Visited November 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 22 November 2024
  • Curiosity22850474796
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing visit
    We had a great time visiting! We booked a guided tour, which I highly recommend to learn a lot about the island from people who know it best. Our guides Toni and Catherine knew a ton about the history and wildlife, as well as all the previous and ongoing conservation efforts that have made Tiritiri what it is today. You should definitely pack a lunch (but if you forget, the ferry over has some snacks that can tide you over) as well as water. I'd definitely recommend coming here if you like nature walks, especially since the tracks aren't too steep or difficult.
    Visited November 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 24 November 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles1,967 reviews
Excellent
1,670
Very good
265
Average
24
Poor
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Terrible
2

David B
Brussels, Belgium11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
The guided walk on the Island was the best $10 we have spent on our holiday. The guides to this superb nature reserve are all volunteers and have a deep passion for the island together with extensive knowledge of the flora and fauna. Special thanks to Sahrah our guide who took time to show us so many interesting features. Her enthusiasm and energy were infectious. Would highly recommend this tour (be sure to book the guided walk at the time of booking the boat tickets .. it’s on the same web site but slightly tricky to find!).
Written 21 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lara S
Auckland Central, New Zealand163 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2024 • Solo
For a Kiwi this is a must do! Most of the New Zealand birds here you won’t see anywhere else and it is a real eye opener to see the birds behave in a pest free environment. Ferry feels pricey but it was an amazing day and I couldn’t recommend it more ❤️
Written 4 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paul S
9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 • Solo
Tiritiri Matanga is a magical Island to the N of Auckland reached in about an hour and a half on one of the Explore Boats. It is a natural wildlife haven with birds, insects and vegetation to explore. I would highly recommend a guided tour for your first visit, we had a longer one with guide Saharh who was very knowledgable about the Island and worked hard to ensure we saw the maximum amount possible including some special birds and a Large Weta. A great day out.
Written 14 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JJawandering
Lethbridge, Canada355 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 • Solo
This lovely little Gulf island is a beautiful protected sanctuary for native birds. I did a good guided tour led by a fit elderly lady who was a volunteer. We went on trails into the rejuvenating native forest. There were lovely views from the top of the island near the visitor centre.

Be sure to book this in advance, especially if you want a guided tour.
Written 13 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Suzanne S
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Friends
Tiritiri Matangi Island is a day trip by ferry from central Auckland. The 1.5 hour trip takes you past the northern beach neighborhoods and across the channel from Gulf Harbour to the island. The crew on Explore ferry Te Maki were caring and professional.
Once on the island, the short, personalized tour with a knowledgeable and passionate eco- hero guide is highly recommended. Our guide Pam helped us spot endangered stitch bird, saddlebacks, whiteheads, bellbirds, robin, my personal favorite the cute wee rifleman (like a tiny green ball of fluff) and of course the iridescent Tui. She regaled is with island history and stories of birds saved from the point of extinction.
Then we were free to explore the island and swim in the clear, warm waters of Hobbs Bay until it was time to return by ferry to the city.
This is a chance to support important science and New Zealand’s precious and unique bird life while having a fabulous gulf island adventure. Highly recommended.
Written 31 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mariasol3
Apia, Samoa6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
Definitely enjoyed time immersing with nature and seeing some of New Zealand endangered wildlife safely preserved here. Quite surprised how trusting the wildlife are with people passing by close proximity. Our guide Peter was amazing! Make sure to book your trip online and follow the guidelines given online, at departure, and on island. Return fare $95 Adult. If you want a guided tour it will be an extra $10nzd. Do bring your own snacks, water, rain coat, and sunscreen. No rubbish bins so expect to take your rubbish with you when embarking return trip.
Written 8 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KiwiRoadrunner
Havelock North, New Zealand222 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2021
This is an absolute gem and a beautiful day out! I strongly recommend you pay the bit extra for a guide. The guides are volunteers who spend quite a bit of time learning about the history, the birds, the native trees, etc. and they add so much richness to the experience.

When you are on the ferry, make sure to get one of the maps the DOC folks offer for sale (only costs a few dollars).

When you arrive at the island, if you have a ticket for a guided walk, they gather everyone up and describe the different walk options. Depending on the interests, they split everyone up so there were no more than 8 people per guide. It was very impressive how well organised it was.

Also key to note: all guided walks end up at the gift shop/lighthouse where the picnic tables are so they offer to transfer your pack for you so you don't have to carry it on the guided walk.

We did the Hobbs Beach, Kawerau Track, then done the Cable track to the lighthouse with our guide. After our picnic lunch, we then went back (on our own) to the wharf via the Wattle Track. I highly recommend both tracks as they are completely different. A nice thing about the Wattle track is all the water feeding stations which attract the birds.

Also, check out the gift shop - some nice items and the staff are super friendly.
Written 12 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MelodyAislabie
Mangere, New Zealand59 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
We had been wanting to do this trip for years and finally managed to get there after a pleasant ferry trip. We opted to pay the small extra fee for the guided tour which I highly recommend as we would have missed hearing and seeing many of the less obvious birds. We will be back again and plan to stay overnight to see some of the nocturnal activities of the local wildlife.
Written 26 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Heather A
Queenstown, New Zealand33 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
If you're interested in a beautiful day out in nature, take this trip. The ferry is lovely and passes Rangitoto, gives you a nice harbour view and takes you to this remote paradise. I highly recommend the guided tour, which is only $10, and frankly should be more, because this island relies heavily on donations and tourist dollars. These people are doing phenomenal work! Budget extra for their lovely gift shop and spread the word. The guide did a wonderful job of explaining the conservation efforts here to recover from the decimation cause by agriculture and predators. Now, it seems like it is an untouched piece of history, with beautiful birds in their natural habitat. This is a truly awe inspiring place to spend a day surrounded by nature. It should be one of your top destinations in Auckland!
Written 14 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Benjamin A
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2025 • Couples
Isaac was an excellent guide and very knowledgeable about the island and its many birds and trees, providing his own unique insight. Enjoyed being able to see the work that’s been done to help restore it, but mostly it was cool to see all the beautiful nz birds. Highly recommend, pack a good amount of lunch/water 👍
Written 31 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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TIRITIRI MATANGI ISLAND (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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