Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience

Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience

Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience
5
Boat ToursWalking ToursEco ToursNature & Wildlife ToursPhotography Tours
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
About
Ruggedy Range™ Wilderness Experience operate exclusively in Stewart Island and Ulva Island. We are an independent, small, locally owned and operated business, specialising in guided nature walks, overnight treks, bird watching (including pelagic birding) and kiwi spotting tours, wildlife and scenic cruises, sea kayaking and scenic road tours. Our tours are designed to capture the best the island has to offer and carefully matching this to the interests and abilities of the most discerning traveller. Whether you are a gentle explorer or adventurous and active, whether your interests are general or you are an avid birdwatcher, botanist, naturalist or photographer, we certainly have something to offer. Guides bring their in-depth knowledge, a sense of fun with a few local tales, to create a truly memorable experience. We care about the environment and strive to adopt and maintain sustainable practises. Visit our Ruggedy Range™ Booking Office at 14 Main Road, Stewart Island.
Stewart Island, New Zealand
Meets animal welfare guidelines

Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles360 reviews
Excellent
336
Very good
11
Average
3
Poor
4
Terrible
6

Lyndal C
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023
My wife and I had a really enjoyable afternoon on Ulva island with Furhanna as our guide. She was able to point to birds and stop so that we could get a really good look at them. We came away with a whole new appreciation of the flora and fauna of the forest. The following day we went on there own boat to Port William which again was very informative .we would thoroughly recommend Ruggedy Range as great value
Geoff and Lyndal
Written 1 February 2023
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.

Sue N
Cornwall, UK35 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022 • Couples
Before we arrived at Stewart Island we booked the Paterson Inlet Wildlife Cruise and Night Time Kiwi Watching with Ruggedy Range.
They specialise in taking small groups out, so you have more chance of having incredible wildlife encounters.
We were not disappointed. I would say that both trips were excellent, and the passion and dedication Farhana exudes is amazing. And her hard work paid off!!
On the boat we saw three species of penguins and had amazing and close views of albatrosses.
We also saw seal lions and other sea birds.
The highlight for us was the night Kiwi Watching. We had fabulous close (less than a metre away) and long encounters with a female and male kiwi in different locations. Just magical, and something we will never forget.
Only advice….be patient and be willing to follow Farhana’s instructions. Thank you so much Farhana!
Written 19 November 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.

Erwin
Utrecht, The Netherlands3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022
During our visit in New Zealand we really wanted to see the kiwi in the wild and read that Stewart Island was a great place to see them.
We’ve booked a kiwi spotting tour with Ruggedy Range and we were not disappointed. Furhana welcomed us, held a presentation about the kiwi and explained us what to do and what not. After this, it was time to go on the tour.
We entered the van and she drove around to places where kiwi’s come out regularly. Within 30 minutes she saw something and we got out of the van to slowly and quietly move towards the kiwi. We were lucky and got to follow a kiwi for about 40 minutes and in the end a second kiwi showed up, chasing the other one.

This was amazing to see and Furhana was a really experienced guide, she knows a lot about the nature on and around Stewart Island and especially about the kiwi. Would definitely recommend a trip with Ruggedy Range!
Written 20 October 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.
Thank you so much for your review - kiwi spotting is an art and you really need to understand a bit about kiwi behaviour in order to find them and view them with nil disturbance. I learn more about them each time I am out with my clients and it is wonderful to be able to share this unique creature with clients who appreciate and care enough to do a tour and learn about these highly unusual mammal like "birds". Thank you for joining us on our Ruggedy Range kiwi spotting trip. Best wishes - Furhana
Written 23 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jo_London_KT2
London, UK5 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Friends
I chose Ruggedy Range for a birding trip to Ulva island based on the 5 star reviews. No one on this trip would have given it 5 stars. I went on lots of tours in New Zealand and Ruggedy range was the only one that didn't solicit a review.

Furhana is rude and prickly. When she spotted birds for us she wouldn't tell us where to look or what it was until she had (irritably) herded us into position - which meant most of us missed it. We came across a kiwi and, after it disappeared again, she told us all off for making too much noise. Furhana herself had made the most noise by an order of magnitude running up and down the line issuing commands.

If you want a nature or birding trip in Stewart Island - try Beaks and Feathers, they were fantastic (and did ask for me for a review),
Written 27 March 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.
Hi Reviewer - thank you for your time with your review. I am sorry that you did not enjoy our tour. If you booked our tour in our office - we give you a voucher which clearly gives you all the options to review us. If you booked online or corresponded with us - our email signature gives you the direct links for all our social media pages so that you can leave a review. if you booked a package the last page asks for your feedback. It would be great if you provided the date you went on this tour with us so that I can follow-up with all the other customers. Will you do this please? As for being irritable and telling you off for making too much noise, I am sorry if that was how you felt. I do not go out of the way to be rude, I do ask visitors to be quiet if they are noisy. because Ulva Island is not a zoo with caged birds that cannot get away from noisy people. Birds do get frightened off by noise and everyone's experience is affected. There are many clients who appreciate what we do. To compare us with a competitor who has the luxury of access to private land for there kiwi spotting tour is bit unfair. Ulva Island is visited by thousands of people all year round and during the busy months birdlife is affected by not only noisy guides and their noisy groups but many visitors who are going there and treat this special place like another walk anywhere else. Best wishes - Furhana
Written 11 April 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sara
Christchurch, New Zealand24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Family
We really enjoyed our day with Furhana on Ulva Island. Furhana’s passion for nature is contagious. We had two kids with us (11yrs). Furhana was good at telling and showing them how to walk in the trails silently so that the birds won’t get scared. I thought t was fine that she also reminded the kids in case they forgot how to behave. I learned a lot about fauna and birds during the trip and the whole family enjoyed the day.
Written 2 January 2023
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.

Carla Rix
5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021 • Couples
We recently went on 3 trips with Ruggedy Range -
Tour of Stewart Island, Kiwi spotting and Ulva Island bird watching and we would book with them again. Furhana has a lot of knowledge about everything she does and makes sure you get what you went for. Furhana wasn’t going to give up till she found us some Kiwi’s of which we were privileged to be up so close to them truely a high light with these special birds.
Written 22 April 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.
Many thanks Carla & Graeme for taking my brochures and making time to check out what I offered and especially for being willing to wait for me to get the minimum numbers for the kiwi spotting trip to match your timeframes. As our booking office is the last on the road, although side by side with other businesses we are grateful when clients take a few steps along the road and check us out too. I appreciated your custom on our Scenic Road Tour, Ulva Island Birding and Kiwi Spotting trips. The smiles on everyones faces is thanks enough for being able to show you in a respectable way our very sensitive and special kiwi. We had some lovely views that evening. Best wishes for the rest of your holidays - Furhana
Written 24 April 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

KLW12_12
Auckland, New Zealand129 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
We had the most amazing time on Stewart Island thanks to Furhana. I told Furhana the tours we wanted to do while on the Island and the dates that we were there and she managed to fit it all in around tides, weather and other tours she was doing. She is one of the most knowledgeable and informative guide that we have ever had. I highly recommend that lady who is a sole owner/operator and runs all the tours and bookings herself. She is one busy lady but very professional and grateful towards all her clients.
Written 26 April 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.
Many, many thanks not only for your booking, but working with me whilst I ensured I could fit in all your options around the weather and tides. I enjoying having you all on my tours and especially for your empathy and understanding. I hope you have some good memories of the trips we did. Best wishes - Furhana
Written 2 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Maryanne T
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021
Furhanna is the most amazing experienced and knowledgable guide you could ever wish for. We went on the kiwi spotting and Ulva island tours with her and couldn't have asked for a better experience. She has been on Steward Island and guiding tours there for over 20 years she told us. When I first met her I thought she was a bit OTT about not making noise and following her instructions but I think it is this ability of hers to keep her tour groups under control that leads to amazing viewing. Don't be put off by what any of the locals say about her. We had already booked with her before we went to the island but if we hadn't we might have been put off and I think it is her slightly "bossy" manner (but only initially) that might have led to the locals comments. But we were super pleased with her in the end and can't recommend her highly enough. We did one tour with another "local recommended" tour company and the guide was young and lovely but did not have anywhere near the depth of knowledge or experience as Furhana and couldn't answer our questions and just didn't have the passion that Furhana has.
Written 9 April 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.
Many thanks Maryanne for taking time to provide your feedback. I care about my business and I care about the experience my clients receive. I especially care about the disturbance on wildlife. We can't continue to increase tourism and disregard our wildlife and nature - so I am careful to ensure my clients do their part in minimising any disturbance. This ensures that not only do they receive a better experience, but our wildlife are not unduly disturbed. I continue to be concerned by what "some" locals who interact with visitors are saying about me but I do not believe this has anything to do with the fact that I take control of tours to provide the best experience I can. I have and continue to get repeat work from clients within New Zealand and internationally. Sadly "some locals" continue to subtly or not so subtly discourage visitors from my business - this has been happening since I started my business. People who are discerning will better understand and know that strong relationships exist or personal agendas. My advise is that you checkout all the tour operators and find out what they offer and get the best match for what you want. I continue to do the best I can, using the experience and knowledge built up over 22 years of guiding. I encourage visitors to come and experience what I offer in the place that has been my home for 22 years!
Written 13 April 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Isabel Gomez Melenchon
Barcelona, Spain2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
The best experience in New Zealand. Furhana is an incredible guide, she lead us across Ulva I>sland and make us see all kind of birds with delightful explanations, but the most amazing experience was to meet the kiwis at night in Stewart Island. Furhana handled the encounter with care and responsability so we could enjoy seeing the birds without disturbing them. And we could even see the call of the female kiwi to the male, that is mot unusual. Ruggedy Ranfe is a must !!!!

Isabel Gómez Melenchón, Barcelona, Spain
Written 27 August 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.
Isabel - many. many thanks for your review. I had a wonderful time with Christophe and yourself and fondly remember the antics of the female kiwi we watched and her loud calling in front of us. The funny mating ritual when her smaller mate fell off her back was comical (but we remained respectful and quiet). The loyalty the pair showed each otheras they followed in one another's footsteps to their next destination, weaving in front and behind each other was interesting. We were blessed with the whole experience. I also very much enjoyed sharing the highlights of Ulva Island with you both. Watching you enjoy your time and what I was able to show you. makes my work so much more rewarding and worthwhile. Best wishes and hope to see you return from sunny Spain - Furhana
Written 23 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Philipp K
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Couples
Furhana is an excellent tour leader with a lot of knowledge of everything of this area. We did the Ulva Island Tour, pelagic cruise and the kiwi night spotting tour. All of them highly professional, very considerate for the wildlife and on a plus side we saw almost all rare birds including the Kiwi. Highly recommend her
Written 29 December 2023
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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RUGGEDY RANGE WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE (Stewart Island) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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