South Pacific
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Waikato Region
Otorohanga
Things to do in Otorohanga
Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park
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Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park

See all things to do
See all things to do
Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park
4
#1 of 8 things to do in Otorohanga
Nature & Wildlife Areas
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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About
The Otorohanga Kiwi House and Native Bird Park is a great place to see NZ's iconic kiwi birds up close & active in special moonlit nocturnal enclosures. There are 20 kiwi on site involved in the captive breeding programme and 4 or more on display in the nocturnal enclosures. There's also a great range of other native New Zealand birds & reptiles. We are just 15 minutes from the world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves and are owned and operated by a non-profit organisation dedicated to New Zealand conservation. Everything we earn is re-invested in the care of the animals and the operation of the park. Daily Keeper Talks: •10:30am kiwi •11:00am kea & kaka (native parrots) •12:00pm red-crowned kakariki (parakeets) • 1:30pm kiwi • 2:30pm NZ long fin eels • 3.30 pm kiwi The Otorohanga Kiwi House is open daily (except Christmas day) from 10.00 am - 4.00 pm (last admission 3.15pm). All tickets are valid for 2 days.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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3 within 10 kms
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18
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.0
752 reviews
Excellent
325
Very good
268
Average
91
Poor
39
Terrible
29
Nathan
Liverpool, UK47 contributions
Great time
Nov 2023 • Couples
Newly moved to NZ, and keen to see some local birds - this place was great.
There are two kiwi habitats in the dark - you need to let your eyes adjust but you can see them if they are wandering (we saw them quite a few times).
In addition, lots of reptiles incl Tuatara. The aviary was amazing, with Kakariki, various ducks, and some elderly kiwi!
The talks were really good - we went to the Kiwi one and the Kakariki one, the latter of which you get to feed them.
The park was having some renovations done when we visited - so there were a few things shut, but that was completely fine and to be honest a reason to go back.
They have some very good values, including restoring bird populations as well as using sustainable practices.
We went to the Thirsty Weta after in Otorohanga, which was very nice.
Written 18 November 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.
Jessica
Melbourne, Australia30 contributions
Stunning Birds
Aug 2023 • Couples
Although we didn’t see a kiwi, and we didn’t have time to go back and try another day, like we were offered. There were heaps of other birds there, the ducks that dove completely under the water and swam under the water was fascinating to watch, I’ve seen many ducks, but never any that dove so whole bodied under the water. The Kākā are beautiful and you could hear them as soon as you got close. The Kereru were beautiful and much bigger than you’d expect. All of the birds were in good condition and clearly well cared for.
Written 3 September 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.
Bborell
Manurewa, New Zealand7 contributions
These are not circus animals
Oct 2022 • Solo
Awesome native bird sanctuary. Unlike others I’ve been to around the country this is a bird sanctuary first and tourist attraction second not the other way round. Birds have much larger enclosures with natural settings, space to properly fly and places to roost. I found if you enter and stay very still and quiet for a while the birds tend to forget you and go about their business. For this reason small children might find it hard to get the most out of the birds but still worth a visit. Kiwi enclosure too seemed a decent size. Cameras in the nesting boxes also meant you can see what’s happening without disturbing them. Highly recommend.
Written 25 August 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.
LSQRD1
Kent, OH807 contributions
Worth a stop for bird lovers in the area
Jun 2023
This bird park was along our route through New Zealand. The Kiwi enclosures were nice and there were several other bird species on display. The exhibits were showing their age, in our opinion, and we liked the pond with the big eels. Overall, we were happy to see some native birds and if you are a bird lover, and in the area, it may be worth a stop.
Written 20 August 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.
Tracy B
Drake, Australia4 contributions
A must see in Otorohanga
Jul 2023 • Family
A great place for the family to see the beautiful wildlife on NZ. The staff had some really informative talks highlighting the history and conservation.
A good place to stop on the way to the caves.
Written 18 August 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.
nikki155
Prudhoe, UK20 contributions
Kiwis Kiwis Kiwis
May 2023 • Friends
Absolutely amazing place. Great value for money.
The keeper talks are very friendly, informative and funny.
Loved seeing the Kea and Kaka. They also have a wide range of other birds as well as reptiles.
But the best bit of this place is the Kiwis.
There are two enclosures which have 2 kiwis in. We were lucky enough to see the kiwis in both. One enclosure the two kiwis seemed to keep making each other jump. One poked one in the rear and it leaped so high in the air and ran off. They are super fast.
The gift shop is also very very reasonably priced and knowing the money goes back towards the upkeep of the sanctuary is well worth it
Written 10 May 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.
Joseph S
Seattle, WA10 contributions
See the Kiwi!
Mar 2023 • Couples
Always wonderful to get the chance to see the kiwi! We thoroughly enjoyed walking through the park and seeing all the different birds!
Written 6 May 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.
Ibbi
1 contribution
KIWI House okay - rest is a disastor
Apr 2023
Chose something else, this park is extremely disappointing, Kiwi house are small compared to other places. The rest of the park is extremely worn out, partly closed and birds are missing in half the cages - the place is sad and a disgrace.
Written 19 April 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.
JElliot32
New South Wales, Australia3,800 contributions
Kiwi viewing made our visitr worthwhile
Apr 2023
The Oto Kiwi House/Bird Park recently celebrated its 50th anniversary which is a great achievement, but parts of the place are definitely looking dated and daggy, This is especially so with some of the caged areas. And the entire wetland exhibition plus nearby enclosures were closed for refurbishment when we visited. The forest-birds aviary was a nice treat though, with a good number of red-crowned parakeets calling this place home. And the tuatara we saw (a big one!) was excellent too. But the biggest thrill for us was seeing a Brown Kiwi sauntering about through the gloom of the Kiwi Nocturnal House. A good talk on kiwis was provided b the guide, who also did a good job making sure everyone there got a look at the kiwi (it was extremely hard to spot at times).
Written 13 April 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.
lgecc
Molong, Australia162 contributions
Be sure you want to part with your cash for this.
Mar 2023 • Couples
We were given a map and told the tickets cost $24 per adult.
We should have taken the hint. When the staff try to wave you off, leave and save your money.
We did see a Kiwi, a dim view of a vague bunch of what could have been feathers and a beak. It was the beak that made us think it was a Kiwi but it was so dark that we were unsure. I know that these birds are nocturnal but there are better ways to night light an exhibit.
There is significant work being done on the site so roughly one third of the bird park is inaccessible. The aviary was underwhelming as there were very few birds.
Written 18 March 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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OTOROHANGA KIWI HOUSE & NATIVE BIRD PARK: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park