Okarito Kiwi Tours
Okarito Kiwi Tours
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About
Multiple Award Winners Okarito Kiwi Tours takes you deep into kiwi habitat looking for one of the rarest birds in the world. We are the only licensed operators on the South Island of New Zealand. We give you an impressive 98% chance of seeing the rarest kiwi in the wild. Required from you is a good attitude, empathy, patience and the ability to work as a team. This is not a circus, not a game park, not a zoo experience, this is the REAL DEAL. Please be aware that this trip requires a certain buy-in, ownership, responsibility and the ability to work as a team. 16 years of guiding experience with kiwi. This is an owner operated business at it best. A shining example of putting nature first. I welcome anybody who has the passion and ability to put in the effort to get the rewards. You will not be disappointed.
Okarito, New Zealand
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2023
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Okarito Kiwi Tours
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5.0
198 reviews
Excellent
180
Very good
13
Average
2
Poor
2
Terrible
1
Mark Newton
New Plymouth, New Zealand4 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
An engaging, enlightening tour. Ian really knows his Kiwi and we learned so much about them during this experience.
Despite being in the 5% who don’t get to see the birds, we still heard several of them and really sensed how close they were to us in the bush. I can imagine how Ian makes it possible to actually see the Kiwi - he really knows how to track and follow them, so you do stand a good chance of encountering them. We just weren’t so lucky!
Waiting in the undergrowth to the sounds of Morepork (endemic owls) was enchanting, and a clear night sky meant we tracked the Kiwi with superb views of the Milky Way and Southern Cross (and shooting stars!). It was brilliant.
Highly recommended.
Despite being in the 5% who don’t get to see the birds, we still heard several of them and really sensed how close they were to us in the bush. I can imagine how Ian makes it possible to actually see the Kiwi - he really knows how to track and follow them, so you do stand a good chance of encountering them. We just weren’t so lucky!
Waiting in the undergrowth to the sounds of Morepork (endemic owls) was enchanting, and a clear night sky meant we tracked the Kiwi with superb views of the Milky Way and Southern Cross (and shooting stars!). It was brilliant.
Highly recommended.
Written 5 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.
David P
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
We took part in a highly succesful and highly enjoyable Okarito Kiwi tour on 11th November 2023. Ian's expertise, based on 17 years experience, shone through and with lots of patience, standing in silence and following Ian's instructions, we were rewarded with outstanding close views of a male Kiwi and then a few minutes later the female as well. It was a great night. Highly recommended.
Dave and Anja
Dave and Anja
Written 13 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.
Dom B
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Solo
I highly recommend this tour if you want the opportunity to see New Zealands rarest Kiwi in the wild. Our tour guide and operator Ian was highly knowledgeable, professional and was dedicated to getting us the best chance of seeing a Kiwi in it's natural habitat while putting the animals interests and saftey first. While we did not get to actually see a kiwi on our tour, partly due to them being in nesting season and our chances being greatly reduced, we were lucky enough to get within 10m of a male kiwi in the scrub and heard it call out to it's mate. This was a once in a lifetime incredible experience and it would of not been possible without Ian's expertise.
Thank you Ian for a very memorable experice.
Thank you Ian for a very memorable experice.
Written 6 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.
Manuel W
2 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
I consider myself a Kiwi-Freak, so I had high expectations for this tour. What can I say, I was definitely not disappointed. Ian is the best man for this job you can imagine. He is funny and still demanding. Everyone who makes this tour and really wants to see a Kiwi in the wild has to follow Ians rules without any doubts. He does it for over 17 years and you can feel it every second. Besides the results speak for themselves. The feeling to find a Kiwi in the wild after looking for it a for few hours is just indescribable. We did the tour in February and it was perfect. You shouldn't expect to see many Kiwis jumping around in front of you, but If you want to see one crawling around in the bush in the redlight, hear their callings and even learn how their poo smells, this is it!! Thank you again Ian for this incredible experience. I hope you know how much this meant to me! Hope to come to Okarito again one day....
Written 21 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.
m00seman
North Port, FL38 contributions
Mar 2023
Ian is the best! Finding and seeing the rarest and very shy rowi kiwi is not easy, but Ian has the passion and the knowledge to achieve it! He sets things up for everyone in your small group to see the kiwi, without the kiwi even knowing you are there! Just believe in the process and you will be rewarded many times over! Our group walked quickly to the kiwi area and then waited quietly, listening to the moreporks call, waiting to hear rustling. Then suddenly someone heard something, Ian signaled us to join them. There we watched in absolute delight as a beautiful wild kiwi, Jolene, fed in the woods, walking back and forth, and even eventually coming up onto the trail in front of us. Just incredible! Ian helped us achieve a lifelong dream in a very meaningful way. We will be forever grateful to Ian and the lovely Jolene for this heartwarming and mind-blowing experience. If you really, truly want to see a kiwi in the wild, then you need to book with Okarito Kiwi Tours and Ian!
Written 14 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.
Jessica L
Sasso Marconi, Italy6,147 contributions
Feb 2023
I wanted to see a kiwi in the wild from the moment I landed in New Zealand...and Ian made it possible! I didn't want to see this amazing bird closed in a cage in some kiwi houses, I know it would have been easier, but I want to see animals in their own habitat, that's why I paid this money and opted for this tour. Ian wa a very great guide, full of knowledge, and he taught us how to behaviour to increase our possibilities of seeing the kiwi. The tour has only 7 people, which I think it's very good because the less we are the less noise we make. We were a good team, everybody did their best to make sure we spot the kiwi, and thanks to this and to Ian's skills we spot it!!! It was so exciting and breathtaking, very hard to be quiet when I saw it!!! Thank you very much Ian and thank you group, I'll never forget this night :) you made one of my dreams come true..... Jessica and Roberto
Written 16 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.
Alexander
Glasgow, UK8 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
Still can’t believe that we saw a kiwi in the wild last night - the very handsome Fancy! Absolutely incredible experience.
Ian is a phenomenal guide - the experience and passion just oozes out of him! So friendly and informative, and excellent at tracking kiwis. The night was a whole team effort and required a lot of patience and listening, which in itself is a brilliant experience. To be out in the NZ bush in the dark is an orchestra of wildlife!
Absolutely awestruck when we heard Fancy calling from afar, and then to see him come out of the bush 3-4m in front of us and stop to have a sniff, wow! We were absolutely blown away—it was an experience we will NEVER forget.
Once in a lifetime trip — thank you so much Ian!
Ian is a phenomenal guide - the experience and passion just oozes out of him! So friendly and informative, and excellent at tracking kiwis. The night was a whole team effort and required a lot of patience and listening, which in itself is a brilliant experience. To be out in the NZ bush in the dark is an orchestra of wildlife!
Absolutely awestruck when we heard Fancy calling from afar, and then to see him come out of the bush 3-4m in front of us and stop to have a sniff, wow! We were absolutely blown away—it was an experience we will NEVER forget.
Once in a lifetime trip — thank you so much Ian!
Written 30 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.
Cliff Reynolds
1 contribution
Jan 2023 • Couples
Fantastic outing. Walk through the bush. Standing quiet for a long time listening for kiwi noises as it approaches and ignoring the mosquitos. Ian supplies hats and face netting. And finally to have a kiwi pop out of the bush right in front of the group, all of us standing shoulder to shoulder. We could not have had a bettrr view. On cloud 9 on the walk back through the bush in the dark.
All of this was possible because of Ian, his planning and professionable attitude. And of course his molding us into a team.
All of this was possible because of Ian, his planning and professionable attitude. And of course his molding us into a team.
Written 29 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.
Rosie B
Castle Douglas, UK3 contributions
Jan 2023
A memorable experience for all the right reasons. It's never a 'given' that you'll see the wildlife you came for, but Ian's knowledge and clear instructions maximise the chances. His pre-walk talk and kiwi call recordings were instructive and interesting. Creating a team work ethos before we set off certainly paid off, too.
We all had a great sighting of a kiwi on the path after a relatively short wait. Being able to identify the kiwi calls was a bonus.
The walk in and out of the bush was an enjoyable experience in itself, as was simply being in the forest at night.
I'd happily do it all over again.
We all had a great sighting of a kiwi on the path after a relatively short wait. Being able to identify the kiwi calls was a bonus.
The walk in and out of the bush was an enjoyable experience in itself, as was simply being in the forest at night.
I'd happily do it all over again.
Written 27 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.
Thanks Rosie
It was great to meet you, all the way from Scotland.
Thanks for the awesome review, I was just reading the previous review and am pleased that you have been so realistic and positive.
We got a little bit lucky with the interactions and the calling, White Eyes re-appreared, to jump out onto the track to start his search for Husky after calling right in front of us.
6 great people !
This always makes the difference, put the effort in and you be rewarded. If you come with the wrong attitude and expect a bird to perform for you (like the previous reviewer) you will be dissapointed.
Come with a great attitude, be willing to work hard, be able to show patience and your chance of seeing a kiwi is very high.
Thanks so much
Ian
Written 29 January 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
David S
1 contribution
Dec 2022
An unpleasant evening. We had previously seen 3 Kiwi species on our NZ tour, all enjoyable experiences with the guides being competent and knowledgeable. Okarito Ian was not. It turns out that some kiwis are fitted with radio tags and he can locate them only by using a receiver aerial. If this fails (it did!) there is no plan B and Ian lacks the knowledge and fieldcraft, possessed by other guides, to find them. So hardly a natural or 'wild' experience at all. I pointed this out at the end of the evening and he shouted 'f*** off'! An unusual way to answer people who had earlier paid $190 for the tour. I'm surprised that this unpleasant man is permitted by the conservation authorities to operate at all, let alone with endangered species.
Written 9 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.
If you are reading this, I am pretty sure that you can come to the same conclusion as myself.
To put this night into perspective, This guy came out on the tour and was quite frankly not equipped with the skills or the patience and had zero empathy with the situation.
The birds I look for were incubating eggs, meaning that only half of the population were up and active, which made the job of finding kiwi very very challenging.
This info was relayed prior to the trip, with 99% of people coming with the understanding and knowledge that this is the 'Real Deal'
The birds are doing what they want to do, and are not coming out onto the track to show off because you have paid your money.
Dave was a complete Moron at the end of the trip saying 'You can't find a bird with a transmitter on, you can't find a bird without a transmitter on, its all a bit plastic isn't it'
This was about the most disrespectful thing I have ever heard from anybody coming on a tour.
To give you some perspective, I also received an email from his wife in the morning apologising as she was embarrassed by his behaviour !
I thought twice about replying to this, as this guy was terrible and did not deserve a reply.
On another note, all the other people on the tour showed great empathy and even came out again to see kiwi on a different night, infant they have been back twice since this night. Each night being successful.
I have to admit I did all this muppet to 'Fk Off' but to be honest.....he deserved it !
Written 29 January 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kelly M
16 contributions
What time does the tour start in January ?
OkaritoIan
Okarito49 contributions
Hi, every night is different...however...approx 8pm start time in January.
4acadia
Boulder, CO198 contributions
Hello! I very much realize the kiwi is in the wild and sightings cannot be guaranteed. Just wondering how often the kiwi is NOT seen...? My son's favorite being in the world is the kiwi. (we're from Colorado in the US, so a long distance affair). If you can see my profile pic you'll see him holding one during a health check - still considered the very best thing ever in his life (1.5 years ago). Something I am still incredibly grateful to make happen. I know that's tough to match, but I'd love to offer him a different and wonderful experience when we return to NZ. Seeing the most rare kiwi would be pretty wonderful. But...he's pretty sensitive about them ; ) and if we didn't see one... : ( So, just thought I'd ask what the chances are.
Thanks so much!!
OkaritoIan
Okarito49 contributions
Hi, thanks David for the answer to the question.
You are right, coming with me takes effort, participation, ownership and understanding.
My priority, is that you get to see a WILD kiwi in its own habitat. I emphasise that, infact, we are a visitor in the kiwi's environment and we all must respect that.
Taking and sharing these skills and thoughts and ideas enables us to see a bird doing.......exactly what it would be doing if we were not there !
Also, David is right....I cannot find a bird when it is raining, I am predicting where a bird will come out onto the track, while it is raining I have no chance to 'read' the birds behaviour.
Ian
Okarito Kiwi Tours