This trip was a treat. We were very lucky to be able to follow a kiwi along the beach as it fed off sand hoppers and then it drank from a fresh water stream. It was completely oblivious to our presence and because we could spread out in a line on the beach everybody could get a great view. Our encounter lasted at least 30 minutes. Our group was very well behaved and quiet. The guides Maia and Jos were both very informative and enthusiastic.

We were very disappointed by this "encounter experience". We were split into two groups. Our guide was very bossy and we were given strict instructions not to point our torches around and to make no noise, whereas she conversed loudly with her colleague in charge of the other group using her walkie talkie. We walked through the bush in wet, muddy conditions and she did not seem in the least concerned as to whether we were managing to keep up. She hardly even turned round when one man fell quite heavily. We "saw" one kiwi, from a distance of perhaps 6 metres, half hidden by a log. The guide obviously knew where to find it and even had a name for it! Not too wild... We were hurried on when everyone had caught a glimpse of it. On our way back to the boat those at the front of the group were lucky enough to "see" another kiwi behind a tree trunk - or was it the same one? I don't think we were told its name. I was fortunate enough to see its foot which was definitely a kiwi foot but people at the back of our group did not see anything at all. Our guide seemed to be mostly in a hurry to reach the boat as the other group were already back and waiting to go home. The best part of the outing was the preliminary talk in which we learnt about kiwi. The rest was not worth it. You would have as much chance of seeing a kiwi, given a little patience, at the rugby pitch above Oban and it would not cost you anything.

We saw one kiwi on our trip - a round shape about 20 metres away, amongst the seaweed, very difficult to make out with the torchlight aimed a little away from it, but we all agreed we did see it. I think I caught a brief glimpse of the beak through my binoculars, before the shape disappeared altogether into the undergrowth.

This was after walking for an hour through the bush, and then along the beach in near total darkness (cloudy and drizzling, so no moon or starlight). Along the way the guide threatened torch confiscation after some at the rear of the group apparently shone their torches a bit too far sideways.

Wildlife is not choreographed, so we just thought, bad luck, could have put our money to better use as it turned out. And could have had a good sleep instead.

How could things be improved?

First start out much earlier. We arrived at the wharf at 8.30pm as per ticket, waited 20 minutes till a briefing was given, travelled in total darkness, then waited at the jetty 15 minutes till the other group of 12 got a head start, tramped for 2 hours, and travelled back again in total darkness.

Second, have smaller groups. There were 25 paying customers on the boat, so 2 groups of a dozen. Hard to keep close together, and impossible for anyone other than the first few to see or hear anything.
And with smaller groups, the guides wouldn't have to get grumpy.

The best part was the excellent presentation from the guide at the start, informative and engaging.