National Kiwi Hatchery - Kiwi Encounter Guided Tour
Description
See conservation in action at the most successful kiwi hatchery in the world! The National Kiwi Hatchery is the national leader in kiwi husbandry, egg incubation systems, hatching techniques and kiwi chick rearing. During your guided tour of the National Kiwi Hatchery you’ll get to learn about New Zealand's renowned kiwi conservation program which has successfully hatched over 2,600 kiwi chicks. You’ll get to explore the interactive kiwi burrow, learn about egg incubation and hatching techniques. And see kiwi roam and forage in the Nocturnal House. An educational, thought-provoking and truly unique experience, you'll get to see how we're helping kiwi at the largest and most successful kiwi hatchery in the world. A non-for profit organisation, your ticket entry fee goes straight back to our kiwi hatching programme.
Tour Options
Itinerary
See conservation in action at one of the largest and most successful kiwi hatchery in the world! The National Kiwi Hatchery is the national leader in kiwi husbandry, egg incubation systems, hatching techniques and kiwi chick rearing. When you join one of our experiences, you'll get to see kiwi eggs being incubated, the hatching process and newly hatched kiwi chicks. Hatching season is September and March and the highest chance for you to see kiwi eggs and chicks. Outside of these months you will have chance to observe our resident adult kiwi foraging in our Nocturnal House. Your ticket entry goes straight back to our kiwi hatching program. The National Kiwi Hatchery is located at the Agrodome, Rotorua.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be minimum 5 years old to participate
- Check-in 15 minutes prior to the tour departure time
- Hatching season is September to March, which is the best chance to see Kiwi chicks or eggs. Outside of these dates, you may not see a Kiwi chick or egg, but still see live Kiwi in the nocturnal house
- The facility is located onsite at the Agrodome Farm, Rotorua
- Children under 5 years of age are unable to take part in this experience
Reviews(314)
What a great experience to learn about the brown kiwi and what New Zealand does to protect this specifies of native bird. Our guide was very knowledgeable and anticipated our needs. She rearranged the tour to help allow us to get a good view of the kiwis before they went to bed. I’d recommend going mid morning so that the kiwis are still active and are not going to sleep early.
We loved our tour and can't recommend it enough. Our guide (annoyingly I forget her name!) was brilliant - extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate! The tour was really educational and so interesting without being too intense or info heavy. We went outside the hatching season but it didn't bother us at all, as we still saw 2 adult kiwis and an older chick which was amazing! Despite the no photo/video rule being in place for kiwi welfare, it also benefited us as it was so nice to just appreciate seeing the birds with our own eyes and be in the moment, instead of watching them through a screen like so many of us do nowadays. The work these guys do to help save such an important animal is incredible, and all your money goes straight into the hatchery and it's conservation work, so do yourself and the kiwis a favour and go!
Totally well guided and interesting. We need to go there. Our guide was funny; she spoke slowly at our request, provided all the relevant information, and answered our questions very well. You will not touch a kiwi, but you will certainly see some without disturbing them.
An extremely informative tour showing the amazing work of the Kiwi conservationist. Heartening to hear of the success of this work. We plan on doing it again between September and March when there will be even more to see then as there will be live eggs and hatching. We will be promoting this tour to our family and friends as well worth it.
Great. Wonderful guide ❤️❤️ Fantastic location and a great nonprofit initiative 🙏 🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀
A small, well-organized breeding station. We were outside of the breeding season, so we could only see two kiwis. In the rooms with the kiwis, it was very dark because the kiwis are nocturnal. Therefore, one could predominantly see quick shadows in the enclosure. Photos are not allowed, but they are also not possible.
Absolutely amazing experience. So much information and knowledge about kiwi birds! And we got to see several which was awesome :)
Great program with exceptional information provided on this iconic bird. The program is successful in helping kiwis thrive!
Arrive before April as there weren’t any babies as the breading season was over. Still worth it though
Delightful tour-thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Great pace and lots of education. Mere was an excellent guide and answered all the questions patiently and clearly. Great to see the kiwis. As soon as I win Lotto I'll sponser a chick !
