Lots To See & Do

There’s lots to see and do in the Sanctuary!

Because there’s lots to see and do in the Sanctuary – you’ll find yourself wanting to come again and again, so keep up to date with our opening hours.

On passing through the biosecurity gates into the Sanctuary you enter a special haven where you can re-connect with nature and re-energise yourself.

The Sanctuary features an extensive network of well posted walking tracks; the loop track is perfectly suited to those wanting a fairly gentle experience, it’s even suitable for people in electric mobility scooters and wheel chairs. For the more adventurous there’s Carter’s Track and the Valley Track – both of which feature a number of river crossings.

During your visit we recommend you stop along the way, sit quietly – listen and look out for the many bird species that inhabit the Sanctuary. There are plenty of bird species to look out for! Pīwakawaka can be abundant in autumn, and riroriro sing their long melodious tunes in spring. Tūī are common in the lower valley and korimako, our most abundant bird species, prefers the beech forest. Our hardest birds to find are our higher altitude species like tītipounamu and pīpipi. The critically endangered kākāriki karaka is quickly spreading throughout the Sanctuary, though they spend a lot time high in the canopy. Kakaruai(robins) and ngirungiru(tomtits) have increased their range drastically since predator removal and can now be heard from the visitor centre onwards. Other birds present include: kererū, pīpiwharauroa(shining cuckoo), kārearea, kahu, koekoeā, kōtare, pūtangitangi, tauhou and occasional visits from kākā and kea. Kiwi pukupuku and ruru are usually only heard/seen at night time. Check out our night tours for a chance for an encounter!