On my first day in Wellington, I took the Cable Car to the top planning to explore the Botanical Gardens. Getting off the Cable Car, there was a sign and driver for Zealandia, so I asked what it was. It ended up being a highlight of my entire trip: if you're a fan of birds, gorgeous landscapes, and flowers, this is a must-visit spot for the whole family. The free shuttle takes about 10 minutes winding up hill (I don't recommend trying to walk), and takes you right to the entrance. You can also catch the shuttle back here about every 20-30 min. The welcome center has restrooms and a gift shop, plus the ticket booth. Prices are reasonable for what you're going to see, and they let you in two days if you want to come back. They also offer guided tours with experts who will show you the birds and tell you about them. The sanctuary goes up the valley and has winding paths, both easy and clean, and more difficult and progressively muddier. So basically, anyone can come here and enjoy it. There are open field areas, lakes and streams, mountain sides, etc. I did all the main paths, but there were even longer ones that go farther away if you have the time. There are fences and gates everywhere to protect against invasive species like possums, so you can learn about what these amazing birds are facing. Throughout there are bird feeders, so you'll get to see rare birds here no matter what. There are educational signs everywhere too, so you can learn what you're looking about and where they're from. It's worth going to the dam and bridge at the end of the valley, you can see panoramic views of Zealandia and Wellington beyond. I took so many photos here, they barely do it justice. This is a must-visit natural attraction in Wellington. read more

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Zealandia is truly a conservation wonder - the level of care and attention NZ has put into protecting and repopulating their native wildlife is absolutely incredible! The ticket in is pricey ($60 NZD pp) but worth supporting such an incredible cause. The amount of land Zealandia covers is INSANE - something like 60 hectacres or something? And they spent yearsssss ridding the area of invasive species so that native animals could live peacefully and repopulate. The opportunities to see native wildlife here is wonderful - we saw Kaka, Kea, Takahe, and more! The guided tours are at certain times and cost extra, but we found that going through the park with a Zealandia guide was really valuable. Our guide, Grant, was a wealth of knowledge and knew all the best spots to spot and talk about the unique insects, birds, reptiles, and creatures in the park - that we likely wouldn't have spotted on our own. Plan to spend 2-3 hours here - it's large and there's a lot to see! An awesome organization and project to support. read more

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I highly recommend coming to Zealandia if ever in Wellington / Pōneke. It's the largest urban Eco-Sanctuary in the world and it is truly inspiring what they are trying to accomplish here. I wasn't sure at first which tour to select as we were traveling from overseas for our honeymoon but I'm glad that we chose the twilight tour as it was really magical to both see and hear the transformation from day to night. Not only was our tour guide nice, polite and informative but the landscape was completely stunning. I couldn't believe we were miles away from Wellington's CBD as it felt like we were transported to another island. We were so excited to encounter a takahē, a kiwi bird and multiple tuataras during our tour! It made our time there so exciting to see them wild in their natural habitat. To be amongst them walking freely was memorable. Try the twilight tour at Zealandia you won't regret it! read more

This place sounds like Rivendell from LOTR. I could've spent all day just listening to the beautiful birds that live in this awesome habitat. My husband and I just did general admission tickets. It was odd because we were told to walk out and stay on the trails. Well we went out and there was a tour group there so we tried to go around them since we didn't pay for the guided tour. Well we were yelled at to say we have to do the bag check before going in and we can't just go. There were no signs or anything and no one told us, so that was weird. After the "ok nothing is in your bag or pockets that is banned" (even though no one even looked in people's backpacks- we didn't have one), we were allowed to pass the group. It was a very odd and unfriendly encounter. Once we were in, there were different trails to pick- paved (handicap accessible) and more of a trail with dirt and hills. We chose the trail- it was good exercise. I had though this would be like a zoo exhibit where the birds were in large cages. Nope- think of it as the T-Rex paddock in Jurassic Park: contained but they show up when they want. We could hear tons of birds and it was just the coolest thing, but didn't see much until we crossed the dam to the other side. Saw some bright parrot-type birds and some large ones that were swooping overhead. I was sad to have not spotted any kiwis (I was unaware there were night tours with almost guarantee a sighting). This is a very neat place if you like the outdoors, but don't think you will 100% see something. We had to stop and really look at times to see what bird was rustling in the leaves. read more

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Fabulous place and a worthwhile cause! We took the night tour and I couldn't recommend it highly enough. We saw a kiwi bird! The location is remote feeling yet accessible by car and bus. When you are inside the reserve, it feels a million miles from the city. We saw so many birds, bugs and lizards, each one we learned enough about to feel like I had speed dated one of the species. We learned to identify some of the bird calls and about the mission of this amazing group. Our tour leader was Allison, assisted by John. I can't say enough good things about these dedicated people. I have a bias - that people who volunteer their time are nicer than average and these two were helpful, knowledgeable and passionate about the work that is being done here. The night tour was an amazing activity. We saw the daytime birds as the went to sleep, and the nocturnal birds as they woke up. AND WE SAW A KIWI BIRD! read more

Love it. Love it. Love it. This is a huge peaceful area with lots of trails. One very easy trail goes a long was back and passes by interesting animals and birds (with feeders). There are benches in key areas for the tired. Bring your camera. I love the trails, walking on the bridges over big valleys and seeing the natural habitat. There is something so special about bringing back the native vegetation and animals to this sanctuary. I am a huge fan. read more

I was really looking forward to Zealandia. Being able to get up close to native birds, insects and reptiles in a sanctuary while doing some bush walking sounded like a nice day out. The highlight of Zealandia was definitely the bush walks. It was nice to be outside and Zealandia has beautiful views, with a walk to the upper dam and also along the river flowing through. Another highlight was seeing a Tuatara up close and hearing all the birdsong along the way. But these were the only good things about Zealandia. To be honest, I didn't see as many birds as I would have liked to. Sounds funny, but I've seen more Tui's in the trees down my driveway than I actually saw at Zealandia. Pretty disappointing I must say! As for the other birds, well we saw the odd saddleback at a feeding station, but in 10 seconds, they fly off and you don't see any for a while. The bird we saw the most was the blackbird, which is not a native bird and is most commonly seen around Auckland. It seemed as those this was the most popular bird at Zealandia. Another set back is definitely the general admission price. At $17.50, it is pretty expensive. Initially, I thought this was a good price, considering what they are doing to protect our native birds, insects and reptiles, but honestly after the experience and seeing so little, I would rather have visited the Botanic Gardens again (in Wellington) where we saw Tui's and a Kaka (also a native bird) for free or if I'm in Auckland, I would pay a little bit extra and go to Auckland Zoo or Tiri Tiri Matangi - at least at these places you actually get what you pay for and you can really experience our native wildlife. Overall, I was disappointed with Zealandia. I had high hopes for this wildlife sanctuary, but it did not live up to its promise... I so wish it had!!! read more

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Maybe my favorite thing in Wellington. Yes, this is a real life Jurassic Park for New Zealand including 2 of the 240 Takahe in which you can get within a meter of! The paths are gorgeous, animals fascinating, and well worth the price of admission (and more than likely the membership if you'll go more than 4 times in a year (yes, you will)). Add this to any Welly's list (and perfect for vistors like myself!). read more

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Spectacular eco-sanctuary! Such a large preserved sanctuary. Take one of the guided walls and sirens the rest of the timing roaming the park, immersing yourself in the sounds and beauty of New Zealand prior to the arrival of European settlers read more

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Zealandia Ecosanctuary exceeded my expectations! The best way to describe it is a fenceless zoo, besides the perimeter fence protecting the inside wildlife, of course. There's so many different kinds of animals to see, and it was an all around amazing experience. Value for money is great, as this is a one-of-a-kind experience. I would definitely say this a must-see when visiting Wellington. read more

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I visited Zealandia during covid-19, so there were no international tourists around. Having said that, there were still a lot of people enjoying the sanctuary. I spent around two hours wandering through the tracks, enjoying the birds, water features and lovely native bush. I could easily have spent longer there. There are well made tracks and a map available. I hadn't realised what a beautiful, peaceful and interesting place it was - and so close to the city. It's marvellous. Coffee at the Rata Cafe is good too. I will definitely return. read more

Exceptionally well done! The entire facility is well planned, constructed, and executed; our guide was clearly doing this as a labor of love and had exceptional academic-level knowledge of the animals/flora/fauna; encountered several species we never would have seen otherwise. We spent 33 days in New Zealand, this was one of the top highlights. GO! read more

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This eco sanctuary was awesome. We went on a guided tour of the sanctuary with Grant, who was the best guide we could've hoped for--very knowledgeable, kind, and an amazingly interesting person. We saw almost all the native birds up close on our beautiful and relaxing walk through the lush forest by streams and lakes and filled with birdsong. It was so educational and beautiful that my husband and I tried to get on the evening tour to see some kiwis but it was full! Oh and also, the cafe is excellent. Definitely a must do if you are in Wellington! read more

Worth every minute. Spent the entire bright sunny day there exploring the area and paths beyond the dam and away from the crowds. Lots of happy birds and plants going upon their lives. Staff was all friendly and helpful. Boat ride is worth the wait. And that movie about the discovery and chopping down of old New Zealand was sad and insightful. Seeing that Moa get beaten down and shed a tear before dieing was a bit much but I got the point. Definitely come pay a visit! read more

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LOVED this place! I was fortunate enough to see all the birds (minus the kiwi, though we did hear both male an female calls). I was also incredibly lucky to see Sirrocco while I was there. He was well worth the price of admission seeing how I credibly rare (and adorable) they are. The park was beautiful and was a great way to spend the afternoon. The entire premise of the park was fascinating. It's a must see for a true New Zealand experience when in Wellington read more

Loved Zealandia. What a great way to see some rare native NZ species in a semi-natural habitat. It's also a great place to walk/hike. If I lived in Wellington I would definitely become a member to get unlimited free access to this place. read more

We were there in November 2016. Loved every minute of the place. Awesome walks, incredible animals... well done to all the staff and volunteers who keep this place going. read more

nice escape to nature if you are a bird watcher. Zealandia is the place to go. there are birds and plants galore. all marked Very Knowledgeable and helpful staff, stunning views, especially atop the dam and bridge. read more