National Kiwi Hatchery - Kiwi Encounter Guided Tour
Recommended by 96% of travelers
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Rotorua, New Zealand
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Gain entry to the National Kiwi Hatchery in Rotorua with this guided tour and ticket combo. Learn about New Zealand's renowned conservation program as you take a tour of the hatchery which has successfully hatched over 2,500 kiwi chicks. After a guided experience, explore the interactive kiwi burrow where you can see the life cycle of a kiwi from egg to burrow. Children under 5 years old cannot participate in this experience.
- A guided tour of the hatchery is included
- Learn about kiwis at the Kiwi Burrow and Nocturnal House
- Learn about egg incubation and hatching techniques
- See kiwi roam and forage in the Nocturnal House
What's Included
- 1 hour guided experience in a state-of-the-art, purpose-built facility.
- The chance to witness the kiwi chicks or eggs (best chance between Sep to March)
- Insight into an internationally renowned kiwi conservation programme
- See kiwi roam in our purpose-built nocturnal enclosure
- Check out the interactive and immersive kiwi burrow experience
- Return shuttle to the facility from the check-in zone at the Agrodome
- Donation to the National Kiwi Hatchery
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
Meeting and Pickup
Departure Point
- National Kiwi Hatchery, 141 Western Road, Ngongotahā, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand
What To Expect
1
National Kiwi Hatchery
Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Near public transportation
- Stroller accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- 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
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 308 reviews
leilah_H, May 2026
Absolutely amazing experience. So much information and knowledge about kiwi birds! And we got to see several which was awesome :)
Diane_L, May 2026
Arrive before April as there weren’t any babies as the breading season was over. Still worth it though
Auke_R, May 2026
Good and friendly information about kiwi s and their survival as a species.
What the treats are and how to proceed.
Kerrie_W, Apr 2026
The staff are very friendly and our guide was very informative and had a great deal of knowledge that she shared with us.
Scott_K, Apr 2026
Great facility. We enjoyed learning how hard the people are working to make sure this endangered species thrives.
Tia_G, Apr 2026
It was a wonderful tour. Was worth every penny. Our tour guide was kind and passionate about the kiwis and there population.
Judith_T, Apr 2026
Great experience. Staff are fantastic with people using mobility aids, except you need to go to the Ageodome first to collect actual tickets and then drive to the Hatchery, if a visitor uses Mobility Aids. This made us late for the start of the tour, even though we arrived 10mins early at the Agrodome. Actual experience and information provided was good quality and we had the chance to ask questions. We managed to see a 3 day old kiwi in the Hatchery area, as well as an adult male & female in indoor habitats.
Vanessa_M, Apr 2026
We arrived at the end if tge hatching season.
We did see 2 Adult Kiwi
and a newly hatched Kiwi
Easy to find just.
Best vist between September and March
Leona_M, Apr 2026
We had a lovely afternoon visit here. It was very informative and really interesting to learn about the work that is done for kiwi conservation at the hatchery.
Jordan_L, Apr 2026
What an amazing experience! Getting to see kiwis and learn all about the hatchery and ways they are trying to help these sweet birds was amazing. Such a fun learning experience.
James_B, Apr 2026
The tour was very informative, learning about the conservation efforts undertaken by the National Kiwi Hatchery to help these unique and fascinating ratites was an amazing experience that gave me a great introduction to NZs culture surrounding environmental stewardship.
Learning about the Department of Conservation and Predator Free New Zealand Trust efforts to reach the goal of Predator Free 2050 gave me some hope that my own country may be able to one day work together as a united front to save our own land and the priceless flora and fauna that live within it.
jayne_r, Mar 2026
Really great experience. Informative and educational - and the Kiwis are awesome!
If you’re in the area you should definitely schedule a visit here.
Lindsey_R, Mar 2026
Fascinating information about the conservation and hatching process. We were fortunate enough to be there when an egg arrived and also when another was being checked. It's the end of the season so no young kiwi to be seen. We did see 2 very active adults who are permanent residents
Tamara_C, Mar 2026
We had an enjoyable time at the Kiwi Hatchery on a rainy day. Our guide was very good, and the short videos and demonstrations in the exhibits were informative, although not quite the same as seeing more live animals. We were able to catch glimpses of the 2 live kiwis in their nocturnal exhibit, but they are very difficult to see. We admire their conservation efforts and are happy to support the program, but it was not a “5-star” experience with the very brief glimpses.
AnnMaree_M, Mar 2026
It’s not a long tour but the guides are very knowledgeable and explain things in detail.
You will be surprised at the size
Katrina_M, Mar 2026
Shuttle bus driver friendly and informative about the farm and surroundings on the short trip to the hatchery. Guide was also informative, we learned a lot about the Kiwi. 100% goes back to the conservation of this unique bird.
Donna_C, Mar 2026
It is a great tour! Very exciting to see and hear about the work they are doing to keep the number of kiwis on the North island growing. Many dedicated volunteers!
kaleighwoodcox, Mar 2026
We learned so much about this amazing bird, and the country it calls home. So enriching and enlightening.
Kim_K, Mar 2026
This was an informative experience and our guide was super knowledgeable about the kiwis. I appreciate the care that was provided to protect the kiwis natural habitat. That said, it made the experience slightly underwhelming because seeing an actual kiwi was very difficult (super dark and was dependent on where the kiwis are nesting at the time of your visit). Nonetheless, I’m super happy we did it. It was certainly time well spent.
Heather_P, Mar 2026
Came across a leaflet promoting The Kiwi Hatchery and thought it sounded like a fun thing to do.
We had a very pleasant bus driver to take us to the facility. The experience officer we had for our tour was very knowledgeable and professional. She was very enthusiastic and passionate about the project and Kiwis and her delivery was excellent. She answered all questions very well. We learnt a lot and really enjoyed our visit.
Katrina_B, Mar 2026
Wonderful experience. Great setting. Educational. Staff were informative, passionate and motivated and offered a great learning experience. Very cool seeing baby kiwis. Additional opportunities to see other parts of the farm and animals.
Paul_M, Feb 2026
You may not see a baby Kiwi - we did - but you do get to see a couple of adults in a very dark area.
You will also learn a lot about this amazing bird which is unlike anything else on earth.
It’s an informative and fascinating visit to this hatchery which takes around a hour.
Mary_H, Feb 2026
Wonderful tour! How could you visit New Zealand and not see a kiwi!!
They were incredible and so cute!
Kristin_S, Feb 2026
What an adorable and educational experience! This was the very first thing we did on our trip to New Zealand and it was definitely one of our highlights. Our guide Nico was friendly, informative and helpful. We learned a lot about kiwis, and were very lucky to see 5 of them (including adults and newborns!). I'd highly recommend doing this experience; not only do you get to see cute funny birds, you're helping to save this vulnerable species.
Greg_N, Feb 2026
Lived this tour. Finally saw a live kiwi, which was amazing. A fantastic enterprise and well worth a visit. It felt great knowing proceeds were going directly to kiwi conservation efforts.
Gill_B, Feb 2026
Brilliant tour. Would highly recommend. Loads of great info and opportunity to see Kiwis close up in an unobtrusive way.
Tn_S, Feb 2026
Excellent little experience, informative, great for adults and children alike. Chance to see these wonderful little creatures doing there thing
Manuela_S, Feb 2026
You learn quite a bit about raising kiwis, but seeing a fully grown kiwi walking was impossible. There was one kiwi that you could vaguely make out, if you really fancied it. That was it. Nevertheless, it's impressive how much effort they put into raising kiwis. Therefore, I see my entrance fee as a donation to this cause.
Rae_F, Feb 2026
Barbara was a wonderful, knowledgeable guide.
What a wonderful thing they are all doing to save the precious kiwi.
Jenny_D, Feb 2026
When in NZ - have to see a kiwi or two!
Enjoyed the educational talk - Nico did a great job. Enjoyed seeing the adults and babies. Worthwhile tour.
From $46.90
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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