Zealandia - Twilight Guided Eco Wildlife Tour

Begin at Zealandia’s interactive exhibition, where the sanctuary’s unique natural history and its 500-year vision are introduced before you head into the valley.

This 2.5 hour guided experience starts two hours before sunset, after the daytime visitors have left. As daylight fades, your guide leads you through the regenerating valley during one of the busiest times of day for many of Zealandia’s species. You may encounter wildlife such as wētā, takahē and tuatara, while the first calls of nocturnal birds begin to carry through the sanctuary, including kiwi and ruru, also known as morepork.

The shift from day to night is the focus of the tour. You can watch birds returning to settle into their nests, listen to the dusk chorus of native New Zealand birds, and notice how the sounds of the sanctuary change as evening sets in. The setting itself is distinctive, a fully fenced urban eco-sanctuary just 10 minutes from Wellington’s central business district.

Zealandia was named the top tourism operation in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2023, receiving the Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award. This after-hours tour offers a clear sense of what makes the sanctuary notable, combining guided interpretation, native wildlife, and the atmosphere of twilight in the valley.