National Kiwi Hatchery - Kiwi Encounter Tour
- Visit the National Kiwi Hatchery in Rotorua - the leading conservation centre for New Zealand’s national bird, the kiwi
- See conservation in action and learn how the team has successfully hatched and protected over 2,600 kiwi chicks
- Discover why the kiwi is so important to New Zealand, and how eggs are incubated and chicks raised
- Observe real kiwi birds in a specially designed nocturnal enclosure
- Watch how the expert team cares for baby kiwi chicks in the nursery
- Your ticket helps save more kiwi - all proceeds support the hatchery’s conservation work
What to expect
Get a rare look at New Zealand’s most successful kiwi conservation centre, a must-visit for nature and wildlife lovers. The National Kiwi Hatchery features world-class facilities and a dedicated team working to protect New Zealand’s national bird, the kiwi. Since opening in 1995, the hatchery has successfully hatched and released over 2,600 kiwi chicks into the wild, making it the most successful kiwi hatchery in the world. The newly redeveloped National Kiwi Hatchery Tour is designed with visitors in mind. Guided by expert staff, the tour offers unique viewing opportunities and insights into kiwi egg incubation, chick care, and the life cycle of this special bird. If you’re lucky, you may even see a kiwi chick up close! All ticket proceeds go directly back into the Kiwi Hatchery — by joining the tour, you’re helping to save more kiwi! The best time to visit if you’d like to see eggs and chicks is during the hatching season, from September to March. Outside of these months, you can still observe our adult kiwi foraging in the specially designed Nocturnal House.
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