Keeping up with the Takahē

Thought to be lost forever, takahē made history when they were rediscovered in the remote mountains of Fiordland in 1948. This large, flightless bird helped shape the future of conservation techniques in New Zealand. Encountering a takahē for the first time can transport you to a pre-historic world!

Meet your guide at the visitor centre for an easy walk down to the beautiful Tuatari wetlands. North Island robins, tomtits, tūī, bellbirds, hihi, tieke and fantails also make the wetlands their home. The 45-50 minute tour is on grassland beside a small lake where we will look for the takahē family (a breeding pair, potentially with a chick depending on the season). You'll spend time watching them interact as a whanau.

Our guides provide a supplementary feed for our takahē on Saturdays, so you might want to consider booking a tour then. By booking on this tour your contribution helps Sanctuary Mountain® continue to protect the rare and endangered species that live wild on Maungatautari.

A complimentary Sanctuary Explorer Pass is included and we invite you to explore Te Tūī ā Tāne southern enclosure either before and/or after your guided tour.

Visit our website for other tour dates and times!