Adam B.
Google
We joined the After Dark Tour at Zealandia, hoping to spot a kiwi in the wild — and we quickly learned that “wild” really means wild here.
The tour was really well organized, there was one guide for a group of 12 people (plus a volunteer assistant), and everyone got a small communication device to hear the guide clearly, along with a red-light torch to avoid disturbing the wildlife. The walk itself lasted around two hours, and once it got completely dark, it truly felt like an adventure in the forest.
Of course, with group tours, you always depend on the people you’re with — sometimes that can affect the overall experience — but our guide Emily and volunteer Allison were both fantastic. They were knowledgeable, passionate, and genuinely cared about what they do. Huge thanks and respect to them and to everyone working or volunteering at Zealandia — what they’re doing here is amazing.
As for the wildlife, we knew from the start that seeing a kiwi (or anything at all) would be a matter of luck, and that’s exactly how it went. We heard a few kiwis calling in the distance, and right at the very end — just when I had stopped expecting it — the group spotted one! Unfortunately, I only caught a glimpse for less than a second (typical, right?). We also saw a Ruru owl, which is apparently quite rare, a tiny Hamilton’s frog, and a couple of Tuatara — real “living fossils.” Other than that, most of the birds we saw were ones we’d already come across during our travels in New Zealand.
Overall, it was a unique and well-run experience, but I have to admit I left feeling just a little underwhelmed — maybe just a bit bitter about not seeing more of the kiwi. Objectively though, the team did everything they could, and the unpredictability is part of what makes it authentic. Still, even as a non-profit experience, the $120 per person felt a bit steep for what it was.
