Skip to content
Stewart Island Wild Kiwi Encounter, Evening Cruise and Guided Walk
Adventure

Stewart Island Wild Kiwi Encounter, Evening Cruise and Guided Walk

Torchlight walk through native forest and beach, looking for wild Stewart Island kiwi.

An evening kiwi-spotting trip on Stewart Island: a 1.5 hour sea cruise, then a guided walk of about 2 hours by torchlight in search of wild tokoeka, in a small group.

📍 New Zealand ⏱ 4 Hours, 30 Minutes 👥 Up to 20 🔥 Active 🎂 Ages 15+

More New Zealand trips

Compare all 109 New Zealand trips

From

$218 AUD

per person

Booked with Wanderlust, an Australian travel business based in Byron Bay (ABN 34 636 612 523). We handle your booking ourselves, before and after you travel.

Choose a date Got a question first? Ask our team →

Booking guarantee Price Match Promise Secure payment via Square

  • Instant confirmation

    Booked instantly · confirmation and ticket by email within 30 minutes.

  • No change fees from us

    Need to move? Just message us and we'll arrange it for you.

  • Licensed local operator

    An established operator with public reviews.

Pick your start date

Pick an available date. Your confirmation and ticket arrive together in one email within 30 minutes.

SuMoTuWeThFrSa

Available, pick any date Instant booking, confirmed in minutes

From

$218 AUD pp

Choose a start date →

Travellers
1
Pick a date to book
Secure payment via Square · you don't pay for a spot we can't confirm

Overview

Rakiura, Stewart Island, is one of the only places in New Zealand where kiwi come out onto open beaches to feed, and this evening trip is built around that habit. The target is the Rakiura tokoeka, the Southern brown kiwi, on Ocean Beach across Paterson Inlet, where the birds pick through grasses and seaweed after dark.

You check in at the main wharf in Oban 30 minutes before departure, then board a catamaran for a 1.5 hour pre-sunset cruise around the neighbouring islands, past predator-free Ulva Island, watching for albatross, penguins, tītī and fur seals with a briefing on kiwi behaviour and conservation on the way. The boat lands at Little Glory Cove. From there your nature guide leads you about 45 minutes along a well-formed track through coastal forest to Ocean Beach, where you switch to torchlight and work the sand quietly. The walk is around 2 hours all up on uneven, sometimes muddy ground, then you cruise back to Oban in the dark with a hot drink.

Departures move with the sunset through the season, October to April, and you need a bed on Stewart Island that night; the island is a one-hour ferry from Bluff or a 20 minute flight from Invercargill. The trip is for ages 15 and over, numbers are capped at 20 a night in two guided groups, and you need to be steady on your feet in the dark. Bring sturdy walking shoes, a waterproof jacket and warm layers; no flash photography around the birds. Kiwi are wild and sightings are not guaranteed.

Why you'll love it

  1. 1

    Wild Rakiura tokoeka on Ocean Beach after dark

  2. 2

    1.5 hour pre-sunset cruise past Ulva Island

  3. 3

    Albatross, penguins, tītī and fur seals from the boat

  4. 4

    About 2 hours walking by torchlight with a nature guide

  5. 5

    Maximum 20 people a night in two guided groups

  6. 6

    Ages 15 and over

  7. 7

    Season runs October to April, departures track sunset

Itinerary at a glance

1 Check-in · Main wharf, Oban

Check in at the main wharf in Halfmoon Bay 30 minutes before the departure time on your ticket. Departures shift through the season to sit about an hour and a half before sunset.

1 On the water · Pre-sunset cruise across Paterson Inlet

A 1.5 hour cruise around the neighbouring islands and past predator-free Ulva Island, looking for albatross, penguins, tītī and fur seals, with a briefing on kiwi behaviour and conservation and the island's history.

1 Little Glory Cove · Forest walk to Ocean Beach

Land at Little Glory Cove and follow your guide about 45 minutes along a well-formed track through coastal forest. As the light goes, you switch to torches.

1 After dark · Kiwi search on the beach

Ocean Beach is where the tokoeka feed among the grasses and seaweed. You move slowly and quietly along the sand with your group of up to 10, torches low, no flash photography.

1 Return · Walk back and cruise home

Retrace the track by torchlight to the cove, then cruise back to Oban with a hot drink. The whole evening runs about 4 to 4.5 hours.

What's included

✓ What's included

  • Return catamaran cruise from Oban to Little Glory Cove
  • 1.5 hour wildlife cruise around the neighbouring islands
  • Experienced nature guide carrying a first aid kit
  • Guided torchlight walk of about 2 hours
  • Torch
  • Complimentary hot drinks on board

✕ Not included

  • ✕Ferry or flight to Stewart Island
  • ✕Accommodation on Stewart Island (required, as the trip returns late)
  • ✕Meals
  • ✕Insect repellent and personal gear

Common questions about this trip

  • Where do I check in and when?
    At the main wharf in Oban, Halfmoon Bay, 30 minutes before departure. The departure time changes through the season because the trip is timed to arrive at the beach around dusk, so check the time on your confirmation rather than assuming.

  • Are kiwi sightings guaranteed?
    No. The birds are wild and the operator cannot guarantee a sighting or offer a refund if you do not see one. If a group misses out, a donation towards pest eradication on the island is made from the booking instead.

  • How fit do I need to be?
    You walk for roughly 2 hours in the dark on uneven, sometimes muddy tracks and soft sand, about 45 minutes each way plus time on the beach. You need to keep your balance, manage steps and natural surfaces for the whole walk, and get on and off the boat unaided. It is not a hard walk, but it is not a stroll either.

  • What should I bring and wear?
    Sturdy walking shoes or boots (no jandals or bare feet), a waterproof jacket, a warm jumper or fleece, insect repellent and any personal medication. Bring a camera but leave the flash off around the kiwi. A torch is provided.

  • Is there an age limit?
    Yes, the trip is for ages 15 and over only. Everyone needs to follow the guide's instructions in the dark, which is why younger kids are not taken.

  • What happens in bad weather?
    The operator may cancel if Stewart Island is getting heavy rain or winds that would make the trip unsafe or uncomfortable. Because the return is late, you need accommodation on the island that night regardless, so build a spare night in if you can.

  • How do I get to Stewart Island?
    It is about a one-hour ferry from Bluff or a 20 minute flight from Invercargill, and neither is included. Book your bed on the island for the night of the trip, because you get back to Oban well after dark.

  • What's the cancellation policy?
    Cancellation terms for this trip are set by the operator and confirmed on your booking voucher. Refunds mirror the operator's policy, if they can refund, so can we. Wanderlust handles the refund for you, refunds mirror the operator's terms 1:1 (including if the operator cancels) and we chase it on your behalf. Message us for the exact day-by-day terms before you book.

Got a question that's not here? Ask us or hit the chat, instant AI reply with a follow-up from the Wanderlust crew.

What travellers say

Reviews from real travellers

Public reviews of the operator who runs this tour on the ground.

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"I really appreciated how smooth and comfortable the ride was, and the cruise was the perfect way to finish the day. I had an amazing time, and thank you for such a memorable experience."
L

Linh L

Tripadvisor review

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"An incredible journey, the journey to the sounds was fantastic and the cruise was exceptional"
O

Odyssey17618093192

Tripadvisor review

Traveller reviews, source shown on each · shown as excerpts.

Read before you book

You might also like

Secure checkout · you don't pay for a spot we can't confirm

From

$218

Choose a date