Find the best wildlife encounters with Boat Tours and cruises for Whale Watching & Swimming with Dolphins. Zoos and Wildlife Parks, Eco Tours, and Nature & Wildlife Tours and attractions are all on offer. In summer, a wildlife encounter should be at the top of your to-do list!
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Nature and Wildlife
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Top Attractions
Auckland Scenic Wine and Cheese Cruise
Complimentary Drink and Charcuterie Box
from NZ $52
NZ$65
2 Hours Promotion Ends: 18 Jul
from NZ $395.00
13 Hours 
Rotorua Canopy Tours Ziplining Forest Adventu...
6 ziplines - Totaling between 600m and 1200m of ziplining
from NZ $199.00
2 Hours 30 Mins 
Hobbiton Movie Set & Rotorua Te Puia Geot...
Admission and guided 2.5-hour tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set
from NZ $450.00
12 Hours 
Waitomo Glow Worm Caves & Te Puia - Rotor...
Guided tour of Waitomo Glow worm caves
from NZ $949.00
11 Hours 
Mokai Canyon - 3 day river rafting holiday, f...
3 days of guided rafting on a beautiful section of the Rangitikei river
from NZ $1155
3 days 
from NZ $395.00
Allow approximately 3 hours for the experience. Flight time is around 1 hour.
Abel Tasman Experience with helicopter landin...
25 minutes helicopter flight each way from Nelson Airport over the Abel Tasman to Awaroa
from NZ $3125.00
2.5 hours 
Kiwi Spotting and Stargazing Tour Auckland
Discover the elusive endemic North Island Brown Kiwi in their natural habitat
from NZ $150
3 hours 
Half day - Behind the Scenes Film Location To...
World class scenery & epic photo opportunities with our small group tours
from NZ $199.00
4 Hours 30 Mins
from NZ $229
3 hours 30 mins
from NZ $355
6 hours 
Rotorua Lakes Best Kept Secrets
Guided lake tour of Rotoiti onboard the one of a kind Airstream vessel
from NZ $175.00
2 Hours 30 Mins 
from NZ $89.00
2 hours
Kaikoura - with kayaking experience
Wildlife Kayak Experience (approximately 3 hours) with Kaikōura Kayaks
from NZ $385.00
10 Hours 
Self-Guided Milford Track Day Walk - Milford ...
Giant Gate Falls - a stunning Milford Track highlight!
from NZ $75
3 hours 
from NZ $1220.00
13 Hours 
4.5hr // Hole in the Rock Cruise & Island...
Hole in the Rock & Cape Brett Lighthouse
from NZ $169.00
4 Hours 30 Mins 
Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Māori A...
Hundertwasser in New Zealand 1973 – 2000 Exhibition
from NZ $30
1 hours 
Te Puia - Mārama: Geyser Light Trail
A journey from darkness into light - Walk through the geothermal valley transformed by light
from NZ $49.00
1 Hours 30 Mins 
from NZ $225.00
3 Hours 
24/48 Hour Pohatu Package at a Penguin Colony...
Spend the night in the middle of a penguin colony
from NZ $175.00
24 Hours 
Walking tour- Packhorse Hut from Christchurch
Visit the four historic “rest houses”- Sign of the Takahe, Sign of the Kiwi, Sign of the Bellbird
from NZ $1599.00
9 Hours 
from NZ $765.00
40 Mins 
from NZ $95.00
2 Hours 30 Mins 
Jetski fun and thrill on your scenic ride in ...
Experience the fun and thrill of a Jetski ride!
from NZ $100.00
30 Mins
Private Luxury Auckland - Rotorua Geothermal ...
Witness geothermal wonders
from NZ $1600.00
12 hours 
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour From Auckland
Hobbiton Movie Set & the newly opened Bagshot Row
from NZ $315.00
9 Hours 
White Island/ Mount Tarawera 'Volcanic Extrem...
Aerial highlights include: Northern Crater Lakes, Bay of Plenty
from NZ $1230.00
1 Hours 30 Mins 
Waiheke Island Bush & Beach Walk
Visit some of the island’s amazing trees including magnificent Pohutukawas and Nikau Palms
from NZ $445.00
5 Hours 
from NZ $269.00
4 Hours 
Heli Max Jet Combo
Embark on an epic 25-minute helicopter flight into the impressive Mount Aspiring National Park
from NZ $925.00
2 Hours 
Te Puia - Te Pō Indigenous Evening Experienc...
Hāngī buffet – Savor traditional food at Pātaka Kai with views of the geothermal valley.
from NZ $203.00
3 Hours 
White Island/ Mount Tarawera 'Volcanic Extrem...
Aerial highlights include: Northern Crater Lakes, Bay of Plenty
from NZ $2295.00
2 Hours 
Evening Champagne Cruise
Experience the wonder of our 1935 Scottish built motor sailor
from NZ $165.00
1.5 hours
Waitomo Glow Worm Caves Day Tour
One-hour guided tour of Waitomo Glowworm Caves
from NZ $279.00
7 Hours 
from NZ $39.00
30 Mins 
Milford Sound Fly | Cruise | Fly
Scenic return flights from Queenstown over alpine backcountry and Fiordland’s untouched landscapes
from NZ $770
4 hours 
from NZ $220.00
5 Hours 
Bethells Boogie
Explore impressive 30-meter-high sea caves and rock chasms along the rugged west coast.
from NZ $250
4 hours 
from NZ $695.00
4 Hours 
from NZ $190.00
Franz Josef Wilderness Tours
Kayak or cruise with a Glacier & Mountain Backdrop
from NZ $125.00
2 Hours 
Night Sky Astronomy Experience
Look through an extremely powerful 9-25 inch telescope to see the stars
from NZ $109.00
1 Hours 30 Mins 
Days Out Fishing Charters Bay of Islands
Extreme Fishing in the Bay of Islands
from NZ $400.00
5 Hours 
from NZ $110.00
4 Hours 
from NZ $500.00
1 hours 
from NZ $
from NZ $149.00
2 Hours 
from NZ $310.00
3 Hours 30 Mins 
Nomad Safaris combos - Dart River Jet I Shoto...
Fans of Middle-earth, relive the magic with the "Lord of The Rings tours" - Glenorchy and Queenstown
from NZ $709.00
9 Hours 
Whakapapa, Sky Waka gondola sightseeing
Enjoy panoramic views of the Central Plateau and Mt Ruapehu
from NZ $39
2 hours 30 mins
from NZ $299.00
2 hours 
Auckland Glowworm Tour
See these magical creatures up close, glowing in the wild, without the crowds or barriers.
from NZ $60.00
1 hours 
from NZ $145
3 hours 
Westland Wonderland 40 minute HELIMAX movie
Large HELIMAX screen (13 metres x 6 metres)
from NZ $15
40 mins
Milford Sound Coach & Nature Cruise Day T...
Premium glass-roof coach with scenic stops and local commentary through Fiordland
from NZ $259.00
8 Hours 
Super Cruise Combo - The Cream Trip including...
1.5 hour island stopover at Otehei Bay
from NZ $225.00
08:30 hours
from NZ $57.00
1 Hours 15 Mins 
Marlborough Molesworth Epic Cycle Tour
Discover the majesty of the Molesworth Station as you ride through the incredible terrain
from NZ $6400.00
11 days 
Ngawha Springs Geothermal Hot Pools
16 Geothermal pools with unique characteristics, differing temperatures, colors and minerals
from NZ $40.00
2 Hours 
from NZ $175.00
5 hours 30 mins
Duder Regional Park Walking Tours
Explore diverse landscapes, rolling farmland, coastal cliffs, and sandy beaches
from NZ $120
4 hours 
Tauranga Scenic Harbor Cruise
Onboard commentary and references with facts on the Bay and local points of interest.
from NZ $55.00
3 Hours 
from NZ $225.00
5 Hours 
Nomad Safaris Routeburn - Guided Walks
Fans of Middle-earth, relive the magic with the "Lord of The Rings tours" - Glenorchy and Queenstown
from NZ $255.00
4 Hours 30 Mins 
from NZ $760
50 Mins 
from NZ $220.00
5 hours 
Hole in the Rock Cruise
Hole in the Rock, and when conditions permit travel through it
from NZ $170.00
04:30 hours
West Coast Treetop Walk & Tower Zipline
47 Metre high spiral tower with 360-degree views!
from NZ $39.00
45 Mins 
Sundowner Evening Sailing Cruise
Enjoy a relaxed sail aboard a smooth sailing catamaran in a peaceful setting
from NZ $105.00
2 Hours 
from NZ $395.00
8 hours 
from NZ $149.00
Allow 4-4.5 hours
Dolphin & Wildlife Cruise
Close up encounters with Dolphins & other marine wildlife.
from NZ $175.00
5 Hours 
from NZ $219.00
2 Hours 30 Mins 
Kaikoura Whale Watch Flight
Enjoy spectacular aerial views of sperm whales and dusky dolphins in Kaikoura
from NZ $195.00
from NZ $3195.00
5 days 
Twilight Kayak Glowworm Tour
Glowworms surrounding you as you float through a prehistoric like canyon
from NZ $199.00
3 Hours 
Remutaka Rail Trail Mountain Bike Explorer Da...
Cycle through Summit Tunnel - 584 metres long
from NZ $220.00
6 Hours 
from NZ $355
10 Hours 
from NZ $265.00
from NZ $12
1 hours 
from NZ $795.00
04:00 hours
from NZ $380.00
9 Hours 
Albatross Encounter
In just 2.5 hours you will see an incredible array of albatross species and other beautiful seabirds
from NZ $185
2 hours 30 mins
from NZ $9750.00
4.5 hours 
from NZ $50.00
1 Hours 
Dingleburn Discovery
Thrilling backroad blasted by hand into a shear rock face 60m above Lake Hawea
from NZ $279
5 hours 
from NZ $1095
4 hours 
Shackleton Whiskey Endurance - 50-minute Glac...
Franz Josef, Tasman and Shackleton Glacier
from NZ $700.00
50 Mins 
Carino wildlife cruises - Island & Wildli...
Dolphin and wildlife watching from our maine mammal permitted yacht
from NZ $200
6 hours 
from NZ $109.00
2 Hours 
Wild Dolphin Encounter
Get close to the wildlife on our spacious viewing deck.
from NZ $165.00
5 Hours 
from NZ $140.00
2 Hours 
from NZ $149.00
2 Hours 
from NZ $750
Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Tour
Return transport in a comfortable coach with guide commentary
from NZ $205.00
1 Hours 
from NZ $30
1 hours 
from NZ $275.00
12 Hours 
Sea Cave Adventures Whitianga
Visit the world famous Cathedral Cove + Te Whanganui O Hei Marine Reserve!
from NZ $135.00
2 Hours Travel Guides
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Frequently Asked Questions about Nature and Wildlife
Where is the nature and wildlife tours capital of New Zealand?
The South Island is widely regarded as the nature and wildlife tours capital due to its vast national parks, untouched landscapes, and diverse wildlife experiences. Fiordland is one of the most renowned regions, known for its dramatic fjords, rainforests, waterfalls, and wildlife cruises in Milford and Doubtful Sound. Many tours here focus on scenic nature, native birdlife, and marine wildlife encounters. Other popular nature and wildlife areas in the South Island include Kaikōura for whale and dolphin watching, the Otago Peninsula for penguins and albatross, and Stewart Island / Rakiura for rare birdlife. In the North Island, nature and wildlife experiences can be found in the Bay of Islands, Rotorua, and Tongariro National Park, offering coastal wildlife, geothermal landscapes, and native forest adventures.
What are the top nature and wildlife tours in New Zealand?
Some of the top nature and wildlife tours in New Zealand include Milford Sound nature cruises, Kaikōura whale watching tours, Rotorua geothermal and wildlife experiences, Waitomo Glowworm Cave tours, Stewart Island kiwi spotting tours, Akaroa dolphin cruises, and West Coast rainforest eco tours.
What makes NZ’s wildlife unique?
New Zealand’s wildlife is unique because of its long isolation, which led to the evolution of rare native species found nowhere else, including flightless birds like the kiwi and kākāpō, a lack of native land mammals, and diverse marine life protected by strong conservation efforts.
What is the best season for wildlife sightings in New Zealand?
The best season for wildlife sightings in New Zealand varies by type of animal, but generally spring (September to November) and summer (December to February) are excellent times because many birds are active, breeding, and nesting, and marine animals like dolphins and fur seals are frequently seen in coastal waters. Spring and summer also offer long daylight hours and pleasant weather for nature tours.
Can I go whale watching in NZ?
Yes, you can absolutely go whale watching in New Zealand! New Zealand offers world-class whale watching tours where you can see whales, dolphins, seals, and other marine life in their natural habitat.
Are dolphin encounters offered?
Yes, dolphin encounters are offered in New Zealand, and they are featured as part of the wildlife and marine experiences you can book.
What nature and wildlife tours are offered in Bay of Plenty?
In the Bay of Plenty, you can enjoy several nature and wildlife tours. These include the Wild Dolphin Encounter and Dolphin & Wildlife Eco Cruises, where you can see and sometimes swim with wild dolphins. There are also scenic tours like the Tauranga Scenic Harbor Cruise and Tauranga Harbour Cruise, offering views of the coastline and opportunities to spot seabirds and marine life. For a unique experience, the Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour and Big Kanu Glowworm Tour let you explore waterways while seeing glowworms in their natural habitat.
Nature and Wildlife activities to See and Do in New Zealand
Due to New Zealand's unique landscape, opportunities for all kinds of adventures are at your fingertips, and there are so many exciting things to do in every region. If you're looking for a thrilling, memorable activity, then browse through the selection at See and Do NZ.
Due to the vast variety of wildlife and nature in New Zealand, just about every activity will involve nature or wildlife. If you're in the Bay of Islands, there are some great water activities. Check out this island hopping cruise, fishing trip, hole-in-the-rock tour, or glow worm tour! The North Island has other great adventures like this ziplining in Rotorua! The South Island is just as fruitful! Canterbury has an exciting Albatross encounter, and you can explore canyons in Queenstown!
The best places for Nature and Wildlife in New Zealand
Due to the vast variety of wildlife and nature in New Zealand, every place you visit will be abundant in nature! Even Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, is covered in trees and parks!
Top Destinations
Explore some of New Zealand’s most popular travel destinations.
