New Zealand

• Lots of very special and unique birds and wildlife, including kiwis, penguins, parrots, superb seabirds, astonishing Tuis and Kokakos, and the bizarre shorebird, the Wrybill!
• Boat-trips to predator-free islands with numerous endemic birds
• World class pelagic trip off Kaikoura
• Pelagic cruise off Stewart Island
• Spectacular scenery from snow-capped mountains to rugged coastlines and volcanically active highlands!
• Visit several National Parks including Fjordlands, Mount Aspiring and Tongariro

Tour Overview

New Zealand – a land of remarkable and spectacular landscapes, from volcanoes and hotsprings to steep, deep fjords, snow-capped mountains and huge glaciers. The flora and fauna of these islands are equally remarkable and unique. Over 40 endemic bird species occur on the main islands, including quintessential New Zealanders – the Kiwis, those flightless, wingless, long-beaked ground-dwellers after which New Zealanders are named.

There are amazing birds here – New Zealand wrens and wattlebirds including the endangered Kokako, Saddlebacks and Stitchbirds, the world’s rarest penguin – Yellow-eyed, the inquisitive parrot the Kea, flightless Takahe, the scarce Blue Duck, the remarkable Wrybill – surely one of the strangest of shorebirds, the critically endangered Black Stilt, as well as diverse seabirds – albatrosses, shearwaters, storm-petrels, petrels. New Zealand is a land of ancient conifers, magnificent Kauri Pines so important in naval history, Southern Beech forests, magical rainforests of huge podocarps, splendid Tree Ferns, and fields of endemic sub-alpine shrubs and alpine flowers.

Our New Zealand birding tour takes in both North and South Islands, and offshore Stewart Island, each with its own special attractions and natural wonders, from rugged Fjordland National Park, Milford Sound and splendid Mount Cook in the south to the volcanically active central highlands, thermal geysers and primeval forests in the north.