Eco-tours

Rotorua offers breath-taking scenery and wonderful natural wildlife that can be appreciated without costing the earth.

 
Some of the most incredible activities to experience here are showcased by eco-tour operators who are dedicated to sharing our precious taonga (objects), such as native flora and fauna, in order to protect them.

One place that should be on everyone’s must-visit list looks after the preservation of one of our most treasured native birds. The National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa, located right here in Rotorua, opened its doors – and incubators – in 2008 and has since hatched and raised more than 1,850 brown kiwi.
 
Bird-lovers also won’t want to miss a visit to Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre to see rare and protected birds of prey such as the native falcon, Karearea.
 
Eco-tours also include seeing incredible glow worm caves via canoe, kayak and paddle board, and Real Rotorua provides tours on foot to see these clever creatures. Cycling and even whitewater rafting and ziplining are also great ways to get close up and personal with nature.
 
We’re so fortunate to have Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park, one of the world’s last prehistoric rainforests, in our backyard. Foris Eco-tours offers a guide hike through the unforgettable scenery where you’ll walk among 500-year-old trees standing up to 60 metres tall, hear and possibly see rare birdlife, and learn about the conservation challenges to protect some of the rarest creatures on earth.
 
Of course, you can also pick up a map or visit our team at one of two Rotorua i-SITE Visitor Information Centres for self-guided tours. We recommend seeing plants and birds that have adapted to the hot, steamy and sulphurous environment in Sulphur Bay Wildlife Refuge along the shore of Lake Rotorua.