Highlights

Experience Aotearoa (New Zealand) as it was 150 years ago at one of the world's oldest nature reserves - Kapiti Island.
Encounter rare manu (birds) native to New Zealand including Takahē, Tīeke (Stitchbird), Tui, Kereru (Wood Pigeon), Ruru (Morepork) and more.
Allow our experienced guides to walk with you and explain the rich human and ecological history, and help you identify the flora and fauna around you.
Enjoy chef-prepared kai (food) with the local whānau who have lived on the island for eight generations.
This is New Zealand sightseeing at it's finest!

Overview

A Day Tour begins at Paraparaumu Beach with a ferry ride across the Rau-o-te-Rangi channel to Waiorua Bay at the North End of Kapiti Island. The tour includes an introductory talk on arrival at the island, a one hour guided walk, a buffet lunch at the lodge, all required permits & return ferry transport to the mainland in the afternoon.

An Overnight Kiwi Spotting Tour includes ferry transport to & from the island, an introductory talk on arrival, time at Rangatira Point on the first day, transfers to the North End, accommodation, 3 meals, required permits & a guided kiwi spotting walk at night. This tour offers one of the best wild kiwi spotting experiences for Little Spotted Kiwi.

Ethics

At Terra Incognita we support tours that do good in the world. They must help conserve the environment, support local people and provide educational opportunities for guests and staff, or be actively working to improve in these areas.

What conservation activities do you support through the tour, and your wider operations?

As tangata whenua (people of the land) we take our kaitiakitanga (guardianship) responsibilities seriously - we partner with the Department of Conservation in much of their mahi (work) on the island, especially around biosecurity and maintaining our predator-free status.

We tautoko (support) bird transfers of some of our rare species on to other offshore islands & secure mainland sanctuaries & we are currently working with a local academic on a project to support the nesting behaviours of korora (Little Blue Penguin).

How does the tour support local people?

Having lived on Kapiti Island for 200 years, we are the local people!

One of our core kaupapa is the principle of manaakitanga - this is widely used in Aotearoa as a translation of "hospitality", but the word itself can be broken into mana - ki - tangata or the mana (pride, strength) of the people.

Our entire business is built around enhancing the mana of our whānau, hapu, iwi (tribe) & the wider Kapiti community. We employ members of our whanau, iwi & other local people to deliver our tourism experience in an authentic way by drawing on their unique connections with the island.

What type of environmental education activities do you incorporate into your tour?

As an indigenous tourism operator we share our knowledge of the land with our manuhiri (guests) by exploring the rich history of Kapiti Island. In many ways the history of our island is a micro version of the history of Aotearoa - there were significant interactions between Māori & Europeans on the island, at one time the island was a trading hub & much whaling was carried out in the area. We infuse our local knowledge into the korero (discussion) we have with our visitors throughout the day & night.

Certificates

In 2018 we won the Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) Department of Conservation Environmental Tourism Award.

In 2018 we were a founding supporter of the New Zealand Tourism Sustainability Commitment & we continue to review our practices to deliver further to this.

In 2017 we won the TIA He Kai Kei Aku Ringa Māori Tourism Award.

We're a DOC approved Tourism Operator.

Top 5 achievements

We are proud to have been part of the efforts to rid Kapiti Island of predators & turn it into the sanctuary it is today.

We have been recognised locally & nationally for our efforts in indigenous & environmental tourism.

Our Managing Director John Barrett (also one of the original founders of the business) is also a founding member of the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA) which supports sustainable, indigenous tourism efforts around the globe.

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Kapiti Island Nature Tours

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About Company

Kapiti Island Nature Tours operates a nature and cultural tourism experience on traditionally owned Maori land which has been part of its whānau (family) for eight generations.

This award winning business takes its role as kaitiaki (guardians) of the land seriously. It collaborates with the Department of Conservation to protect Kapiti Island’s native flora and fauna, and was instrumental in assisting the island to become predator free.

Manuhiri (guests) can visit for a day tour, or to truly experience all the island has to offer can stay for an overnight kiwi spotting tour.