5-Hour Day Tour, Meal Included
5 hours · Kapiti Island Nature Tours
Guided tour with lunch.
from $186.78 per person Check availability →
2 Days 1 Night, Meals Included
Overnight Experience Tour on Kapiti Island
from $401.73 per person
Check availability →Opens the live booking page with current dates. Book there; nothing is charged on this site. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
- Duration
- 2 days, 1 night
- Meeting point
- Paraparaumu Beach ferry departure
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Meal
- Meal included
- Run by
- Kapiti Island Nature Tours
Overview
This two day, one night experience from Kapiti Island Nature Tours puts you on a protected island long enough to see it after dark. The ferry leaves from Paraparaumu Beach, check-in happens at the operator office at 29 Marine Parade, and the start time is 08:45. Once ashore, a local guide gives an introductory talk before you settle into your chosen sleeping arrangement: a cabin, a tent, or an ensuite room, each with its own rate.
The heart of the trip is the guided night walk, which goes looking for ruru, korora, and kiwi pukupuku. Birdlife is the island's main draw and reviewers describe native birds all around them, helped by the rat eradication DOC records for 1996. Daytime brings five hours on the island with lunch, and day two adds another five hours exploring Waiorua before the ferry returns you to Paraparaumu Beach in front of the Kapiti Boating Club.
Meals are well covered: two lunches, dinner, and breakfast, plus Department of Conservation permits and island admission. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you make your own way to Paraparaumu Beach. The group is capped at 18 travellers and a moderate level of fitness is expected. Reviewers note there are easier trails if you would rather avoid climbing.
What's Included
Included
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Return ferry transportation from Paraparaumu Beach to Kapiti Island
- Department of Conservation permits
- An introductory talk from an experienced and passionate local guide
- Overnight stay (choose your accommodation - cabin, tent or ensuite) - each option has its own rate
- Guided night walk: Experience NZ wildlife by night looking for ruru, korora & Kiwi pukpuku
- Entry / admission - Kapiti Island
- Lunch (2)
Not Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities (not required)
Itinerary
- Check in at Paraparaumu BeachMeet at the operator office, 29 Marine Parade, Paraparaumu Beach, from 08:45. Drive north from Wellington on State Highway 1, turn left at the traffic lights in Paraparaumu, and follow Kapiti Road to the Kapiti Boating Club.
- Ferry to Kapiti IslandReturn ferry transportation from Paraparaumu Beach to Kapiti Island is included, along with Department of Conservation permits and island admission.
- Day one on the islandSpend 5 hours on Kapiti Island with an introductory talk from a local guide and lunch included. Stay overnight in a cabin, tent, or ensuite room, each at its own rate, with dinner provided.
- Guided night walkHead out after dark with the guide to look for ruru, korora, and kiwi pukupuku.
- Day two exploring WaioruaBreakfast and a second lunch are provided, with another 5 hours on the island exploring Waiorua.
- Return ferryThe ferry brings you back to Paraparaumu Beach, finishing in front of the Kapiti Boating Club on Marine Parade.
- 5-Hour Day Tour, Meal Included$186.78
- 6-Hour Day Tour, Wellington Pickup$305.00
- 2 Days 1 Night, Meals Included (this tour)$401.73
What To Expect From The Tour
A few practical points will help you plan this one, from the phone call you need to make on the morning of the tour to the fitness level the guides expect.
- Call that morning. Travellers are asked to phone the operator between 7 and 7:15am on the day of the tour to confirm check-in time and that the tour is going ahead. The number to use is 0800 527 484.
- Getting there. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You make your own way to the operator office at 29 Marine Parade, Paraparaumu Beach, which is near public transportation.
- Fitness and trails. The operator asks for a moderate level of physical fitness. Reviewers found hikes worth doing for active visitors but also easier trails for those who prefer less climbing, so the island suits a range of abilities.
- Accommodation choice. You choose between a cabin, a tent, or an ensuite room, and each option carries its own rate.
- Wildlife after dark. The guided night walk targets ruru, korora, and kiwi pukupuku. Reviewers describe native birds all around them during the day as well, and DOC records the island's rat eradication in 1996.
- Group size and weather. The tour runs with a maximum of 18 travellers. It requires good weather, and if it is cancelled for that reason you are offered a different date or a full refund, so keep some flexibility in your wider travel plans.
Common issues. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off, so transport to Paraparaumu Beach is on you, and the tour is not wheelchair accessible. The weather dependency is real: the experience can be called off, which is covered with a rebooking or refund offer. Gratuities are not required but are also not included in the price, and each accommodation option, cabin, tent, or ensuite, has its own rate that can push the cost up. Confirmation of your booking can take up to 48 hours because it depends on availability.
Common Questions
What Is Included In The Overnight Kapiti Island Tour?
The price covers return ferry transport from Paraparaumu Beach, Department of Conservation permits, island admission, an overnight stay in your chosen cabin, tent, or ensuite room, an introductory talk from a local guide, the guided night walk, dinner, breakfast, and two lunches. Each accommodation option has its own rate. Gratuities are not required and hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.
Where Does The Tour Meet And What Time Does It Start?
Check-in is at the operator office at 29 Marine Parade, Paraparaumu Beach, and the start time is 08:45. From Wellington, drive north on State Highway 1, turn left at the traffic lights in Paraparaumu, and follow Kapiti Road to the Kapiti Boating Club. The tour ends back at the beach in front of the boating club.
Is Hotel Pickup Available?
No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are excluded, so you need to arrange your own transport to Paraparaumu Beach. The meeting point is near public transportation, which helps if you are not driving.
What Animals Might We See On The Night Walk?
The guided night walk looks for ruru, korora, and kiwi pukupuku. Reviewers also describe native birds all around them during daylight hours on this predator free island.
Is The Tour Suitable For Children Or People With Limited Mobility?
The booking page notes infant seats are available; the operator says prams are hard going on the island and a carrier is advised. The experience is not wheelchair accessible, and travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level. That said, reviewers note there are easier trails for those who prefer less climbing alongside the longer hikes.
What Is The Cancellation Policy?
Cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that 24 hour window no refund is given and changes are not accepted. The experience needs good weather, and if it is cancelled for weather you will be offered a different date or a full refund. Cut-off times are based on local time.
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