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Escape Auckland for Matakana for a day of Food & Wine Tasting Tour

Enjoy a laid-back experience at Matakana Just One Hour North of Auckland.

Matakaka Wine & Food Tours & Evening Kiwi Watching

Kiwiness Tours is a locally run company specialising in Matakana Coast Tours, catering to small groups providing transport too and from Auckland to the Matakana region (Just one hour from Auckland) to savour the taste of Matkana Wineries, Craft beers, local foods and hidden gems.

Guided by a true Matakana local Owner/operator Vanessa (Ness) Wards.  You can also explore local markets, sculpture and ceramics, gelato, chocolate boutiques, and craft beer amoungst natural New Zealand landscapes.

 

The true way to experience a place is with a local

Matakana Evening Kiwi Watching Tour Tawharanui

Price:  $100 Per person
Pick up/drop off:  Matakana I-Site. Just outside the Cinema complex in Matakana Village. (1hr North of Auckland).
Tour Starts:  7.30pm – 10.30pm (Summer) & 5.oopm – 8.oopm (Winter)
Tour Duration:  Approx 3 Hours

This is a small group tour into an amazing bird sanctuary that just so happens to have one of Auckland’s favourite surf beaches, campgrounds and walking trails! Join your local guide Ness as she shows you her ‘backyard’.

Join your local Kiwi tour guide, Ness, for a fantastic evening exploring the Tawharanui Bird Sanctuary, home to the New Zealand Kiwi bird! This thriving sanctuary, located on a remote peninsula in the Hauraki Gulf (roughly one hour from downtown Auckland) is the perfect habitat for Kiwi and other native NZ birds such as the Kereru, Tui, Native Owl, Morpork and more.

With native forest, lush pastures, gorgeous coastal views and sandy beaches, it’s easy to see why the Kiwi call Tawharanui home. With the tour beginning at dusk, you’ll set off with your local guide in search of Kiwi by red torchlight. Keep an ear out for the shrill call of the Kiwi, it is very distinctive and almost mesmerizing. You will learn how to identify the difference between the male and female calls as well as other fascinating facts about these wonderful birds throughout the tour.

If you are lucky you may even get the chance to see these treasured nocturnal birds!

The small group numbers of the tour ensure you get the most out of your experience, making for a memorable and informative evening exploring the sanctuary and habitat of the New Zealand Kiwi!

Wild Kiwi Spotting Experience Matakana:

Not many people get the chance to spot a Kiwi in its natural habitat – this unique experience, right on Auckland’s doorstep, will allow you to get up close with some of New Zealand’s rarest (and vocal!) birdlife. As a protected, predator-free sanctuary, a night walk through Tawharanui gives you a rare glimpse into the sights and sounds of the New Zealand forest, pre-European settlement.

The trails are well maintained, and relatively flat with just a few undulations. Total distance walked will vary, but averages about 1-2km for the tour. We provide hot chocolate and homemade cookies for you to enjoy while learning about the area and awaiting dark for our nocturnal friends!

What Guests Should Bring:

  • Your lovely selves and a quiet night time voice as to not scare these beautiful birds away.
  • Enclosed shoes (trainers/sneakers) or if you don’t have any, then enclosed sandals are fine.
  • Rain Jacket and a warm layer (just in case).
  • Red Light / Flash light (these are supplied if you don’t have one!).

Matakana Food, Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Tasting Tour
This Tour is not operating at the moment

Price: $195 person – Children $100 pp ( aged 17 & under )
Pick up/drop off:  Auckland City
Tour Starts:  10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Tour Duration:  6 Hours

Want to get out of Auckland Central? This tour takes you just an hour north of Auckland’s CBD to the idyllic Matakana Coast! This wonderful area is full of boutique wineries, scrumptious local eateries and food producers with award winning products.

Matakana Wine Tour Itinerary:

Guided transport from Auckland to Matakana region ( approx one hour north of Auckland) We make our way into the Matakana Wine Trail, home to boutique wineries where we will be visiting 3 local wineries with a vineyard lunch location in the stunning Matakana area.

Kiwiness Tours provide top quality guides, excellent local knowledge, travel refreshments, and clever storage in the van for any wine purchases along the way. Our locations are picked on best reputations, atmosphere and scenery, and will change depending on availability held by these boutique cellar doors and restaurants. Some bonus stops can include…Puhoi Valley, Matakana Oysters, chocolate boutiques, gelato & honey!

Lunch will either be at the winery or a local eatery, it depends on availability that day. (Lunch pay on day).

Return transport with your local expert is included to and from our pick up location in Auckland Central.

What Guests Should Bring:

  • Jacket
  • Money for lunch & any additional purchases
  • Water Bottle
  • Camera
  • ID if under 25. (In New Zealand, the legal drinking age is 18+ however all servers of alcoholic beverages must check ID for those who look 25 or under).
 

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