Bring your ākonga along to see the maunga in a totally different light.

From $37.00 per student | 30 guests

What do glowworms, wētā and batman have in common? Yes, you're more likely to see them when it's dark! We are now offering educational night walks.

Curriculum links: Science, Local Curriculum, Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education
Suitable for: Best suited to age 8 and above.
Minimum number of students: 15
Maximum number of students: 1 class
Approximate Duration: 2.5 hours (including a 30 minute classroom session)
Cost of Teachers and Teacher Aides: Free
Cost for Parent Helpers: $37
Equipment needed: Each student will need a torch, suitable footwear and warm clothing.

While there are no guarantees, things that we may come across on a night walk include:

Huge spiders boasting a variety of webs
Cave wētā leaping across the track
Fluorescent lichen
Titiwai/glowworms
Stargazing opportunities from atop the tower
A glimpse of koura/crayfish in the Rātā Track pond
The calls of ruru/morepork and kākā returning for the night
If you're incredibly lucky then maybe the calls of kiwi nearby

Let us know what your class is learning about and how we can help by tailoring our night walk to meet your needs!

contact us

We were a group of 8, Sue was our guide. Would so recommend having Sue to guide. We would not have noticed or learnt anything by ourselves, noticed birds and plants with understanding the importance of sanctuary. Will be bringing the grandies next.

Helen Bingham

← 1 / 10 →

The team are still absolutely buzzing about their time at Maungatautari! We all learnt SO much — about Rongoa, about the forest and how different plants can heal our ailments — but also how the forest as a whole can heal our inner-selves too. Everybody took something of great value...

Huka Honey Hive, Taupo

← 2 / 10 →

I wanted to email you and tell you how literally amazing our day was and that we were absolutely blown away by the whole experience. You and your team are fantastic. All of the parents who attended raved about the whole day.

Ohaupo School

← 3 / 10 →

A truly spectacular day for me thank you, and trust me I've done some really cool things before but this was right up there. The passion, the pride, the service beyond self and the truly intergenerational and transformational work you and the team have done and are doing is inspirational...

Simon

← 4 / 10 →

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Because one THANK YOU is not enough! We felt very honoured and privileged to witness the health check and transfer process of two kiwi yesterday. To be so close to our iconic bird was very surreal for many of our team. Many photos were taken and I'm sure...

Nicola Greenwell

← 5 / 10 →

I'm honestly still smiling after my afternoon on the maunga yesterday, so I had to write and thank you SO MUCH. The team is doing extraordinary work with the whole sanctuary, and to see the kiwi team, volunteers, dogs, it was absolutely amazing. It was very moving to see the kiwi close up....

Katy Scoullar

← 6 / 10 →

I've hiked many, many forests around New Zealand, but this one hits differently. You just know you're in as native of an NZ forest as it can get, thanks to the predator-proof fence that takes a lot of work and money to maintain. The forest is alive with the beautiful songs of many...

Meggie Tran

← 7 / 10 →

A beautiful and peaceful place.

Tony Nicholls

← 8 / 10 →

My wife and I live in Miami and visited Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari during a trip to New Zealand a month ago. Our guide was Jenny. We were very impressed with her sincerity as well as your organization and the success of your work.

Anonymous, Miami, USA

← 9 / 10 →

If you want to see New Zealand's nocturnal animals, go here. Of course, there are day tours as well as night tours. I went on a night tour and it was great. I was happy to see glow worms, go up to the observatory, and see many stars in the night sky! This is not a zoo, but a conservation...