Visit and Experience our Maunga
Welcome to an ancient world where our native forest towers majestically above you. Listen as the air is filled with birdsong. Breathe the life force of the ngahere (forest) that surrounds you. Enjoy a variety of well-maintained hikes and bush walks around our eco-sanctuary, take a guided walking tour or a nature walk and discover why Aotearoa/New Zealand's largest predator fenced eco-sanctuary is nationally cherished and internationally recognised.
Manu Tioriori Visitor Centre Opening Hours
Our Manu Tioriori Visitor Centre is open daily from 9am to 4pm. Last entry to the sanctuary is 4pm. For the heath and safety of all, we recommend visitors exit the sanctuary before dark, or join us on a Night Tour.
Open daily, except for Christmas Day.
Where to find us: 99 Tari Road, Pukeatua (we're on the southern side of the mountain)
H5 Bird Flu Update
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is open for all visitors. Find out what Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is doing in response to H5 Bird Flu and the simple steps you can take to help.
As seen on the Air New Zealand Safety Video!
Step through the pest-proof gate into another world where our ancient native forest towers majestically above well-maintained walking tracks.
We have a variety of different walks, the most popular is the Southern Enclosure and Tautari Wetlands, both of which are accessible from our visitors centre.
To get the best experience book a guided tour. Guides will give you a deeper appreciation of the sanctuary, its history and its future.
We have a small on-site cafe that sells hot and cold drinks, cookies (ones that the Cookie Monster would love!), ice creams and other snacks.
Interested in our Education Programme? Questions about lunch options? Find out the answers to the most frequently asked questions!
Sanctuary Mountain® Maungatautari is all about its native environment and inhabitants! Have a look at some of our birdlife and other taonga species.
Come and stay in our wonderful two-bedroom accommodation that sleeps up to four people. Every booking includes a sanctuary explorer pass for the duration of your stay.
WHAT OUR VISITORS SAY
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
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
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 [Phil and the educators]. All of the parents who attended raved about the whole day.
- Ohaupo School
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
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
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
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
A beautiful and peaceful place.
- Tony Nicholls
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
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...
- HyoJin Yang (YY)
