Walking and Hiking Trails

We have so much for you to experience and can't wait to see you!

We love having you visit, and we entrust you to keep the sanctuary in it's pristine condition - help us out by adhering to the following protocols…

Environmental care code

Protect plants and animals.
Please do not feed the animals.
Leave only footprint and take any rubbish with you to dispose of after you leave.
Keep to the tracks, no animal (big or tiny) wants to have their home trampled on.
Enjoy your visit and toitū te whenua (leave the land undisturbed).
No dogs (please contact us if you have an assistance dog).
No bikes are permitted.
No smoking or vaping.
Use the toilets provided.

Biosecurity

Before you go through any of the double gates which protect the forest from pests, please:

Check - your gear for introduced pests such as rodents, skinks or insects.
Clean - your footwear and gear, removing soil and seeds.
Close - ensure your gear is zipped up and food is in a sealed container to avoid attracting rodents or insects.

Southern Enclosure

Our southern enclosure (called Te Tūī a Tāne) is the best place to come to get the full sanctuary experience. Here you can purchase a pass for a self-guided walk, or a fully guided experience.

Tautari Wetland

Come and see the home of the Tuatara and experience the joy of the Takahe on a guided walk through our wetlands.

The Wairere Traverse (Over The Mountain) Track takes approximately 5 hours to complete, north-to-south. Donations are greatly appreciated to help cover the $5000 per day it costs to run the sanctuary.

Northern Enclosure

The northern enclosure is located at Hicks Road, there is a 1.5km uphill walk to get to the entrance. Donations are greatly appreciated to help cover the $5000 per day it costs to run the sanctuary.

FAQs

Interested in our education programme? Questions about lunch options at our Maunga? Find out the answer to the most frequently asked questions!

What our visitors say

Thank you all for an awesome educational experience last week. The tamariki were stoked, as were we all. We look forward to visiting again in the future.

Te Wharekura o te Kaokaoroa o Patetere

Outstanding. A must visit. Give yourself plenty to soak in everything. The staff are amazing and chock full of interesting knowledge. Don't miss this.

A L Lomas

A really great sanctuary, with some incredible birdlife. If you’re slow and quiet enough you may get a little show from the Piwakawaka.

Jack Howe

Very friendly guides, full of knowledge and passionate about what they do. We were lucky enough to see different types of native birds, including a very inquisitive kākā. They are wild, so keep that in mind when you visit (the guides can't make them appear on demand!).

Pam Chapman

The educators were very easy to listen to and very knowledgeable. They spoke to the children and at their level. They also interacted with the adults too. The props used to get the message across was great. This made a great visual learning experience. Staff just couldn't stop talking about...

Tirau School

Wonderful experience seeing tuatara on a wetland tour. Southern Enclosure surrounded by native trees, bush and birds soothes the soul.

Desley McFarlane

All the educators were great. We loved their enthusiasm and patience. Thanks for a wonderful visit. One teacher said it was the most educational trip she has ever been on. Maybe we need to visit again and look at another part of the sanctuary.

Tirau School

Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari has a beautiful array of native New Zealand birds. The tracks are well signposted and easy to navigate I would highly recommend for any nature or bird lover or photographer.

Lydia Gillies, Auckland, New Zealand

A beautiful and peaceful place.

Tony Nicholls

Incredible what has been created to protect the animals in this area. Ample parking and a bit of an uphill walk to get to the office, followed by a really awesome walking trails. Lucky to get a video of a kingfisher bird at the entrance. A must do walk!!

Rene Lind-Steyn

Walking and Hiking trails at the sanctuary