Willowbank Wildlife Reserve Tours and Tickets

This Akaroa shore excursion takes you on a scenic journey into Christchurch via the Banks Peninsula with a visit to the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. Your tour of the ‘Garden City’ includes a stroll through the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and a look at earthquake recovery efforts in the city center. You’ll find exotic critters such as wallabies, gibbons and lemurs at the wildlife reserve, and meet the elusive but iconic kiwi, New Zealand’s national bird.

Treat yourself to a special evening at the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch. Experience a traditional Maori cultural performance and view the kiwi bird in its natural habitat. Visit the Ko Tane marae, a living Maori village, where you’re informed and entertained with Maori dance and song including the ‘haka' (war dance). Then observe endangered North Island brown kiwis and South Island kiwis— flightless birds native to New Zealand.

Visit three must-see Christchurch attractions in one day: the International Antarctic Centre, Willowbank Wildlife Reserve and the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Experience firsthand what life is like on the ice of Antarctica via an all-terrain Hagglund ride; observe native and exotic animals at the wildlife reserve; and discover military history with two dozen fully restored aircraft representing the four ages of flight. Round-trip hotel transport is included.

This guided tour from Christchurch includes a Hagglund snowmobile ride at the International Antarctic Centre and a dinner buffet at the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. Start with the Snow and Ice Experience and watch the antics of playful arctic birds at the Penguin Encounter, then observe both native and exotic animals — including the endangered kiwi bird — at the wildlife reserve after your five-course meal. Round-trip hotel transport is included.

Book advance tickets to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve for guaranteed kiwi sightings and up-close access to native New Zealand species. Booking Willowbank Wildlife Reserve tickets online combines the convenience of advance planning with the flexibility to arrive at any time of day, making it easy to fit this wildlife experience into a full day of travel or sightseeing.