Ulva Island and Stewart Island Guided Walks

Book yourself a guided tour with Beaks & Feathers

Stewart Island / Ulva Island should definitely be on your ‘Must Do’ list when you are exploring New Zealand. Let our Stewart Island local, experienced and knowledgeable guides show you some of the most diverse and beautiful places in New Zealand.

Come and spy the Southern Brown Kiwi – we have exclusive access to where the kiwi comes out to forage under the cover of darkness.

Ulva Island Guided Walk

Join one of Beaks & Feather’s experienced local guides on a highly engaging 3.5 hour guided walk around the amazing predator free Ulva Island. With abundance of native, rare and endangered birdlife, bringing the primeval podocarp forest alive with bird song.

DURATION: 3.5hrs
DEPART: 8.45am and 1pm
PRICE: From $175 pp ($95 12 & under). Includes water taxi.
SMALL GROUPS: 2 – 8 people

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Beaks & Feathers Red and Yellow-crowned Parakeet

Ulva Island Guided Walk

A highly engaging 3.5 hour guided walk around the amazing predator free Ulva Island. With abundance of native, rare and endangered birdlife, bringing the primeval podocarp forest alive with bird song.

DURATION: 3.5hrs
DEPART: 8.45am and 1pm
PRICE: From $175 pp ($95 12 & under). Includes water taxi.
SMALL GROUPS: 2 – 8 people

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Ulva by Land & Sea Guided Tour

This tour includes a 1 hour scenic tour in a comfortable water taxi to experience the sea birds and marine life surrounding Ulva Island before being dropped off for a 2.5 hour guided walk on predator free Ulva Island, where the forest comes alive with bird song.

DURATION: 2.5hrs guided walk, 1hr circumnavigating Ulva Island by water taxi (weather dependent)
DEPART: Varies
PRICE: From $300pp ($165 12 & under). Includes water taxi.
SMALL GROUPS: 2 – 8 people

Due to water taxi availability please call us on 027 316 3077 or email us to book.

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Ulva by Land & Sea Guided Tour

This tour includes a 1 hour scenic ocean tour in a comfortable water taxi to experience the sea birds and marine life surrounding Ulva Island before being dropped off for a 2.5 hour guided walk on predator free Ulva Island.

DURATION: 3.5hrs total
DEPART: Varies*
PRICE: From $300pp ($165 12 & under). Includes water taxi.
SMALL GROUPS: 2 – 8 people

*Due to water taxi availability please call us on 027 316 3077 or email us to book.

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Kiwi Spotting

Come and spy one of New Zealand’s absolute treasures in its natural habitat, the Southern Brown Kiwi. Beaks & Feathers have exclusive access to private land where the kiwi comes out to forage under the cover of darkness.

“Unforgettable kiwi experience”, “Could not be better”, “Absolutely awesome”, “Wonderful kiwi encounter”

TIMES: Tours leave approximately 30 minutes after dark. Weather dependent.
DURATION: 1.5 hours approx
PRICE: From $130 pp ($95 12 & under).
SMALL GROUPS: 2 – 9 people

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Kiwi Spotting

TIMES: 30 minutes after dark. Weather dependent.
DURATION: 1.5 hours approx
PRICE: From $130 pp ($95 12 & under).
SMALL GROUPS: 2 – 9 people

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Port William / Maori Beach Guided Hike

One of the most popular coastal and native bush half day hikes on Stewart Island. Where you will water taxi to Port William before disembarking and hiking to Maori beach. A site where early Maori settled and later became a saw milling community in the early 1900s. Then you get to explore Lee Bay via Little River, a stunning tidal river mouth, overhanging with Rata trees.

DURATION: 4-5hrs (includes water taxi)
PRICE: From $290 per person (2 person minimum); $150 (12 years old & under). Price includes water taxi.
SMALL GROUPS: 2 – 8 people

Call us on 027 316 3077 or email us now.

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Port William / Maori Beach Guided Hike

One of the most popular coastal and native bush half day hikes on Stewart Island. Where you will water taxi to Port William before disembarking and hiking to Māori beach. A site where early Māori settled. Then explore Lee Bay via Little River, a stunning tidal river mouth, overhanging with Rata trees.

DURATION: 4-5hrs (includes water taxi)
PRICE: From $290 per person (2 person minimum); $150 (12 years old & under). Price includes water taxi.
SMALL GROUPS: 2 – 8 people

Call us on 027 316 3077 or email us now.

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Masons Bay to Freshwater Landing - Day Trip

Enjoy a 7-minute scenic flight from Oban to Mason’s Bay, with aerial views of Paterson Inlet, Freshwater River, vast dunes and wild coastline. Land on the remote white-sand beach, walk 15.5 km to Freshwater Landing, then water-taxi the tannic Freshwater River through Paterson Inlet to Golden Bay Wharf.

DURATION: 4-5 hours
PRICE: Adults: $1,050 pp (includes flight and water taxi)
Not suitable for young children.
SMALL GROUPS: 2 person minimum, 6 person maximum (per trip).

NOTE: This adventure is tidal and weather dependent.

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Masons Bay to Freshwater Landing - Day Trip

DURATION: 4-5 hours
PRICE: Adults: $1,050 pp (includes flight and water taxi)
Not suitable for young children.
SMALL GROUPS: 2 person minimum, 6 person maximum (per trip).

NOTE: This adventure is tidal and weather dependent.

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Rakiura Track - 3 Day Guided Hike

Experience a 3-day guided hike along the 32km Rakiura Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. But… instead of heavy packs, crowded huts, no showers to get rid of the mud and dehydrated food awaiting you, why not experience the Beaks & Feathers luxe way?

DURATION: 3 Days
PRICE: Adults: $1,500pp
SMALL GROUPS: 2 person minimum, 8 person maximum.

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Rakiura Track - 3 Day Guided Hike

DURATION: 3 Days
PRICE: Adults: $1,500pp
SMALL GROUPS: 2 person minimum, 8 person maximum.

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Interest in an EXCLUSIVE tour?

Enjoy an exclusive tour where it is just the two of you or maybe an adventure with only your friends and family. Whether your want to explore Ulva Island, Ulva by Land & Sea, Port William/Maori Beach, go Kiwi Spotting or one of the many other great walks around Stewart Island, you will be looked after by our knowledgeable and experienced local guides.

Call us on 027 316 3077 or email us now.

BOOK NOW

Interest in an EXCLUSIVE tour?

Call us on 027 316 3077 or email us now.

BOOK NOW

What people say...

We booked two kiwi walks on Stewart Island in our three nights there: one with Beaks and Feathers and one with another company. We should have booked two with Beaks and Feathers. Based on our experience, I would highly recommend you spend a night with Ange looking for kiwi. We found two birds very quickly and got extended looks at both. I think it also speaks volumes that everyone that we talked to on the Island seemed to know Ange and everyone gave positive reviews.

We did a night tour last night and saw four Kiwi with one coming right up to us, even resting its beak on my wife’s shoe! We saw large females, baby’s and young males. Ollie was awesome, was full of great facts, made everyone slow down and we all benefited. Superb night – thank you!

Kenneth B

We took a 10.00 p.m. trip with a very knowledgeable guide and saw four Kiwis, very small, smallish, a bit bigger and mature. It was a great experience, very well organised and well led and we were delivered back to our bnb afterwards. This really is a must see with this company which is the best on the island.

Ange is the best Kiwi-spotting guide you are going to get on Stewart Island. she is knowledgeable, delightful and will look after you like a long time friend. My wife needs a walking stick for mobility and we had our 9 yr old son, and none of the other Kiwi Tours on Stewart Island were willing to work with that. Angela was fantastic and we saw 1 male and a juvenile kiwi. She even got the rain to hold off for us!!!

Ollie our guide for the evening was a great guy with good knowledge. Took our group of 7 to the airport where we quickly encountered our first Kiwi, able to get really close without disturbing the bird. During the tour we saw a total of 8 Kiwi on the airport and a 9th very close to the town on our way home. Highlight was the scene of a male on male Kiwi fight and chase through the bush, most entertaining!. Saw plenty of other wildlife and a spectacular Milky Way. So 10 out of 10 for this trip well worth the money.

Ange and her team were one of the best parts to our Stewart Island experience. An awesome guide who is relaxed and super knowledgeable with a shop full of beautiful local goods. We saw 3 kiwi on our tour with Ollie. Thank you so much for your hospitality we had an amazing time.

Emma L

I kept on telling my friends about how many kiwi I saw (7) on the night spotting tour, and added in all the facts and emotion that Mel (the tour guide) provided and now they’ve stopped talking to me. I know they’re just jealous but it still hurts a tad. It’s fine though because every time I close my eyes my new constant companions are there with their cute lil beaks and fluffy lil feathers, and in truth I doubt I will ever feel lonely again.
Yeap on the whole a great tour with a super friendly and knowledgeable guide who had a genuine passion for the critters. Best tour on the island of the kind by far and the best way to get yourself that kiwi tick and validate yourself as an Aotearoan. Now all I gotta do is persuade my friends to go and maybe they’ll start talking to me again.
Chur.

Alex

We had the absolute pleasure of doing the early morning Kiwi spotting with Ang and the Ulva Island walk with Johnny.
Ang was the all knowing Kiwi expert and we managed to spot 10 Kiwi on the morning we happened to go out with her.
She was full of amazing Kiwi and Stewart Island facts and we finished up knowing far more than we did before, as well as seeing Kiwi in their natural habitat for the very first time.
The Ulva Island walk with Johnny was just as enjoyable and full of all the local forna and bird life.
This is definitely the company to do these things with.
Apparently Johnny does snorkelling tours in the summer and if they are even half as good as the island walk was with him, it’ll be fabulous!!
A must do!

Glen & Caz

Our party of three went on the Kiwi Spotting Tour: PHENOMENAL!!!!!!!!!! Our guide – Mel – was awesome: really knowledgeable, super friendly and lots of fun! I didn’t expect to see (and hear) such amazing kiwi activity, right from the very first minute on site – truly extraordinary!!! Couldn’t ask for a better experience – thanks again Mel. Definitely a mega highlight that everyone needs to experience if they can 🙂

Nicola

Ange runs small tours at Ulva Island, a bird watching paradise. Her knowledge of the bird life is incredible and she takes the track real slow so you can see all the best birds and plants. We did our research and can confidently say she runs the best bird watching tours to Ulva Island. You get a full three or more hours with her and it’s super personalised. Plus she’s been involved in predator eradication and bird protection for decades so has lots of great knowledge to share. Down to earth, amazing bird watching and a lovely woman.

Booked an early tour to Ulva Island, was on the Island before the other water taxis and cruise boats arrived. WOW the birdsong was incredible, saw so many native birds ( Weka, Kaka, Saddleback, Kereru, Oyster Catchers, Stewart Island Robin) and Ange explained all the Flora and Fauna ( very interesting ) after walking the tracks we headed off in the boat to see many seabirds ( including Albatross, Penguins, Terns) and were delighted by the Hooker Sealions antics. JUST DO IT !!

My husband and I went on a half day guided walk with Ange on Stewart Island, then a Kiwi spotting tour later that evening. Both were absolutely fantastic. Ange is incredibly knowledgeable and has been involved in conservation in the area since the 1990s. She’s really relaxed and approachable and absolutely knows her stuff!
We saw some amazing birds & plants, including Kiwis, Saddlebacks & Yellow Heads.
Would recommend 100%.
Thank you, Ange!

Pippa K

If we hadn’t have had a guide for our Ulva Island trip, my family would’ve powered around the island walk in about an hour! It was so worth paying to have a guided tour – we walked quietly and slowly around the island, with time to learn the different bird calls, to see a huge range of native birds, learn about our native flora and even see a bonus Hooker Sea Lion nursing her baby.
I enjoyed everything about this tour – the boat trip over, the beautiful scenery, seeing native birds up close, and the speedy trip back.
Thanks Ange – it was a highlight of our stay in Rakiura.

We did a ulva island tour with Ange and Mike, the small personal tour was awesome. We went at our own pace, and their knowledge about the birds, the bush and the land is amazing. Saddlebacks, kaka, robins, and even a baby morepork. Would highly recommend beaks and feathers to anyone.

I felt it a real privilege to be guided by Ang to Ulva Island, not only did she tell me everything I needed to know about the amazing native wildlife, history of Ulva but her passion for the natural world and Stewart Island was infectious. We saw nearly every bird that was needed to be seen and lots of conversation about the native flora and fauna. Ang is a true local and am grateful to her sharing her life experiences of working with NZs natural world and living on Stewart Island. I’m so pleased to have supported a small local business like Beaks and Feathers who gave me an unforgettable experience oh and their gift shop is gorgeous.