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Franz Josef - West Coast Wildlife Centre Backstage Pass

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The Backstage Pass is a combo ticket including West Coast Wildlife Centre entry PLUS a guided 30-45 minute informative tour with one of our Kiwi Rangers through the incubation and chick rearing facility. The Backstage Pass is hugely popular – especially during the summer months - and is classed as a ‘Top Pick’ by Lonely Planet Travel Guides.

Visitors will see where and how eggs are processed when they first arrive at the West Coast Wildlife Centre. They will learn about incubation procedures and take a look at the room where the eggs are cared for. Finally, visitors will get a chance to view the Brooder Room where the kiwi chicks are housed and reared during their time with us.

Non-flash photography is permitted on the Backstage Pass under close supervision by your Kiwi Ranger guide. All kiwi chicks will be viewed behind glass.

Kiwi chicks will be available to view on the Backstage Pass tour from October to March (subject to change and breeding season).

The West Coast Wildlife Centre is an all-weather visitor attraction located in Franz Josef. The centre is the sole provider of the BNZ Operation Nest Egg TM incubation and captive rearing programme for New Zealand's rarest Kiwi, the Rowi and Haast tokoeka. Since opening in 2010 the West Coast Wildlife Centre has successfully raised and released over 240 Kiwi Chicks.

West Coast Wildlife Centre entry gives visitors the very special chance to view juvenile Rowi in a natural walk through Nocturnal House setting. This self-guided attraction also includes educational and interactive displays and wildlife films offering an opportunity to learn about the Glacier and the unique West Coast region.

All entry tickets help contribute to Kiwi conservation and the fight for Kiwi survival.

Price: $55 Adult, $35 Child

Conditions: All children must be accompanied by an adult. Child age is 15 years and under.

Please Note: The Backstage Pass requires a good level of understanding of English and is not suitable for children under 8 years of age.

Available Bookings from June 20 to June 26

Change Dates

All prices are shown in NZD ($)

Sat 20 Jun
Sun 21 Jun
Mon 22 Jun
Tue 23 Jun
Wed 24 Jun
Thu 25 Jun
Fri 26 Jun

4spaces priced from:

  • Adult$35.00
  • Child$28.00

4spaces priced from:

  • Adult$55.00
  • Child$28.00

2spaces priced from:

  • Adult$32.00
  • Child$28.00

4spaces priced from:

  • Adult$32.00
  • Child$28.00

4spaces priced from:

  • Adult$32.00
  • Child$28.00

2spaces priced from:

  • Adult$35.00
  • Child$28.00

4spaces priced from:

  • Adult$35.00
  • Child$28.00

6spaces priced from:

  • Adult$55.00
  • Child$35.00

5spaces priced from:

  • Adult$35.00
  • Child$28.00

4spaces priced from:

  • Adult$35.00
  • Child$28.00

6spaces priced from:

  • Adult$55.00
  • Child$35.00

4spaces priced from:

  • Adult$35.00
  • Child$28.00

4spaces priced from:

  • Adult$55.00
  • Child$35.00

4spaces priced from:

  • Adult$55.00
  • Child$35.00

5spaces priced from:

  • Adult$55.00
  • Child$35.00

3spaces priced from:

  • Adult$55.00
  • Child$35.00

4spaces priced from:

  • Adult$55.00
  • Child$35.00
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Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme

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Amanda from NZ

Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme

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101 reviews

Read all 101 authenticated reviews for Franz Josef - West Coast Wildlife Centre Backstage Pass

Showing all 101 authenticated Bookme reviews

Simone from Netherlands wrote on 22 January 2019

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Great experience!

Really interesting backstage tour with lots of information and of course seeing a kiwi chick as highlight. They are doing amazing work. Support them by doing this tour.

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Andrea from Switzerland wrote on 12 March 2018

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Learning about kiwi's - Interesting

It was really interesting to have the backstage tour. The only thing I think they should have mentioned that it would not be breeding season anymore and there will not be the possibility to see the kiwi eggs. The rest of the tour was really interesting. We were only two people so we could ask as many questions as we wanted. To see and feel how heavy the kiwis get, how big an egg is etc. was really interesting and gave a great inside look into those wonderful little creatures. And to see the two rowis afterwards in the nocturnal room was really wonderful.

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Roxanne from Australia wrote on 21 November 2017

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Baby Kiwi

Whilst the Centre is small the information was very interesting. We were very lucky to see a 2 day old Kiwi chick up very close... great information & awesome staff

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anonymous from Austria wrote on 07 March 2019

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See a kiwi but dont expect to much

the experience itself was ok and the explainations are good. so currently they dont breed any eggs thats why the breeding facilities are empty. However there are 3 young kiwis currently taken care of. (it would be nice if they had informations about this on there websites to be fully transparent what you are paying into) if you want to see them not sleeping it would be recommended not to choose the 4pm tour. i mean they were moving a bit and you could take pictures with red light lamps but you basically see a furry little rolled up ball with a beak.. eventually. I would love to known those details before hand because my priority was to take pictures of a kiwi. (the support for the cause is just additionally :) ) Do note that you cannot use a tripod since it is prohibited to lay stuff on the ground (due to sanatizing issues). This is also why you are giving some protections for your shoes. I would love to see that they sell/give you additional 3 "gloves" for your tripod to make the pictures more stable.. even including a additional charge. (focussing in this environment is tough so consider cranking up your iso... and it does not help that the glass is highly reflective and the wristbands are light green). This beeing said the presentation was good and they rising questions were answered to the full extend. (the tour also consist partly of a preproduced video to show the whole process of taking care of the kiwis from egg to grown ups)

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Kevin Kovalycsik from United States wrote on 22 February 2020

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Visit

I thought that it was an excellent experience. Relatively short, but very informative. Unfortunately, the kiwis were asleep. I think it would be outstanding if it was possible to see the kiwis with the red light /or if you paired the tour with that in the wild of the neighboring town that I was unable to attend because there was no ride. Otherwise, great job.

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10:00 a.m.Thursday 13 July

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