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Experience the amazing West Coast Wildlife Centre, home of the rare kiwi, complete with a guided backstage tour and fascinating Tuatara Encounter!
The VIP Guided Backstage Pass Tour 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. You'll also enjoy a fascinating Tuatara encounter where you can view up-close the prehistoric tuatara that is endemic only to New Zealand.
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.
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.
Wed 21 Oct
Thu 22 Oct
Fri 23 Oct
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Tue 27 Oct
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
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
2spaces priced from:
- Adult$32.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
6spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$35.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$35.00
- Child$28.00
6spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
5spaces priced from:
- Adult$35.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$35.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
4spaces priced from:
- Adult$57.00
- Child$28.00
Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme
Great viewing of kiwis and tuataras
Megan from NZ
Great viewing of kiwis and tuataras
Megan from NZ
Disappointing
amandal1 from NZ
Disappointing
amandal1 from NZ
Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme
Showing all 104 authenticated Bookme reviews
Jo from New Zealand wrote on 08 October 2020
Very enjoyable
What a very informative tour behind the scene. We were very lucky to see a kiwi be born and there were 3 other Kiwi's only 3 days old. Then when we went into the adults arrive, they were running around and making noises. It was lovely to see.
Megan from New Zealand wrote on 13 September 2020
Great viewing of kiwis and tuataras
Great to see behind the scenes of the newly born kiwis and their egg incubators. Great staff. Friendly tour guide. We were able to see the tuataras being fed aswell and go through the the experience. All in all a great way to spend an hour.
From Franz Josef - West Coast Wildlife Centre VIP Guided Backstage Pass Tour
Thanks for the 5 Star review and delighted that you enjoyed your visit !
amandal1 from New Zealand wrote on 31 October 2019
Disappointing
A very enjoyable tour however the amount of time allowed to see the baby chicks was disappointing. They allow you to take unlimited photos but with the kiwis in glass boxes with a red light on inside, the light reflecting on the glass and in a narrow corridor, it makes it impossible to get a good photo. I was particularly looking forward to this tour after following them online and seeing photos of the baby chicks, I was sadly disappointed. I wouldn’t recommend the backstage pass.
From Franz Josef - West Coast Wildlife Centre VIP Guided Backstage Pass Tour
Thanks Amanda for placing a review and sad that you did not enjoy our Backstage Pass Tour. Taking photography of kiwi chicks can be really challenging as you are visiting a real life working area where the team are actively hatching rowi and Has tokoeka chicks to release back into the wild. If you would like me to email you some really great photos i'd be really happy to do so - just drop me a line ( richard at" [email protected]" ) Hope this helps in some small way. Regards Richard
Kevin Kovalycsik from United States wrote on 22 February 2020
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
Spaces Left
Adult
Child 5 - 15 years
*Option must be made together with another price type.
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ellam1 from New Zealand wrote on 20 October 2020
Do the backstage tour!
A must-do if you are travelling the west coast. Especially the backstage Kiwi and Tuatara tour, you get to see newly hatched kiwis up close and are taken into the tuatara room. So much good information given on the animals as well! Definitely worth it!
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