Kayaking Motuora Island: kiwi spotting at night

Paddle to an island, walk through regenerating forest, hunt kiwi by torchlight

This private sea kayaking adventure from Auckland combines a sunset paddle across the Hauraki Gulf to Motuora Island with a guided night walk through a predator-free wildlife sanctuary. You kayak from Sullivans Bay, explore the island on foot, then search for New Zealand's iconic kiwi using red-light torches while learning about the island's conservation story and Māori heritage. The 6.5-hour experience includes an experienced guide, all kayak equipment, kiwi spotting gear, and a hot drink with snack; pickup from Auckland is available as an option.

The Experience

You meet your guide at Sullivans Bay and receive a safety briefing before launching your kayak across sheltered coastal waters. The paddle to Motuora Island takes you along the Hauraki Gulf coastline, where you may spot dolphins, stingrays, and seabirds while your guide shares the area's natural history and conservation efforts. The island itself is a working wildlife sanctuary—predator-free and regenerating native forest—so the species you encounter there exist nowhere else in the region.

Once ashore, you walk through the bush with your guide, who stops at viewpoints overlooking the gulf and explains the island's restoration work and Māori heritage. As evening darkens, the guided wildlife walk begins. Using red-light torches—the color preserves the animals' night vision—you move quietly through the sanctuary searching for kiwi and listening for their distinctive calls. You may also encounter tuatara, giant wētā, geckos, and seabirds returning to their burrows. This is the part few visitors to New Zealand ever experience: an island after dark, on foot, with a guide who knows where to listen.

The paddle back to Sullivans Bay happens under evening skies, closing the day where it began. Pickup from Auckland is included if you choose that option at checkout; if you arrange your own transport to the bay, the price adjusts accordingly.

What’s included

• Sea kayak, paddle, and life jacket.
• experienced guide fluent in English or Spanish.
• kiwi spotting equipment (red-light torches).
• hot drink and snack.
• pickup from Auckland (if you select that option at checkout).

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Social Nature Movement

Is this one for you?Choose the private booking with pickup if you're arriving in Auckland without a car or prefer not to drive to Sullivans Bay; choose the no-transport option if you have your own way there. Either way, the small group size and private guide mean the pace and stops are yours alone, so the experience doesn't rush past the moments when kiwi calls carry through the dark.

Top questions

What wildlife might I actually see on Motuora Island?

Motuora Island is predator-free, so you may encounter kiwi (the main target of the night walk), tuatara, giant wētā, geckos, and seabirds. During the paddle across the gulf, dolphins, stingrays, and various seabirds are common sightings, though wildlife encounters are never guaranteed.

Do I need kayaking experience to paddle to Motuora?

No prior kayaking experience is required. The paddle crosses sheltered coastal waters, and your guide provides a full safety briefing and instruction before you launch. You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness, as the paddle and walking are sustained activities over 6.5 hours.

Why use red-light torches during the kiwi walk?

Red light preserves the animals' night vision and allows them to behave naturally, so you have a genuine chance of spotting kiwi and other nocturnal wildlife without disturbing them. It's also why the walk happens after dark—kiwi are active at night and rarely seen in daylight.

Is dinner included, or should I eat beforehand?

A hot drink and snack are included, but dinner is not. Plan to eat a substantial meal before the adventure begins, as the experience runs 6.5 hours and the snack is meant to sustain you during the activity, not replace a full meal.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The experience operates in most weather conditions, as the paddle crosses sheltered waters and the island walk happens regardless. Your guide will assess conditions on the day and advise if conditions are unsafe for kayaking; in that case, you can reschedule or receive a refund.