Tiritiri Matangi Island Discovery - From Auckland

Really lovely trip - unforgettable memories! Heartening story of an incredible conservation effort to help beautiful NZ birds. Good value for money. Lucky to also see dolphins which was a bonus.

Decent hike, nice recovery story, very knowledgeable guide bob, and thanks to all the birds getting their suppplementary food. It’s not a zoo but I like seeing the birds In Their habitat.

An excellent day from start to finish. Highly recommend if you are interested in New Zealand's birds and plants. Highly recommend walking with a guide. Great value full day experience, the boat trip and seeing dolfins an added bonus. Such an achievement from the many volunteers and Conservation Dept staff. A day to remember so close to Auckland city but a world away in nature.

Great to see birds I haven’t seen before Our guide was so helpful and informative Having a choice of walks was great

Tiritiri was amazing, particular for bird lovers and hikers as the paths aren't too difficult and there's plenty of them. The ferry from Auckland takes around an hour but is a fast ferry and there is snacks/drinks available on board.

The booking process was efficient. Following the guidance provided regarding limited food services, we arrived prepared with our own lunch. The ferry crossing offers scenic views of the harbor and Auckland. Upon arrival, the ranger conducts an essential ecological and safety briefing, after which guests may select from three distinct trails leading to the lighthouse. ​Our exclusive tour included a dedicated volunteer guide. Upon notifying staff of my spouse’s mobility requirements, Yvonne promptly arranged transport for the steepest section of the terrain. The volunteer guides exhibit commendable dedication to conservation and research initiatives. Our guide, Carol, provided an engaging and informative experience, drawing upon her extensive tenure with the organization; we extend our sincere gratitude to her. Along the way, we were treated to intimate wildlife moments—spotting a glossy tūī perched among flowering branches and watching an endangered takahē boldly foraging across the grass, gathering sticks right in the open. The lighthouse and visitor center offer a remarkable perspective of New Zealand. ​I opted for the longer return trail independently. The extensive efforts of volunteer teams have established an exceptional route into the natural environment. These meticulously engineered trails effectively balance ecological preservation with accessibility, winding through lush native bush filled with vibrant kawakawa shrubs, climbing tangle ferns, and ancient, twisting canopy trees with sprawling root networks. Along the trailside leaf litter, I even came across an extraordinary white basket fungus (Ileodictyon cibarium). The path concludes at Hobbs Beach, offering panoramic views of the ocean along the pebble-lined coastline. ​The return ride provides additional sightseeing. I had instead opted to share photos collected on the longer, harder return trail with my spouse. ​Tips for travelers: Take time to review the website. It provides useful information that would have helped. While cell service is available, it is spotty, so internet-assisted guidance might not provide augmented background at a useful cadence. Engage the volunteers, as they hold genuine interest in sharing experiences.

Ferry ride was gentle and well equipped and we were fortunate enough to see dolphins near the ferry to which the vessel stopped so that we got a better view. The volunteer guides were all lovely and at $10 each for about 3 hours it represents the most value for money I think I've ever had. Walks were pretty slow and gentle and you can choose how much you want to do with the guide. You can also just wander around the island by yourself. Our guide Dianne was absolutely wonderful and taught us so much about the wildlife and the history of the island. This is the first day of a month in New Zealand and I'm fearful that I cannot top this experience! I cannot recommend it highly enough.

The boat was clean and tidy, the journey was calm. Limited food options so pack a lunch/snacks. On arrival at the island we chose our walk and were assigned a guide. ($10). The guide was very knowledgeable, answered questions, pointed out wildlife and was friendly and amiable. Had plenty of time at the top of the island to visit the gift shop, photograph more birds and have a cuppa before heading back to the boat.

It was fantastic experience of Tiritiri Matangi Island. Traveling to Island and return was really nice. Lot's of Birds feeding stations at Island to watch beautiful Birds species and their natural sound. Its worth the money.

Slow walk the trails so you can see as many different birds as possible. Our family really enjoyed it.

The island is beautiful with great hiking paths and plentiful birds. Our whole group enjoyed the experience. Highly recommend!

From the lovely staff to the super clean boat, to the helpful friendly guides, a really good day out. The island is absolutely beautiful and the wildlife abundant. Neil, our guide was informative and friendly. My only suggestion would be to stay overnight if you can, because one day trip just isn’t long enough to see everything. A cracking spot and pretty good value for money. Oh and don’t forget your packed lunch :)

I arrived at the ticket counter to Find out that Viator had not turned in my name to the tour and it was full. I had to go find another tour to take and I did not use Viator. Very disappointed.

Beautiful, quiet, tranquil Island! Lots of nice paths with beautiful views! Birds are all over. The beach is pretty. The boat ride is nice as well.

A great experience on Tiritiri Matanga! I got a tour with Toni, and she was very informative about the island, its history, and all of the birds and critters. And there was plenty of time to walk around and explore after. The ferry was easy, and there were some snacks and drinks available for purchase for anyone who needed something.

Oh my goodness TAKE THE TRIP!!!!! so so so glad we went it was incredible! DEFINITELY book the guided tour! We were lucky enough to be paired with Malcolm and it was incredible. I'm so thankful to the ppl who reviewed and recommended the guided tour. We definitely wouldn't have learned as much exploring on our own. We saw so many incredible birds, insects, trees and plants. Tiri Matangi is a magical place!

It was an amazing experience. If it’s rainy the grounds are muddy. Come prepared. It could be cold but up at the gift shop they have second hand clothes that are clean and are free to wear to keep you warm. The ride over was in rough water but never did we feel unsafe. All the volunteer's help with suggestions on direction and the different hikes you can take! Seeing the birds was awesome!

It's a fantastic day out in nature. Everything is so easy, from the boat boarding to arrival at TiriTiri and then departing. The island is wonderful - so much wildlife - birds I have never seen before and even a family of Takahe! Beautiful scenery. Highly recommend.

A fabulous day trip. Comfortable boat and attentive staff. The island is absolutely the jewel of the Hauraki Gulf. I remember when is was a paddock covered in grazing sheep. The transformation is a credit to all involved. Well organized guided tour (Friends of Tiritiri Matangi) and wonderful guide (Jean). Facts both interesting and amusing delivered in a very easily understood manner. Jean is a natural storyteller and made the journey well worth it. Thankyou.

Beautiful, peaceful island! Plus a very nice ferry trip in both directions. We enjoyed a guided hike with great information. Loved it!

Although it poured with rain for most of the day this was an enjoyable trip and we got to see many native birds and plants. Our guide, Vic, was superb, so knowledgeable about the island and the various species.

Lovely day trip from Central Auckland quay started with boat ride through scenic Harauki Gulf and arrival at Tiritiri Matangi island bird sanctuary and conservation research site. Definitely sign on for a guided walk with a volunteer Conservation Guide to get the most out of your visit - our guide was extremely knowledgeable and led us from the beach through the Kawerau walking track up to the lighthouse and visitor center at the summit (not strenuous) for spectacular views and a leisurely lunch (visitors must bring their own), all the while pointing out native birds (by sight and sound) and plant species and explaining the ecology and history of this conservation site. Questions were welcome at any time. Lunch was followed by a further short walk (mostly downhill) back to the dock and the relaxing return trip to Auckland City. All in all this excursion was a highly satisfying way to enjoy nature and experience first-hand about an ongoing successful conservation research effort.

On a Explore Group Ferry to Tiritiri Matangi right now. Unfortunately, I suddenly developed a terrible headache. Asked the crew if they would happen to have an aspirin or something similar. The answer was: "Yes we have, but only for the crew". Is this the great Kiwi hospitality?

We missed the boat because of the big crowd and there was no loudspeaker announcement that we could hear so it was unfortunate that the company was very nice but we had to pay a second time to go to a different island

I had an unforgettable adventure on Tiritiri Matangi Island! The hike around the island was fantastic! peaceful surrounding, and stunning views. The seashel beach was abeautiful surprise, perfect to take some great photos. The thousand birds and birdsong everywhere was amazing. The cruise to the island was smooth and relaxing, with a clean and comfortable boat. I recommend this trip to anyone that love nature, hicking and birdwatching.

Today was a fantastic day. I think everybody should go out there and I recommend doing the guided tour as well. You can book that when you get to the kiosk to check in.

Amazing! A must see for visitors to New Zealand. Bringing back endangered birds. Like being the first explorers to New Zealand!

1. DO NOT TRUST THIS COMPANY - they don’t have clear communication with third party providers who depend on their ferry rides. I booked with them for a trip that was advertised the day before, and there 24 hour notice period means you are trapped in even if the operator cancels without giving you 24 hours notice. This breaches basic consumer right to be informed, just because of a lack of communication between two providers. They were very unsupportive, spoke with me in a very rude tone when I was just asking for help. A lot of money lost. I’ll be needing to seek help. :(

I wanted to go for the birds. I saw so many birds it was fantastic. The guided walk was amazing(a little longer than told) there is a lot of steps on the boardwalks. All in all I’m so glad I went.

Lots of walking on steep trails but many birds. The ride over is nice but windy so bring a jacket. Very nice outdoor outing

My cousin and I are not at all bird watchers, but this trip was breathtaking and is not one to be missed. The island is stunning, the volunteer guides are so knowledgeable not only about the birds but able the trees and the land itself, and it's a lovely hike to the top to see gorgeous views of the water and surroundings islands. This was one of our favorite unexpected adventures booked for us through FirstLight Travel.

Greg our volunteer guide was very knowledgeable and gave us good insight into the work being done on the island to restore it to its natural bird habitat. Beautiful island and we did see and hear a lot of unique birds.

I was able to join a good tour that was very interesting for me. The weather was very concerning, but it was comforting to see so many birds from Santorum. You will meet many endemic species of New Zealand. You can enjoy the relaxing nature. I highly recommend everyone to join us on 45.