National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa offers a guided kiwi conservation experience at its specialist kiwi bird hatchery at the Agrodome in Ngongotahā, near Rotorua.
Last updated: 21 October 2026
Explore interactive displays, learn from kiwi specialists and look for resident kiwi in a purpose-built nocturnal house, with every visit supporting kiwi conservation.
What can visitors experience at the National Kiwi Hatchery?
The experience is a guided introduction to kiwi biology, habitat, incubation, hatching, chick rearing and conservation.
During your guided tour you'll learn about kiwi, their native environment and what makes them truly iconic the world over. Delve into darkness and spot foraging kiwi in our purpose-built nocturnal house and discover the secrets of the kiwi in our interactive displays.
During the September-to-March hatching season, visitors may also see eggs, chicks or parts of the care process, but this depends on hatchery activity and animal-welfare requirements. Kiwi sightings and sightings of eggs or chicks cannot be guaranteed.
What makes the hatchery distinctive?
This is an active kiwi conservation and specialist training facility. Be a part of 'conservation in action' as you take an immersive journey through the world of the kiwi. Visitor revenue directly supports the hatchery’s work. Every visitor directly supports the future of kiwi conservation.
Additional experiences:
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Behind the Scenes Exclusive(opens in new window): A small-group experience in the staff-only areas of our kiwi hatching facility. Learn about incubation, hatching and chick rearing and discover how we care for kiwi at every stage of their journey. For visitors aged 12 and over.
- Agrodome and Kiwi Combo(opens in new window): A half-day package beginning with the Agrodome Farm Show and Farm Tour - meet adorable lambs, alpacas, and farm dogs while discovering New Zealand’s rich farming history. This is followed by a tour of the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa. Allow approximately four hours.
Awards & certifications
National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa has Qualmark Gold Accreditation (opens in new window) - a best-in-class sustainable tourism business in New Zealand, delivering exceptional customer experiences as an integral part of everything they do.
The hatchery participates in Operation Nest Egg and works with conservation projects, iwi, wildlife teams, landowners and community organisations
Ratings & reviews
Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 269 reviews on TripAdvisor (opens in new window)
TripAdvisor reviews:
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Very informative and engaging kiwi experience – 5 out of 5 (opens in new window) By Betsey W(opens in new window). From Washington DC, District of Columbia. Visited October 2026 “Wonderful experience at the National Kiwi Hatchery. The guide was very informative and engaging. She made sure our group got to see the kiwis in the nocturnal house and we even got to see a 4-day old chick in the brooding room. I would recommend this tour to anyone who is even remotely interested in learning about or seeing kiwis up close. The setting is very pretty as well on property shared with the agrodome. Photos are not allowed inside the hatchery on this tour but the experience was better than any photos. My only recommendation would be a larger gift shop at the ticketing site where tours pick up and drop off since time was very limited at the hatchery shop.” |
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Enlightened - 5 out of 5 (opens in new window) By shane l l (opens in new window) . Burnie, Australia. Visited October 2026 “Wonderful insight to the preservation work towards restoring kiwi numbers in the wild. Lucky enough to observe a healthcheck in five day old chick.” |
See all reviews for National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa on TripAdvisor(opens in new window).
Who is this experience suited for?
- Solo travellers
- Couples
- Families (see notes on ages)
- Friends and small groups
- Seniors
- Premium travellers
- Budget-conscious travellers
The National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa suits travellers interested in nature and wildlife, educational conservation experiences, relaxed experiences.
The premium tour may also appeal to Luxury & Premium travellers seeking exclusive access.
Experience type: Guided and hosted group tour.
Maximum group size:
Group size varies depending on bookings. Contact us for more details.
Fitness & mobility requirements
Fitness level required: Low
Travellers with mobility, vision, hearing, sensory or other access requirements should contact reservations before booking.
Environment type: Indoors.
Walking between visitor areas may expose guests briefly to outdoor conditions.
Age requirements
Minimum age: 5 years old
Infants and children under five cannot join the hatchery tours.
Children aged 14 and under must be accompanied by a responsible guardian or caregiver aged 16 or over.
How long is it?
Experience duration:1–2 hours.
Allow up to 1 hour 30 minutes for check-in, shuttle transport and the experience.
Start and end times:
Tours operate at scheduled departures during the operating day. View the booking system for available times.
Arrive at least 20 minutes before departure.
Itinerary for your visit
- Check in at the Agrodome reservations desk.
- Board the short shuttle transfer to the hatchery.
- Meet the guide and receive an introduction to kiwi and the conservation programme.
- Explore interactive displays about kiwi biology, habitat and behaviour.
- Learn how eggs are collected, incubated and monitored and how chicks are reared for release preparation.
- Observe appropriate areas of the working facility; exactly what is visible depends on current hatchery activity and welfare requirements.
- Enter the purpose-built nocturnal house and look for resident adult kiwi foraging.
- Visit the gift shop and return to Agrodome by shuttle.
Pricing
| Experience | Price |
| Adult | $79 |
| Child (aged 5-15 years) | $39 |
| Family (2 adults + 2 children) | $209 |
| Additional experiences | See website |
Prices are in New Zealand Dollars (NZD).
Booking and availability
Contact National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa:
- Web: View experiences and visitor information(opens in new window)
- Book: Online booking (opens in new window)
- Phone: 0800 724 626 or +64 7 350 0440
- Email: reservations@nationalkiwihatchery.org.nz
Booking required: Yes
All hatchery tours must be booked in advance and walk-in places are not guaranteed.
Typical lead time:
Book as early as practical, particularly for hatching season and NZ school holidays.
