Activity and experience updates

Discover Zealandia Te Mārā a Tāne — the recent winner of the Tourism Excellence Award and the overall Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award.  Zealandia is an eco-sanctuary right in the heart of Wellington, with a free day-time electric shuttle service available from the Wellington isite.

Zealandia At Dawn — new in 2022

Experience the awakening of the sanctuary as sounds of hihi, tīeke and tūī start a new day. Tours start around sunrise and include breakfast. Private tours available. 

• Operating on weekends, May to August.
• Allow 3 hours. Ages 12+

Embark on the iconic Wētā Workshop Experience and learn about the making of movie effects and props — from armour to weapons, creatures to costumes, make-up to prosthetics and more! The perfect activity for individuals, couples, families and groups.

Public and private 90-minute guided movie-making tours, transfers, dining packages, and creative workshops are all available. (cut down to 1 sentence)

New in 2023: The tour space has undergone a refresh making it more interactive than ever before. There are new artefacts, photo opportunities and live artist demonstrations.

New in 2024: English, Mandarin and French translation services are now available from a QR code. Visitors can scan this and the points of interest will show in the preferred language on their phones.

Bring Aotearoa New Zealand’s stories to life through the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa’s guided tours.

Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War

The awe-inspiring exhibition has been extended until April 2025.

Returning in 2023, Te Wharewaka o Pōneke offers a unique tourism experience. Discover Wellington’s rich and diverse Māori history through our Waka (Canoe) and Walking Tours.

Waka Tours

Learn how to paddle a waka, a unique and authentic Māori cultural experience on Wellington Harbour. Perfect for the group market with a minimum of 10 people and a maximum of 18 people. Ages 5+. Rates are available on request.

Cultural Walking Tours

Explore hidden Māori treasures around Wellington. Perfect for small groups or FITs. Private tours are available on request. No age restrictions.

• City to Sea Cultural Tour (allow one hour).
• Hidden Māori Treasures Tour (allow two hours).

He Tohu is a permanent exhibition of three iconic constitutional documents that shape Aotearoa New Zealand, including the original Treaty of Waitangi, the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand, and the Women’s Suffrage Petition.

Take an audio tour or contact He Tohu to organise a guided experience.

Self-guided audio tour available in eleven different languages: English, Te Reo Māori, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, French, German, Fijian, Samoan, Tongan, Hindi, and New Zealand Sign Language.

Discover Ngā Manu Nature Reserve on the Kāpiti Coast, a native bird and forest reserve. Easily accessed off the Kāpiti expressway or cycleway and only a 45-minute drive from Wellington.

• Ngā Manu offers intimate Kiwi experiences on the Kiwi Night Encounter (minimum age 7+).
• Stay overnight in the on-site cottage and have the reserve to yourself after hours.
• Take the Native Icons Tour. Private tours can be arranged for groups.

The Capital Bites tour from The Big Foody Tours is now available.

Join this three-and-a-half-hour walking food tour of Wellington, New Zealand’s culinary capital. Enjoy coffee, chocolate and pizza, while finishing your tour at a Māori waterfront eatery. Private tours are available.

Launching at TRENZ 2024, East by West introduces a commentated 90-minute harbour tour.

Learn about Wellington’s history on board the Southern Hemisphere’s first fully electric ferry Ika Rere.

Launching at TRENZ 2024, Wellington Zoo introduces Animals of Aotearoa.

A small group tour where you can immerse yourself in the natural behaviours of the tuatara, kiwi and kea as you traverse through their purpose-built habitats.

Wanderlust Tourism Group, previously known as Rover Tours Group have re-launched with two new tours.

Wellington Rings tour

Join this epic tour of Middle Earth with Wellington’s original Lord of the Rings tour. Half and full-day tours are available visiting movie locations and Wētā Workshop. Lunch fit for a hobbit on the full-day tours included.

Seal Coast Safari

Explore Wellington’s rugged South Coast on this half-day tour. Travel exclusively through private farmland to see New Zealand fur seals in their natural habitat. Nature, wildlife, and adventure all in one.

Find out more at Wanderlust Tours

Rover Tours Group

• No longer taking FIT bookings.
• The group was operating five touring brands: Rover Rings Tours, Wellington Nature Tours, Seal Coast Safari, Wellington Hop On Hop Off, and Flat Earth New Zealand Experiences.

• Zest Food Tours are no longer operating in Wellington.
• Hammonds Wellington Sightseeing Tours are no longer operating.
• NZ Craft Beer Tours are no longer operating.

Kaewa Tours has a keen eye and passion for sustainability, exceptional guest service and beautifully designed itineraries.

• Scenic, tasting, and artisan half-day, full-day and overnight private and boutique tours (up to 10 people).
• Bespoke tours are available on request.
• The Wellington: By Air, Land and Sea tour is a full-day combo tour where visitors can experience the best of Wellington. Enjoy a scenic helicopter flight, harbour cruise, cable car ride, scenic drive, and much more.

Capital Personalised Tours showcase Wellington and beyond as a private and personalised experience. No minimum numbers and up to 11 people.

Dark Sky Safari Overnight tour will transport visitors to Martinborough where they’ll enjoy dinner, bed and breakfast at the Martinborough Hotel. Experience and learn the wonders of the night skies on a tour with Star Safari skies with a Star Safari tour. Return to Wellington by lunchtime the following day.

Escape the light pollution and enjoy this 90-minute guided tour and telescope viewing, to experience the night sky in the Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve. Hot beverages, photos of the night sky and return transfers from Martinborough are included.

Star Safari

Follow the process from hive to jar with this fifth-generation beekeeping tour to explore the creation of New Zealand Manuka Honey. A full beekeeping immersion experience, protected in appropriate beekeeping attire.  Learn all about the roles of bees and the hive before indulging in a honey-tasting session.

Greytown Honey

Cycle the Martinborough vineyards with Green Jersey Explorer Tours, One Day Martinborough Explorer. Choose from 25 cellar doors within 4 kilometres of the town centre, or adventure further into the quiet countryside.

The tour includes: 

• two electric assist bikes and helmets, safety equipment and tools 
• snack bars and fruit and vineyard lunch at Poppies.

Walk and talk wine in Martinborough with a local guide with Martinborough Wine Walks. Trespassing (with permission) through vineyards, dodging the occasional sheep and visiting producers in their place of work. Join viticulturists and winemakers for genuine and exclusive behind-the-scenes insight into their stories.

Tour includes:

• a knowledgeable local guide/host
• all wine tastings and a relaxed winery lunch
• starting at 11:30am on Monday, Thursday or Friday (four to 12 people).