What’s the first thing that pops into your head when reading the word “Night”?
Perhaps some fun memories of drunken bar-hopping? Perhaps you’re reminded of a nice cozy bed, ready to teleport you into the morning alongside some faded dreams? Or maybe, just maybe, your brain floods with a drive to scurry through the undergrowth – massacring any smelly invertebrates in your way. Not a mindset commonly considered, but one we found ourselves trying to envision as we made our way through our Zealandia Night Tour.
I’d gone on one a few years back, and the fun memories coupled with my mum’s family yearly membership with Zealandia led us to book a 2-hour trip through the wildlife sanctuary the following day. Unfortunately, mum got so excited she developed Labyrinthitis – a fairly extreme response. A quick call and a (sick) day later, our tour had begun.
Passes were scanned, bags checked for stowaways, and the fun began. Even before the sun had fallen, we were welcomed by the dusk-calls of various birds – returning home from city and sea back to the comfort of the park. A passing Kakariki (NZ Parakeet) made my day just before it ended, making up for the rather jarring video we watched on entry. The mandatory screening of homo sapiens’s arrival to Aoeteroa and the various fuck-ups that ensued has always been a part of Zealandia’s charm – like the old pre-movie ads about how you’d “never steal a car” or “download a movie”. It wasn’t long into the tour when we found ourselves on “Tuatara alley”, a portion of the park specially fenced for our little reptilian natives. It’s like a ‘Where’s Wally’ page, and I’m proud to report (aka brag) that I spotted a couple of juveniles the guide missed. This, however, paled in comparison to mum’s later discovery of “Stumpy” – a Tuatara outside of the alley known for his re-growing tail. Just before the sun had set, we met Nio and Orbell, Zealandia’s resident retired Takahe. They must’ve missed their memo as the rarest birds in the park, as our poor guide had to fend them off with an offering of food before we could sneak through the gate. To be honest, I think the daily email was overlooked by most residents of the sanctuary – as the “elusive” kiwis kept managing to stumble on our path. We spotted four throughout the tour, which was a pleasant surprise for everyone. Even the guide seemed startled, remarking serval times that “we must be a lucky group” and that “this is the most kiwis I’ve seen on a tour so far”. I reckon they’d planned it, as it seemed almost comical. The first one blew our mind away, the fourth felt like we’d accidentally crashed a party. This wasn’t even the last mind-blowing moment of the night, as we stood outside Zealandia’s main gate the idea we’d just spent 2 1/2 hours walking through the bush was astounding. Time really does fly when you’re having fun, and as we sat sipping our complimentary Kawakawa tea it was clear everyone was still so excited about what we’d seen. Normally strangers seem terrifying, but after such an amazing experience even mum and I stood chatting and sharing photos – snagging a video from a fellow tourist in the process. I’ve added a screenshot below, so the only thing you’re really missing is the audio of a gaggle of adults whispering in excited giggles about it. Even after visiting the park countless times, and even after having already gone on a night tour, it was still such a special and unique experience. I’m still excitedly asking my friends if they want to hear about it, and I’ll likely do so until everyone in Aoeteroa knows I spotted the first of four kiwis in a single night. If you haven’t gone on one before, steal someone’s membership card for the discount and get to it – it’s worth it (the tour not the discount).
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A rare species of kiwi, red and blurry.