ZEALANDIA: The Exhibition and Sanctuary Valley

Take a trip through time and see the evolution of New Zealand’s wildlife brought to life at ZEALANDIA, one of New Zealand's premier eco-attractions located just minutes from central Wellington. At ZEALANDIA: The Exhibition, you’ll see New Zealand’s incredible natural history and world-renowned conservation movement showcased in a state-of-the-art indoor exhibition. Then step outside, through the predator-proof fence and into the Sanctuary Valley, a beautiful 225-hectare (550-acre) eco-sanctuary that offers you the best opportunity to see some of New Zealand’s rarest birds, reptiles and insects in the wild. Your ticket includes entry to both The Exhibition and Sanctuary Valley.

As you enter The Exhibition at ZEALANDIA, you’ll be transported back 1,000 years to the time before humans arrived on New Zealand. Stand face-to-face with the long-lost giants of the bird world – the 10-foot-high (3-meter-high) moa and the man-eating Haast’s eagle. On the big screens, witness centuries of catastrophic loss as generations of new settlers, and the animals and plants they bought with them, changed the face of New Zealand forever. Then find out what is being done to put the pieces of this fractured paradise back together.

As you step outside into Sanctuary Valley, the world’s first fully fenced, urban eco-sanctuary, look and listen for more than30 species of native birds and reptiles, including tuatara, saddleback, hihi, takahe and many more. ZEALANDIA’S 500-year vision is to restore the Sanctuary Valley as close as possible to its pre-human state.

To gain greater insight, you can join the ZEALANDIA  rangers for free talks at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm or 3pm daily.

• Entry to the Exhibition and Sanctuary Valley
• Visitor guide and map

• Hotel pickup and drop off