Kapiti Island - North Island, New Zealand

The ten km by two km Kapiti Island is one of the less accessible nature reserves in New Zealand. It is home to birdlife that is rare or extinct on the mainland.

This island is also considered to be of great spiritual value to the Maori and was designated a reserve in 1987.

Kapiti Island Activities

The best time to visit this place is in January and February to see the birdlife at its active best. The types of birds that can be seen are the kaka or bush parrots, weka, kakariki, whiteheads, tui, bellbirds, wood pigeons, fantails, robins and takahe.

There are a couple of steep walking tracks which form a loop and meet at the island's highest point called Tuteremoana. The views from the top are breathtaking, though most of the bird life is concentrated on the lower part of the tracks. It can take up to 3 hours to cover the track with rest breaks.

The north end of the island is part of the Kapiti Nature Reserve and its main attraction is Okupe Lagoon with a colony of royal spoonbills and other rare forest birds.

An area of the sea between Kapiti Island and Paraparaumu is a marine reserve with exceptionally clear water ideal for snorkeling. It is a repository of rich variety of marine life and seaweed beds and there is a variety of fish life too.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) allows only fifty visitors per day to the main nature reserve and only thirty-two people to the North End of the island. You can book your landing permits at the DOC in Wellington.

If you want to visit both areas of the island, you will need two permits. You are advised to book well in advance.

Kapiti Island Accommodation

The only accommodation on Kapiti Island is close to the northern reserve at Waiorua Bay where there are half a dozen houses. This accommodates a maximum of ten people in simple bunkrooms, doubles or twins. The room rates include breakfast, lunch and dinner.

LooknbookNZ can take care of your Kapiti Island accommodation and Kapiti Island activities and let you experience the amazing rare birdlife here that cannot be found on the mainland.