Sanctuary Mountain Explorer Pass

Experience an ancient, vibrant forest alive with native wildlife including many of New Zealand’s rarest and most endangered wild life.

Hours of operation

9:00am - 4:00pm, 7 Days.

Months of operation

All Year

Phone number

Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is an ancient, vibrant forest alive with native wildlife. Surround by a 47km fence, it is the largest pest-proof fenced sanctuary in Aotearoa New Zealand and home to many of our most endangered native species.

Step through the pest-proof gate into another world, where an ancient forest tower majestically above well-maintained walking tracks and the air is filled with birdsong. Explore the Sanctuary at your own pace or with an experienced guide who will help you spot the wildlife, including kākā, takahē, tuatara, kiwi, tīeke and more. Relax in the clearing or take an optional walk up the 16-metre observation tower, offering a unique perspective from within the forest canopy. Sanctuary Mountain is located in the heart of the Waikato, and as a not-for-profit, every visit helps make our conservation efforts possible. So come and share the mauri and mana of Maungatautari. You will come away enriched and enlightened by this spectacular environment.

Pricing

$30 (Adult)

$15 (Child)

Proximity to Airport:

Approximately a 45 minute drive. No public transport available

Proximity to Town:

26km from Cambridge

Activity Duration:

Guided tours of 1.5 hours; other durations available on request

Parking:

Plentiful carparking at Tari Rd, Pukeatua

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Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari

Sanctuary Mountain Ancient Forest Guided Tour

This leisurely paced tour takes place in striking pest-free native forest dominated by towering tawa, rewarewa, pukatea, rimu and a wide variety of characteristic ferns. You will stand at the foot of a mature northern rata in the heart of the sanctuary and see the coalesced mass of roots that form the trunks of these magnificent trees. You’ll listen to the birdsong, take in the majesty of our indigenous forest and try to spot the numerous bird species that call the maunga their home. Spend time in the clearing where cheeky New Zealand forest parrots - the kākā - like to hang out then take an optional walk up the viewing tower for a unique perspective of the forest canopy from above.

Rotor Work

Helicopter Flight Simulator (Hire)

Located 40 min south of Hamilton in Kihikihi is a fully functioning full VR helicopter flight simulator. Great for the individuals, families and or as a team building activity. This helicopter flight simulator is the perfect way for people, young and old, to experience helicopter flying without the costs. It utilises real aircraft airframe and controls, making it an ultra-realistic simulator. It can be experienced on site or hired out for approved events.

Phillip Bartlett

2026/2027 New Zealand Photography Workshops and Tours: Custom Experience

Taking a private photography tour allows you to choose an itinerary which best suits your schedule, photographic interests and physical capabilities. Imagine the uniqueness of exploring the South Island by helicopter, photographing in locations only a privileged few ever see. Maybe even trek along remote New Zealand tracks, many of which are unknown by visitors, taking you from secret valleys to mountain wildernesses. Whether you are looking for a trip just for yourself, or have a group to organise an expedition for, we would love to help you get the most out of your photography in New Zealand. To learn more please click on the link.

Hobbiton Movie Set

Rotorua to Auckland via Hobbiton Movie Set One-Way Private Tour

Enjoy some of New Zealand’s most beautiful scenery and combine a luxury transfer from Rotorua to Auckland with a visit to the world-famous Hobbiton Movie Set along the way to Auckland. After pick-up in Rotorua, we drive across the Mamaku Plateau to the Hobbiton Movie Set near the rural town of Matamata, made famous as the original setting of Sir Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. On the 2.5 hour tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set, get astonishing insights into how these movies were made and which parts of the movies were filmed here. Not only movie fans will enjoy this unique experience with inside views of the Hobbit village including Hobbit Holes, Bag End and The Green Dragon Inn.

Avantidrome

Grassroots Trust Velodrome – Guided Tour

Your guide will take you through areas not usually accessible to the public, sharing the history of the venue, how the unique 250-metre cycling track was built, and what makes it one of the fastest tracks in the world. Get up close to the track bikes used in competition, learn how the venue operates behind the scenes, and gain an insight into the technology, facilities and preparation that support world-class cycling. As the home venue for many national and international cycling events, there's also the chance to see riders training or competition preparations underway, depending on the day's activities. Group tours are available year-round, with options to combine your visit with an on-track Have-a-Go experience.

Te Awamutu Museum

Resilience, Resistance, Remembrance

A temporary focused exhibition highlighting local stories that inspire, confront, and challenge our historical knowledge around New Zealand’s Land Wars here in the Waipā district, and how we can remember this important event in our history.

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