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

View all Things to do

Phillip Bartlett

2026 New Zealand Photography Workshop and Tour: South Island Winter 12 Days

The winter light in the South Island offers superb conditions and we will be photographing an incredible variety of landscapes including Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Southern Alps, Moeraki Boulders, Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound, Fox Glacier, Lake Matheson and the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki. We will also photograph at hidden backcountry locations which few others know of. One of the highlights of our journey is the private helicopter flight into the untouched wilds of the Fiordland National Park, where we capture compelling images of the glacier-carved landscape.

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour

Hobbiton Movie Set Tour - Small Group Tour From Auckland By ExperienceKart

Bring a touch of the Shire to your holiday season on a luxury small-group day tour from Auckland to Hobbiton Movie Set. Among rolling green hills, discover colourful Hobbit Holes, the famous Party Tree and the welcoming Green Dragon Inn. Explore the detailed settings featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies before gathering in the Party Marquee for a generous buffet lunch. Share a meal, swap favourite moments and enjoy the warmth of Hobbiton’s hospitality.

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.

Te Whare Taonga o Te Awamutu Museum

Archaeology: Beneath Your Feet Exhibition

This exhibition invites visitors to explore the Waipā District as a living cultural heartland, where archaeology offers insight into centuries of Māori life, movement, and relationship with the river. Through artefacts, landscapes, and stories, it reveals how the past continues to shape identity, memory, and place in the present.

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 Papa Museum

Rūaumoko: Restless Land

Exhibition on now until Monday, January 26, 2026. Rūaumoko: Restless Land is our new and exciting interactive touring exhibition from Te Papa. Experience elements from Te Papa’s Te Taiao Nature zone that combines cutting-edge science with mātauranga Māori (traditional knowledge) to explore the powerful, natural forces that continuously shape Aotearoa. Te Papa and the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake have teamed up to promote natural hazard awareness and preparedness through this exhibition. It introduces Rūaumoko to illustrate the forces of nature and presents a wero (challenge) for visitors to learn about natural hazards and ways to be prepared in our communities and at home.

All things to do

This website helps visitors connect with providers of great tourism experiences. It is not intended to give any assurance that any particular provider complies with its safety obligations. Users should seek more information from the provider concerned. While Hamilton & Waikato Tourism will do its utmost to ensure the information contained within this website is accurate, Hamilton & Waikato Tourism accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, offers or details of any information or operator listings. Prices, timetables and other details or terms of business may change without notice. The information included in this website is not advice and does not imply any endorsement by Hamilton & Waikato Tourism.