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Franz Josef - West Coast Wildlife Centre Entry

4.2
254
Deals from $52.00 Save $13.00 Check dates nowsystem_update_alt
The West Coast Wildlife Centre is an all weather visitor attraction located in Franz Josef, presenting rare Kiwi in an authentic environment.

The West Coast Wildlife Centre is an all weather visitor attraction located in Franz Josef, presenting rare Kiwi in an authentic environment.

The West Coast Wildlife Centre is an all weather visitor attraction located in Franz Josef.

The centre is the sole provider of the BNZ Operation Nest Egg TM incubation and captive rearing programme for the Rowi and Haast tokoeka, New Zealand's rarest Kiwi.

The forest and bush around the West Coast is dense and virtually completely untouched and the undergrowth is home to incredible wildlife, - much of which is rarely seen as it is often only active at night.

The superb quality nature films and interactives at the West Coast Wildlife Centre bring you the very special opportunity to view Juvenile Rowi - our rarest kiwi - in a natural walk through Nocturnal House setting with this fabulous wildlife New Zealand tour.

The West Coast Wildlife Centre is one of the largest Kiwi Captive Rearing facilities in New Zealand and since opening in 2010 has successfully raised and released 180 Kiwi Chicks.

The Centre also brings to life the yarns and tales of the people of the West Coast; who mined, hunted, struggled and lived in this breathtaking but harsh environment.

Adult $65.00
Child $42.00 (5 - 15 years)

Location

  • Cnr Cowan & Cron Streets, Franz Josef

Notes

  • Conditions: All children must be accompanied by an adult. Child age is from 5-15 years.

  • All entry tickets help contribute to Kiwi conservation and the fight for Kiwi survival..

Available Bookings from 10 Mar to 23 Mar 2026

All prices are shown in NZD ($)

Change Dates
Tue 10 Mar
Wed 11 Mar
Thu 12 Mar
Fri 13 Mar
Sat 14 Mar
Sun 15 Mar
Mon 16 Mar
Tue 17 Mar
Wed 18 Mar
Thu 19 Mar
Fri 20 Mar
Sat 21 Mar
Sun 22 Mar
Mon 23 Mar

Bookings close in 8 hours...

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$57.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$57.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$42.00

Bookings close in 9 hours...

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$25.00

  • Adult$52.00
  • Child$25.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$25.00

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$25.00

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$25.00

  • Adult$52.00
  • Child$25.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$25.00

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$25.00

Bookings close in 11 hours...

  • Adult$52.00
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$52.00
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$36.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$52.00
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$52.00
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$36.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$36.00

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$36.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$36.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$36.00

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$36.00

  • Adult$65.00
  • Child$42.00

  • Adult$52.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$32.00

  • Adult$55.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$36.00

Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme

Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme

4.2

254 reviews

Showing all 254 authenticated Bookme reviews

wingchil from Hong Kong wrote on 27 March 2016

A place that you can see kiwi

The center is not a big one but you will get a chance to see kiwi moving around. Staff are very friendly though.

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Bethany Pearson from New Zealand wrote on 20 September 2024

Enjoyable experience

We were pleasantly surprised by this. It felt a bit like a small, local museum with interesting information about much more than the kiwi. The tuatara were a bonus too. A enriching way to pass time on a rainy day.

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Anna Williams from Australia wrote on 03 March 2026

Great experience

Loved the wildlife centre. The penguins were so cute and the feeding was awesome

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From Franz Josef - West Coast Wildlife Centre Entry

Thank you for the lovely review — we’re so pleased you enjoyed your visit! The Little Blue Penguins are certainly full of personality, and the feeding times are always a highlight for many of our visitors. Our team really enjoys sharing their stories and explaining the conservation work that goes into caring for these amazing birds. If you didn’t get the chance during your visit, remember that your ticket is valid for 48 hours with unlimited entry, so you’re very welcome to come back and enjoy the talks again or explore the other areas of the centre such as the Glacier Attraction, Wild West Coast storytelling area, and the VIP Backstage Pass where you can see behind the scenes of our kiwi conservation work. Thanks again for visiting and for supporting our conservation programmes. We’re delighted you had a great experience! 🐧🥝

Joanne Casey from Australia wrote on 07 March 2026

Average

For $65 it’s not worth it. Saw a kiwi and penguins being fed. Penguin talk was good, but other than that there really wasn’t much to see. Very over priced for what it was. Spent about an hour in there but if we weren’t there for the penguin feeding probably would have only spent about 20 mins.

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From Franz Josef - West Coast Wildlife Centre Entry

Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback — we really appreciate it. It sounds like you enjoyed the penguin talk, which is great to hear, as our team puts a lot of effort into making that experience informative and engaging. From your comments, it may be that you missed a few parts of the centre during your visit, including the Glacier Attraction, our Wild West Coast storytelling area, and the VIP Backstage Pass experience, where visitors can see behind the scenes of our kiwi conservation work. Just to note as well, the ticket price you paid was part of a heavily reduced promotional rate, and your entry ticket is valid for 48 hours with unlimited re-entry, which many visitors use to come back the next day to enjoy the centre again and catch additional talks or feedings they may have missed the first time. We hope you might consider popping back during the validity of your ticket to explore the areas you didn’t get to see — there’s quite a bit more to discover, including the important conservation work being done here to help protect some of New Zealand’s most endangered wildlife. Thanks again for visiting and for sharing your thoughts. 🐧🥝

Anjali Naik from United Kingdom wrote on 03 March 2026

Cute But Small

Great efforts at conservation but the centre is tiny especially considering the price of entry.

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From Franz Josef - West Coast Wildlife Centre Entry

Thank you for your feedback — and we really appreciate your kind words about the conservation work. Our centre is intentionally designed to be quite intimate, allowing visitors to get unusually close to some of New Zealand’s most special wildlife while also supporting important conservation programs, including the incubation and hatching of endangered kiwi. While the building itself is compact, many visitors spend longer exploring the Glacier Attraction, our Wild West Coast storytelling area, and the VIP Backstage Pass experience, where you can see behind the scenes of our kiwi conservation work. These areas can sometimes be easy to miss on a quick visit. It’s also worth noting that your entry ticket is valid for 48 hours with unlimited re-entry, so many guests choose to return later the same day or the following day to catch talks and feeding sessions they may have missed, making the visit much better value. Thanks again for visiting and for supporting the conservation work we do here on the West Coast. 🥝🐧

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