Visit NZ's ONLY Kōtuku, White Heron Nesting Site
Visit New Zealand's Only White Heron, Kōtuku Colony
Welcome to
White Heron Sanctuary Tours
Whataroa
Established 1987
The Original and Only Tour to Visit New Zealand's Only White Heron Nesting Site
Our renowned birdwatching tour offers exclusive access to the ancestral home and only breeding ground of the rare Kōtuku, or White Heron, located within the protected
Waitangiroto Nature Reserve on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand
A One-of-a-Kind New Zealand Nature Experience!
Enjoy guaranteed and unrivalled
viewing of the Kōtuku
Nesting Season is typically from mid September until early March
The Magic of the Kōtuku
The majestic White Heron, known in te reo Māori as the Kōtuku, is one of New Zealand’s rarest and most revered birds. Striking in appearance, this taonga (treasure) holds deep cultural significance, symbolising beauty, rarity and prestige.
It is the elegant bird in flight featured on our New Zealand $2.00 coin.
Remarkably, the Kōtuku has only ever had one known breeding ground in all of Aotearoa, located within the protected Waitangiroto Nature Reserve, a pristine rainforest Sanctuary that forms part of Westland Tai Poutini National Park and the UNESCO World Heritage Area of Te Wāhipounamu.
Every Kōtuku in New Zealand originates from this sole ancestral nesting site, and for hundreds of years, each spring the entire breeding population returns home to nest. During this time, the birds are at their most spectacular, displaying their full breeding plumage.
With a population of just 150–200 across Aotearoa, encountering a single Kōtuku is a special privilege, but to witness up to 50 nesting pairs, resplendent in their exquisite plumage, interacting and raising their young in their natural nesting environment is an extraordinary sight!
Observe spectacular feather displays, elaborate courtship rituals, beak-kissing, stick gathering and exchange, nest building, egg incubation, chick feeding, and first flights — all behaviours witnessed only here at this sacred Kōtuku nesting site during the breeding season.
Once hunted to the brink of extinction for its prized plumage, with just four nests recorded in 1941, the Kōtuku’s steady recovery is a powerful conservation success story. Today, continued protection, ethical viewing, and intensive predator control help maintain an almost predator-free Sanctuary, helping to protect the iconic Kōtuku for future generations.
We invite you to join us and experience the magic of the Kōtuku at Aotearoa’s only White Heron breeding colony.
Every visit directly supports the conservation of the Kōtuku
Visit Aotearoa's
Only White Heron
Colony
Witness the ethereal beauty of the Kōtuku, their white plumage in striking contrast to the lush native backdrop of their sole nesting site in Aotearoa.
The viewing is fascinating throughout the breeding season, with behaviours and activity varying within the colony as nesting progresses.
See Nesting Royal Spoonbills
and Little Shags too.
Observe the
Majestic Kōtuku
Nesting in the Wild
Watch as nature unfolds, capturing the beauty and delightful activity of the White Herons from our covered, elevated viewing hide.
Learn about the behaviours, breeding habits and cultural significance of the revered Kōtuku - a rare and deeply symbolic bird in New Zealand.
Amazing close encounters.
Varied and fascinating viewing.
Discover
New Zealand's
Home of the Kōtuku
Feel the pioneer spirit of the nationally significant and protected Waitangiroto Nature Reserve.
Marvel at its primeval Kahikatea rainforest, rich in biodiversity and abundant seasonal wonders.
See our dedicated conservation work in action, helping to preserve this unique area and its precious wildlife.
Stunning scenery.
Awesome photo opportunities.
One & Only
Exclusive Access
White Heron Tour
White Heron Sanctuary Tours is the original and only tour company authorised to visit the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve, and the White Heron breeding ground.
A 'Kiwi' family-owned and operated business, we have almost 40 years of experience guiding visitors from around the world and sharing the magic of the Kōtuku.
Small, personalised group tours.
Knowledgeable, local guides.
Tour Information and Pricing
Access to the protected Waitangiroto Nature Reserve and White Heron nesting site is permitted by the Department of Conservation and only available by joining a land-based guided tour with White Heron Sanctuary Tours, Whataroa.
Tour Times
9:00am, 12:00pm, 3:00pm
Bookings are recommended
Minimum numbers apply
Duration
2.5-hour round trip
We depart from and
return to our tour office in Whataroa
Cost
Adult 18 +
Youth 13-17
Child 3-12
$150.00
$100.00
$75.00
Includes GST (15%) and
DOC entry permit fee
Location
64 Main Road
Whataroa
Please check-in 15 minutes
before scheduled
tour time
Breathtaking Views!
Journey with us in scenic South Westland
The Whataroa Valley, enroute to the Kōtuku nesting site
Whataroa is the gateway to
New Zealand's sole Kōtuku nesting site
You will find our White Heron Sanctuary Tours office in the small township of Whataroa on the West Coast of the South Island. We are conveniently located on State Highway 6 — approximately 1 hour south of Hokitika (100km) and just 25 minutes north of Franz Josef (30km).
Visitors travelling between Hokitika and Franz Josef often include the White Heron Sanctuary Tour, one of Aotearoa's most remarkable wildlife experiences, in their West Coast itinerary.
Witness the magic of the Kōtuku at New Zealand’s only White Heron breeding colony.
White Heron Tour Visitor Reviews
Visiting outside of the nesting Season?
From March to September, join us on our Waitangiroto Rainforest Nature Tour, where our expert local guides share their knowledge of this remarkable ecosystem and the conservation work that helps protect it.
As the only tour operator in the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve, we offer a truly exclusive rainforest experience, far removed from busy visitor areas and crowds.
