Ulva Island Explorer from Stewart Island
- 2h 30m
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Take a leisurely cruise around Paterson Inlet and a 45-minute walking tour in the bird sanctuary of Ulva Island. Your 2.5-hour itinerary departs from Stewart Island and includes a visit to the historic whaler’s base at Prices Inlet and the hidden coves and unspoiled beaches of Paterson Inlet. Your guide provides informative commentary during the scenic cruise. While on board, keep a lookout for New Zealand fur seals and penguins. Please be sure to arrive 20 minutes before your scheduled departure time to check in.
Inclusions
What's included
- Cruise and island tour
- Local guide
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
- Picnic lunch (must contact operator directly after booking to purchase)
- Live commentary on board
What's not
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.7
- 578
- 47
- 36
- 22
- 10
Ratings come from 93 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
5This trip of Ulva Island complements the bus ride that explores Stewart Island.
The boat ride from Stewart Island was so scenic and enjoyable. When we got to Ulva Island, our guide India was fantastic, so passionate and knowledgeable about the area and we loved bird-spotting with her. I think my elderly Mum and I got lucky with India as the other group was kinda rowdy and they were assigned to an older guide. The older travelers with mobility limitations were assigned to India. It was a lovely day and we had a blissful time.
4Direction on where to...
Direction on where to meet were unclear. Meet at WHARF @ Real NZ is what ppl need to know. Rare treat to see so many rare NZ birds! Sarah was an excellent guide- she shared the history of the island & interesting info. re. the flora. She also spotted heaps of birds for us!
5Must do tour on Stewart Island
Exceptionally good tour with a passionate tour guide. Jan, our guide, was the best guide you could ask for. Highly knowledgeable and so easy to get along with. We spent most of our time in the forest as we were blessed with multiple bird sighting and they just kept turning up to see us! The weather was perfect, sunny and very comfortable to walk. We met a Sealion on the beach that was was the icing to end our tour. As I have said, Jan made this an amazing adventure. I understand RealNZ wants to cut the time for the tour back, please don't. Two and half hours is perfect.
510/10, would absolutely recommend
It was all in all fabulous! Weather was awesome which helped. Passionate tourguide with lots of knowledge, saw plenty of birds, would absolutely recommend
5Really good experience!
We had a wonderful time exploring Ulva Island with our guide. Got to see several native birds, including kaka, kereru, saddleback and others. Really recommend it!
5Amazing experience
Absolutely recommend this tour. Natasha, our guide, was knowledgeable, passionate and her whole every and enthusiasm was infectious. If I could rate more than 5 stars I would!
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Please check in 20 minutes prior to departure.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 12 travellers
- Operated by
- RealNZ
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Stewart Island / Rakiura
- Its from-price is close to the median of the 5 experiences we list in Stewart Island / Rakiura.
- By number of reviews it ranks 2 of 5.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Stewart Island / Rakiura
Stewart Island, or Rakiura, is a wild forested island south of New Zealand's South Island, with one small village and some of the country's best birdlife.
Stewart Island, called Rakiura in Māori, meaning glowing skies, lies across Foveaux Strait from the bottom of the South Island, with a population of a few hundred in the single village of Oban, on Halfmoon Bay. About 85 per cent of the island is Rakiura National Park, a wilderness of forest, inlets and empty beaches.
Special offers in Stewart Island / Rakiura
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
