Nga Manu Nature Reserve offers you a unique opportunity to have a hands on experience related to the natural history of New Zealand and it is right here in Kāpiti.
By visiting the Reserve you will gain an understanding of the ecosystems by using examples of plants and animals that can be observed within the different habitats that make up the Reserves ecosystems.
The reserve offers you an opportunity to see a diverse range of our native flora and fauna in just one visit. Most visitors would spend approximately 1.5 hours at the reserve. All pathways are easily walked and there’s adequate seating around the reserve. Wheelchair access and facilities are avaliable. An on site wheelchair is available for visitor use.
Admission
Opening Hours
Nga Manu is open daily from 10am to 5pm every day of the year excluding Christmas Day. Bird feed-out tours 11am daily. Eel feeding is at 2pm daily.
Entry Fees (Click Here to see our prices page for a full listing)
Adults $15.00
Children under 15 $6.00
Family (Max 2 adults and the children of that family) $35.00
No charge for teacher and parent help with 1:5 ratio or less.
Group Bookings
Discount for groups of 10 or more.
Groups are requested to book in advance.
Nga Manu Trust was formed in 1974 and is registered with the Charities Commission (#CC10604).
The objectives of the trust are education, conservation and preservation of New Zealand native flora and fauna. One of the first challenges of the new trust was to find a site that would provide the trustees with a practical tool to meet these objectives.
Founder trustees Prof. John Salmon, Peter McKenzie and David Mudge were made aware of a site in Waikanae that would help achieve the trusts objectives. This is the current site known as Nga Manu Nature Reserve which is administered by the trust. This site was chosen as it provided an opportunity to protect the largest remaining remnant of coastal lowland swamp forest remaining on the Kāpiti Coast.
The site covers approx 13 hectares and adjoins similar sized blocks that are under Kāpiti Coast District Council reserve, QE2 Covent, farmland and some private bush. Education and research are a major part of the trust activities along with involvement in species recovery programs.
For more information visit www.ngamanu.co.nz
