Top Things to do in Hamilton & Waikato Region
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Things to do in Hamilton & Waikato Region, North Island: The Best Nature & Wildlife Areas
Discover the best top things to do in Hamilton & Waikato Region, New Zealand including Wainui Reserve, Te Toto Gorge Lookout, Yarndley's Bush, Kakepuku Historic Reserve, Waiorongomai Valley Tramping Tracks, Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park, The Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum.
Restaurants in Hamilton & Waikato Region
1. Wainui Reserve
2. Te Toto Gorge Lookout
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 58 reviews
Reviewed By GenRoseGenRose - Red Beach, New Zealand
Worth the windy gravel road to get there, parking can be busy due to being across the road from hiking track Beautiful, breathtaking sheer drop, one of the best lookouts I’ve been to
3. Yarndley's Bush
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 25 reviews
Reviewed By J6896GTmarks - Hamilton & Waikato Region, New Zealand
Very close to Te Awamutu, a very easy walk through a mature stand of ancient Kahikatia trees with an elevated platform to get you in amongst them.
4. Kakepuku Historic Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By jlynch22 - Te Awamutu, New Zealand
Kakepuku is a beautiful mountain with a great walk to the summit. It is a tough walk but is definitely worth it. The bird life is great and the views are amazing.
5. Waiorongomai Valley Tramping Tracks
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7 reviews
Reviewed By L7588DUheatherb - Te Aroha, New Zealand
6 of us plus our dog jumped in the campervan and drove from Te Aroha to the Waiorongomai Valley. We parked by the remains of the old gold mining settlement and stream. It was a lovely day and we first had our picnic then waded in the beautiful stream. We had taken some stainless steel bowls so the children could try panning for gold. A lot of fun! Later we wandered up the track by the crusher. You need a reasonable standard of fitness for these walks as they can be fairly steep in places. Lovely walk and enjoyable afternoon.
6. Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 721 reviews
The Otorohanga Kiwi House and Native Bird Park is a great place to see NZ's iconic kiwi birds up close & active in special moonlit nocturnal enclosures. There are 20 kiwi on site involved in the captive breeding programme and 4 or more on display in the nocturnal enclosures. There's also a great range of other native New Zealand birds & reptiles. We are just 15 minutes from the world famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves and are owned and operated by a non-profit organisation dedicated to New Zealand conservation. Everything we earn is re-invested in the care of the animals and the operation of the park. Daily Keeper Talks: •10:30am kiwi •11:00am kea & kaka (native parrots) •12:00pm red-crowned kakariki (parakeets) • 1:30pm kiwi • 2:30pm NZ long fin eels • 3.30 pm kiwi The Otorohanga Kiwi House is open daily (except Christmas day) from 10.00 am - 4.00 pm (last admission 3.15pm). All tickets are valid for 2 days.
Reviewed By AlfaJudy - San Diego, United States
The Kiwi house has a very friendly, knowledgeable staff and a neat layout of areas to see birds, tuatara, geckos, frogs, eel, -- just a lot of things to notice in a nice environment. Our first visit (long time ago) was in the spring, with baby diving ducks - I'll forever remember how cute they were - most recent in fall in pouring rain. The staff is fantastic and you will see kiwis in the "night" kiwi area. One of my favorite memories of NZ!
7. The Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 39 reviews
Open every day from 10am - 5pm. The Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum is a unique art-in-nature experience with more than 100 sculptures along the 2km long nature trail. The park is set in a former quarry that has been transformed into a 17.5 hectare arboretum with more than 20,000 trees. We provide families with a range of ideas to make the most of their visit. This art-in-nature experience aims to inspire imaginations, nourish inquisitive minds, and provide for creative learning in an accessible wilderness environment.
Reviewed By Suffolk69 - Sudbury, United Kingdom
We visited on our second visit to Hamilton as it fell on a Sunday. The park and arboretum is open on Sundays and bank holidays and features 100 pieces of very varying sculpture in terms of size and materials and placed among the beautifully set out arboreal pathways (more than 20,000 trees and shrubs) and around small ponds and lakes in a disused quarry. This is a family owned collection and is in my view an act of generosity on their part to the public and a real privilege to visit. There is a wealth of bird life to be seen and heard throughout the walk and the views of the surrounding countryside are lovely. In case you hadn't realised I absolutely loved it.
