New Zealand Reviews

4.5 Rating 10 Reviews

Feb 21 - Mar 14, 2026 | Visit New Zealand, a land of unique landscapes and diverse animals and seabirds. We will look for the iconic kiwi, penguins, parrots, tuis, and the bizarre wrybill. This tour takes in both North & South Islands, as well as Stewart Island. Stops include Tongariro National Park and Kaikoura.

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“A trip to New Zealand with Eagle-Eye Tours is well worth the cost. Although birdlife on the islands is limited, there are several endemics - some of them endangered - and you will see most of them. The tour includes a number of pelagics and these will allow you to see several species of albatross, shearwater and petrel at close range. Opportunities for photography abound. The scenery, especially on the South Island, is spectacular. Another bonus is that the infrastructure for tourists is WAY ahead of that in Canada - excellent trails, boardwalks, signage, etc., with clean and modern public facilities everywhere. The guides on this tour were Donavin and Gregor and they were excellent - knowleageble, helpful, friendly and well-organized.”

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Posted 1 day ago

“This was a very good tour . Starting in the north and ending up covering Stuart Island ans landing in Dunedin was a daunting challenge for Gregor and Donavin. So much land to cover! So many opportunities to see different landscapes and consequently different birds. I thought forest bathing was my go to medicine but now I think estuaries are better medicine for me. Both situations are so enjoyable and our guides repeated the application almost daily. Our group was small and cohesive. It was a very enjoyable trip.”

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Posted 4 days ago

Thank you for the kind review, Terry, and especially thank you for the collection of wonderful photos; We particularly liked the one of everyone peeking out from behind the trees! It truly looks like you had a wonderful group and that you shared a great sense of camaraderie over your 22 days together! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the comprehensive route and the variety of landscapes and birds along the way. Your new approach to estuary-bathing as medicine vs. forest-bathing is unique, and brought a smile to our faces! It sounds however like a tried and true technique for you! We’ll be sure to pass along your comments to Gregor, Donavin, and the team. We look forward to welcoming you back for another adventure soon. Warm regards, Team Eagle-Eye Tours

Posted 1 day ago

“The tour was a comprehensive visit to a substantial portion of New Zealand. New started in Whagarei located on the northeast coast 7/8 of the way to the northern most point of New Zealand. Over the next 22 days we traveled the length of New Zealand all the way to Stewart Island, a ferry ride across Foveaux Strait from Bluff at the southern end of South Island. We had 2 guides, Donavan and Gregor, and an additional driver Simone. The three leaders worked amazingly hard to find to find us places to search for even the most difficult of New Zealand birds to find. Not having known each other prior to the start of the trip, they worked seamlessly as a team. Their willingness to change the published itinerary in order to more easily find birds and the willingness of Eagle-eye Tours of allowing the changes was especially noteworthy, since it added many excellent experiences to our tour. There were 4 nights when we stayed just one night at a location. I would recommend trying very hard to eleminate 1-night stays whenever possible. The accommodations were execellent, and the meals, too, were excellent. My favorite parts of the trip were the Kiwi excursions and the ample opportunities to see pelagic birds and penguins up close. Anyone who would like a full immersion introduction to New Zealand and its wonderful birds would love this trip.”

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Posted 3 months ago

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience, George. It’s wonderful to hear how much you enjoyed exploring New Zealand from top to bottom, and we’re thrilled that the journey—with Donavan, Gregor, and Simone—made such a lasting impression. They’ll be delighted to know their hard work and seamless teamwork helped make the trip special. We’re also really glad that, on this particular departure, there was room to make a few itinerary adjustments to take advantage of birding opportunities as they arose. While that level of flexibility isn’t something we can promise on every tour, it’s great to hear that the changes added meaningful moments to your experience. Thank you as well for sharing your thoughts on the one-night stays. Feedback like this is truly valuable as we continue fine-tuning our itineraries. It’s lovely to hear how memorable the Kiwi outings, pelagic trips, and penguin encounters were for you—thank you for sharing your photos and video! We really appreciate you travelling with us and recommending the tour, and we’d be delighted to have you join us again whenever you’re ready for your next adventure.

Posted 3 months ago

“We not only saw the wildlife, but a picturesque country from North to South. Scott is very enthusiastic about traveling and all aspects of Nature.”

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Posted 2 years ago

“Great way to see most of the endemics in New Zealand! This trip covers both North & South Islands & Stewart Island. Includes pelagic trips too. Includes lots of driving but vehicle was comfortable. Just sit back and enjoy the scenery.”

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Posted 3 years ago

“This is an excellent tour that takes you to most of the top birding sites in New Zealand, North Island, South Island and Stewart Island. It includes several pelagic trips out onto the sea to see sea birds. It also includes several outings to find Kiwi (we saw two species of Kiwi), and excursions to predator free islands and parks where endemic bird species are easier to find. We saw three species of penguins on our trip, and the bonus was seeing orcas, as well as three species of dolphins. In all, this was a fabulous trip that resulted in 126 new species for my life list, and 141 species in total, seen or heard. New Zealand is not to be missed and the Eagle-Eye staff are the best.”

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Posted 3 years ago

Marg Cuthbert

Verified Reviewer

“Fabulous, high caliber tour with excellent meals and accommodation; Guides Russ Cannings and Paul ? (sorry) were thorough, kind and conscientous. Thoroughly enjoyed the birding, amazing landscapes and travel (with the exception of very rough southern seas!). Have recommended this tour to many firends.”

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Posted 5 years ago

“This was a great tour, well organized and coordinated by Russell Cannings and his associate (?). The only challenge was tensions among participants, which the leaders handled very well. To be more precise it was just one person, and these things happen.”

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Posted 5 years ago