Wonder what it is like to cuddle a kiwi? 

Guests of The Farm at Cape Kidnappers are finding out first hand through the lodge's KIWI DISCOVERY WALKS, and loving the experience! 

The Relais & Chateaux luxury lodge in Hawke's Bay New Zealand offers guests this exclusive opportunity to view the country's treasured native bird. 

The kiwi is the national symbol of New Zealand, so "meeting" one is truly a fabulous part of any New Zealand experience!

About the size of a domestic fowl, the very cute kiwi has coarse, bristly, hair-like feathers and can easily be cuddled in two hands. 

Because kiwi are a semi-nocturnal, secretive and flightless bird, few New Zealanders have even seen their national bird in the wild, 

let alone held one, making The Farm at Cape Kidnappers guest activity an incredible, experiential opportunity.

The Farm at Cape Kidnappers is part of Cape Sanctuary*, the largest privately owned and funded wildlife restoration project  of its kind in New Zealand. Predator-proof fencing was installed in 2007 and now some 55 kiwi's that call Cape Sanctuary home. 

Lodge guests take part in this very special activity with Kiwi expert Dr. John McLennan and his team, who offer small groups of guests guided tours,  using their radio tracking and monitoring devices to locate the kiwi habitat on the Farm. Guests get the chance to get up-close to one of New Zealand's most endangered and rare birds - a truly awesome experience. Holding the kiwi and taking a photo is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Kiwi Discovery Walks are now a popular part of the Cape Kidnappers Guest Activity Program and are available from mid-October until late May  (subject to seasonal breeding variations).

The Farm at Cape Kidnappers is a sister property to The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs and Matakauri Lodge.