With international travel out of the question for now, there has never been a better time to get out and explore our own backyard. A great way to do that is to book a Kiwiness tour.

We refer to ourselves as ‘Kiwis’, but how many of us can actually say we've seen these shy little guys we are named after? Kiwiness tours give you the opportunity to get up close to kiwis, and other native NZ birds, such as the kereru, tui, native owl, and morepork, all at Tawharanui Regional Park. Over the winter months, tours begin at 5:00 p.m. and end at 8:00 p.m., so they are the perfect school holiday experience if you need to get the little ones home to bed at a reasonable hour. 

As well as wildlife tours, Kiwiness also has some great options for adults, whether you are entertaining guests from out of town or just wanting to experience what our area has to offer. They do tours and tastings at the wineries and breweries, as well as an oyster, wine and chocolate tour, which includes a one-hour boat tour around the Mahurangi Harbour where you can learn how to shuck an oyster before being treated to a wine tasting and some sweet treats at a chocolatier in Matakana Village. 

Although the lack of international travel is disappointing to some, it provides a great opportunity to see what our own home has to offer. A lot of tourists choose to come to Matakana, and there is a reason for that. Ness who runs Kiwiness tours has been hosting people from all over the country. “Lets get Matakana on the map as the awesome destination it is! This weekend I am hosting a couple who couldn't go to Rarotonga, so Matakana is the plan B”. Not too bad a plan B if you ask us. 

So, before you book flights across the country, consider a staycation right here in Matakana, and experience it in the way that has visitors from Auckland to Christchurch raving. Call Ness on 021 100 3275.