Puketi Rainforest: Exclusive Guided Nature Immersion

Ian took us through the Puketi Forest on his night hike, and it was a great experience. He knows so much about the forest and the night creatures, and clearly enjoys sharing that knowledge with visitors. A very enjoyable walk.

The area is beautiful, and to see & HEAR the forest at night was a fun experience. Started where we could still see, as we got further along & darker the night sounds of the forest grew. If in the area again I would like to do the daytime hike. Ian our guide was very informative as well as personable sharing his knowledge & love of the forest.

We visited the forest during the day and bumped into Ian who told us about his guided night walk amongst the trees. We met at 7pm and he told us a brief history of the area then we headed into the forest. Ian was very informative about the flora and fauna at all times. When it became dark he supplied head torches and was mindful to check that the pace suited us. We were so pleased to hear a kiwi calling and to learn more about the plant life. We saw glow worms and looked at the stars. We would thoroughly recommend this experience. Ian’s knowledge and expertise made for a very enjoyable experience. Thank you!

Ian was a fantastic guide showing us around the forest and pointing out the local flora and fauna. He was knowledgeable and passionate and entertained us with interesting facts and funny local stories as we walked amongst the native bush. The giant kauri trees were definitely impressive and we appreciate the work Ian and Barbara are doing to protect and inform about this special taonga. Definitely worth the money, and there was no issue booking for just the two of us. Would definitely recommend

Ian and Barbara were very accommodating and arranged a night walk in the forest for us despite we were the only ones wishing to go that evening. Ian was a great guide. Very knowledgeable and very patient with our many questions. What was billed as a 2/12 hour walk turned into 4 hours as we were so interested and our guide so enthusiastic. Despite we only flew into Auckland at 5:00 am that morning and had a four-hour drive to Bay of Islands, we had no trouble staying awake during this very interesting excursion. Highly recommended.

We did a half day forest walk. Starting at 2.30pm it finished at 6.00pm and was absolutely fascinating. it was just my wife and I. Our guide was Helen who knew the Puketi forest in detail and showed us the trees, fauna and flora. It was an excellent afternoon. Helen made everything very interesting. We wanted to see Kauri trees as they are getting rare and we were not disappointed. The size and majesty of these trees is just amazing. Helen took time and trouble to explain what we were looking at and she was an excellent host. She even supplied us with a drink and snack on our walk. I would highly recommend this walk to anyone wanting to get a taste of the bush.

It was very enjoyable start to finish; Ian our pickup at the port was waiting on us and were we in for a treat! Ian was very knowledgeable of the ecosystem in every way plants, trees, birds, animals. Our shoes were wiped before entering the rain forest to prevent any damage to the fragile environment. Barbara baked tasty muffins for our hike and Ian packed waters. The majestic Kauri trees 800-1200 years old are a true sight to behold. The sights and sounds we immersed ourselves in was a most memorable part of our visit to New Zealand. I have friends who are going to NZ in 2020 and they are taking the tour also; if you love nature do yourself a great favor and book this!

Our guide was phenomenally knowledgeable and clearly enjoyed sharing not just her knowledge but also her love of the flora and fauna in the forest. We thought we would be disappointed at only hearing Kiwis rather than seeing them, but actually that brought home to us how rare and difficult to find they can be in their natural habitat. We now know a great deal more about spiders, stick insects and wetas.......and are considerably better at finding and identifying them. Well worth it.

Helen was very knowledgeable regarding the forest and especially the kauri trees. She was a patient and enthusiastic guide. We were able to walk at a reasonable pace and see and hear the forest come alive as night fell.

Full day hike to the Kauri with Ian was a delightful, informative adventure, not to be missed! Worlds away from the crowded tours of the large tour companies !