Chatham Islands Tour

Our tour commences today with an Air Chathams flight from Auckland to Chatham Island.  

On arrival we will be transferred from the airport to the Hotel Chatham where we will stay for the next seven nights. On this site since the 1860s, the Hotel Chatham has been a big part of life on Chatham Island. Set in Waitangi Bay, the hotel boasts magnificent views from every direction, providing a captivating backdrop throughout the day. After a late arrival this evening we’ll enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel.  

Accommodation: Hotel Chatham – 7 nights  (D)

We will spend the next six days exploring the sights of Chatham Island.  

Discover the breathtaking beauty, rich culture, and remarkable scale of Chatham Island through our unforgettable activities. While most experiences are weather-dependent and may vary from day to day, rest assured—every effort will be made to deliver a full and memorable itinerary packed with adventure and discovery!

Admiral Gardens: Stunning sheltered gardens with water and sculpture features established for birds, bees and butterflies by Val Snr and Lois Croon, holds a large attractive planting of Chatham Island Lilies (the Forget Me Not). The farm also has a relaxing walk down to the sand dunes and beach. An evening BBQ is normally hosted here after our garden tour. 

Basalt Columns: One of the most popular attractions on the island, this impressive outcrop was formed from lava flows cooling around 80 million years ago. They bear a remarkable resemblance to the internationally recognised Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Ireland. Basalt columns are rarely seen in such exquisite glory as in Ohira Bay.  

Wharekauri Station (Splatter Rock): Attractions at Wharekauri include the Heritage New Zealand Category 1 listed Ponga Whare, and at the western end of Wharekauri beach, “Taniwha / Splatter Rock” is a most impressive example of the black basalt pillow lavas that erupted from the sea floor. The shape reflects vertical tubular lava cooling and slumping. 

Owenga Harbour & Village: Owenga is a small port settlement in a shallow bay on the Northeastern side of the main Chatham Island. Owenga originally supported a large Moriori population. Sadly, the Moriori were decimated by disease from visiting whalers and sealers in the early 1800’s. Later arrivals then displaced the Moriori, taking ownership of the natural resources and surrounding lands. Today, Owenga is home to a number of fishermen and their families.  

Blind Jims at Te Whanga Lagoon: Blind Jim’s is famous for its fossil shark teeth. The teeth are formed where there is limestone. When the wind blows, the teeth are eroded by the water. Their age will vary between 60 million and 30 million years old. 

Kaingaroa / Ocean Mail Wetlands Reserve: Kaingaroa is a small fishing village located on the northeastern side of the island. The Torotoro monument commemorates the first tragic contact between the British on HMS Chatham and Moriori in 1791. After walking through a protected forest area, head to the Manauea Ocean Mail Scenic Reserve for a picnic lunch. This reserve covers 831-hectares of peat dome and wetland as well as 4-kilometres of coastal sand dunes. 

Hapupu National Reserve / Moriori Tree Carvings: A unique archeological site. Carved into the bark of kopi trees within the reserve are Moriori tree carvings – known as dendroglyphs. They are among the little evidence of pre-contact Moriori culture remaining on the island.  

Sunderland Flying Boat: A remarkable relic of aviation history, the remains of a 1945 Short Sunderland flying boat can be found on a remote farm in Kaiwhata, east of Kiangaroa on Chatham Islands. This aircraft, operated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), was damaged in 1959 when it struck rocks while taxiing on Te Whanga Lagoon. Deemed beyond economical repair, the fuselage was salvaged by local farmers, cut into sections, and repurposed for agricultural use. Today, the relatively intact fuselage stands as a unique testament to the island’s mid-20th-century aviation history and the resourcefulness of its inhabitants. 

Kōpinga Marae: The only Moriori marae in New Zealand, Kōpinga Marae is located on the hilltop at Te Awatea. Designed in the shape of an albatross when viewed from above, this unique cultural site continues to captivate visitors with its powerful presence and significance. Learn the culture and history of the first inhabitants of the Island, and take in panoramic views across Lake Huro to Waitangi and across Te Whanga to its entrance at Te Awapatiki 

Chatham Islands Museum: Discover the rich heritage of Chatham Island, where natural wonders and cultural history come together. Explore displays of the rocks, fossils (including dinosaurs), rare birds, and other wildlife found on the islands, coupled with the distinctive history of the Moriori, Māori and European settlement and culture.  

Chatham Gold Bee Factory: Experience the unique world of beekeeping at the Chatham Gold Bee Factory, also known as Go Wild Apiary, on the Chatham Islands. This boutique operation, led by chef and apiarist Kaai Silbery and her partner Francesca Bonventre, produces award-winning Tarahina Honey from some of the world’s healthiest bees, thriving in a disease-free environment. Enjoy a guided walk-through native vegetation, learning about endemic plants like Tarahina, Pouteretere, and Mingimingi that contribute to the honey’s distinctive flavour. 

Henga Reserve Bush Walk: Walking tracks pass through regenerating coastal forest to sand dune vegetation. Hidden in the bush are spectacular limestone formations.  

Kopi Farm: An immersive experience into the Chatham Island’s natural beauty and cultural heritage. Hosts lead guided bushwalks through over 100-year-old native forests, showcasing endemic flora such as Rautini (Chatham Islands Christmas Tree), Kōpī, Karaka, and Tarihina. Bird enthusiasts may spot native species like the parea (Chatham Islands pigeon), fantails, warblers, and, with luck, the Chatham Islands parakeet. 

Nīkau Bush Conservation Area: This 19-ha reserve conserves broadleaf forest with a fine stand of Nīkau palms, the only palm native to the Chatham Islands. Most impressive when flowering and bearing fruit. 

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included every day.  

Start your day with a leisurely breakfast in the hotel restaurant, as you soak in the tranquil atmosphere of your final morning on Chatham Island. A shuttle will then transport you to the airport for your flight back to Auckland Domestic Airport. Return home with memories of an untouched paradise, wildlife, flora and spectacular landscapes.