20/08/2026
Millennium Hotel Rotorua: The Perfect Base for Kiwi and Nature Enthusiasts
By Ruud Kleinpaste
For nature lovers exploring New Zealand's Central North Island, Millennium Hotel Rotorua is an ideal base. Within an hour's drive, visitors can experience some of the country's most remarkable native forests and encounter one of New Zealand's most iconic species, the kiwi.
My connection with kiwi began more than 45 years ago through scientific research on the North Island Brown Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli). Since then, my career has focused on conservation, working with native birds, insects, invertebrates, plants, and shrubs throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
Kiwi populations have faced significant challenges since the arrival of humans and introduced predators such as stoats, ferrets, cats, rats, and dogs. Over centuries, these threats caused substantial declines across New Zealand's five kiwi species. Encouragingly, targeted predator control and conservation efforts are helping North Island Brown Kiwi populations recover in some areas.
Millennium Hotels proudly supports the Save the Kiwi Trust, contributing to kiwi protection and rehabilitation projects across New Zealand. Every guest helps support the preservation of this treasured native species.
Guests staying at Millennium Hotel Rotorua have several opportunities to hear or even see kiwi in their natural environment. Whakatāne, known as the "Kiwi Capital of the World," offers guided nocturnal kiwi walks. Mamaku Forest, west of Rotorua, remains home to wild kiwi whose distinctive calls can be heard at night. Further west, Maungatautari Sanctuary provides a predator-free environment where thriving kiwi populations are helping repopulate forests across the North Island.
For those short on time, the National Kiwi Hatchery in Ngongotahā, just 15 minutes from Rotorua, offers a unique chance to observe kiwi up close and learn about their fascinating adaptations, including their exceptional sense of smell, powerful legs, and distinctive hair-like feathers.
Having spent years tracking and studying kiwi in the wild, I can confidently say that experiencing these extraordinary birds is one of New Zealand's most memorable wildlife encounters.
Ruud Kleinpaste
The Bug Man
Kiwi Female (L) and Male (R)
Ruud The Author - 45 years ago!
