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Fiordland · Hiking

Visitor Centre to Te Anau Bird Sanctuary Walk: Walking Guide, Time & Access

A walker seen from behind carrying a grey and orange backpack, with hills in the background.

Illustrative photograph. General backpacking illustration; location unverified. This is not a photograph of the named route or evidence of its terrain, condition or difficulty.

Photo: Cody Black / Unsplash License / Details

Enjoy an easy walk along the lakeside in Te Anau that takes you to the bird sanctuary where you can see the rare, flightless takahē and other birds.

Last checked 8 October 2026 · Department of Conservation

By Outdoor Next Editorial standards

On this page

Location & access

DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.

Official location information
Location source

DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.

Reference point: -45.43011, 167.71309. WGS84 coordinates retained at the official service's returned precision; decimal resolution is not survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.

DOC Maps walking and tramping reference point (WGS84), exact official-page GUID / Department of Conservation. Checked 2026-10-12.

Key facts

Distance
1 km return via same track
Walking time
20 min
Track grade
Easy
Location
Fiordland National Park / Lake Te Anau area

Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.

Route overview

Enjoy an easy walk along the lakeside in Te Anau that takes you to the bird sanctuary where you can see the rare, flightless takahē and other birds.

This DOC directory entry covers Visitor Centre to Te Anau Bird Sanctuary Walk in Fiordland, within Fiordland National Park / Lake Te Anau area. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.

Distance, time and grade

  • Distance: 1 km return via same track
  • Walking time: 20 min
  • DOC grade: Easy

Access and alerts

Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.

Description

From the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre follow the easy path around the side of the lake, past the yacht club to Punanga Manu o Te Anau/Te Anau Bird Sanctuary.

The Bird Sanctuary is open from dawn until dusk and entry is by a gold coin donation. The aviaries and pens that house the birds are set in beautiful grounds with views of the lake. Free flying birds enjoy the trees planted there and the ducks like the water edge below the boardwalk by the lake.

Enjoy the beautiful water on a hot day - go for a splash or a swim.

Getting there

This walk starts from the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre on Lakefront Drive, Te Anau.

Sources and reuse

Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.

The accompanying photograph is a licensed general hiking illustration, not a photograph of this route.

Sources & official links

  1. 1.Visitor Centre to Te Anau Bird Sanctuary Walk: official route information— Department of Conservation
  2. 2.DOC walking and tramping directory— Department of Conservation

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