Gannet Beach Adventures

Cape Kidnappers has lots of stories to tell with amazing cliffs and earthquake faults, sea life, and views back to Napier. Taking a tractor trip along the coast is an awesome experience where you can witness a variety of sea birds, some of which are being rehabitated at the nearby Cape Sanctuary, but the most well-known is the world’s largest and most accessible gannet colony at the end. It’s a walk up to the nest site and the trip is tide dependant, although it will have you talking about it for years.

Taking an open top tractor up the beach is a fantastic way to see New Zealand’s largest inland gannet colony, home to 15,000 birds at the height of summer. Trips are dependent on the tide so check the times. There’s an uphill walk at the end but to get so close to nature is magical. They are opening for the new breeding season at the end of September when the birds will start to come in to mate and nest.