Stewart Island (Rakiura)

New Zealand · Oceania

Stewart Island (Rakiura)

Forest, beaches and predator-free Ulva Island with confiding endemics.

Photo: Unknown author · Public domain
Best months
Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec
Days needed
2–4
Difficulty
Moderate
Nearest airport
Invercargill (IVC)

When to go

  1. JanJanuary: Best
  2. FebFebruary: Best
  3. MarMarch: Best
  4. AprApril: Good
  5. MayMay: Poor or no data
  6. JunJune: Poor or no data
  7. JulJuly: Poor or no data
  8. AugAugust: Poor or no data
  9. SepSeptember: Poor or no data
  10. OctOctober: Good
  11. NovNovember: Best
  12. DecDecember: Best

BestGoodFair

Ferry crossings can be rough.

Why go

Stewart Island (Māori: Rakiura, lit. 'glowing skies', officially Stewart Island / Rakiura, formerly New Leinster) is the third-largest and southernmost inhabited island of New Zealand, lying 30 kilometres (16 nautical miles) south of the South Island, separated by Foveaux Strait.
It is a roughly triangular island with a land area of 1,746 km2 (674 sq mi) . Its 164-kilometre (102 mi) coastline is indented by Paterson Inlet (east), Port Pegasus (south), and Mason Bay (west). The island is generally hilly (rising to 980 metres or 3,220 feet at Mount Anglem) and densely forested.

Background from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Target birds

Map

Open larger map · eBird hotspots nearby · © OpenStreetMap contributors

Combine with

Nearby destinations