Zealandia Ecosanctuary, Wellington

The world's first fully fenced urban ecosanctuary: 225 hectares of forest valley in the suburb of Karori, surrounded by a predator-proof fence, just 10 minutes from the centre of Wellington. Rare native birds have been brought back and thrive here, including takahē, kākā, hihi (stitchbird), tīeke (saddleback) and kākāriki, as well as the ancient reptile, the tuatara.

Walk the tracks on your own for a few hours, past the old dams and historic gold mine, or join a guided tour. The night tour is the highlight: you may see little spotted kiwi in the wild, as well as glow worms and wētā. There's a good café and an exhibition at the visitor centre.

A free shuttle runs from the city centre, and it's also on a city bus route.