1 active Westland Tai Poutini alert
- CautionActive landslide zones on Copland TrackDo not stop in either of Copland Track’s signposted active landslide zones; take extra care during and after heavy rain.Official details
Overview
About Westland Tai Poutini National Park Visitor Centre
Why stop
- Displays connect the region’s Māori history and natural features with current conservation work.
Map
Where it is
Loading the Westland Tai Poutini map
Full mapPlan your stop
Before you go
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Westland Tai Poutini Tour Guide
Your drive to Westland Tai Poutini National Park Visitor Centre, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Westland Tai Poutini National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Westland Tai Poutini audio tourRecorded for this place
Westland Visitor Centre and Waiho Hot Tubs0:00 / 0:32
“You're coming up on the Westland Tai Poutini visitor centre at the north end of Franz Josef. Stop here if you're still choosing a walk, and ask about that specific route and its forecast.”
Plays as you drive up to Westland Tai Poutini National Park Visitor Centre in the Parkwolf Westland Tai Poutini Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- West Coast Wildlife Centre: Finding the Kiwi
- Cowan Street Walks: Callery Gorge
- Terrace Walk: Glowworms Among Fallen Trees
- St James Church: the Peace Stamp View
- 49 audio storiesacross Westland Tai Poutini’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Kea, Blue Duck, Kererū, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 31 trails, 53 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
More about Westland Tai Poutini National Park Visitor Centre
Start here before the glacierWestland Tai Poutini National Park Visitor Centre is the park’s visitor-information hub for the…
Westland Tai Poutini National Park Visitor Centre is the park’s visitor-information hub for the glacier region, in the Glacier Base Building at the north end of Franz Josef/Waiau. It’s a useful first stop before heading into a valley: staff advise on walks, backcountry huts, glacier-valley safety and the latest forecast. Ask about the specific walk you’re considering so you can plan around its conditions. The centre is about a ten-minute walk or a two-minute drive from town.
Make a plan with local adviceStaff can help with bookings for conservation facilities and information about commercial…
Staff can help with bookings for conservation facilities and information about commercial activities around the region. Visitors often value the friendly, practical advice on walks and weather. If you already have a route in mind, bring it up directly; that makes it easier to get the details that matter to your day.
Get some context for South WestlandThe centre’s interpretation ranges from Māori history and Te Wāhipounamu’s World Heritage…
The centre’s interpretation ranges from Māori history and Te Wāhipounamu’s World Heritage setting to local geology, geography, native plants and animals, and predator control. It gives you context for both the landscapes you’re heading out to see and the conservation work that helps protect them.
Practical detailsFree parking is available on Cron Street and in the Glacier Base car park.
Free parking is available on Cron Street and in the Glacier Base car park. Inside, you’ll find public toilets and unlimited Wi-Fi. Maps, hut tickets, rainwear, guidebooks and small souvenirs are sold here. A food counter isn’t confirmed, so treat it as a planning stop rather than a meal stop.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Westland Tai Poutini
89 sightingsKeaMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
10 sightingsBlue DuckMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
80 sightingsKererūMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
38 sightingsTūīMost seen around 5 AMSighting map
10 sightingsNew Zealand FalconMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
28 sightingsYellow-crowned ParakeetMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Westland Tai Poutini. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
