Orana Wildlife Park occupies 80 hectares of tranquil grounds on McLeans Island Road, just 15 minutes' drive from Christchurch Airport, and it holds a distinction no other attraction in New Zealand can claim: it is the country's only open range zoo. That shapes everything about a visit — instead of peering at animals across cramped enclosures, you wander wide-open landscapes where the park's stated mission is to get you up close and personal with its wonderful animals.
The encounters here are the stuff of family legend: hand feeding a majestic giraffe, eyeballing a magnificent white rhino face-to-face, viewing the pride of lions in their open Reserve, or watching a tiger search for food. Native wildlife gets equal billing — you can meet New Zealand's national icon, the kiwi, along with tuatara (a unique native reptile), kea (the world's only mountain parrot), a wide range of native gecko species, and friendly domestic animals in the Farmyard area.
Scheduled animal presentations run daily, each accompanied by a talk from a wildlife guide, and the park suggests planning your visit around that schedule to make the most of your day. With picnic areas, a playground, an on-site cafe, functions and events facilities, and a gift shop, there is genuinely something to entertain people of all ages for the entire day.
Orana is internationally renowned for its involvement in zoo-based breeding programmes for endangered exotic and native species, and your visit directly supports that conservation work. The park is ZAA accredited and a member of WAZA, and it champions advocacy campaigns such as Ask For Choice on palm oil labelling. If you can't visit in person, Orana streams its animals live on Zoolife, with 80% of memberships supporting the park's conservation and animal initiatives.
Orana Wildlife Park occupies 80 hectares of tranquil grounds on McLeans Island Road, a 15-minute drive from Christchurch Airport, and it carries a title no other attraction in the country can claim: it is New Zealand's only open range zoo. That single phrase shapes everything about a visit here. Instead of peering at animals across cramped enclosures, you wander wide-open landscapes where giraffe, rhino, lions and tigers live in spacious reserves — and where the park's stated mission is to get you up close and personal with every one of them.
Orana's signature experiences are the reason many visitors make the trip out of Christchurch. Picture the moment you hand feed a majestic giraffe, feeling that mix of nerves and delight as one of the world's tallest animals leans down to take food from your hand. Elsewhere in the park you can come eyeball to eyeball with a magnificent white rhino, watch a tiger search for food, or view the pride of lions in their open Reserve. For those wanting to go further, the Tiger Den Experience offers an even closer look — contact the park for costs and conditions.
The park is just as proud of its native stories. In the kiwi and native encounters you meet New Zealand's national icon, along with tuatara — a unique native reptile — and kea, the world's only mountain parrot. A wide range of native gecko species adds to the lineup, and in the Farmyard area younger visitors can meet pet friendly domestic animals.
Orana is deliberately built for a whole day out. Scheduled animal presentations run daily, and each one is accompanied by a talk from a wildlife guide, so every feed doubles as a mini-lesson in animal behaviour. The park itself suggests planning your route around the daily presentation schedule — it's the best way to see the animals at their most active and make the most of your ticket.
When you need a break, tranquil picnic areas and a playground give families room to spread out, an on-site cafe handles coffee and meals, and the gift shop covers souvenirs. The park also hosts functions and events, and there is, by its own cheerful admission, something to entertain people of all ages for the entire day.
What distinguishes Orana from a straightforward day out is its conservation pedigree. The park is internationally renowned for its involvement in zoo-based breeding programmes for endangered exotic and native species, and it operates with the aim — alongside conservation and animal welfare — of providing education, recreation and enjoyment to the public. Orana is accredited by the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) and is a member of WAZA, the global zoo alliance. It also lends its voice to advocacy, joining other New Zealand zoos in the Ask For Choice campaign for mandatory palm oil labelling.
Practically, that means your visit funds real work: breeding programmes, animal care and education programmes that reach schools and holiday visitors through initiatives like Children's University.
Orana Wildlife Park is at 793 McLeans Island Road, Christchurch. It is open 10:00am to 5:00pm daily, with last admission at 4:00pm, and closed only on Christmas Day. Tickets, encounters, annual passes and gift vouchers are available online, and the park's website has full transport information for getting there.
Can't make the trip just yet? Orana streams its animals live on Zoolife, an immersive online experience where you can take control of the camera, join daily expert talks and live Q&As, and relax with animals from around the globe — with 80% of every membership supporting the park's conservation and animal initiatives. It's a rare second-best: a zoo visit you can take from your sofa, knowing the money flows straight back to the animals.