Ulva Island Birds & Forest Guided Walk - Stewart Island

16/08/2023

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the Trip Advisor - 2023 Travellers Choice.

We continue to give our best to ensure our customers have a fantastic, rewarding and memorable experience.

Thank you so much to all our customers who have provided their feedback and especially to the staff who have helped and worked hard during the last season.

03/05/2022

Interesting sighting of Ho**er sea lions on our Ulva island Birds & Forest Guided Walk.

02/04/2022

Ruggedy Range is hiring staff to help get the business back on track.

We are looking for professional, people-orientated, persons who have experience living and working in small, semi-remote places. Stewart Island has approx. 400 permanent residents and is mainly wilderness, so you must enjoy being in an outdoor environment. In particular you must be comfortable working for a small business and a small team.

We offer the opportunity to experience Island life and wildlife and the beautiful wilderness of Stewart Island.

Our roles will suit flexible, committed people willing to be supportive of the needs of the business as it tries to strengthen its base.

Ruggedy Range is a caring business with an environmental focus.

12/11/2021

Keeping you and us safe! Borders are starting to re-open around the world and soon in New Zealand, we expect to be welcoming visitors from around the world on our tours and services.

We are committed to continue operating in a safe way so that you can relax and enjoy what we offer and the beautiful Island we live and work in.

02/11/2021

We are doing our bit to keep our staff, customers and community safe.

14/09/2021

06/06/2021

If you are planning to run the Rakiura Challenge in October 2021 and want to discover Stewart Island and Ulva Island, check out some of the best tours on offer. We offer informative natural history and birdwatching tours for discerning travellers. Our iconic tours include: Ulva Island Birds & Forest Guided Walk, night-time Kiwi Spotting along with Wildlife Cruises to view albatrosses, penguins and seals. Our Island Culture Scenic Road Tour is a brilliant introduction to Stewart Island. If you need transport to the start of the Rakiura Great Walk - we operate licensed passenger vehicles. Contact us to discuss!

27/05/2021

Some great feedback from a client who was recommended to Ruggedy Range and took part in our Ulva Island Birds & Forest Guided Walk and our Evening Eco Watch / Kiwi Spotting trip. We continue to work hard to ensure I clients receive a great nature focused experience,

27/05/2021

The Ladies Slipper Orchid is one of many native orchids that flower in Stewart Island and Ulva Island. Most of our orchids species are best seen during October through to February, some flower through to April. Join one of our nature based guided walks to view native orchids.

27/05/2021

The endearing Stewart Island robin, also known as Toutouwai by Maori, seen here on our Ulva Island Birds & Forest Guided Walk. Petroica is a genus of flycatchers (family Muscicapidae) of Australia and the Pacific Island.

08/12/2020

17/08/2020

We are doing our thing at Alert Level 2. Clients have been happy to follow the guidelines and our Health and Safety Plan to help keep everyone and our local and wider community safe.
Thank you to everyone for supporting Aihe Wildife Cruises & Water Taxi and Ruggedy Range™ Wilderness Experience.
We greatly appreciate the custom and visitor feedback is that they are grateful that we are making the effort to meet them whenever we can on arrival at Halfmoon Bay Wharf, Stewart Island to let them know we are operating and what we can offer.
"We remain an independent business so visitors always have the freedom of choice, which they deserve."

01/06/2020

After careful consideration, Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience / Aihe Wildlife Cruises & Water Taxi and the Stewart Island Outdoor Adventure & Gift Shop will remain closed for tours and services during our winter months in New Zealand (June, July, August). We hope to operate again in September / October.

We continue to take bookings and enquiries for the coming season. Our emails, phone calls and messages are and will continue to be checked regularly.

Thank you for your patience whilst we develop and implement new policies and procedures to ensure higher levels of hygiene and cleanliness in order to keep everyone safe.

We also send to everyone around the world our continued support and hopes for a better and safer world in the near future.