otari - wilton's bush native botanic garden

very quiet and love the native bush. many different kinds of walks for all different levels of fitness

a walk in this park is very refreshing. It caters for a casual stroll to steep hiking, you choose. I found the environment clean and tidy and everyone there seems so nice. I plan to go there as often as I can

Otari Wilton native bush Botanical Gardens are a showcase for the natural flora of New Zealand and provide a haven for local wildlife. This tranquil spot is a great place to chill out and watch the birds from the treetop walkway or walk in the ferny valley where native plants abound. The easily accessable lawn area is popular with locals for picnics. The many walking paths and trails are used for jogging and rambling but having no cafe or shop or other attractions the gardens do not get crowded. Good car park, toilets, information room and local bus service. Free entry - donations welcome.

What an amazing place to be able to enjoy so close to the centre of the capital city. It have a variety of routes through the native bush that cater for all different levels of fitness. It also provides areas that families can enjoy with their children. A must to visit.

You will be surrounded by huge trees, giant ferns, and green, plant-covered hills. One section of the trail system is wheelchair accessible and provides a view, but the one I took beyond that went down log steps into a cool, mossy canyon, and past a gurgling stream. The vegetation is lush and all native. Lots of birds to listen to, especially tuis. I appreciate the abundant signage naming the plants and explaining how to identify various types of of fern. There were very few people there in the late afternoon of a summer weekday. My friends and I felt like we practically had the place to ourselves.

A nice place to visit to get your dose of nature. Friendly guides and an interesting suspended boardwalk in the trees. All free and close to the city.

I'm very priviledged to live right above Wilton Bush. I go running through it all the time and walk my friends dog through it all the time. There a so many different tracks that lead to things like the 800 year old rimu tree (which is stunning), clearings, picnic area with toilet and BBQ's, streams & rock gardens. I can be standing 500 meters from my house and feel like I'm in a rain forrest in another country with no houses for 100's of kms. An example of size is the last walk I did with my friends dog. 9kms & it took 3 hours, including the stop to let doggie swim in the stream. This is one of the best examples of how lucky we are to live in wellington :)

A short (and cheap) bus ride to this well laid out area is a pleasure. Lovely boardwalks and signage enabled us to identify many of NZ's plants and flowers. Very informative and an abundance of birds

The unique native plant living museum surrounded by native forest with tracks leading up to the Skyline Walkway - and all in the city bounds with regular bus service and 5 minutes drive from the cbd.

On a bus route from town if you don't have a car (no. 14 Wilton bus) with free parking if you do drive there. Beautiful peaceful bush, gardens, lawns, glow worms and pathways. You can spend an hour or all day there

What makes this bush special is that it's the only botanic garden in New Zealand that is dedicated to our native plants. A great collection of specimens. Great picnic location, pleasant bush walks with some great views over Wellington.

If you like walking but don't fancy a long tramp, this place had various walks of different times and gradings.

A lovely place of greenery with a tree top bridge. Information centre. Native bush and birds. Refreshing walk.

We visited Otari again today. The birdlife is really great, and you can see or hear most of it from the deck by the visitor centre. Within only a few minutes we heard or saw tuis, kaka, kakariki, bellbirds, fantails, grey warblers, kereru, paradise shelducks, shining cuckoo, kingfishers.Perhaps it was the sunny day, and springtime, but this was the most birdlife I have noted so far, from many visits.There were lots of people having lunch in the picnic area by the stream, and enjoying the sunnry day.This place is one of Wellington's best. And it's free !

I have a personal interest in it as Job Wilton was my great great grandfather. Naturally I am biased about it but I think it has some lovely native bush. The added bonus is that it is fairly easy to get to by public transport.