Nature Quest New Zealand

Nature Quest New Zealand is a specialist natural history and birding tour operator founded by Mark Hanger in 1988 to share New Zealand's unique avifauna and ecological communities with visitors. The company designs custom-built private and small-group itineraries with an emphasis on understanding how the country's isolated island ecosystems shaped its endemic birds, plants, and reptiles. In 2001 Nature Quest expanded beyond Aotearoa to run botanical and wildlife tours in Western Australia, Tasmania, and New Caledonia, building a multi-country Australasian programme. They also act as a ground agency for overseas birding and conservation societies running tours in the region. Guides include Mark Hanger, Mark Ayre, Lynette Hartley, Alzira Alaniz, and Claire McKenzie, all with deep regional natural-history backgrounds. Tours range from short self-drive consultancies to multi-week custom expeditions targeting iconic New Zealand endemics and offshore-island specialities.