Butterfly Creek product reviews

Butterfly Creek is as much fun for adults as it is for children. We've found it a great place to stop for a bite (the food is lovely) when we're on the way to the airport to pick people up. The farmyard area is delightful with the rabbits, pigs and other animals very friendly. The Bugs about area is fascinating - the tarantulas, wetas and other insects are shown in glass tanks making them easy to see.
The absolute best part is of course the butterfly house. The amazing colours and sizes of the butterflies always amaze us. The talk given by staff is well worth listening to - we were really interested to hear where the butterflies were imported from and how they are transported to Butterfly Creek. Having these gorgeous creatures landing on you is a great experience. Having a camera with you is a must. The look of delight on the faces young and old as the butterflies are released, given time to 'awaken' properly and then take off to land on plants, people and in some cases swarm in large groups is enough to put a smile on anyone smile. Definitely worth a visit - we will be going again.

I have visited Butterfly Creek several times now, but more recently a few months ago with my daughter who was 2 at the time, with this visit being the first for her and also for her grandparents who came along with us. Butterfly creek is much more than just butterflies as the name perhaps suggests, with so much to see and do for the young and old alike, and makes for a great family day out and a trip which was weĺl worth the drive up from Hamilton.

There are several different passes available to choose from depending on what exactly you are wanting to see and do, each time we have been we have purchased the pass that gives you entry into all parts of the park which includes the butterflies, train ride, petting farm, and the crocodiles as well as the more recent new attraction the dinosaurs. With so much to see and do you can easily make this into a day trip and with the cafe being reasonably price you may as well.

The butterfly enclosure contains many beautifully coloured exotic butterflies, they are in a room of there own which has been heated to cater for the conditions which these tropical butterflies are used to living in, this does make the room get rather humid though no one in my group seemed to mind this at all probably as we were so amazed by the butterflies which were fluttering past us constantly, we were even lucky enough to have some land on our hands and shoulders which was neat. The room is beautifully kept with lots of nice plants and flowers for the butterflies to live and hide amongst, as well as lots of lovely streams and waterfalls surrounding them.

There are several small monkeys as you exit the enclosure and then you are led to a reptile like area where there are several crocodiles and a bunch of different lizards and creepy crawly bugs, I must admit this part didn't really interest me, but then I'm not really a fan of such things. The petting zoo was a lot of fun and we did spend quite some time here, it was definitely a hit with Miss 2 as there was such an array of cute and cuddly super friendly animals to touch and hold rabbits, goats, chickens, sheep, guinea pig and miniature horses and donkeys.

The train ride was worth the wait in line (which seemed to take about 30minutes as it doesn't run to often) and it takes you around the outer part of the attraction which allows you to see the animals from a distance with lots of lovely scenery. The new dinosaur attraction was quite incredible with huge towering life like models of various different dinosaurs that looked so real, they even moved and made sounds just like real dinosaurs would have done, the detail to them was so amazing, so real that Miss 2 wasn't so sure about them.

All in all a great place to visit in Auckland that is very well priced, a neat day out for those with young children.

I've visited butterfly creek twice - once when my daughter was a little over 2 and then more recently with her as a 4 year old.

We don't live in Auckland, so it's a bit of a hike to get there but it's worth the trip for a fun family day out. I believe the prices are pretty reasonable, and you can pick what you want to do, ie we didn't bother with the train ride the first time, but doing it the second time was quite fun and well worth a little bit extra you pay for it.

The main attraction of course is the butterflies. I love this part - you walk into the butterfly area and are immediately surrounded by heaps of beautiful butterflies of many different varieties. And it doesn't take long for butterflies to come and land on you - what could delight a little kid more... and I was pretty impressed by this too! However my husband wasn't so keen on this part - it is very humid in the butterfly area and while I happily adjusted and ignored it for the sake of seeing the butterflies, he didn't last long in there at all.

But there are way more than just butterflies...the farm animals are lots of fun for the little kids - and even for someone like me who comes from a farm! You get to pat and hold and interact with the animals - so many cute bunnies.

Then there's the alligator/crocodiles, all sorts of dead and alive creepy-crawlies, aquariums of fish, a huge playground and picnic area, cafe, and of course your usual gift shop filled with all sorts of bright and fun items to buy.

I highly recommend butterfly creek for a fun family day out - and it's even worth making the trip from Hamilton just for this attraction alone.

Ive seen this place over and over since I live not far from it. I have always wanted to take the kids in to have a look but for some reason never got around to it. Finally in November 2012 we took the kids 4 and 3 to Butterfly Creek. To get there is pretty easy and with the big signs its easy to fine and car parking didnt seen to be a problem at all.

It was amazing, there were a few things to do that would cater for all, a mini rabbit farm with goats, a small train ride that went around the park, kids weren't that impressed with this ride as it only went around in a circle but thats kids that love log flumes etc so I didnt think this would fill that quota for them but all fun anyway, and crocs too

Then you have the butterflies, you walk into a muggy room to the butterflies though double doors to stop them getting out and you are just surrounded by them. The fly over your head, around you and if your lucky enough have them land on you. Some are brave and will let you touch them and move them from hand to hand others are more cheeky and will land then run. The kids loved this area sadly it was a bit too hot for me to stay in there too long.

There is a cafe and not badly priced either, the soup was fantastic and the best thing is they allow you to take your own food in. You can eat inside or outside where there is a playground so adults can enjoy a coffee and kids can play. You get a view of the goats on their own playground which is pretty neat.

This is another place we will go often to now as the kids showed so much interest to the butterflies, its all about learning at the end of the day.

Butterfly Creek is a special place indeed. I have been a couple of times with my daughter. It makes a fabulous place to meet up with friends. Being located close to Auckland airport, I quite often have made plans to meet friends as they fly in and out of the North Island. We meet at Butterfly Creek and have lunch, while letting our kids play together and burn off some energy around the centre.

There is so much to see and do at Butterfly Creek! You can pay for a combo ticket that allows you into everything, or you can get a train ride included or pay for extra train rides as desired. You don't need to use the train to get around, but it is a fun little extra being able to ride it around the park and see everything. Because of the diversity of animals being shown here, there is something for everyone. From fluffy bunnies and farm animals to hand feed and pat. To crocs, who attack bits of meat and skin in a show for the audience and baby alligators to pat as well. If you like butterflies, of course you can walk through and see them. If you are good at staying still, they might even land on you - where something bright! And if that doesn't excite you, there are even other creepy crawlies to look at too.

Whenever we go along to Butterfly Creek we always end up spending hours there, looking around. My daughter adores all animals and insects so this place is a huge hit for her. I love going, because I'm a big sucker for petting zoo type activities. I love getting up close and personal with animals as much as my daughter does. The cost is in line with other Auckland attractions and the value for money is pretty darn good.

Both young and old can enjoy a day out at Butterfly Creek. You can spend the day or just a few hours checking out the wonderful displays and activities at Butterfly Creek. We have done both, spend the day and caught all the talks, and spent a few hours where we still got to see everything but didn't catch all the talks

It is an amazing learning experience watching the different types of butterflies fluttering around, and some of them will even land on you. There is always staff around to ask questions as well as the interactive talks they have at the different enclosures. When we were there they realised some new born butterflies and told us about them and the life span.

My daughter was excited that she got to touch a baby alligator, as well as see the giant Crocodiles. We stayed and listened to the talk about the Crocodiles. So not only do you get to see these amazing creatures you can learn about them as well. Once we had been around the Butterflies and Crocodiles, we then went over to the farm yard, where the children can hold and touch the animals, and see them feed.

There is also a train which was a real hit with my daughter. In fact the second time we went to Butterfly creek all she did until we went on it was ask when we were going to go on the train. There is also a cafe that offers a wide range of food choices as well as as ice cream bar. We had a great day and would happily recommend to other people.

My family and I have had the pleasure of going to Butterfly Creek several times now. My children have been absolutely delighted each time. We have found the staff to be helpful, friendly and knowledgeable about the attractions, animals and facilities in general - this helps make the whole experience that much more pleasurable.

Highlights from our most recent trip included a ride on the train (where the driver pointed out a HUGE eel that was resting on the bank and a knot in a tree that looked like a bum to my older children before we set off), being able to pet a baby crocodile & alligator (thanks to a very helpful lady on the front desk who told us the encounter had just started) and watching a goat be milked (very eye opening for my 2 year old).

Between the butterflies, the crocodiles, the bunnies and the sheep there are plenty of animals and insects and you can quite easily spend the whole morning, afternoon or both wondering through the complex. Being from out of Auckland I found that the location to be fantastic and easy to find, this along with all the other positive factors we have discovered at Butterfly Creek means that my family and I will be returning many more times!

Butterfly Creek WOW. What a fabulous day out for young and old. Butterfly creek is found just down the road from the airport in a very handy location for visitors. I took my 18 month old girl and also my 9 year old son. Upon entering i was greeted by a warm friendly smile from the lady in the ticket/gift shop. She explained how it worked in regards to pricing and what entry includes. After a lengthy stay in the gift shop whereby my 18month old decided i needed to buy butterfly toys, soft toys and even a umbrella we finally entered the butterfly enclosure through double doors. Wow it was truly breathtaking and totally out of this world. You walk around hundreds of butterflies (no glass between you) they land on you and fly around you. Both my kids were amazed and we spend ages in there and lost track of time. There is boards explaining the butterflies and species etc. After the butterfly enclosure we went in search for the crocodile and was not disappointed. it was huge and looked extremely menacing. The rest of the day was taken up at the beautiful cafe which serves amazing food ( a little bit pricey) but worth it. There is a miniature train that takes you around the complex, a farm with farm animals and the playground there is extremely helpful especially when mum wants to finally eat lunch. The kids had an absolute ball and i can safely say so did I. So much to see and in the end we spend 4 hours there and loved every minute of it. A fabulous place that I recommend to all.

My family went to Butterfly Creek last Christmas, for the Heart Kids Christmas Party. The buildings were still new, and fresh, incredibly designed and and well planned. The animals and their surroundings, or enclosures, were healthy and well, clean, fed, and were coping extremely well despite it being a hot day.

The restaurant staff were very friendly and helpful , and there was a fabulous choice of food to suit all stages of my family. (Partner and I and 3 and 6mth old).

I breastfed in the Restaurant side, and felt free to do this. Had no problems with this.

Have recommended Butterfly Creek to loads of my friends. Its a precious place.

Butterflies, crocodiles and farm animals, oh my! For any animal loving person, Butterfly Creek is definitely an awesome experience and a must-visit, especially for kids. Both my kids and I were rather excited at the idea of getting to see real giant salt-water crocodiles (the only ones here in NZ!) and many species of butterflies we'd never come across before, and my 11 yr old and I had done a bit of butterfly research in preparation. Because we don't get to get up to Auckland very often, we decided to treat ourselves to the full experience, with the "Super Combo", which includes access to everything: the butterfly house, crocs n gators, aquarium, buttermilk farm, and the bug room. At $19.90 for an adult and $10.50 for children aged 3-15 (children under 3 are free), I'd at first thought the price was a bit steep, but after having been there, I'd happily pay that again as it is fully worth it! There is a fantastic playground to help keep the kids amused in between checking out the different enclosures, a cafe with a VERY tasty menu that, although rather highly priced, offers generous portions and plenty of choices (or you can just take a picnic), an ice cream shop, plenty of toilets and a parenting room (which I did find to be on the tiny side)... and a fun little train that the kids absolutely LOVED (Mr3 would've quite happily spent all day on this if I'd let him I think, but at $3 per person, PER RIDE, that would've gotten expensive rather fast) that does a couple of loops of the "Rocket Ropes" adult course.

So, after a nosey through their gift shop with all sorts of reasonably priced, interesting souvenirs for both adults and kids, our first stop was the aquarium. I will admit, I'm not much of a fish fan, so this was a rather rushed look through, but both the kids loved it, especially with the "Finding Nemo" tank where they had fun spotting all the fish that looked liked the characters in what is one of their favourite movies, and the sturdy half-boat with steering wheel that my youngest kept running back to play with. Then,of course, it was onto the butterfly house... which was like walking into an awesome, huge sauna-like greenhouse! There were huge plants everywhere, little quail running about in the gardens, a pond filled with heaps of turtles, and, of course, lots and lots of gorgeous butterflies of several different species fluttering around. Within a minute or two of walking through the door, the kids and I had all become landing pads for more than one butterfly, which is not something we were used to. Butterflies normally want to staying away from the big moving creatures, right? Not these ones! We had them land on our bags, in our hair, clothes, hands, etc, along with landing on the path (and everywhere else) so we'd have to be careful where we walked to avoid stepping on any of them and how we moved as you just never knew sometimes where a butterfly had decided to land... which can be a little worrying when you have a rather impatient active 3 yr old with you. I'd definitely advise on keeping small children under VERY close supervision, as it would be all too easy for these bold butterflies to land somewhere and end up squashed or with broken wings due to a youngster getting a bit too excited or not watching where they were walking. It was a lot of fun though, trying to identify all the different types of butterflies flying around, making for a very educational experience as well as a thoroughly unique and enjoyable one.

With the weather being quite icy outside when we visited, it was rather pleasant inside the butterfly house, which was kept extremely warm so that its occupants could live there all year round. I can well imagine though, that if you visited during Summer, it could get rather uncomfortable, heat-wise, as even during the middle of Winter I walked out of there sweating. Hot and humid, much like a tropical rainforest. As well as the butterflies, birds, and turtles, the butterfly house also had a small enclosure that housed two baby crocodiles, that were only 7 weeks old. It even still had the eggs they'd hatched out of in there. Except for on tv and in photos, this was the first time either the kids or I had ever seen a crocodile, baby or otherwise, and we found them absolutely fascinating! There was also an enclosure with several water dragons along with another enclosure which had several rows of racks on its walls, each with dozens of (at this particular time) empty chrysalides of different shapes and sizes, along with a few freshly hatched butterflies still clinging to some of them. A bit later in the day we came back to see the "butterfly release" experience, where the newly hatched ones were gently taken out and placed on the wall to finish drying off before flying off to join the rest of their kind flying around the butterfly house.

When things started to get a bit too warm, and Mr3 a bit too bored with staying in one place with all these creatures he wasn't allowed to touch, we moved on to the next lot of enclosures, after doing a thorough check of all our clothing and bags etc, to make sure we didn't have any winged passengers trying to come with us (there was a corridor between the butterfly house and the door to the next enclosure, just to help make sure no butterflies managed to get through)... which was the reptile house. This was definitely my other favourite part of the whole experience, as this is where they had the two fully grown (I think) crocodiles (after seeing the 7 week old babies, these 2 were HUGE!), the bearded dragon,the blue tongued lizard and several 4yr old alligators! Each alligator and crocodile had its own enclosure, and with the crocs, it was quite difficult at first to actually spot them, as they were well camouflaged in their environment. As much as I loved the butterfly house, I would definitely have to say the crocs and gators were by far my favourites, especially when they had their "Reptile Encounter" and the "Baby Crocodile Encounter" where we got to touch (and even HOLD) one of the alligators and one of the baby crocs! This was definitely the highlight of my visit, even though I kept worrying if one of these creatures was going to turn their head and decide part of me would make for a good snack! With each of these encounters though, there is a staff member standing right there beside you, and they show you how to properly hold them so that the risk is extremely minimal. These reptiles have obviously been well handled and were amazingly placid. I could've easily spent most of my day with these guys, and would've loved to have taken one home! Don't think the landlord would've been too keen on approving that kind of pet though. Even the kids got to pat and hold them! Unfortunately though, with everything there was to look at, we missed out on seeing the "Giant Crocodile Encounter" (along with a couple of the Buttermilk Farm encounters), plus with visiting during the week, there were a couple of encounters that weren't available, as they're only available during weekends or holidays. I guess that just means we'll have to go back again so we can do those ones as well! Hehe!

Next stop after the kids finally managed to drag me away from the reptiles, was the bugs! Here, my favourites were the tarantulas, but they also had frogs, cockroaches (in their own little dollhouse type enclosure, which was kinda funny), wetas, locusts, crickets, and bees. Then it was time to head outside to go check out Buttermilk Farm where you can pat (and buy food to feed) rabbits, sheep, goats, a donkey, chickens, a possum, and a few other assorted farm animals. This was definitely another area where you can easily spend quite a bit of time and I absolutely loved the hands-on side of this part of Butterfly Creek. All the animals were very gentle, and obviously very used to small children as none of them tried to run away when you went to pat them, whether we had food to offer them or not. Great for the kids to get the chance to touch the animals without worrying about fragile things like butterflies, or sharp reptile teeth.

Overall this was a wonderful and very educational experience, both for adults and children, where you can easily spend a couple of hours, or a whole day. The staff are friendly, helpful, and informative; the layout is easy to find your way around and very child-friendly; and there is plenty to do and see. PLUS... it's all under cover, except for the playground and some of Buttermilk Farm... so it doesn't matter WHAT the weather is, you can still go along and enjoy the experience! Now, if only I lived a lot closer so I could visit on a regular basis!!

When we arrived at this place, I was opened mouthed at the place. I had expected it to be an actual creek, I never thought it would be a large wildlife sanctuary! I had a wonderful time here, it was a great day full of crocodiles, alligators, farm animals, spiders and cockroaches, and let's not forget BUTTERFLIES! I really loved the butterfly house, it was cool seeing all the little insects fluttering around me, plus there was the baby crocodiles which my mum loved.

The best part of the butterfly house was that I actually got to hold one of the baby crocs, they felt so cool and unusual. Up in the reptile house, I was thrilled at seeing real live alligators for the first time in my life! While I was there I was able to hold a large baby alligator, but it didn't bite me, the staff made sure of that by telling me to grab the neck so the teeth couldn't reach my hands.

The train rides were fun, and with them departing every half hour it was nice and easy to catch it. Once, my little brother even tried to sneak aboard the train when it was about to depart, and he threw a big fuss when I had to drag him away from the station! The best part was the fact that the train took us beneath the Rocket course at Rocket Ropes, which was right next door to Butterfly Creek.

The website was good, it had pretty much the same layout as the Rocket Ropes one, but the cool part was that there was a page about the butterfly house which had a list of the butterflies they had in captivity, and when you clicked on a name, a picture popped up showing what it looks like! I really want to come here again, and then I might even try out the minigolf course next door, if it's open!