Otago Peninsula In-Depth Tour & Blue Penguins Pukekura Experience | 5 hours

97 Reviews | Dunedin & The Otago Peninsula
From $84.03 per person Lowest Price Guarantee
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You can select up to 10 travelers in total.
Adult (18-100) Minimum: 1, Maximum: 10
2
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Free Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Otago Peninsula In-Depth Tour & Blue Penguins Pukekura Experience
2 Adults x $84.63
$169.26
Approx Total
$169.26
Pickup included

Inclusions / Exclusions

  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • All Fees and Taxes

Overview

If you are a visitor that truly wants to see and understand the unique ecosystems, wildlife, culture, geology and botany of the Otago Peninsula then join this tour. A tour designed by the Otago Peninsula's longest serving wildlife ranger. We see a variety of wildlife species along the way (Note: seasonal). At Pukekura we have a good chance to see seals nearby & albatross flying overhead. Later we join our Blue Penguins Pukekura Experience tour, see the world's smallest penguin emerging from the sea and walking past us just metres away. Note: Others join us for this experience (max 75) PHOTOGRAPHY IS ALLOWED (no flash) Most tours are led by conservation experts/biologists As a Charitable Trust our aim is to look after our reserve and protect the Otago Peninsula's largest penguin colony. Equally we are committed to making our tours one of the most memorable experiences visitors to New Zealand can have. Voted in the top 10 TripAdvisor's Best Experiences in New Zealand 2022.

Pickup points

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Pickup details

Our hotel Pick Up's are limited to just a few main hotels: CHOOSE THE DUNEDIN VISITOR CENTRE I-SITE IF YOU ARE NOT STAYING AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING HOTELS (or haven't yet booked accommodation please select Dunedin Visitor Centre I-Site) : Pick up times are as follows (please be ready 10 ... minutes prior to pick up times): FABEL HOTEL - pickup time starts 25 minutes prior to tour start time. DISTINCTION HOTEL - pickup time starts 20 minutes prior to tour start time. SCENIC HOTEL SOUTHERN CROSS - pickup time starts 15 minutes prior to tour start time. DUNEDIN VISITOR CENTRE I-Site (outside I-Site Visitor Centre 50 the Octagon) - pickup time starts 15 minutes prior to tour start time (PICK THIS PLACE IF YOU ARE NOT STAYING AT THE HOTELS LISTED) LARNACH CASTLE (stay at LARNACH LODGE or CAMP ESTATE) pick up is 30 minutes AFTER tour start time (as we do pick-ups in Dunedin then start our tour and drive out towards Larnach Castle, ALL pick-ups from Larnach Castle do miss the first 20-30 minutes of the tour commentary). FOR LARNACH CASTLE: YOU MUST BE BOOKED AT STAY OVERNIGHT AT LARNACH CASTLE OR LARNACH LODGE TO BE PICKED UP FROM EITHER OF THOSE TWO PLACES. YOU WON'T GET BACK TO YOUR CAR UNLESS YOU HAVE ACCESS AND ARE STAYING THERE OVERNIGHT If you aren't staying at one of the 3 hotels listed above or at Larnach Castle (Larnach Lodge or Camp Estate) then your pick-up location is: Dunedin Visitor Centre 50 the Octagon (outside the Dunedin Visitor Centre I-Site, information Centre in Central Dunedin) For those picked up at the Visitor Centre in the Octagon, we will drop you off after the tour at your central Dunedin Hotel/Motel (or back at the Octagon). Pick up at Larnach Castle is outside the main steps to the Castle. Pick up at Camp Estate (Larnach Castle's 5-star accommodation) is outside Camp Estate building not outside the Castle. Read more ▼

Itinerary

  • Dunedin

    For those joining us from Dunedin we pass by some of the most famous buildings in the city before heading out onto the Otago Peninsula. This 30 minutes does include pick-up times. This part of the journey isn't available for those joining our bus from the Larnach Castle pick-up because the Castle is situated out on the Otago Peninsula.

    30 minutes

  • Otago Peninsula

    An In-Depth tour of the geology, human history, botany and zoology of the Otago Peninsula. A tour designed by Lyndon Perriman, former wildlife ranger who spent 30 years working on the Otago Peninsula. Known as the wildlife capital of New Zealand, the Otago Peninsula has a wealth of wildlife and ever-changing scenery around each corner. Departing Dunedin be whisked away in one of our vehicles heading for the spectacular wild side of the Otago Peninsula. See incredible wild coastal views, stunning wildlife and highly productive marine environments. This is a tour designed for those that have a thirst for knowledge of the environment. We also explore and weave stories pertaining to some of the most significant sites used by Māori who were here centuries before European arrival. On this part of our journey we encounter a range of wading bird species and some coastal sea bird species.

    1 hour 45 minutes

  • Taiaroa Head

    On the very end of the Otago Peninsula is Pukekura (Taiaroa Head) an incredibly significant site to Māori and now also and incredibly significant wildlife reserve. Your guide will lead you to cliff viewing locations to observe a wealth of wildlife. Home to 10000 seabirds over the summer months, Pukekura is home to giant albatross and we often see them flying overhead as they return to their nesting locations nearby (nesting location is not visible). Gulls, terns, shags, other seabirds, seals or sea lions are also regular visitors to these shores.

    30 minutes

  • Taiaroa Head

    Here too we join others to start our Blue Penguins Pukekura Experience. Extremely close views of the world's smallest penguin erupting out of the sea at dusk to come ashore to feed their chicks or to rest. Often described by guests as their best wildlife experience in New Zealand, we are fortunate to have the privilege of being right in among the largest penguin colony on the Otago Peninsula as penguins go about their nightly activities. Voted in the top 10 TripAdvisor's Best Experiences in New Zealand 2022. PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED (no flash) Most tours are led by conservation experts/biologists. At our own reserve we have extremely close views of blue penguins (often only 1-2 metres away), fur seals are regulars here too (10-30m away from us) and sea lions are sometimes seen here on the sandy beach (10-50m away from us).

    1 hour 30 minutes

  • Otago Peninsula

    Return trip back to Dunedin City either via Portobello Road or via Castlewood Road if there are drop offs required at Larnach Castle

    45 minutes

Sample Menu

Additional Info

  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • For pick up at Larnach Castle you MUST BE BOOKED TO STAY AT THEIR ACCOMMODATION.
  • Please note , Children must be at least 6 years old to participate in this tour.
  • To participate children must be at least 6 years old (Vehicles don't carry small child restraints)
  • Visitors need to be able to manage stairs (about 30 stairs inbuilt along our walkway leading to our viewing platform). Tour and vehicles are not suitable for very young children.
  • Bring warm clothes we are outside for much of the tour, it can get very cold after dark.
  • Note we can't have umbrellas on the penguin viewing platform as eye risk to others

Free Cancellation

July 27100% refund
July 28No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews

4.9

97 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
  • 5 stars
    91
  • 4 stars
    5
  • 3 stars
    1
  • 2 stars
    0
  • 1 star
    0

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 91 reviews with 5 stars

Fantastic trip

Published on Feb, 2025

This trip was fantastic. Got to see plenty of penguins on the beach plus albatross & other wildlife. Guides very friendly& knowledgeable. Well worth the money. Thank you

Penguin experience top notch

Published on Feb, 2025

Well organized. Saw Albatross, penguins and many other birds. The guide was passionate and very knowledgeable about ecology, bird patterns and of course the penguins.

Gotta love those penguins

Published on Feb, 2025

Highly enjoyable and well managed tour. I didn't get time to explore the indoor display area as I spent too much time in the shop, and had hoped to see more of the albatross than just a few individuals flying, but the time and views of the penguins more than made up for that. It was a special time, a highlight of our NZ tour.

Great tour, Awesome job Jonno

Published on Feb, 2025

Jonno 33 what a great tour guide!!!!! Amazing knowledge. Willing to pass on so much information about the area, the history. Definitely recommend Jonathan and his team. Well worth the whole tour experience. Enjoyed being driven over to the heads. Beautiful little tiny penguins. Lots of different calls and sounds. Cute seeing them waddling up the beach.

Penguin march

Published on Feb, 2025

Wear a warm jacket and hat. Fabulous outing to see the blue penguins return to their burrows after dark. Cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Not a zoo. They are living in the wild.

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