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New Zealand
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Otago
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Dunedin
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Tours & Activities
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Full-Day Wildlife Tour from Dunedin
1 day
Full Day
About this activity
This tour will take in a brief look at the main attractions in Dunedin city before heading out onto the Otago Peninsula for much of the day. The tour is focused on providing the best viewing of Yellow Eyed Penguins, NZ Fur Seals and other wildlife available. However the Yellow Eyed Penguin is extremely rare and there are no guarantees you will see Yellow Eyed Penguins in the nature reserve. There is a penguin rehabilitation hospital that is part of the tour and here you will see quite a number of Yellow Eyed Penguins in residence, as well as other penguin species that occasionally need looking after before being returned to the wild.
The tour itinerary will include a visit the world's steepest street Baldwin Street, the University of Otago and the Grand Railway Station for a look inside. Then it’s off to the Otago Peninsula for some amazing scenic stops on route to Penguin Place, a world class wildlife sanctuary for the endangered Yellow Eyed Penguin. The tour includes an introductory talk and then a short drive into the reserve. Your specialist guide will take you on a short walk (up to 900 meters of walking tracks) into a system of camouflaged hides to see the nesting habitat. The walk will also take in New Zealand viewing of NZ fur seals and Little Blue Penguins. There are some steps to negotiate and reasonable level of mobility is required for this tour.
After the Penguin Tour we head to the Royal Albatross Center to visit the info gallery, gift shop and take a light lunch (own cost). Your guide will also take you on a short walk to where albatross can be seen flying close to the cliffs. This is included in the standard tour price.
If you would like to include a guided tour of the Royal Albatross nesting site (Observatory Tour), an upgrade option is available when making your booking. If the Albatross Tour upgrade is selected you will join a specialist guide at the Royal Albatross Center and access the Lance Richdale Observatory. This purpose built hide provides excellent viewing through large glass windows of the Albatross nesting area. Some nests can be as close as 5 meters away but please be aware that the Royal Albatross Center does not allow tour participants to walk among the nests.
*Last season there are 140 Albatross returned and 30 adult nesting pairs laid 24 confirmed fertile eggs. We can see at least 4 nest sites at close range from the Observatory.
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The tour itinerary will include a visit the world's steepest street Baldwin Street, the University of Otago and the Grand Railway Station for a look inside. Then it’s off to the Otago Peninsula for some amazing scenic stops on route to Penguin Place, a world class wildlife sanctuary for the endangered Yellow Eyed Penguin. The tour includes an introductory talk and then a short drive into the reserve. Your specialist guide will take you on a short walk (up to 900 meters of walking tracks) into a system of camouflaged hides to see the nesting habitat. The walk will also take in New Zealand viewing of NZ fur seals and Little Blue Penguins. There are some steps to negotiate and reasonable level of mobility is required for this tour.
After the Penguin Tour we head to the Royal Albatross Center to visit the info gallery, gift shop and take a light lunch (own cost). Your guide will also take you on a short walk to where albatross can be seen flying close to the cliffs. This is included in the standard tour price.
If you would like to include a guided tour of the Royal Albatross nesting site (Observatory Tour), an upgrade option is available when making your booking. If the Albatross Tour upgrade is selected you will join a specialist guide at the Royal Albatross Center and access the Lance Richdale Observatory. This purpose built hide provides excellent viewing through large glass windows of the Albatross nesting area. Some nests can be as close as 5 meters away but please be aware that the Royal Albatross Center does not allow tour participants to walk among the nests.
*Last season there are 140 Albatross returned and 30 adult nesting pairs laid 24 confirmed fertile eggs. We can see at least 4 nest sites at close range from the Observatory.
Included
- Bottled water
- Light refreshments
- Entry/Admission - Penguin Place
Not included
- Lunch
Additional
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- This tour involves short walks on unsealed tracks and there are a number of easy steps to negotiate in the reserve. Please bring suitable footwear.
Features
Tourism
80%
Cultural
60%
Reviews
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We were with Iconic Wildlife Tour. The owner Kim was our tour guide and the driver. With anotherr couple not showing, my wife and I were Kim's sole guests so that we had enjoyed the whole day very personal attention and guidance. I am sure that experience would've been the same even with more participants, given Kim's professionalism and warm kindness. The only draw back was that the view of yellow-eyed penguines was cancelled due to the death of all chicks as a result of severe hot weather the week before ... : sad both for the demise of chicks and our tour! But, Kim had kindly refunded part of our tour cost. Kim literally drove us on the high - and low roads to watch other birds. He was especially determined for us to witness the beautiful Albatross, which was the highlight and we did .... what a view and experience! We loved the tour at every single moment! Highly recommended to go with Iconic Wildlife Tour and we wish you all could go see yellow-eyed penguine.
The all day tour with Alan Hansen could not have been better. We were met at the pier as arranged and were somewhat surprised that it was a private tour with only Alan, myself and my wife. He was extremely informative, giving us a great deal of information about the geography, history,political, and economic climate of New Zealand and the Otago Peninsula. Plenty of time to see the sights and to have an in depth discussion about life in New Zealand. Could not have had a better time. Saw seals, penguins, albatrosses and other wildlife. Alan was especially terrific. Would recommend this tour to anyone. Extremely reasonable price.
Probably a 4 and a half, instead of a 5, but very, very good. The mountain top was shrouded in clouds not the tour company's fault, and the penguins and Albatross center were VERY enjoyable, but not as much to see as we had hoped. Other sights were fine, nothing speactacular, and always a little rushed, but all in all, very nice!
It was a rainy day, not the fault of the Tour Co. but it made for a bad day. The Penguins that we were shown were, first in a hospital only 3 or so, and second in a preserve of which there was one. It was disappointing as the advert made it seem as if we would see many birds - probably at sea, or nesting. The time of year was the problem, but that fact was not addressed prior to booking. Also seeing the Royal Albatross required a walk up and down a steep path - which again was not listed before booking. My wife and I are both a bit rickety and we cannot walk or climb well anymore. We were both disappointed in the tour.
Really enjoyed this Tour. There were only 5 of us and the driver Kim made sure we saw some extra's. We Loved the beautiful buildings and the craftsmanship involved. We saw beautiful gardens and Yellow eyed penguins. We also were amazed to see the Albatross gliding through the air.