Wildlife Tours

Otago Peninsula Tours | Royal Albatross Centre

A visit to Dunedin is not complete without taking in the outstanding natural beauty and wildlife of the Otago Peninsula and the Royal Albatross Centre.

The Royal Albatross Centre provides wildlife and cultural tours of Taiaroa Head where you can visit the world’s only mainland breeding colony of Royal Albatross, the historic Fort Taiaroa and see the Little Blue Penguin colony at Pilots Beach. People come from all over the world to enjoy the spectacular views on the Otago Peninsula and together with its 20 km long harbour, is the home of an abundance of magnificent world famous wildlife. The Otago Peninsula tours provided by the Royal Albatross Centre give you up close viewing interactions with all manner of seabirds and mammals.

Discover Dunedin’s best wildlife tours – see more information about the our tours below. We hope to see you at the Royal Albatross Centre soon! 

Booking on tour is highly recommended as spaces are limited!

There is no self-guided tour options or public access into the albatross breeding area/ nature reserve. 

 

Unique Taiaroa Tour
Royal Albatross + Fort Taiaroa

Adult – $55
Child – $20 (5 – 17 years)
Family – $120 (2 adults, up to 3 children)

Prices valid until 30 September 2017

The ultimate and most popular offering – a 1.5 hour guided tour telling the story of the Northern Royal Albatross and the People history of Pukekura/Taiaroa Head. From a small Maori camp in the 1300s to a fortified Pa where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840; from a wooden flagstaff to an 1864 lighthouse at the entrance to Otago Harbour; from an 1880s underground fort to a large defence base in WWII. Taiaroa Head is today a Nature Reserve and iconic wildlife attraction. Tour begins with commentary on the life cycle of the Northern Royal Albatross followed by a Natural History NZ film, a short 5-7 walk to our veiwing area to view the nesting albatross (20-30mins) and a visit through Fort Taiaroa and Armstrong Disappearing gun.

Otago peninsular toursMaximum is 18 people on our guided tours. Please contact us directly if visitors have any disability or special requirements. We have 2 self-drive mobility carts available upon request, please contact us directly to book these if required.

BOOK A UNIQUE TAIAROA TOUR NOW

Albatross Tour
Royal Albatross Viewing

Adult – $50
Child – $15 (5 – 17 years)
Family – $110 (2 adults, up to 3 children)

TThe secret life of the albatross, an intimate experience of these amazing birds. A 60 minute guided tour telling the story of the Northern Royal Albatross, followed by a short movie by Natural History NZ then a visit to potential viewing areas on Taiaroa Head.

Prices valid until 30 September 2017

Maximum is 18 people on our guided tours. Please contact us directly if visitors have any disability or special requirements. We have 2 self-drive mobility carts available upon request, please contact us directly to book these if required.

BOOK A ALBATROSS TOUR NOW

Fort Taiaroa Tour
Visit the Historic Fort Taiaroa

Adult – $25
Child – $10 ( 5 – 17 years)
Family – $60 (2 adults, up to 3 children)

Prices valid until 30 September 2017

Fort Tours – Now you see it, now you don’t! Experience the fully restored and fabulous Armstrong Disappearing Gun. A 30 minute guided tour of underground Fort Taiaroa, built on the headland to counter the potential threat of a Russian invasion in the late 1880s and later used for training and defence during WWI and WWII. See the only fully restored 1889 Armstrong Disappearing Gun in the world in its original position.

BOOK A TAIAROA FORT TOUR NOW

Blue Penguin Viewing Tour

Discover Kororā, the Little Blue Penguin

Adult – $35

Child – $10 ( 5 – 17 years)

Family – $80 (2 adults, up to 3 children)

Prices valid until 30 September 2018

Discover Kororā, the Little Blue Penguin, the world’s smallest penguin, in their natural habitat – scurrying up to their cliff-face burrows at Pilots Beach on the Otago Peninsula. After a day at sea, the penguins congregate in groups known as “rafts” not far offshore where they often can be heard vocalising – usually short, loud squawks. At dusk penguins come ashore and make their way to their nests where they feed their chicks or roost.

Our Penguin Platform has lighting provided, no FLASH photography allowed. We hold up to a maximum of 100 visitors on our viewing platform.

Blue Penguin Tours

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