Frequently Asked Questions

Are alternative pick-ups available?

Yes, with prior arrangement. Alternative pick-ups may be available at St Kilda and St Clair accommodation, metro Dunedin accommodation, and Hooper’s Inlet on the Otago Peninsula, all subject to availability and confirmation. Port Otago cruise terminal pick-ups are not available for scheduled tours. All alternative arrangements must be confirmed at least 12 hours before departure and are confirmed in writing, so please check the details carefully.

What time should I arrive?

Please be waiting at least 10 minutes before your scheduled tour time. Tours depart precisely on time and late arrivals may not be able to join, so get in touch straight away if you are running late.

Is parking available near the departure point?

Yes. The recommended option is the Thomas Burns Street Carpark and Campervan Park, about a 10-minute walk from The Octagon, so please allow a little walking time.

Are toilet facilities available?

Yes. Toilets are available near The Octagon departure point, and also at the Clearwater family farm.

What level of fitness is required?

The Wild One tour requires a reasonable level of fitness and mobility. It involves walking around 1.5 km over steep hills, steps, uneven terrain and beach, so it is not suitable for guests with limited mobility, wheelchairs or mobility aids, prams or strollers, or children under 5. Rest points are available and some steep sections can be avoided if needed.

What clothing and footwear are required?

Dress for changing weather, even in summer: warm layers and waterproofs (we supply windproof and waterproof jackets), and sturdy walking shoes or boots with good tread.

Are there any medical considerations?

Please carry any personal medications you need, and let your guide know about any medical conditions, injuries or illness that may affect your participation. All our guides are first-aid trained and guest wellbeing comes first.

How are wildlife interactions managed?

We run a strict wildlife-first, conservation-led operation. Viewing is from hides and set pathways at safe, respectful distances, our guides are trained in wildlife protocols, and Clearwater Wildlife Tours holds a current Department of Conservation Marine Mammal Viewing Permit. Education and conservation are part of every tour.

Is photography allowed?

Yes, photography is encouraged, and every tour offers great opportunities for wildlife, landscape and coastal shots. Flash photography at close range is not permitted, and high-quality binoculars are provided for every guest.

Where do you pick up and drop off?

We pick up and drop off in central Dunedin, outside the Dunedin i-SITE Visitor Centre at 50 The Octagon. Please arrive about 10 minutes before your departure time.

Can you see Otago Peninsula wildlife without renting a car?

Yes. You do not need a car or a rental to see Otago Peninsula wildlife with us, as we pick up and drop off centrally at The Octagon in Dunedin. We handle all the driving out and back.

Can you be collected from the port for a Dunedin wildlife tour?

No. Our scheduled Wild One tour does not collect passengers from the cruise terminal at Port Chalmers. Port Chalmers is a 25-minute drive from our departure point, so collection from the terminal is not possible. Cruise lines run dedicated buses into central Dunedin at a small cost. Please arrange this through your ship. If you would like to be collected at the terminal, our five-hour Wild Private Tour has been specifically designed for this added convenience.

How do you get from Port Chalmers to the tour departure point?

Cruise lines run dedicated buses from the Port Chalmers cruise terminal into central Dunedin at a small cost, and the trip takes around 25 minutes. This can be arranged through your ship before arrival into Dunedin. We meet at 50 The Octagon, outside the Dunedin i-SITE Visitor Centre, and you should allow 90 minutes from disembarkation to tour departure so there is allowance for queues and traffic.

Will you make it back to your cruise ship in time?

Yes. Our cruise-day tours are timed to leave you two hours to return to your ship after the tour finishes, and we keep a close watch on sailing times. If your ship cannot dock or is delayed, let us know at least two hours before your tour start time and we will refund your booking. This applies to bookings made directly with us; bookings made through TripAdvisor, Get Your Guide or another platform follow our standard 24-hour cancellation policy.

How can you see wildlife in Dunedin on a cruise ship day?

On a cruise ship day you can join our four-hour, land-based wildlife tour, with no second boat needed. You can see yellow-eyed penguins, sea lions and fur seals on private coastal land, and the tour is timed to leave you two hours to get back to your ship. Your cruise line arranges transport from the ship to our departure point at The Octagon, so allow 90 minutes from disembarkation to tour departure.

What wildlife can you see on the Otago Peninsula?

The Otago Peninsula is home to rare yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho), New Zealand sea lions, fur seals, royal albatross, and a wide variety of coastal and wading birds. On our tours you can see penguins, sea lions and fur seals in the wild on private conservation land near Dunedin, with albatross often soaring overhead.

Why is Dunedin called New Zealand’s wildlife capital?

Dunedin is often called the wildlife capital of New Zealand because so many rare species breed within easy reach of the city, including yellow-eyed penguins, New Zealand sea lions, fur seals and the world’s only mainland royal albatross colony. The Otago Peninsula packs this diversity into one small stretch of coast.

How long do you need on the Otago Peninsula?

Allow at least half a day to a full day to experience the Otago Peninsula’s wildlife and scenery. Our four-hour tour covers the key wildlife in a single morning or afternoon, and many visitors add extra time to explore the harbour, beaches and lookouts.

What is the best month to visit Dunedin for wildlife?

Dunedin, New Zealand rewards wildlife visitors year-round, with something to see in every season. Spring and summer (roughly October to March) are especially good, with penguin and albatross breeding activity at its peak.

What does hoiho mean?

Hoiho is the Māori name for the yellow-eyed penguin. It is usually translated as “noise shouter”, after the bird’s loud, shrill call.

How rare is the yellow-eyed penguin?

The yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho) is one of the world’s rarest penguins and is found only in New Zealand. The Department of Conservation now counts breeding pairs rather than total birds, and estimates the species is down to as few as a few hundred breeding pairs. On mainland New Zealand and Rakiura (Stewart Island), fewer than 115 breeding pairs remain in the 2025/26 season, down from 143 nests the season before. Ten of those nests were on the private land our tours visit, which is why quiet, low-impact viewing matters so much.

Where can you see yellow-eyed penguins in Dunedin?

Some of the best places to see wild yellow-eyed penguins near Dunedin are along the Otago Peninsula. Our tours reach a private family farm and conservation land the public cannot access, so you watch hoiho from quiet hides on their own breeding coastline.

When is the best time of day to see yellow-eyed penguins?

Late afternoon through to dusk is consistently the best time of day to see yellow-eyed penguins, as they come ashore after a day at sea to return to their nests. Outside the winter months, from spring through to autumn, hoiho are also commonly seen during the day while they are breeding and raising chicks and moving between the sea and their nests. Our morning and afternoon tours are both scheduled around this, so you are on the coast when the birds are active.

What is the difference between a yellow-eyed penguin and a blue penguin?

Yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) are much larger than little blue penguins and are recognised by the band of pale yellow around their eyes and head. Hoiho are solitary birds that nest out of sight of one another, so they are usually seen alone or in pairs rather than in a crowd, and a single bird is a good sighting. Little blue penguins are the world’s smallest penguin, are slate-blue, live in large colonies, and come ashore only after dark. Our tours show wild yellow-eyed penguins, not little blue penguins.

Where can you book a yellow-eyed penguin tour in Dunedin?

You can book a yellow-eyed penguin tour in Dunedin directly with Clearwater Wildlife Tours. Our small-group Wild One tour reaches wild hoiho on private conservation land the public cannot access, and you can book online through the Book Now button on our website, which opens our booking page at https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/clearwaterwildlifetours/ Booking direct means you deal with the owner who holds the land access.

What is the best penguin tour in Dunedin?

Clearwater Wildlife Tours is rated among the best penguin tours in Dunedin, holding Qualmark Gold and a TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best award for 2025. With a maximum of 10 guests and exclusive access to private conservation land, you watch wild yellow-eyed penguins from quiet hides rather than in a crowd.

How can you see wild penguins in Dunedin if the tour is full?

If our tour is fully booked, it is worth getting in touch, as spaces do open up and we can let you know the next available departure. The best and most responsible way to see wild hoiho is on a guided tour like ours, where access to the breeding areas is carefully managed and the birds are protected.

How close can you safely get to a New Zealand sea lion?

You should stay at least 10 metres away from a New Zealand sea lion, and further if it is moving or resting, as advised by the Department of Conservation. On our tours we keep guests at least 20 metres back so the animals stay relaxed and undisturbed.

What should you do if a sea lion is on the beach in front of you?

If a New Zealand sea lion is on the beach in front of you, back away slowly, give it plenty of space, and avoid direct eye contact. Never walk between a sea lion and the sea, especially if it is heading for the water, and keep any dogs well away. This is New Zealand specific advice for our native sea lions.

How do you tell a New Zealand sea lion from a fur seal?

New Zealand sea lions are much larger and bulkier than fur seals, with a broad, blunt snout, and they often rest well up the beach. New Zealand fur seals are smaller, have a more pointed nose and long pale whiskers, and tend to haul out on rocky shorelines.

Where can you see fur seals near Dunedin?

New Zealand fur seals can be seen along the rocky coast of the Otago Peninsula near Dunedin. Our tours visit a secluded fur seal breeding colony on private land, where you watch them from a respectful distance alongside sea lions and penguins.

Where can you see New Zealand sea lions near Dunedin?

New Zealand sea lions can be seen along the beaches and coastline of the Otago Peninsula near Dunedin. On our tours you watch them on a private coastal farm, where they haul out to rest, viewed from a safe distance alongside penguins and fur seals.

Where is the only mainland royal albatross colony in the world?

The only mainland royal albatross colony in the world is at Taiaroa Head, at the tip of the Otago Peninsula near Dunedin. Northern royal albatross nest there in the open, making it the most accessible place on earth to see these birds breeding on the mainland.

When is the best time to see royal albatross?

Royal albatross can be seen at Taiaroa Head year round, with activity highest from December to March when adults are feeding chicks and coming and going often. Windy days usually bring the best flying, as albatross rely on wind to soar.

When do royal albatross chicks hatch?

Royal albatross chicks hatch at Taiaroa Head from late January to early February each year. Each pair raises a single chick over the following months before it fledges.

How big is a royal albatross wingspan?

The northern royal albatross has a wingspan of around three metres, among the largest of any living bird. That huge wingspan lets them glide vast distances over the Southern Ocean with barely a wingbeat.

Do you see albatross from the Royal Albatross Centre on your tour?

No. We are not the Royal Albatross Centre and our tours do not enter the Taiaroa Head colony. On our land-based tour you may see albatross soaring along the Otago Peninsula coast where we tour, including royal albatross, viewed out in the wild rather than from the Centre.