Reviews of The OPERA - Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance. (Travel Agency) in Dunedin (Otago).

The OPERA - Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance

581 Reviews

182 Comments

Travel Agency

Wildlife refuge

Tourist attraction

45 Pakihau Road, Portobello, Harington Point 9077, New Zealand

Description

Information of The OPERA - Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance, Travel Agency in Dunedin (Otago)

Here you can see the location, open hours, popular times, contact, photos and real reviews done by the users.

This place has good reviews, this means that they treat their customers well and you’ll feel great with their services, recommended 100%!

Map

Open hours of The OPERA - Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance

Popular times

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Reviews of The OPERA - Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance

R. W.

In October 2019 we made a late afternoon stop on the Otago Peninsula at a sanctuary. Penguin Place is a private wildlife sanctuary dedicated to the survival of the endangered yellow-eyed penguin. The nature conservation project is financed with guided tours through the reserve. Responsibilities include penguin habitat restoration, predator control, research programs, and rehabilitation for sick, starving, or wounded penguins. On the vegetated slopes of a secluded bay there are numerous sheltered hiding places offered to the rare yellow-eyed penguins. This means that the shy animals can come here undisturbed every year, lay their eggs, breed and raise their offspring. Here you can learn a lot about penguins and their protection in guided groups under expert guidance. A system of ditches and observation hiding places has been created for visitors to observe and photograph the penguins from there. This way you can get very close to the wild animals without disturbing them. Our approximately three-hour tour of the reserve began with a detailed lecture and subsequent tour of the reserve. It was an experience for animal lovers.

c. w.

Fantastic time with a passionate, knowledgeable guide. Highly recommend this trip to anyone. We saw German owls, fur seals, yellow eye penguins, sea lions and native ducks. Walked (occasionally ran) through the trenches to watch a yellow eye walk up the dunes. If your in dunedin and on the peninsula then a great day trip would be the penguins, the albatross and larnarch castle.

d. d.

My wife and I visited 'Penguin Place' on the Otago Peninsula today 8 January 2022. We were very fortunate to have George as our tour guide. George is a very enthusiastic person, who is very informed, very able to impart his knowledge and makes sure visitors have the best experience possible. During our visit we witnessed a yellow eyed penguin come out of the sea, obviously with a belly full of fish ! It 'waddled' it's way approx several hundred metres up to a height of approx 70 metres to its mate, who was waiting patiently for its supper. During its travel it passed within 5 metres of us ! It was an experience we will never forget We highly recommend George and Penguin Place. Dennis & Alison Dickinson - Palmerston North ...

L. K. P.

Must do list when you visit duniden for holiday.. yellow eyed penguin very rare breed.

L. M.

Another must do if you're in Dunedin. What a wonderful special place. They had over 30 penguins in rehab that they were nursing back to health to be released. It was great to see them up close. Then we saw two in the wild during their moult - it looked like they were sitting in a pile of snow. Magical. We also saw baby blue penguins in their homes waiting for Mum or Dad to return with dinner. And even sea lions on the beach. Naturally beautiful and well worth a visit.

R. L.

Such an awesome experience. Special Nana and Grandson time. Even got to see a Hoiho. Thanks too to Mia our guide

S. P.

Amazing guide who knew what she was talking about. Lovely to see the extra mile they go to to keep the reserve as natural as can be. Really enjoyed the time taken to explain things about each different penguin/seal. Definitely a place to visit.

S. C.

The rehabilitation program is an essential part, as they help the penguins back to health before releasing back into the wild. Once on the walk we saw penguins in their natural habitat, it was so awesome, even my 80year old mother was able to enjoy it

L. M.

What an amazing place, the guides know everything about penguins and this sanctuary has a vital role in maintaining species that are close to extinction. Awesome program for kids to understand better about the life of these interesting birds.

I. W.

A great set up to care for sick penguins and to allow people to see them in the wild safely. Thanks George, our guide who was helpful and knew so much. A really nice way to spend the afternoon even if we didn't see a yellow-eyed penguin.

S. R.

Fantastic wildlife tour. Something different. For once mankind has left the wildlife to be on their own in their habitat and we have to go through trenches and literally be invisible to see them. Beautiful views. We were lucky to see the yellow eyed penguin and some seals in their natural habitat. Great staff who were knowledgeable and very good value for money.

T. C.

The work that these folks do is great. I didn't realise just how endangered our hoiho are, estimated to be under 1500, with about half that number on tge mainland. With wildlife experiences like this sightings cannot be guaranteed, but we were able to see some birds in their rehab centre. Brilliant to see that these birds are given the best chance to recover and be rehabilitated back to the wild. And also great to see that penguin place is supporting predator control in the area.

M.

Penguin Place was our top favourite out of everything we did in Dunedin! Everything was amazing about it! Our guide was so kind and let us stay over time a bit to see another cool area quickly. We weren't promised to see any penguins as they don't control when they come back from sea but we saw around 7! We got to see two of them coming back from the sea and walking down the beach. It was so so cool. Also we saw a penguin looking after an egg in one of the mini houses. Also all the money we paid goes towards the centre and looking after the penguins. If I could I would rate this place 10/5! Definitely coming back and bringing people with me!

C. B.

Great place. The right mix of tourism and conservation. Must be trustworthy to have a penguin hospital for those needing help. Decreasing numbers in spite of efforts to help mean all the assistance provided is crucial. Last season over 300 penguins were cared for with the 85% malnourished one eating their way through 9 tonnes of fish. The series of walkways are amazing to get views of the penguins although only 4-5 pairs nest there now. This is down from about 20+ pairs here years ago. Good to see the continued predator control and revegetation happening. Why aren’t more farms here doing this? Great place to see penguins and learn a bit about their incredible lives.

C. B.

We had such an amazing experience, considering the terrible weather. Both the kids absolutely loved it. Mia was a fabulous and very informative guide. We'll be back again!!!!

K. H.

Very interesting excursion with a group of volunteers. We took the last tour of the day in April which is the best moment because that gives you the best option to spot Penguins just before dawn. We also were surprised with a yellow eyed Penguin in real life and seen a few in the conservation program. The excursions are closed in the Winter from May till August

P. B.

Amazing to see the work being carried out to help these yellow eyed penguins. The rehab unit and also the habitat that is set up to try and save these penguins from going extinct is terrific. By going to visit this place gives them funds to continue there work.

N. N.

We booked a 90min tour through this privately owned penguin protection areal for 55 NZD per person. The tour guide was very patient, friendly and informative. If you expect to see tons of penguins, you are in the wrong place and should visit a zoo. We saw three yellow-eyed penguins (total worldwide population is approx. 2000), one of them nesting, and were excited about it. You will also eventually see blue penguins, sea lions and a variety of birds on this tour. Additionally the landscape was just breathtaking. The tour fee is exclusively used to help to maintain the endangered yellow eyed penguin population.

J. S.

Got to see the small blue penguins and yellow eyed penguins in their natural habitat. So amazing. Got to see some seals and birds too. Good explanation by the guide. We saw a female penguin and it's chick in the nest.

J. H.

Come for the penguins and stay for the fur seals play fighting. Great conservation effort, 2nd time visiting with the last time in 2009. Great to see the improvement to site over that time. Money raised goes into the preservation effort. Staff are friendly and knowledgable, the bus down to the area is a farm bus and fits perfectly for the character of site pushing the money to what's important rather than looks for tourists. If in Dunedin, this is a must even over the Albatross center. Do both of you can. Bring a camera and something warm....hey its Dunedin where the wind never stops!

A. H.

The Penguin Place is a conservation area built from a farm to protect the yellow eyed penguins that nest there. Of the three protected beaches, one has a series of trenches and hides to get close to the penguins. They are solitary creatures and don't have a regular schedule, so seeing them isn't guaranteed, but our guide Paula was good at spotting them and predicting what hide might get us the best view. They also have an area where they rehab penguins so if any are in you are guaranteed to at least get that up-close view.

M. B.

The team are doing a great job to recover habitat and assist rare yellow-eye penguins to repopulate. The guide and intro are very good.We enjoyed observing three penguins returned from fishing in the late afternoon. I am sure not all tours see the wild penguins, so the nursery is a great backup and the ONLY chance to see them up close. Recommended!! 4 stars because you might not see the wild penguins. The money is towards a good cause.

N. N.

We had the perfect guide, telling us everything we didn't knew we wanted to know, in a good and entertaining way. The mission to save penguins is good and I'm happy that I've now supported this cause 🤗 The only reason I have to give this a 4/5 (and not 5/5) rating, is because we where told that we would go for a walk in some kind of half tunnels along the living habitat of some penguins. We only saw penguins in their cage (trapped while being treated for all sorts of near death reasons). While it's nice to see them up close, we didn't see them in wildlife as advertised. Turns out there is a very good explanation for why it's not possible, and that's "January". If they told me up front that in January we can't see them in their own habitat because they are out "bulking" (eating a lot), I would probably still visit and support this cause, but I wouldn't have been disappointed when we didn't go to the tunnels.

T. D.

Nice penguen place. Seen few in establishment. Impressed with entire farm and what has been built to protect yellow penguens and blue as well. Must see and good walk to check around.

K.

Definitely worth a visit. These guys are doing an amazing job. It's a fun, interesting and educational trip supporting a really good cause ❤️

V. B.

Saw both the Little Penguin (nesting) and the Yellow-eyed Penguin as it left the ocean at sunset. A short ride by bus and walk along the bay with fantastic evening vistas. Then through camouflaged tunnels to viewing blinds. Staff were most accommodating, knowledgeable and friendly. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience!

A. C.

Great experience to see the rare yellow eyed penguins and few other breeds. Their penguin hospital is such a grear facility for helping the penguins get back on their feet!

H. B.

Had an absolutely amazing time here! We came in the winter and booked somewhat late and frazzled, but from dogs greeting us at the door to our guide's personally tailoted presentations, we felt heartily welcomed. On our 3.45pm tour we saw seals, sea lion tracks, two types of gulls, nesting blue penguins, and had the luckiest, most exciting sighting of all: several yellow eyed penguins returning home! The staff working here care deeply and genuinely about their mission. We learned about local flora and fauna, the history of the area and its inhabitants, and, of course, all about the penguins. I would recommend this tour in a heartbeat to anyone, and would absolutely come again in the future. Unfortunately, the tour is not accessible -- by neccessity it involves sandy trenchs, many slopes and stairs, and varied viewports. However, I would encourage visitors to discuss abilities with the guides as either an encouragement for growth or the possibility for a tailored tour. Children are welcome and the need for quiet varies, meaning complete silence is not always necessary. Cannot recommend enough. A+ job. Our guide deserves highest marks for passion and professionalism.

J. K.

Absolutely amazing experience. Loved every minute of it. Our tour guide was great as well and the weather was perfect. Highly recommend this.

A. W.

Felt very privileged to be able to walk through the yellow-eyed penguins habitat via some camouflaged trenches. We were very lucky to see several penguins returning home (they swim out 25km to their fishing grounds and back every day). We also saw a penguin in their rehabilitation hospital which has a great rehab rate. This hospital is seeing greater and greater numbers of penguins each year often due to the penguins not being able to find enough fish to eat in the wild. Will be back to support this great reserve as they only get funding from tourism!

R. J.

Great place to see penguins, both in the wild and close up in a sanctuary.

M. H.

We saw more penguins than expected, but if you are looking for up close and personal photo opportunities of penguins in the wild, you'll likely be disappointed. You see most of the penguins inside their nest boxes and can observe them, but not necessarily capture good photos. We loved just being able to see them in their habitat. The rehab center allows you see them more up close and personal for photos. The facility is a great balance of conservation and tourism.

T. N.

Absolutely brilliant tour. We were able to see the penguins that were being rehabilitated as well as 4 yellow-eyed penguins in the wild! The penguin sanctuary is doing an amazing job of looking after these rare animals and it’s great to see that the local farmer has devoted such a large amount of land to have native trees replanted and to let the penguins nest comfortably with minimal disturbance. Our guide Nikki was brilliant and answered all questions - she knows her stuff and also spotted some fur seals and sea lions for us too.

S. B.

Fabulous time on 31st May, saw 9 penguins which was awesome and some seals. Beautiful scenery as the sun went down. Our guide Ainsley was excellent, explaining everything well, answered questions and helped us spot the penguins. Thank you, we will be visiting again and recommend to others.

J. T.

A fantastic reserve especially dedicated to the conservation of yellow-eyed penguins. I visited 24 February and was lucky to see four adolescent birds in moult out on the reserve tour. The trenches to enable viewing from close range without stressing or disturbing the penguins is so fantastic, and the team are lovely. Seeing the wild animals can't be guaranteed, but it's worth paying for the tour just to support the awesome work they're doing to save our endangered penguins.

R. H.

We did the whole tour and cruise by Monarch Tours. First we met Rob our tour guide we went to Larnach Castle for a couple ours. Then on to the tour boat with Buddy. The captain and buddy looked after us very well. Went to the albratoss colony out by Otago heads. Came back to shore and went to penguin place. Very cold and windy, but did get to see 6-8 penguins arriving on shore. Very happy go lucky me.

M. S.

The drive out to Penguin Place is almost as beautiful as the destination. The staff are enthusiastic and informative and the group I brought very much enjoyed their commentary throughout the experience. The preserve itself is astonishing. Paths take you from lookout to lookout and an impressive seaside camouflaged trench allows the entire group to approach the viewing area for the penguins returning from a day of feeding at sea without disturbing them. Everyone is encouraged to speak quietly, and this atmosphere actually enhances the experience, making it respectful and almost reverent. It's a special place and worth a visit.

Q.

Penguin Place is an impressive property, with developed habitat for penguins and excellent trails and viewing blinds. But penguin numbers are reduced, so there were only three to see. Don’t let this stop you. This is a wonderful experience. Contact them in advance to schedule a tour. You will see penguins. Also, there is a small picnic area and very nice grounds.

E. B.

So much fun to see the penguin, but also a great job they did saving the wildlife.

N. M.

Absolutely fantastic experience and your ticket price goes to protect these special birds.

E. J.

This place is extraordinary! We booked the ultimate tour with beautiful and very informative bush walk, and then we saw some rare yellow eyed penguins really up close. They are magnificent! There's plenty of other birds around, little blue penguins sitting in their nests just beside your path and fur seals soaking up the sun on the rocks. At the end, each of us planted a tree. It's a private conservation project with penguin hospital on site and your fee helps to protect shrinking population of yellow eyed penguins.

G. L.

The concept is good and they are trying to help the penguins, who are not doing so well in NZ at the moment, so you've got to support them. We went on the tour which was ok but we didn't see any penguins, that's just our luck. We also stayed in their hostel, which was great with only 4 people there, not sure what it would be like if full, but the bedrooms are good, the common room was good and they have a decking area with a great view. Smallish kitchen for large numbers, but I get the impression not many people stay.

D. P.

Very nice Guide. Poor Penguins near to extinction.. Must Support!

M. S.

Penguin Place is nowadays the best place to observe yellow eyed penguins. A) you will see you the penguins (often from reasonably close distance without disturbing them) B) great commentary C) you will financially support this private reserve (which is perhaps much more efficient than government organisations)

D. L.

We saw seals , both blue and yellow eyed penguins and other birds. Staff were very friendly knowledgeable and accommodating. Really enjoyed it.

R. F.

We took our two school aged children to the Penguin Place and boy was it educational! They got to see the yellow eyed penguin in it's natural habitat and the guides were very informative. We also go to see the little blue penguins in their nests, a bunch of sea lions and seagulls. You don't want to miss this experience going through the tunnels they made to see these amazing creatures. You can tell a lot of work and effort went into protecting them.

L. L.

Very small run facility, with an incredible dedicated passionate staff. We saw three penguins that were hospitalized. Then our journey began and we were lucky enough to see one ping one in the wild. They recommend what’s the later in the day does it, for a better chance of seeing a penguin. It is possible you Will not see any. We were also lucky enough to see two baby blues in a nesting box waiting for their parents to come back from fishing all day. Take the lower route along the bay to get to their place. It may take longer than you think, because there are so many curves. Definitely recommend if you’re in New Zealand south.

G. N.

Brilliant, if you're interested in wildlife a must see, and you're helping look after injured penguins. The owners of the farm have allocated a large plot of land to return to nature. A network of trenches allow people to get close without interfering with the Yellow Eyed Penguins. Our guide (Ra, sorry if that's wrong) was new but terrific and infectiously enthusiastic. Combine with an afternoon watching Albatross, wonderful 😀

M. G.

If you want to see them take the last tour in the evening, the people there do so much to save this threatened birds for us and the world, thank you so much

L.

We had a great visite at Penguin Place. Our guide told us beautiful stories about different Penguin species. The conservation area is located on a beautiful spot with lots of nature and space. If you are a nature and animal lover? Go!

A. R.

I have been living in New Zealand and tried a few different tours with family members and friends trying to spot the yellow eyed penguins for quite some time. As the tour operators will tell you, these little guys are some of the hardest to spot because they don't come out in groups and their numbers are declining. I know one of the biggest challenges has been of course not knowing whether or not we would be lucky enough to see any penguins coming out - and I'm not sure what time of year is best to spot them. We went to penguin place in May and I was so impressed with how many penguins we saw coming out of the water (there were at least 4). Penguin place has built a lovely tunnel system that prevents disruption to the surrounding area as we walk through to a viewing area. The "penguin hospital" is also so unique and neat to see the efforts made to rehabilitate some of the underweight and injured penguins. Having waited a few times on many cold days in the Catlins, and tried spotting some on other tours, this has been by far, my favourite tour experience but I suspect the experience is highly variable. This would still be the tour I'd recommend and would do it again. The peninsula is not near the town centre, so be sure to have transportation to get out there as it is a long way out of town.

A. M.

Great stuff! I'm very amazed what is done to save the yellow-eyed penguins (who are only 700 cross all the South Island shore). There's a penguin hospital, where there are rehabilitated, so you'll definitely make a close picture of these creatures. There's only one time a day the excursion starts - they feed the penguins during that time. There is a chance that you'll see a yellow-eyed penguin also in wild habitat (from the trenches) when the go back to their nests from the ocean. But it's only a chance and not guaranteed - you may end up staying in the trenches for an hour and see nothing. Reserve up to 2 hrs for the activity

S. C.

Excellent guide and interesting story of why and how they are looking after penguins.

P. W.

No other visitors when we were there so we had a bit of a private viewing. They have a trench style hide layout to see Yellow Eyed penguins. These are solitary birds so don't expect to see loads of them. We saw just two but it was still a great time. We also saw several little blue penguins in their nest boxes. And whilst we were there we saw fur seals and a sea lion on the cliffs. Finally we visited the recovery centre where we saw several types of penguins.

D. G.

Came here via a tour that was booked on the Royal Caribbean NZ cruise from Sydney. It was the only rainy day throughout the entire trip, however the experience was still great. Only got to see one penguin out in the wild assuming due to the weather, however we did see plenty of sea lions lying around on the beach and up close on the grass which was pretty cool. Staff were friendly and were provided with jackets to help with the rain.

D. M.

Ā fantastic Place to visit. Our guide tonight was Caitlin, Full of enthusiasm and knowledgeable with it. Saw 3 Penguins and so close. The work that has gone into Penguin Place is a credit to all involved with the care and protection of yellow eyed penguins at the forefront. The hides and tunnels amazing. Can't wait to make a return visit.

J. B.

They are doing amazing work there and it's definitely worth a visit. Thanks for the great tour and giving us a bit of an insight into the world of the penguins. You can see blue penguins, seals, seagals and if you are really lucky a yellow eyed penguin. They will show you their hospital as well. Book a tour and support these guys!

P. A.

A great time out to see wildlife in their natural habitat and environment! If you can't do the tour this is the place to come! Suitable for all ages!

S. S.

Very well organised place looking after injured penguins

T. L.

Thanks Brian and his dad for sharing and rescuing the penguins, and opening their farm to ordinary people like us. We certainly learned a great deal from our visit. Hopefully we can continue to prolong the penguins existence in New Zealand. The tour is both a learning experience and great exercise.

E. B.

I really love what these folk are doing. The penguin hospital is lovely and you get to see the yellow-eyes from just a few metres away. Keep expectations low as to what you might see out on the beaches though. It's fun going into the tunnels to check them out regardless. Visiting here is a great way to support the effort to protect and research the yellow-eyed penguins. There are not many left in the world.

N. G.

great tour even on a drizzly day! fantastic opportunity to support the conservation work going on too :)

D. H.

Doing their best to help an endangered species and make the most of it for tourists. Folk in the comments moaning they didn't see enough penguins need to get a grip, they're endangered and they only have four nests this year. It's a serious issue and they should be supported. We saw two in their hospital and one on a nest through a scope. Guide was great in answering questions.

T. W.

Wonderful! We were on the last trip of the day and saw six Yellow-eyed Penguins coming out of the sea. We also saw lots of seals and a Blue Penguin in it's nesting box. Our guide was very knowledgeable although, being young, did go a little bit faster than I would have liked.

R. G.

Was only able to see the yellow eyed penguin because there was 4 in the nursery. When walking around we saw some little blue penguins and lots of sea lions along with the ugly side of nature (seagull poking at a dead penguin). Guide was friendly and informative!

M. W.

A bit dubious at first but totally loved the experience. Couldn't believe how close we were to the penguins or how beautiful the setting is. The trails and guides excellent. I recommend you take the latest tour you can--ours was 5:45 pm. Lots of penguins about and they are so cute. Your fee helps protect them.

R. O.

I couldn’t get the timing right on prior visits. This time I planned my day to be sure I was there by 3:30 for the afternoon tour. After a brief presentation on YEPs we viewed 2 ju I led in hospital with injuries. They will recover. Then we loaded in a bus and went out to the colony’s preserve. We walked to a blind and saw little Blue penguins on the way. We saw two YEPs from a distance but close enough to observe their behavior. We also saw a sea lion on the beach. So interesting, it was worth the time—although bring warm gloves and hat as it is windy and increasingly cold as the sun goes down. Also use the restroom before you start.

L. v. G.

A fairly expensive way of seeing penguins in their natural habitat. We didn't get close to any, but we did see them.

E. M.

We saw the penquin hospital as well as 2 rear yellow-eyed penquin in the wild, and seals. Tour was fantastic and our tour guide was very knowledgable. Worth every cent!

T. A.

Just loved it! We were very happy and lucky today. We saw 3 Yellow Eye Penguins in the wild! So some Blue Penguins in there den molting! Awesome!

Z. F.

A great experience seeing the nesting areas for the blue penguins. A nice walk to see them and the seals near the beach. Also got to see 3 yellow-eyed penguins that were recovering to be released back to the wild.

C. A.

Great experience. Tunnels are well set up to see the penguins. Also saw a couple they were taking care of in their little hospital. These guys are doing really good work

N. T.

A must visit destination when visiting Dunedin. Sad that the penguins are diminishing in population due to many causes from deforestation to climate change. Better to visit at night in the spring season to see the penguins returning from the ocean as they are out all day catching food.

E. T.

Beautiful place. Only supported by the turists. We saw a lot of penguins even blue ones in their nests and wild and free. Its was magical. Definitely will be back!

t. F.

Fantastic experience where you get to encounter rare Yellow Eyed Penguins in their natural environment. The Penguin Place do a wonderful job in preserving the habitats of the species.

J. D.

There is a sanctuary for yellow eyed penguins here, the tour takes you to a beach where you see seals. We were lucky to see an actual penguin in a meeting box.

M. C.

An initial talk about Penguins especially yellow eyed, Hoiho, a visit to the hospital where you see Penguins up close. We saw Hoiho, Fiordland crested, & Little blue. Then a bus ride & walk through the trenches to see Penguins in the wild from a hide. Brilliant.

D. H.

This is a penguin hospital & reserve for breeding birds. There are shelters for Blue Penguins. The other penguin species here, the Yellow-eyed breeds amongst the trees. When we went, early March the Yellow-eyed had almost finished breeding, but there were around 20 in the 'hospital'. These are mainly youngsters who lost their parents or have been injured by dogs etc.

J.

Knowledgeable guide, patient. Hides and trenches adequate, Quite a workout to keep up if one has any limitations. It is all uphill, steep, unlevel and narrow, as it should be, but for the uninitiated, beware. Even in August, we saw yellow eyed nesters, one arrive by sea, blues in their huts, and 3 seals. Good stuff this.

C.

Terrific whilst no penguins in the wild saw several in the hospital awaiting release and therefore very close up. Very informative talk and wonderful scenery . Louie was a very good guide.

C. P.

A must see. Very interesting amazing place well worth a visit. Staff are brilliant who are full of fun and information.

J. F.

Stunning place, you might find it expensive but this money is needed to run the facilities like the penguin hospital and to save an endangered species. You will definitely see penguins 👍

B. M.

Great tour guides!

C. H.

Worth spending the money on the guided tour at night. We saw about 80 penguins. They let you take pics and video (without flash).

D. K.

Nice preserve for the blue penguin. Saw sea lions in the sea. But penguins weren't that apparent. Although we saw a few in their hospital. Nice half day out

E. D. V.

Such a lovely visit, staff really put their hearts into doing whatever they can to help all the wildlife, not just the penguins.

A. M.

Great opportunity to view animals without the guilt of visiting a zoo!! The proceeds go to maintaining an at risk species and the experience of the wildness is fantastic !

M. A.

They do great work with yellow eyed penguin, we saw 5 coming out if the ocean and head up tracks to their nests. Highly recommend.

K. S.

Great people, lucky enough to see several penguins! They are doing a great thing trying to look after an critically endangered species!

A. V. D. W.

This was so interesting. Our 2 guides knew so much about the yellow eyed penguins. Every dollar is ploughed back to conservation of these animals which is really impressive. Loved it.

J.

What a great job you guys are doing. Hats off. The world would be a better place if we have more people like you. Thanks a lot for the great tour and the knowledge.

O. S.

Nice project. We did not see any penguin comes out the water, so be ready for disappointment 😣, but hei, contributing NZ$ 54 for wild life proje ts iz also good.

D. R.

Very thoughtful staff whose main aim is to look after the penguins, not the visitors! Thoroughly enjoyed the visit.

H. S. (.

Awesome experience, Great guides and People who REALLY spend time & money to help the pinguines. Go there and help them instead of sitting at the ‚nature wonders‘ on a platform

A. P.

One of the best tour operator on Otago peninsula. Super friendly staff. Highly recommended.

K.

Amazing guide and a spectacular place!

B. P.

We’ve taken international visitors here a few times and not only do they love it but we love coming back every time! The wonderful people here are so friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about the work they’re doing it’s impossible not to get caught up in the excitement.

H.

Excellent tour, seen many wild penguins and the tour guide is very nice and knowledgeable

R. C.

Fabulous, with a very educated and confident tour guide, and is run by people with a real passion to protect our rare pigeons and other wildlife

M.

It is a windy place. The beach is nice but we couldn't find any pinguins

B.

My wife and I had a fantastic time on the tour. I would recommend it to anyone visiting the area. Wear outdoor foorwear.

S. K.

A really great way to see these beautiful rare birds. The staff here are very dedicated to their cause and knowledgeable

A. M.

Nice tour. They do good things here for Penguins.

J. K.

Not worth in case you plan to go to Christchurch. Otherwise, of course you'll see 4 or 5 penguins.

S.

Best real wildfife experience in NZ

N.

A fabulous place to see yellow eyed and little blue penguins, and some great conservation work going on

R. C.

The staff is nice. I have seen 3 yellow eyed penguin and a blued penguin.

C.

Enjoyable great experience loved it recomend ppl to go

A.

Excellent, very knowledgeable guide! Your tour fee supports a fantastic cause!

J.

This was fantastic, got up close to some Yellow-Eyed Penguins and the guides were all terrific

C.

Only funded by donations & visitors. Passionate tour guide. Well worth a visit.

b.

Our tour guide adrian was fantastic and this was sustainable tourism at its best

S. S.

It's a penguin's place. The name says it all ;) amazing... Just like everything else in N-Z!

L. G.

We had an amazing time and saw 5 yellow eyed penguins!!!

A.

Interesting place to know the penguins but very windy

M.

An interesting place to see and learn about the yellow eyed penguins, highly recommended.

N. W.

A very praiseworthy enterprise, which is working to save one of the world's rarest birds.

K. K.

Penguins! Great. Amazing. Must see

F.

Most exelent place to visit. Recomended with love from Sweden. Conny & Wiveca. ❤️❤️👍😄

T.

Really Great to see the penguins in a conservation environment

W.

A very cool initiative: watch penguins up close from the trenches!!!

А. З.

Penguins are cute. Views are just gorgeous!

A.

Great place to visit seeing the penguins was a treat

K. B.

Beautiful place nice see animals in their na environment.

K.

Magical. Get to see the penguins in a natural environment.

T.

Fabulous. Animals galore. . . not just penguins. .

L.

Definitely for those who are into saving our wildlife.

B.

Seeing penguins up so close is a real treat!

J.

Fascinating insight into yellow eye penguins.

M. B.

Good conservation work being done. Support them!

M.

Great place: friendly people and lots of wildlife.

T.

Great to see the recovering penguins up close

C. M.

Fantastic tour, very educational.

J. L.

Really cool love it there

F. C. P. T.

Who doesn't love penguins?

C. B.

Pppp pop in for a perfect peek at the penguins.

M. D.

Truly awesome experience and very knowledgeable staff

J.

Really fun nice staff and really cool place

L. M. H.

Very cool

J. “. V.

Awesome spot...support penguins

H.

Amazing views, magical setting

A. M.

This place is great. It's wonderful to see how well they treat the penguins. The money you pay for your ticket is used to help even more off these cute animals. The guide was enthusiastic and could tell us great stories about these rare penguins! If you like penguins, you must go here!

B.

Saw 76 blue penguins

M.

Best Tour ever!!!🐧😍

B.

Very cool place!

I.

Must do

G.

nice walk to view lone penquin

J.

Nice idea a little expensive maybe

D.

very close to penguins.

S. T.

Education for children and adults

K. T.

Fantastic visit!

J.

Amazing

D.

Awesome

G. D.

Awesome experience:)

M. C.

Amazing

R.

Really nice experience

S. B.

i liked it

J.

Awesome place.

m.

Great staff

J.

(Translated) Privately operated yellow-eyed penguin conservation center. Tour is about 90 minutes and adult is 55NZD. There is an animal hospital that builds a nest for yellow-eyed penguins and small blue penguins to live. Yellow-eyed penguins are less likely to see because they are rare. Usually returning to the nest in the evening is the best time to watch. In-depth protection of the area to see wild penguins and sea lions is a great experience. Need a little physical walking, there are toilets and raincoats for cold protection, the beach is cold, and warm clothing is not to wear. Can take pictures but can't turn on the flash. (Original) 私人經營的黃眼企鵝保育中心。Tour大概90分鐘，成人55NZD。有動物醫院，建造巢穴給黃眼企鵝和小藍企鵝居住。黃眼企鵝因為比較稀少，見到的機會比較低。通常傍晚回巢是最好的觀賞時間。深入保護區域看野生的企鵝還海獅，是非常棒的體驗。需要一點體力走路，有提供廁所和雨衣供防寒，海邊比較冷，保暖衣物別少穿。可以拍照但是不能開閃光燈。

T.

(Translated) Although I don’t see a lot of yellow-eyed penguins, the tour guides explained the details. I also saw a lot of wild seals, and supported the NGO’s conservation group to let you know more about the penguin ecology. (Original) 雖然沒有看到很多隻黃眼企鵝，但是導覽人員解說詳細，也有看到很多野生海豹，支持一下這種非政府組織的保育團體，讓你更了解企鵝生態

M.

(Translated) A private conservation project funded solely by guided tours of the reserve. They take care of habitat restoration, predator control, a research program and on-site rehabilitation for penguins who are sick, starved or wounded. Very rewarding tours, duration 90 minutes, October-March: Guided tours from 10.15 am to 6.15 pm - bookings are required due to changing times April-September: A daily tour at 15.45 (Original) Ein privates Schutzprojekt, das sich ausschließlich durch geführte Touren im Reservat finanziert. Man kümmert sich um Lebensraumsanierung, Raubtierkontrolle, ein Forschungsprogramm und Rehabilitation vor Ort für Pinguine, die krank, verhungert oder verwundet sind. Sehr lohnende Führungen, Dauer 90 Minuten, Oktober-März: Führungen von 10.15 Uhr bis 18.15 Uhr - Buchungen sind erforderlich wegen wechselnder Zeiten April-September: Eine Tour täglich um 15.45 Uhr

S.

(Translated) At first I had concerns because it was quite expensive, but it is worth the price and is used to preserve the penguins (Original) Erst hatte ich Bedenken, da ziemlich teuer, aber es ist den Preis wert und dient dem Erhalt der Pinguine

A.

(Translated) Beautiful reserve with yellow-eyed penguins. Our guide Paula is an inspired marine biologist. She is also our minibus driver across the vast terrain. Reserve has a shelter for injured penguins. We have seen wild penguins and sea lions. The center provides rain coats for protection against the cold on the beach. We have made beautiful pictures without a flash. Tour takes 90 minutes and costs 55 NZ $ and much less for children. (Original) Prachtig reservaat met geelogige pinguïns. Onze gids Paula is een bevlogen marine bioloog. Zij is ook onze chauffeur van de minibus over het uitgestrekte terrein. Reservaat beschikt over een opvang voor gewonde pinguïns. We hebben wilde pinguïns en zeeleeuwen gezien. Het centrum geeft regenjassen voor bescherming tegen kou op het strand. We hebben prachtige foto's gemaakt zonder flitser. Tour duurt 90 minuten en kost 55 NZ$ en voor kinderen veel minder.

K.

(Translated) You don't have to see many animals to be impressed by the commitment of this private institution. The yellow-eyed penguins choose to stay in this place themselves. An ideal living environment for raising their young. (Original) Man muss nicht viele Tiere sehen, um beeindruckt zu sein von dem Engagement dieser privaten Einrichtung. Die Gelbaugen Pinguine wählen den Aufenthalt an diesem Ort selbst. Eine ideale Lebensumgebung, um ihre Jungen aufzuziehen.

S.

(Translated) Last oasis for the yellow-headed penguins. (Original) Ultima oasi per i pinguini dalla testa gialla.

F.

(Translated) Must do! Have seen 4 yellow-eyed in the hospital and a free-living one. Not 5 meters away from the 'Hide' observed! Then hit some young Blue Penguins up close :) (Original) Must do! Haben 4 yellow-eyed im ‚Hospital‘ gesehen und ein frei lebenden. Keine 5 Meter entfernt aus dem ‚Hide‘ beobachtet! Danach noch ein paar junge Blue Penguins aus der Nähe getroffen :)

M.

(Translated) A lovely place, I highly recommend doing the tour (Original) מקום מקסים, ממליצה בחום לעשות את הסיור

t.

(Translated) I went to see the wild penguins. It was a very valuable experience. It was not full, but reservations are required. (Original) 野生のペンギンが見れるとのことで、行ってきました。とても価値ある体験ができました。満席ではなかったですが、予約は必須です。

K.

(Translated) Very friendly staff! You were informed about all tours and possibilities! Unfortunately there was nothing available at the time we were there! Better to reserve if you want to go there (Original) Sehr freundliches Personal! Man wurde über alle Touren und Möglichkeiten aufgeklärt! Leider war zu der Uhrzeit an der wir da waren nichts mehr frei! Besser reservieren wenn man dort hin möchte

B.

(Translated) I can see the penguins after 4:00 pm ㅠㅠ I went to the morning without knowing, but I saw a lot of sick kids .. (Original) 오후 4시 이후에나 가야 펭귄 볼 수 있어요 ㅠㅠㅠ 모르고 오전에 갔는데 아픈 애들만 잔뜩 봤네요..ㅎ

O.

(Translated) Penguins conservation including a hospital. In the reserve itself we didn't see too many penguins and still the place and the tour are interesting (Original) שימור פינגווינים כולל בית חולים. בשמורה עצמה לא ראינו יתר מדי פינגווינים ועדיין המקום והסיור מעניינים

J.

(Translated) People are so passionate, great! Walk through the dunes: worth GOLD !! To do! (Original) Mensen zijn zo bevlogen, geweldig! Wandeling door de duinen: GOUD waard!! Doen!

R.

y.

(Translated) I was looking for a big bird and wandering around I went to the penguin seal natural habitat (Original) 큰새가 있는곳 찾다가 헤매다 가게된곳 펭귄 물개 자연서식지 다녀왔어요

S.

(Translated) Same as at Albatros Platz, only guided tour possible ..... a shame. (Original) Gleiche wie beim Albatros Platz, nur guided tour möglich..... Schade.

J.

H.

(Translated) Don't expect too much, the penguins are pretty rare (Original) Nicht zuviel erwarten die Pinguine machen sich ganz schön rar

T.

呂.

(Translated) Yellow-eyed penguin! Little Penguin! seal! Seabirds! (Original) 黃眼企鵝！小企鵝！海豹！海鳥！

L.

M.

Contact

Photos