The 10 Best Hidden Gems Things to do in Dunedin, South Island

Elm Wildlife Tours are the ultimate award winning New Zealand wildlife adventure. We guide small tour groups onto the Otago Peninsula, one of the world’s unique wildlife areas to experience a close encounter with some of the world’s rarest wildlife. Royal Albatross, Hookers Sea-lions, Blue Penguins, NZ fur-seals, Yellow-eyed penguins and some15-20 species of marine/wading birds can be seen around a tidal lagoon.Our private conservation area is the highlight of our tour.

The crew of Monarch Wildlife Cruises and Tours take great pride in getting our guests closer to unique southern ocean wildlife and spectacular local scenery. The Otago Peninsula and Harbour is renowned for it's breeding populations of northern royal albatross, yellow-eyed & blue penguins, NZ fur seals, sea lions, and many other wildlife species. We think cruising on the MV Monarch is the BEST way to see them.

Discover the most beautiful place on earth with a small group tour. Explore Dunedin, the Otago Peninsula and lower South Island with a knowledgeable local guide and see what others miss! Choose from half-day, full-day and multi-day tours to your preferred destinations. We can customise tours to your needs and we also offer private-group tours - email us or go to our website to find out more!

If you are looking to do something that you are sure to tell your friends and family at home about then a tour on Experience Dunedin's custom made V8 trike is the activity for you. On the Peninsula Tour you will enjoy stunning views of the Otago Harbour and learn about Dunedin's and it's main attractions when we ride around Dunedin's town belt. Otherwise take a ride out to the seaside suburb of Brighton then enjoy the views on a ride over Saddle Hill, one of Dunedin's most iconic land marks.

Escape is a new activity for teams of 2-6 people. We lock you in a room and you have 60 minutes to get out. Your team will crack codes, find hidden clues and brainstorm puzzles. You must work together to succeed. We offer four authentic, immersive games at two iconic Dunedin locations. Try one, and you'll want to play them all

Discover New Zealand’s only Castle, built 1871 by William Larnach, merchant baron and politician, for his beloved first wife Eliza. It took more than 200 workmen three years to build the Castle shell and master European craftsmen spent a further 12 years embellishing the interior. Larnach spared no expense on his dream home, which features the finest materials from around the world.The Castle is still privately owned and cared for by the Barker family who purchased it as their home in 1967. Decades have been spent on the Castle's restoration, with the family having restored empty buildings from ruin and assembled a large collection of original New Zealand period furniture and antiques. Open to the public throughout, this conservation project has been funded through admission fees. The family has always been committed to opening their home and sharing this significant period of Dunedin and New Zealand's history.Scandalous and tragic stories, spectacular tower views and a Garden of International Significance complete this enjoyable award-winning experience. Boutique Lodge accommodation is available in the Castle gardens. Weddings, Balls, Conferences and Celebrations are held in the beautiful 3000 square foot Ballroom. High Tea is also now served daily in the Ballroom at 3pm

A 'must visit' for lovers of art, heritage and history, Olveston is lavishly furnished with exotic artefacts, prized artworks, antique furniture, ceramics and statues from around the world. The 35-room Edwardian mansion was designed for a one of Dunedin's most prominent businessmen, philanthropists and collectors during the early 1900s. The house was gifted to the people of Dunedin in 1966, fully furnished with the original contents, Olveston is a time capsule as little has changed inside the house since it was occupied as a family home. The house and its 'Garden of National Significance', within the city's Green Belt, can be experienced at 42 Royal Terrace, within walking distance of Dunedin's Octagon. Entry inside the house is by guided tour only (1 hour, max. 15 People per group). Tours commence daily at: 9.30am, 10.45am, 12 noon, 1.30pm, 2.45pm and 4pm. Group bookings available at a time to suit the group - available on request. Tours are conducted in English. Mandarin, Cantonese, German, French, Japanese and Dutch speaking guides are available for groups on request. The gardens, listed as a New Zealand Gardens Trust 'Garden of National Significance' and the gift shop are open daily and free to the public.

Penguin Place is a private conservation effort to help save the world's most endangered penguin, the Yellow Eyed Penguin. Visitors are taken on guided walking tours through a unique system of trenches and hides to view the penguins undisturbed at close range. Penguin Place is funded 100% by the support of our visitors, this funding enables habitat restoration, predator control, a research programme and on-site rehabilitation for sick, starving and wounded penguins. It is our hope that through our efforts, the future of this rare and wonderful penguin will be assured.

The Otago Peninsula is a long, hilly indented finger of land that forms the easternmost part of Dunedin, New Zealand. Volcanic in origin, it forms one wall of the eroded valley that now forms Otago Harbour. The peninsula lies south-east of Otago Harbour and runs parallel to the mainland for 20 km, with a maximum width of 9 km. It is joined to the mainland at the south-west end by a narrow isthmus about 1.5 km wide.