Location: Dunedin
Top Things to do in Dunedin
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What to do and see in Dunedin, South Island: The Best Day Trips from
Rare yellow-eyed penguins, fur seals and the world's only mainland albatross colony share residence in Dunedin, New Zealand's oldest city. When you're not watching wildlife, this South Island Otago Coast town also boasts impressive historic architecture from its days as a gold-rush mecca. Visit the 1906 Flemish Renaissance railway station or the country's largest center of higher learning, which resembles Glasgow University, thanks to the area's early Scottish settlers.
Restaurants in Dunedin
1. Private Tour: Dunedin to the Catlins
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
Waterfalls, deserted beaches, coastal rainforest, and rare wildlife can all be found in the Catlins. Explore this remote part of the South Island on a private day trip from Dunedin. You'll learn about early Maori inhabitants and European settlers from your personal guide, who has a Department of Conservation (DOC) concession with access to unforgettable places.
Inclusions: Gratuities, GST (Goods and Services Tax), National Park fees, Light refreshments, Professional guide, Hotel pickup and drop-off
Exclusions: Lunch
Reviewed By keithcG4728US
We have been trying to contact you for the last 2 weeks due to mobility issues . The documentation you sent me wjen I booked in September 2020 had no contact details or the name of the land provide? The land provider contacted me on Wednesday 05/05/2021 and was made aware of the cancellation. You have debited our credit card with AUD$385.60. Please refund this amount ASAP. Regards, Keith F G Colyer.
2. Dunedin Gardens and City Highlights Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
Enjoy a guided tour of three of Dunedin's most beautiful gardens, take in the highlights of the city and enjoy a cafe lunch in a lovely garden setting. This 6.5 hour tour explores three of Dunedin's designated Gardens of International Significance - the Dunedin Botanic Garden, the authentic Chinese Garden, and beautiful Larnach Castle gardens situated on the stunning Otago Peninsula. You'll also see the highlights of Dunedin City and enjoy lunch at Larnach Castle overlooking the harbour. Lunch with a hot drink, commentary from your local guide, and an easy, worry free pick-up and drop-off at your Port or hotel is all included in the tour price. Also view some of the best scenery you will find anywhere. Lots of photo opportunities during the tour.
Inclusions: Lunch (with a hot drink), Driver/guide, Live commentary on board, Professional local guide, Port pickup and drop-off, Hotel/port pickup and drop-off, Transport by air-conditioned minivan, Lunch
Exclusions: Drinks (aside from one hot drink per person at lunch)
Reviewed By geoffreym628
What a fantastic day out. Our guide was brilliant. Saw everything I wanted to see, penguins, seals, sea lions and the huge Royal Albatross. I will never forget.
3. Peninsula Wildlife Tour with Lunch
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 31 reviews
See spectacular marine wildlife, learn from a conservation expert, discover intriguing Māori history, and explore the geological and biological diversity of our Otago Peninsula. Join us to discover some of the iconic Otago Peninsula's wildlife residents; albatross, penguins, seals and sea lions, all call this place home. This tour is also an excellent introduction to sites of significance to Maori, a fascinating culture that is often overshadowed by Dunedin’s more recent European history. Tour highlights include a boat cruise around Pukekura/Taiaroa Head and other wildlife viewing sites. Forest walk and delicious lunch.
Inclusions: Water, Tea or Coffee, Antipasto lunch included (catered to dietary requirements), Air-conditioned vehicle, Accommodation pick up/drop off is available
Exclusions: While we endeavour to show you many animals along the way, they might have different ideas! We cannot guarantee seeing all species.
Reviewed By Tina3337
This was a great tour, Lyndon is an awesome guide, super knowledgeable, friendly and really looked after us. We saw sea lions, fur seal and so many little blue penguins! Highly recommend this tour :)
4. Dunedin City Highlights, Otago Peninsula Scenery & a Guided Penguin Reserve Tour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
You will be joining a small group tour and go to places that bigger buses cannot go. You will have personalised attention and will see the most special parts of Dunedin and Otago peninsula.
Inclusions: Bottled water, GST (Goods and Services Tax)
Exclusions: Snacks, Lunch
Reviewed By R3420VWdebbiee
An excellent tour of Dunedin City with a friendly and very knowledgeable your guide. Asta went out of her way to make it a special experience.
5. Shore Excursion: Dunedin City Tour, Coastal Train and Castle Garden
Overall Ratings
4.9 based on 15 reviews
Start at Port Chalmers to experience the pure beauty of Dunedin on a fantastic tour of rich heritage, spectacular scenery. You will experience memorable landscape of Otago Peninsula with amazing string of rugged beaches, bays on a Peninsula Drive via Highcliff Road to Larnach Castle. Your tour will include an entry to the garden only of the only castle of New Zealand - Larnach castle. You will stop at the world's steepest street, local lookout point to enjoy the views of city, peninsula and harbor, University of Otago - the oldest New Zeland university, Octagon, Dunedin Railway Station and internationally significant and the oldest botanic garden in New Zealand. In addition you will join a coastal train trip to marvel coastal scenery, north of Dunedin. The tour is designed only for small groups, so you will enjoy flexibility and comfort in a small bus. Important: this tour includes entry to castle garden only, to enter the castle building there is an extra cost $NZD20.
Inclusions: Bottled water, Driver/guide, Port pickup and drop-off, Round-trip shared transfer, Air-conditioned vehicle
Exclusions: Entrance fees to Castle building, Lunch, Food and drinks
Reviewed By R3420VWdebbiee
An excellent tour of Dunedin City with a friendly and very knowledgeable your guide. Asta went out of her way to make it a special experience.
6. Dunedin City, Wildlife and Scenery Tour
Overall Ratings
4.9 based on 20 reviews
Explore spectacular Dunedin city and Otago Peninsula on this full-day small group tour (6 people max). Visit Baldwin St (steepest street in the world), the University of Otago and Dunedin’s famous Scottish heritage sites. Then we will travel alongside the picturesque Otago harbour and take a coffee break at the beautiful and historic Larnach Castle. We then head across to Sandfly Bay and take the track down to the viewing platform to spot local wildlife. We then drive through typically rugged and beautiful Otago wilderness to Hoopers Inlet swamp to observe the unique birdlife. We then drive to Tairoa Head to visit the penguin colony at Pilot Beach and the albatross sanctuary.
Inclusions: Hotel (Dunedin City) / Port Chalmers pickup and drop-off, Entrance fee ($17) to Larnach Castle Garden, Private transportation
Exclusions: Lunch
7. Iconic Shore Excursion: Dunedin City Highlights Tour
Overall Ratings
4.8 based on 68 reviews
Discover top attractions and iconic sites around the city of Dunedin on this half-day city tour. Explore Dunedin with a guide and take in key sites of interest such as the World famous Baldwin Street, University of Otago, Olveston Homestead gardens and Dunedin's Grand Railway Station. Awesome lookouts over Otago Harbour and from Signal Hill. Visit the Octagon (city centre) for some shopping and a bite to eat. All transport to and from the cruise ship wharf is included. Enjoy personal attention from your guide on this small-group tour, limited to 20 people. Daily departures are available for cruise passengers and city-based passengers.
Inclusions: All taxes, fees and handling charges, Professional guide, Port or Hotel pickup and drop-off, Bottled water, Light refreshments
Exclusions: Lunch
Reviewed By Truejaffa
We would thoroughly recommend using Iconic Tours. And here’s why. Last week we visited the Catlins with Kim from Iconic Tours. The Catlins had been on our bucket list for some time but we had never managed to get there until now. We had heard accommodation and cafes were in short supply down there and we wanted to ensure we didn't miss any highlights so we opted for a tour instead of self drive. Kim collected us from the airport in a comfortable air conditioned sedan and drove us into the city, pointing out places of interest as we went. He did a brief tour around the city centre, took us up to our accommodation in Roslyn and waited while we dropped our bags off, then dropped us back at the i- site. We spent the next 3 days exploring Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula which we really enjoyed. But the best was yet to come! Kim is a great driver and guide and he packed a lot into our 2 day Catlins tour, while never rushing or hurrying us. He is knowledgeable and articulate with a keen interest in the history of places and the local flora and fauna. As he was doing the driving we were able to sit back and relax and enjoy the scenery, and no need to worry if we had missed a turn off or if the road or a café were closed – he had all the local knowledge to adapt if necessary. But here’s a tip- allow 3 days , there is so much to see and do. He drove us down unsealed roads that we wouldn't have ventured on and the sights at the end were remarkable. We had walked the length of Cannibal Bay, admiring the sea lions basking on the sand and were about to head back to the car when Kim spotted a dark shape in the water . It was a huge sea lion swimming into the shallows, then walking up the beach and flipping onto the sand. Awesome. That was a highlight for us as was standing on the beach at Curio Bay in the dusk watching a lone Hoiho penguin make his way up the beach towards his nest. Our breakfast at the Tumu Toka Curio Bay cafe and our dinner at the Niagara Falls restaurant were culinary standouts. Superb service and delicious food. When we arrived at our beach front unit Kim brought in a platter of cheese and crackers and a bottle of bubbly to share with us as we reviewed the day. We then had a short rest, dinner then another visit to the beach to wait for the arrival of the little Hoiho, the rarest penguin in the world. Covered in the price of our tour was our accommodation at Curio Bay (which was a comfortable studio unit right on the beach) plus morning teas, lunches and a cooked breakfast and museum entries etc, plus of course a driver/guide. Kim managed to pack in a tremendous amount of things each day from walks through native bush to see amazing waterfalls, seeing the petrified forest and visits to museums to watching fur seals on the rocks. Kim also does Stewart Island tours and we've got that in mind for the future as we couldn't imagine a better tour guide. And the Catlins? Pristine, uncrowded, an awesome experience.’
8. Taieri Gorge Railway Journey from Dunedin
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 864 reviews
A highlight of your visit to Dunedin is a trip on the Taieri Gorge Railway – one of the world’s great train trips and one of Dunedin’s top attractions. Departing daily from downtown Dunedin into the Taieri Gorge, this trip travels through some of New Zealand’s most beautiful and ever changing scenery which can not seen from the road! With sightseeing stops, an on board café and outside viewing platforms it is the perfect all weather activity and one of the key attractions in Dunedin – not to be missed.
Inclusions: Rail Tour, Live commentary on board
Exclusions: The listed price does not include local parking charges, Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase), Food and drinks, DVD (available to purchase), Hotel pickup or drop-off
Reviewed By buffykc
Wonderful few hours aboard a fabulous train trip through the gorge - the scenery is superb - staff on board are great and very informative
9. Otago Peninsula Scenic, City Highlights and Wildlife Tour
Overall Ratings
4.4 based on 13 reviews
Experience the beauty of Dunedin in a small group, designed to have the most personalized attention. Join a fantastic 5-6 hour tour of Dunedin city highlights, spectacular scenery and unique wildlife. You will experience gorgeous and memorable scenery of Otago Peninsula with amazing beaches, bays. Your knowledgeable guide will show you the most breathtaking views and take you closer to nature and surrounding wildlife. The tour will be enriched by one hour wildlife boat cruise at Taiaroa Head. (subject to availability) You will see uninterrupted views of the world's only mainland nesting place of albatross.You may be lucky enough to see the Northern Royals soaring and banking on three metre wings. Your guide will show you rich heritage of the city with plenty photo stops: Baldwin Street, Signal Hill Lookout Point, Dunedin Botanic upper garden, Otago University, Octagon, First Church, Dunedin Railway station.
Inclusions: Transport by air-conditioned van, Driver/guide, Bottled water, Live commentary on board
Exclusions: Lunch
Reviewed By R3420VWdebbiee
An excellent tour of Dunedin City with a friendly and very knowledgeable your guide. Asta went out of her way to make it a special experience.
10. The Seasider Rail Journey from Dunedin
Overall Ratings
4.2 based on 45 reviews
The Seasider is an exciting trip which takes you on the spectacular section of coastal railway line between Dunedin and Waitati. The train allows you to experience a totally different perspective from the road route and you will experience excellent views as the train travels along Otago Harbour to climb the cliff tops to emerge from the bush and onto the picture perfect scenery of the Pacific Ocean and the incredible view over the dazzling Blue Skin Bay. This section of railway is considered to be a highlight of the rail network in New Zealand. An ideal tour for visitors who have limited time in Dunedin.
Inclusions: Train trip, Commentary, On board guide booklet
Exclusions: Hotel pickup and drop-off
Reviewed By IonaDoggo
Absolutely stunning views, tunnels, wild goats, great commentary, lovely staff - a must do with the family.
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