Today we will journey to the nearby Otago Peninsula. The peninsula, together with its 20 km long Otago Harbour, is the home of an abundance of magnificent and world famous wildlife. The peninsula is predominantly of volcanic origin, steep and, on the Pacific Ocean side, very rugged. The harbour side is relatively warm, sunny, and sheltered.
Our scenic drive will take us past lush green pastures, small bays and inlets, sandy beaches, rugged hills, and volcanic landforms. Our first stop is Larnach Castle, a house was built by the prominent entrepreneur and politician, William Larnach. Since 1967, the castle has been privately owned by the Barker family, and opened as a tourist attraction, as "New Zealand's only castle." Significant restoration work has since been carried out by the Barker family, along with retrieval of original furniture to refurnish the house. The gardens were not an original feature of William Larnach's home, and have since been awarded "Garden of International Significance" status by the New Zealand Gardens Trust.
After a break for lunch, we continue with a very special wildlife adventure, travelling on the "Penguin Express" coach. We’ll witness spectacular coastal views as we cross the Reid family farm to the breeding habitat of yellow-eyed penguins, blue penguins, and New Zealand fur seals.
Our final activity for the day is a one-hour cruise on board the Albatross Express on the spectacular Otago Harbour taking in the views of the surrounding area. We will have an opportunity to experience ocean wildlife up close and personal -- royal albatross, mollymawks, petrels, terns, cormorants, shearwaters, royal spoonbills, red-billed gulls and many more species. The Albatross Express is a purpose-built twin-engine catamaran with two viewing decks; the open top deck and enclosed lower deck (toilets on board).
We return to Dunedin for dinner and overnight.
Overnight in Dunedin.
 
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner