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Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours
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Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours

See all things to do
See all things to do
Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours
5
#2 of 10 Boat Tours & Water Sports in Dunedin
Historical & Heritage ToursBoat ToursEco ToursNature & Wildlife ToursBus Tours
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
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About
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.
Dunedin, New Zealand
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Tours and Tickets by Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours
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(161 reviews)
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5.0
1,042 reviews
Excellent
854
Very good
150
Average
18
Poor
10
Terrible
10
mk
Auckland, New Zealand13 contributions
Be on time or be left behind...
Dec 2023 • Friends
We were 3mins late and the boat left without us even though we called ahead.
We were put on the next boat for free but had to wait around 1.5hrs for that.
We were able to pay extra to take a ride on Felix's bus to go see the penguins.
My feet were sore after doing like 3-4 hikes before it that day, struggled to walk all 5+km for the yellow eyed penguins but did get to see one (apparently only 50% of tours are able to see them wild and most have to see them at the veterinarian hub instead before the walk trek). Got to see some interesting looking dolphins (not standard ones) and a sea lion or two, was good.
Review of: Monarch Wildlife Cruise
Written 3 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carol G
Nordland, WA2 contributions
Fabulous experience
Nov 2023 • Couples
The harbor tour far surpassed our expectations (and those expectations were high). We saw so much wildlife, including a Hector dolphin, blue penguins, petrol, and the amazing royal albatross, both flying above us and their colony where they live. We also saw several fur seals being lazy on the rocks and then waking to slide into the turquoise waters of Otago Peninsula. The captain also narrates, who was not only very educational but also very humorous. A not-to-be-missed experience. We know one is not guaranteed to see such abundance every trip, but every trip one is bound to see sone wildlife and always see amazing views.
Review of: Monarch Wildlife Cruise
Written 27 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
petermack2011
Bungay, UK393 contributions
Where's the 🐧
Nov 2023 • Couples
Although we had a great trip looking out for wildlife, which included sea lions, walruses and albatrosses, one of our main reasons for this trip was to see the blue and the yellow eyed penguins. We were taken to the reserve, had the presentation and went to the hythe along quite a considerable length of trenches down to the shoreline and saw nothing. For around 30 to 40 minutes we were keeping watch for something which may or may not have been there. We left feeling quite disappointed.
Only the following day, when talking to another party when we saw their recording of many blue penguins coming ashore in the mid evening after feeding. It did make us feel that we had been somewhat misinformed by all involved that the penguins were actually there. Whereas, in fact they only appeared at certain times not covered by our tour.
Written 15 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jmgreeneyes1966
Rochester, NY55 contributions
A wonderful tour
Nov 2023 • Couples
This is a wonderful tour. Our tour guide Chris was from the area and worked for some of the sanctuary’s. We saw some sea lions, many albatross and a few penguins. The tour contains some strenuous walks, through sand, trenches and some uphill climbs. It is well worth it, if you can handle strenuous hikes.
Written 12 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lanie
Island of Malta, Malta6 contributions
Worth it
Our guides are very informative and passionate. I super loved this day trip, yes it is costly but the price is worth it! We drove around an area where you can spot different species of birds with binoculars, spot seals and get close to them, visit yellow eyed penguin reserve (we were lucky to spot 1 in the wild and 2 in the rehab center), royal albatross (via cruise), fur seals and blue penguins! We also stopped by a nice spot in otago peninsula to take some photos.

Dunedin is truly the wildlife capital of NZ. I hope more people will come and do this tour 🙏🏼
Review of: Peninsula Encounters + Wildlife Cruise
Written 11 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim H
12 contributions
This tour-cruise did not disappoint!
Oct 2023 • Couples
Thoroughly enjoyed this amazing castle tour and then our trip out the Otago Peninsula and over to the boat. Appreciated the hotel pickup by our tour guide. Captain and crew were informative and friendly. It was fantastic to see the Royal Albatross in flight. Warm coats and binoculars were provided. Very windy on the water which is a key to seeing the birds glide. Loved it.
Review of: Castle to Cruise Tour
Written 2 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alvaro A
2 contributions
Great wildlife tour
Eric and Mark guided us through the beautiful coast with great knowledge, specifically about the region's wildlife. We had some great scenic stops and many birdwatching opportunities. We were able to see some seals very closely as well.

The boat trip was also amazing. The crew was also very welcoming, knowledgeble and fun. During the hour-long boat ride, we got to see many species of birds, including three types of Royal Albatross. Also, a couple of dolphins ended swimming by.

We finished the day in the penguin reserve, where we were able to follow a penguin into its nest from the distance.

Overall, a great experience with awesome tour guides! Highly recommend.
Review of: Peninsula Encounters + Wildlife Cruise
Written 27 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ellen M
1 contribution
Really well designed and a fun guide
Sep 2023 • Solo
Our guide Chris was really knowledgeable and kind. The trip was well designed and we saw lots: penguins, albatross, sea lions, seals, a dolphin. Great value!
Review of: Peninsula Encounters + Wildlife Cruise
Written 14 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ian R
2 contributions
Castle to Cruise Tour.
Sep 2023 • Friends
We are a group of 27 local people who had a most enjoyable tour with Monarch Cruises. Neil and Ross were excellent, entertaining and knowledgeable guides. We all learned so much about our local history and found the castle tour fascinating. The cafe at the Castle provided great food and a pleasant cuppa. The boat trip on the Monarch was a chance for many of our crew to travel up the harbour and out through the heads for the first time ever. Captain Buddy gave an excellent commentary and went out of his way to ensure we sighted a variety of local wildlife. The option to cruise back up the harbour to Dunedin was a bonus with Buddy regaling us with stories and history all the way. Thanks to all for a great day out.
Review of: Castle to Cruise Tour
Written 26 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marie R
1 contribution
None stop awesomeness
Aug 2023 • Family
Chris was an excellent local guide that obviously loves his community and the beautify it holds. It was a 6.5 hour tour, but it went by fast as there were so many different things that we did. The sea lions - awesome! The boat trip was amazing! The Penguin Place was extra special. We really lucked out with all the wildlife we saw. One of our best days in New Zealand. Thank you!
Review of: Peninsula Encounters + Wildlife Cruise
Written 11 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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MONARCH WILDLIFE CRUISES & TOURS (Dunedin) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go