The 11 Best Seal & Penguin Encounters Tours in New Zealand

1.Oamaru: Penguins Evening Viewing Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 682 reviews · 1h 30m · from $28Our pick

Watch tiny little blue penguins return at dusk in Oamaru. Guided commentary, close viewing, and conservation support, with strict no-photo rules.

“We loved watching the blue penguins coming up to their nests, we were lucky enough to see seal's also. As two adults it was a great experience and a wonderful conservation program. It was cool and you are sitting still for a long time so make sure you rug up. Also, we did notice young children got bored really quickly and were upset in the cold and having to stay quiet for the penguins resulting in parents needing to leave with these small children so if you're a parent be mindful of this before booking. Still all in all it was an AMAZING experience for us.”

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2.Guided Evening Penguin Viewing Otago Peninsula, Dunedin, New Zealand

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 471 reviews · from $34Top rated

A guided evening penguin viewing on Otago Peninsula in Dunedin, with no-flash photos allowed, up-close viewing, and expert nature talk.

“Wonderful experience! So amazing to see penguins so close! Absolutely worth the money! We saw around 100 very cute penguins .”

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3.Wildlife and Penguin Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 239 reviews · 1h 30m · from $44

A 90-minute eco-reserve tour on Otago Peninsula to learn penguin conservation, visit a rehab centre, and spot wildlife on a guided 2 km walk.

“We learned a great deal about the efforts to restore habitat and wildlife populations including blue penguins and yellow eyed penguins. It was fascinating and fun”

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4.Albatross, seals, and sea birds-Wildlife Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 189 reviews · from $105

Small-group wildlife cruise from Port Chalmers with Captain Rachel, binoculars, and onboard ID help for albatross, seals, penguins, and more.

“This was an awesome experience made even more awesome. By our tour guide Rachel, her knowledge of the wildlife, and the birds all around the waterway that she took us through a second to none. I highly recommend this tour for anyone who wants to learn about the unique wildlife in around Port Chalmers especially those with young children. Thank you Rachel for an enjoyable time.”

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5.Otago Peninsula In-Depth Tour & Blue Penguins Pukekura Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 163 reviews · from $102

Evening tour from Dunedin to the Otago Peninsula, with wildlife stops and close-up Blue Penguins at Pukekura, plus great guide storytelling.

“Easy hotel pick up and drop off. Excellent driver who provided a wealth of knowledge of local fauna along the way. And the blue penguins were the star of the show!!”

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6.Pohatu Penguins Scenic Nature 2-Hour or 4-Hour Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 125 reviews · 2 - 4 hours · from $56

Akaroa 4WD eco tour to Pohatu Bay for farm time, volcano lookout views, and little penguin conservation. Choose 2 or 4 hours.

“Amazing tour, the efforts by these incredible people to protect the ecosystem is so inspiring.”

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7.Pohatu Little Penguins 3-Hour Evening Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 119 reviews · 3 hours · from $68

See white-flippered little penguins at dusk from Akaroa, with a 4WD crater-rim drive and 30-year conservation monitoring.

“It was a great experience and very informativ! The guides provided a lot of information regarding the location and of course penguins. I definitely recommend it!”

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8.Dunedin Wildlife Cruise-Albatross, seals and harbour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 115 reviews · from $105

Small-group Dunedin harbor cruise to Otago Peninsula and Taiaroa Head. Live commentary, binoculars, warm jackets, 90-120 minutes.

“Absolutely brilliant trip. Rachel the skipper was so knowledgeable and kept us informed from the start and not just about the wildlife, but also about the area and history. Not an avid birdwatcher but the whole trip was fascinating and we had the added benefit of a very close visit from an albatross. Rachel provided binoculars to assist us and even baked cookies for the group. Information sheet provided afterwards to confirm what birds and seals we’d seen.. brilliant trip and host and excellent value for money”

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9.Otago Peninsula with Guided Penguin Reserve Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 66 reviews · 6 hours · from $191

6-hour Dunedin and Otago Peninsula tour with Port Chalmers transport, plus a guided Yellow-eyed penguin reserve visit at The Opera.

“Asta has done an amazing job, the weather has been amazing and the spots we have visited was really great. Asta - our tour guide was on time, very knowledgeable about the different locations and also has given additional information at the Penguin restoration, which by the way was one of the best tours we ever have had. We will surely do it again.”

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10.City, Otago Peninsula & Albatross Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 35 reviews · 6 hours · from $191

Small-group Dunedin and Otago Peninsula day with steep street photo stops, botanic garden stroll, and a 1-hour Royal Albatross guided visit.

“An absolute must when you are visiting Dunedin. Our guide Teresa, from Fantail tours, was a superb host and guide with a great depth of information about the area. Whether it was about the geography, local building’s, history or botanical gardens her attention to detail was first class. She also entertained us with her personal experiences as someone who had lived in the area for over many years.”

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11.Wildlife Cruise with Dolphins and Penguins

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 27 reviews · 3 hours · from $77

Sail aboard The Fox II to see Hector’s dolphins, penguins, seals, and seabirds around Akaroa’s cliffs and caves.

“A wonderful sail around Akaroa Harbour with close encounters with dolphins and seabirds and informative narrative about both human and natural history.”

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