Exclusive opportunity for getting the most out of your stay

Duration

1.5 Hours
(3-4 hours of combined activities)

About

Get a 20% discount when you combine a Wildlife & Penguin Tour here at The OPERA with a Wildlife Cruise on The Monarch, and a tour at the Royal Albatross Centre. When booking online, you will be reserving a tour time for our Wildlife & Penguin Tour. We’ll then email you and confirm the times for the Monarch cruise and Royal Albatross Centre tour.

Wildlife & Penguin Tour
Our Wildlife & Penguin tour provides the most exclusive opportunity for viewing of the endangered, yellow-eyed penguins (YEP) in New Zealand. This 90-minute guided tour is divided into three parts. Guests start in our theater setting where they have the opportunity to learn about the yellow-eyed penguin and our work to preserve them, they then move into our rehabilitation center (when penguins are present) where they can see the YEP up close. Finally, guests are driven into our reserve where they are guided on an approximately 2k (1.25 mile) nature walk where they have the potential of seeing YEP, little penguins, fur seals, sea lions, numerous species of sea and land birds, as well as other wildlife living within the reserve.

Monarch Wildlife Cruise – One hour cruise
Launching from Wellers Rock Wharf, just a 2-minute drive from The OPERA, sit back and enjoy the scenery as you relax on a 1-hour wildlife cruise aboard The Monarch. Guests enjoy uninterrupted views of native shore birds as you take in the stunningly beautiful and rugged coastline of the Otago Peninsula. As guests sail out through the entrance of the harbor, they will view royal albatrosses from below their nests as they hover above and may even be greeted on the journey by dolphins, fur seals, and sea lions making their way alongside the group.

Royal Albatross Centre – Albatross Tour
Just north of The OPERA at the point (about a 5-minute drive) guests arrive at the Royal Albatross Centre. Here guests will be visiting the only mainland population of Royal Albatross in the world. Within their 1-hour guided tour, guests enjoy a short film, a presentation on the albatross breeding cycle, short walk up the hill for viewing from the exclusive glassed observatory to view the albatross and any other wildlife hanging about.

More info

Once booked we will then email you and confirm the times for the Monarch cruise and Royal Albatross Centre tour.

Tour itinerary (Times subject to change)
Summer Tour Times (1 Oct – 31 Mar)
2:00pm-3:00 pm • Albatross Tour
3:30pm-4:30 pm • Wildlife Cruise
4:45pm-6:15 pm • Wildlife & Penguin Tour

Winter Tour Times (1 Apr – 30 Sep)
12:00pm-1:00pm • Albatross Tour
2:30pm-3:30pm • Wildlife Cruise
3:45pm-5:15 pm • Wildlife & Penguin Tour

What to bring

Binoculars and Hiking boots or other appropriate footwear are highly encouraged.

Please note this is a self-driving tour.