EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

OVERVIEW

Travel out to the far tip of wild Otago Peninsula and encounter tiny penguins, plump fur seals, and nesting seabirds on an all-terrain tour of remote headland bluffs and beaches. Skirting Otago Harbor’s north shore past Sawyer’s Bay, Roseneath and St. Leonard’s, your coach will round the bend at Dunedin and continue out along the craggy peninsula coast to Natures Wonders, a family-run touring farm in the epicenter of what is arguably the most precious wildlife habitat in New Zealand. You’ll travel by mini-coach for part of the tour, and 8-wheel-drive Argo vehicle for the rest. The route will bring you from the farm’s high point 659 feet above sea level all the way down to the water’s edge and back up, passing breathtaking sights and viewpoints along the way. Watch a breeding colony of New Zealand fur seals basking on the rocks and swimming in the ocean pools; see breeding colonies of spotted shag cormorants nestled on a rugged cliff face just above the crashing Pacific waves; and take a shoreside ride to Penguin Beach, where you’ll be able to observe little blue penguins, and if you’re lucky, spot some very rare and shy yellow-eyed penguins as well.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a scenic drive along Otago Harbor, through Dunedin and out to the far tip of Otago Peninsula.
• Visit the family-run farm, Natures Wonders, in the midst of spectacular headland bluffs and remote beach habitats.
• Tour this majestic wild terrain by both 8WD vehicle and mini-coach, descending from 650-foot sea cliffs down to the water’s edge and back.
• Anticipate encounters with wildlife at its most undisturbed – basking fur seals, spotted shags on the nest, fascinating little blue penguins and perhaps even shy yellow-eyed penguins.
• Returning via Dunedin, enjoy a brief highlights drive through this city of elegant Victorian landmarks.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Sample the beers made at a landmark Dunedin brewery and delve into the region’s natural history at the Otago Museum. Speight’s Brewery, a Dunedin icon since it opened its doors in 1876, has done as little as possible to change with the times. Still in its original eight-story location above a natural spring that imparts trademark flavor to its wares, this gravity-fed brewery is one of just two in the world still using an open-style vat to create beers from the original recipes. Sampling several varieties, you’ll find some that deliver a distinctive 19th-century tang. A stop for lunch at a nearby alehouse often involves fresh cod fried in batter made with Speight’s beer. Then it’s on to history of another type as you browse the Stories of the South exhibit in the Otago Museum, showing how this region’s magnificently rugged landscape has shaped the lives of all who’ve settled here. The museum also boasts the world’s largest collection of extinct moa skeletons and the country’s largest fossil, a 23-foot-long aquatic plesiosaur. Your return trip to the pier includes a photo stop at the much-celebrated Dunedin Railway Station, built in checkered Edwardian Baroque style in 1906.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tour an iconic gravity-fed brewery that’s been making its beer the same way since the 19th century.
• Sample a range of their beers, including some that really do have a delicious ancient taste.
• Browse the exhibits at the Otago Museum, where this region’s natural and cultural history are shown to be connected.
• Enjoy a hearty alehouse lunch, and capture Instagram-worthy photos of one of the fanciest railway station facades you’ve ever seen.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Board one of the world’s most scenic railways as you journey through the spectacular Taieri River Gorge. Welcomed aboard by a friendly crew, settle into your carriage, and get ready for a breathtaking trip into a landscape only accessible by this train. First tracing Otago Harbor, then traversing suburban Dunedin and a fertile plain, you’ll soon be climbing into the sheer cliff faces and plunging ravines of the Taieri River Gorge. Much of the ride takes place high atop soaring stone-and-lattice viaducts that early engineers, masons, and railway gangs somehow managed to build through extremely challenging wild New Zealand terrain. The fact that they succeeded is a true marvel – which you get to experience firsthand today. As you relax and watch in awe, your carriage will pass one unspoiled panorama after another, winding its way through the gorge over dramatic bridges suspended high above the placid river below, and through no fewer than 10 tunnels carved out of solid bedrock. You’ll enjoy a light picnic style boxed lunch while on board. Your journey concludes either at Dunedin Railway Station, a suitably grand Victorian landmark, or continue back to your awaiting ship.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Settle back and experience one of the world’s most breathtakingly scenic railway journeys.
• Travel over countless latticed-steel and stone bridges and through 10 tunnels as you traverse the rugged Taieri River Gorge.
• Take it all in from the civilized comfort of your carriage with morning tea and a light lunch served.
• Disembark at Dunedin’s landmark Victorian railway station, where you can opt to remain in town awhile or return straightaway to the port.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a relaxed orientation tour of Dunedin, home to some of New Zealand’s most elegant Victorian architecture, its oldest university and its first public botanical gardens. Second largest city on the South Island, central Dunedin sits deep within beautiful Otago Harbor. Your picturesque coach drive from the pier traces the harbor’s shore, passing charming Sawyer’s Bay, Roseneath and St. Leonard’s on the way into the city. A tour of the grand Jacobean house known as Olveston Historic Home provides a remarkably well-preserved glimpse into the refined Dunedin life circa 1906. Set on an acre of wooded land, this graceful 35-room residence is the epitome of English Arts & Crafts style and still contains the marvelous artwork and artifacts collected by its original owner. Continuing through the city, you’ll pass many more landmark structures including the Law Courts, Otago Boys High School and First Church, the Edwardian mansions of Royal Terrace and High Streets, and Gothic Revival-styled Otago University, founded in 1869 and as vital as ever. Spanning 69 manicured on a hilltop, magnificent Dunedin Botanic Gardens are older still, but – just like the university – thrive today. Enjoy free time for strolling here and be sure to visit the classic Winter Garden Glasshouse.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a sightseeing drive to central Dunedin from the port, tracing beautiful Otago Harbor and its towns.
• Tour a 35-room home that features fine art and intriguing collectibles, perfectly capturing the style of this city known for its worldly elegance.
• Travel along streets lined with Edwardian and Victorian mansions, churches and cathedrals, and the Gothic campus of New Zealand’s first university.
• Stroll among camellias and rhododendrons, roses and splashing fountains in an 1863 botanic garden.
• Ride back to the pier directly or step off in town to explore awhile longer and catch a shuttle back later.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy rare close-up views of nesting albatrosses, fur seals and other fascinating wildlife on an observation cruise around Otago Harbor and out to Taiaroa Head. It’s just a short drive from the ship to the floating pontoon where you’ll board your sightseeing vessel and head out on a course past the picturesque townships of Carey’s Bay, Deborah Bay and Acheron Head. Along the way, your captain will provide rich commentary about the impressively unspoiled environment and the sights you are seeing; knowledgeable deck guides will be on hand to field any questions. Once at Taiaroa Head, you’ll be immersed in a scene alive with wildlife – boasting over 10 species of nesting birds amongst its inhabitants, including the world’s only mainland breeding colony of Royal Albatrosses. Southern Fur Seals also breed along this isolated stretch of rugged shoreline, and many other mammals make a home here as well. You might even spot some of the area’s winsome penguins and playful dolphins. Adding to this fascinating wildlife menagerie, the rocky peninsula’s volcanic terrain and traces of early settlement provide a dramatic backdrop to this very privileged nature experience.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Embark on a relaxed cruise out Otago Harbor to Taiaroa Head, a famous magnet for marine wildlife.
• En route, get background on the area’s rich natural history from the captain and seasoned deckhands.
• Enjoy rare close-up views of the captivating animal life along this rugged coast – including some 10 species of breeding seabirds, including the very rare Royal Albatross.
• Observe a breeding colony of Southern Fur Seals along with numerous other mammals, even occasional penguins and dolphins.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

This tour visits two iconic Otago Peninsula sights, one a rookery and the other a castle. Skirting the harbor’s north shore and charming towns of Sawyer’s Bay, Roseneath and St. Leonard’s, your coach will swing through Dunedin city proper on a brief orientation spin, passing the hilltop botanic gardens and University of Otago campus. Rounding the inner tip of the harbor, you’ll head out onto the rugged Otago Peninsula to the Royal Albatross Center, where you’ll be escorted to the Observatory after an informative intro at the Reception Center. Access to the colony is strictly controlled, with every measure taken to protect these rare birds’ natural habitat. With wingspans up to 10 feet they seem ungainly on the ground – but watching one glide by in flight is a uniquely spectacular and exhilarating experience. Your visit to Larnach Castle will deliver a distinctly more civilized thrill. This impressive stone mansion, set amidst trees and colorful gardens, dates from 1885 and boasts many elaborate features including a graceful hanging staircase and intricately carved ceilings, hallmarks of the many English and Italian artisans who built it. Your time here includes a lovely luncheon, guided house tour and free time in the gardens.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a scenic drive along the harbor shore, through Dunedin and out to rugged, wild Otago Peninsula.
• Travel to the Royal Albatross Observatory, site of the world’s only mainland albatross nesting site.
• Visit the natural habitat where you can observe these amazing seabirds up-close – maybe even see a few soaring by on 10-foot wingspans.
• Tour the no-expense-spared mansion known as Larnach Castle, built for a wealthy 19th-century banker by a small army of European artisans.
• Savor a delightful luncheon here, with some free time after to wander the sprawling grounds awhile.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.