Dunedin & The Otago Peninsula

Top Dunedin & The Otago Peninsula activities

Dunedin & The Otago Peninsula trip ideas

Clearwater Wildlife - Small Guided Tours (10 max) Otago Peninsula

Badge of ExcellenceDunedin & The Otago Peninsula, New Zealand

4 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

What's Included

Complimentary High Quality Binoculars
Complimentary Warm and Waterproof Jackets
Air-conditioned vehicle
There are toilet facilities at the farm
We don't interrupt our tour with off route pick-ups once our tours have started. Call us to inquire.
GST (Goods and Services Tax)

Snacks

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

50 The Octagon, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
Please wait outside the Dunedin i-Site Visitor Information Centre, located at 50 The Octagon in Central Dunedin. Please look out for our Clearwater Wildlife Tours 10 seater mini van. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time and allow plenty of time for parking.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Level of fitness: This tour requires a moderate level of fitness. There are some hills to walk up and down and the beach walk also includes walking on sand and uneven ground. There are also several sets of steps and stairs therefore the terrain visited is not suitable for persons with walking disabilities and wheelchairs.
Clothing: Our tours are an outdoor activity in a land where maritime weather prevails, the weather can change very quickly, regardless of the season. Always bring warm and waterproof clothes. For those that are unprepared we provide wind and rain proof jackets.
Footwear: Walking shoes/boots with good tread are recommended and necessary if conditions are wet or muddy.

Food: Tours are 4 hours in duration, so guests are welcome to bring pre-packed food and drink as there are no opportunities to stop for food during our tours. However, food is not allowed out of the van in the wildlife viewing areas.
Children: Small children might have difficulty keeping up on the trails - we recommend bringing a front pack or carrier for small children. Travelers must bring their own car seats for small children. For safety reasons children are not able to sit on an adult's lap.
Medicines: Personal medicines etc. should be carried if required on all tours. Any medical condition which could potentially be a problem should be communicated to your guide at the start of a tour.
Photography: There will be some amazing photo opportunities during our tours, but we do not allow close up flash photography of wildlife as this may startle or injure them. Please ensure that you are familiar with your camera options or ask one of our friendly team for advice.
Cancellation Policy: To receive a full refund, travelers may cancel up to 24 hours before the experience start time in the local time zone. No refunds will be given after that time period.
Cruise Ship Passengers - Please advise us of the name of the cruise ship you are arriving on.
Not recommended for travelers with mobility issues.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Susan_D

Wonderful drive through the hills and valleys of Otago Peninsula, with two destinations for viewing seals and sea lions. Stunning. Guide/driver Craig was a wealth of information. Worth the cost.

Reviews

5.0

102 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 102 reviews

10 out of 10

nealmorgan1, May 2024

Everything The best tour we’ve been on since we got to Australia and New Zealand It’s a must tour Was on a beach with 40 Sea Lions Saw so many Seals Got dropped at a Great Italian restaurant after the tour called Promenade

Response from Host, May 2024

Hi Neal, I am so glad you enjoyed the tour and had a great meal at the Esplanade at St Clair. It's one of our favorites, great vibe and beautiful food! Thank you for the lovely review, safe travels. Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team :)

Hoiho

Abbie_A, May 2024

Will was our guide. Wildlife showing au natural. The farm has the prime location of seeing wildlife. We saw fur seals swimming and slamming against the rock. A lone sea lion was chilling on the trail to the beach then we tried to go a different way, he followed and tried to mark his territory. There were multiple sea lions on the beach. The highlight of the tour was sightings of the yellow Eyed Penguin also known as hoiho. We were given enough time to observe the hoiho from afar. Thanks WIll!

Response from Host, May 2024

Hi Abbie, We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with Will. Many thanks for taking the time to place a review. Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

Clearwater Tour was absolutely worth it!

John_T, May 2024

This experience was homely write amazing. We got to see the penguins, sea lions, plenty of other birds, and the landscape was awe-inspiring. The attached pictures were taken with my iPhone and the supplier binoculars. The private Clearwater estate has a rich history, is well-maintained, and supports conservation efforts. I only got to spend a few days in Dunedin, and I am glad I spent one with the Clearwater tours.

Response from Host, May 2024

Hi John, Thank you for your wonderful review. I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed our tour and I hope you had an amazing time in Australia as well! Safe Travels Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

Great trip with Clearwater Wildlife

David_V, Apr 2024

Rachel was wonderfully informative. Great day spent with her visiting the farm and other scenic spots loaded with wildlife. Couldn't have had a better day.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We are thrilled to hear you had a wonderful day and enjoyed the farm and wildlife. Thank you for your lovely review. Safe travels Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

Wonderful tour!

Anthony_S, Apr 2024

We loved this tour, very much out in the wild, we didn't see other people all day! Rachel was very knowledgable and engaging. We loved the walks on the beach to see the wildlife. This was one of my holiday highlights!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your lovely review and we are very happy to hear you loved our tour. Many thanks for taking the time to place a review. Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

The stunning scenery,...

Linda_Z, Apr 2024

The stunning scenery, friendliness and knowledge of the guide/owner and the amazing wildlife made this one of the best excursions we have done anywhere in the world.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Linda, We are thrilled to hear you loved our tour. Thank you for your amazing review. Safe travels Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

Well worth it

Tracy_P, Mar 2024

This was a small group. Rachel was one of the owners of the farm that we visited (and by farm think thousands of acres). It was informative and she was very prepared with water, snacks, and most importantly, windbreakers. We saw lots of fur seals and sea lions, lots of birds, sheep, cows, and one penguin from afar. It was a fairly lengthy drive out to the farm through nice countryside and the views once we got to the farm-- along the beach, coast and from and through the mountain--were amazing. It was so cool being so close to the sea lions and seals, and conservation efforts as well as showcasing this part of New Zealand were clearly very important to the owners as opposed to just making money. Definitely recommend.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you so much for your amazing review. We are thrilled you enjoyed the wildlife and farm animals and beautiful scenery. Safe travels :) Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

Special tour

kathleen_H, Mar 2024

This was a very special tour and felt like a real privilege to be able to see the wildlife from the family farm. Tour was properly run and a highlight of our trip to New Zealand. Highly recommend.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed the tour. Thank you so much for your recommendation and amazing review. Safe travels :) Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

Great day with Clearwater wildlife team

John_B, Mar 2024

Fantastic day from our cruise ship with the team at Clearwater . Staff and guides were very helpful and knowledgeable answering all questions relating to the location and wildlife. Their farm allows great views of wildlife in their natural habitat but with the sensitivity needed to maintain a suitable distance. Highly recommend to others visiting Dunedin .

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hi John, We appreciate your feedback and are delighted to know you enjoyed our tour. Safe Travels :) Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

Amazing afternoon!

Carla_H, Mar 2024

Tour was awesome! We saw fur seals, sea lions & even got lucky enough to see a rare yellow-eyed penguin!! Rachel was great & shared a lot of info about her generational family history on the land. Great experience!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hi Carla, We are so glad you had an awesome time seeing all the wildlife at our farm on the Otago Peninsula. Thank you for taking the time to place a review. Safe Travels :) Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

Unique and personal wildlife experience

Colleen_K, Mar 2024

Hike down to two different locations on Rachel’s amazing family farm to see baby fur seals playing on the rocks and spectacular sea lions on the beach. An up close and personal experience. We also saw one of the world’s most endangered penguins, the yellow eyed penguin off in the distance. It was March. Bring a hat and gloves; they provide warm jackets and great binoculars. Also bring hiking poles if you want. Rachel is very knowledgeable. Thanks for a special experience.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hi Coleen, Thank you for your lovely review and advice about the weather! Safe travels :) Rachel & the Clearwater Wildlife Team

Very good value

Todd_B, Mar 2024

Had a great day viewing birds, fur seals, sea lions and a penguin. Very informative. When I expressed our concern about getting back to the cruise they assured us that they would drive us directly to the port if we encountered delays.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hi Todd, We are so glad you enjoyed our tour and seeing all the wildlife at our farm on the Otago Peninsula. Thank you for taking the time to place a review. Safe Travels :) Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

Very good small group tour

Tony_F, Mar 2024

Private location, personalized tour. Would have liked to stop a little longer at photo opportunities while driving to the end location. Overall a very good experience with a knowledgeable guide.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hi Tony, Thank you for taking the time to place a review, we are so glad you enjoyed the tour. Sorry you didn't get as much time as you needed for photos on the way out but we do have to keep to a schedule. Our guides do usually ask if it is OK to move on as we do stop often but have to allow for ample time for photo opportunities once we reach the wildlife habitats at our farm. Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team :)

Stunning Otaga Peninsula

Susan_D, Mar 2024

Wonderful drive through the hills and valleys of Otago Peninsula, with two destinations for viewing seals and sea lions. Stunning. Guide/driver Craig was a wealth of information. Worth the cost.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for your informative review. Safe travels, Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team :)

Viator Scewup

Itchak_L, Mar 2024

I am very disappointed by Viator and I probably will never use that app again. We made reservations for 4 people and received the correct confirmation. When we arrived at the meeting point, the guide showed that she had a reservation for 2 spots. And she only had room for two of us. We have no idea what happened but we almost lost the opportunity to do that tour because Viator had a glitch in the system. Fortunately she made it work. According to the guide, this was not the first time it happened to her.

Amazing tour

Hamza_B, Feb 2024

Best tour I did in NZ so far, totally worth it! The guide was great and the landcapes were amazing. Go for it!!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are so glad you had a wonderful experience. Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team :)

Beautiful drive, good exercise , fresh air..

Stewart_F, Feb 2024

Had a great time. Very good way to see the country side and some wild life. Our driver Craig was very knowledgeable and keep us on schedule (we’re cruisers) and it was nice to see the seals and sea lions in natural habitats and up close. No penguins but with numbers dwindling it is harder to be at the right spot and right time. Still a good day and lovely walks.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thanks Stewart, We are happy to hear that you had a great day. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. Safe travels :) Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

This tour is unbelievable!

Michelle_C, Feb 2024

This tour is unbelievable! Rachel gave us a tour of her families property as it meets the ocean. The inhabitants are stunning. This was a top ten moment in my life. Thank you for sharing such a special place!

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Hi Michelle, Thank you for your wonderful review. We are thrilled to hear you had an amazing experience. Safe travels :) Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

Lovely wildlife viewing.

Mary_O, Feb 2024

Seeing the yellow eyed penguins. Very knowledgeable and informative guide, Craig. Also able to get close to seals and sealions.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us, we appreciate your feedback. Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

Small tour, doesn't give you the feeling of being "touristy"

Jeannine_G, Feb 2024

Will had an 3xtensive knowledge of both the wildlife an the area. He was also excited whenever we saw a rare bird. We saw all three of them, seals, sea lions and luckily, two penguins. Great experience. Length of the trip was perfect.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with Will. We are thrilled to hear that you had a great time on our tour. Safe travels Rachel & The Clearwater Wildlife Team

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