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Home  >> Birding Operators >> Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours

Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours

Photo © Monarch Wildlife cruises

The best way to see Dunedin’s famous royal albatross colony is from the water. Join a Monarch Wildlife Cruise from Wellers Rock Wharf and explore around the entrance to the Otago Harbour. The headland hosts nesting sites of nine other seabirds including blue penguins, royal spoonbills and otago shags (cormorants). Below the historic Taiaroa Head Lighthouse we find a large colony of NZ fur seals. The skipper will expertly guide the boat close to their rocky haul-outs for great views and photo opportunities. Sometimes we spot impressive NZ sea lions, sometimes swimming around the boat or sitting on the soft sands of Aramoana.
A short way out to sea and we find a unique range of albatross and seabirds. We frequently see southern royal, white-capped, bullers, salvins and black-browed albatross. Other seabirds we spot include giant petrels, cape petrels, sooty-shearwaters, terns and more. Some trips feature dusky and hectors dolphins and the occasional visit from different whale species.
The mv Monarch has been cruising in Dunedin for over 35 years. Longer tours can include a relaxed harbour cruise from the city. Resident and migratory wading birds and other beautiful sights are seen along the way. A scenic bus tour of the Otago Peninsula and inlet eco-systems can be added, with visits to the Royal Albatross Centre, Penguin Place, Larnach Castle and Blue Penguins Pukekura.


Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours Contact Details

Locations

Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours 
Corner Wharf & Fryatt Streets
Dunedin

Wellers Rock Wharf
813 Harington Point Road, Otakou

Postal Address


Contact:
Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours
PO Box 383
Dunedin 9054
New Zealand
Phone: +64 3 477 4276   or   0800 666272
fax: +64 3 477 4275
email: monarch@wildlife.co.nz
website: http://www.wildlife.co.nz

Affiliations
  • Qualmark Silver Sustainable Tourism Business Award
  • 3x NZ Tourism Award winners
  • Tripadvisor Hall of Fame & Certificate of Excellence

email: monarch@wildlife.co.nz
website: http://www.wildlife.co.nz


Birds always seen

Royal Albatross
about:Northern Royal Albatross Northern Royal Albatross

Black billed Gulls
about:Black-billed Gull Black-billed Gull

White fronted Tern
about:White-fronted Tern White-fronted Tern

Birds very likely seen

about:Australasian Gannet Australasian Gannet

about:

about:Salvin's Albatross Salvin's Albatross

Birds seasonally seen

about:Northern Giant Petrel Northern Giant Petrel


VISIT WEBSITE

Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours
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