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Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours
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Cymen Crick
Rankers Crew
Save 10% off with code RANKERS
Save 10% off with code RANKERS
There's a few penguin / wildlife tour options in Dunedin and they're all a little different. Check our Escape the Algorithm takes on each one make sure you get what you're after.
Monarch 1 hour Wildlife Boat Cruise
Alongside Clearwater Wildlife Tours, this would be my general wildlife tour pick for Dunedin. If you have the time, I'd think about both. Monarch boast cruise in the daytime and Clearwater in the evening.
The difference with Monarch is you're on a boat. So it's a different perspective. The boat also gives you easy access to multiple potential viewings in a short space of time. Viewing a seal or penguin in the water is a choice thing.
They offer a number of tours, but I'd just go for the 1 hour boat tour. It's short and sweet. The rest are 'combos' and unless these combos offer exactly what you want. I'd look at other tours separately.
The boat crew are very good. They've been doing this for yonks and it shows.
Save 10% discount with the RANKERS code. BAAAAAAAARP (A boat foghorn to celebrate everyone getting a win)
Information
Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours
albatross, penguins, seals & much more
For unrivalled viewing of Dunedin’s world renowned wildlife, Monarch Wildlife Cruises and Tours bring you close.
See Albatross, seals, penguins and up to 20 species of bird and marine life on and around the Otago Peninsula
Details
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Organisation |
Monarch Wildlife CruisesCommercial organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Coastal Otago ▷ Dunedin |
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Operating Season And Hours |
Office hours are Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Tour departure times vary by experience and season, operating across distinct summer (1 October to 31 March) and winter (1 April to 30 September) schedules. |
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Promo Code 10% Off |
Use discount code RANKERS with Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours and 10% off. |
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Bird Watching
Boat Cruises
Penguin Watching
Reviews
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Great guides, saw seals and albatross etc.
Lydia McLean -
See what cannot be seen from land.
Dorthe -
Very imformative quide.
Max -
Cruise from Dunedin.
John Winter -
had a great cruise, it is a beautiful country
robthorp
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We did the short cruise.
A fantastic trip out to the open sea... Fascinating to see how many birds are out there, and on the rocks and cliffs as well as sealions, & seals.. Had a rendezvous with albatross, petrels, and meny other more common birds.
Totally worthwhile. Great comentary, and great photo ops. Thank you for such an enjoyable afternoon !
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Nice and friendly staff on a one hour boat trip around Otago Peninsula.
Saw lots of Albatross and seals.
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Good activity with kids.
Very interesting and the best way to see all the amazing wildlife. Friendly crew.
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A dull wet day brought alive by the trip to see albatross, dolphin and other wildlife.
Well informed and helpful crew made it such a worthwhile time.
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Initially, I thought the $89.00 cost was somewhat expensive, but once I was aboard and on my way - albeit I was the only passenger for the first part of the journey, I began to appreciate my new surroundings
. A neat little wooden [former] fishing vessel, the MV Monarch was the ideal boat to undertake this particular harbour trip. Detailed information was offered by Ed' and the [lady] skipper about Otago Harbour and the surrounding countryside. The biting wind was largely neutralised by complimentary padded wind-breakers and the sights magnified by binoculars. Once Taiaroa Heads was insight the magnificent albatrosses came into view. And, not just the everyday variety but, according to Ed' and the skipper, species not regularly observed, along with numerous other bird-life that delighted in skimming the surface and flying alongside. Hundreds of birds rest and nest on the Heads with barking seals sunning themselves on the rocks below. For a landlubber like myself it was quite an emotional reckoning to see such special wildlife living their lives in natural and secure surroundings and being taken care of by caring and responsible people such as those who operate the MV Monarch, My return boat journey concluded at Wellers Rock from where I was driven back to the city which permitted magnificent views of the Otago Peninsula and Dunedin City itself.
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One of the real highlights of our 6+ weeks.
The Northern Royal Albatross in flight near the point would have been worth it. To then see also Whitecapped and Bullers followed up by some Hectors Dolphins made it "Sweet As".
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A shorter boat trip, was really worth the money.
nice and very informed guiding, well organised and equipped.
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Start from Otago Peninsula.
Team knows a lot and very good in spotting animals. Prepare everything - warm clothes (jacket as well as binoculars).
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Well worth the drive to landing stage and boat captain kept us all interested.
Heavily reliant on the wildlife playing their part but if you are lucky it is a fun trip.
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This was a fabulous tour (T3) which enabled us to pack a lot of wildlife viewing into one day.
The staff were friendly and knowledgable and ensured that my husband got his binoculars back after leaving them in the minibus. The driver stopped at viewpoints to enable us to take photos and gave clear instructions of when to be where for collection for transport to the next location. We were able to get close to the albatrosses and penguins and lots of information was given about them. The boat trip enabled us to get good views of the seabirds and seals. The little snack pies on the trip back to base were unexpected and very tasty. I have already recommended Monach to other people we met on our holiday.
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Nice, affordable cruise passed seals, different species of birds and if you are lucky albatross and dolphins, with professional explanation from the guide.
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We did the short cruise.
A fantastic trip out to the open sea... Fascinating to see how many birds are out there, and on the rocks and cliffs as well as sealions, & seals.. Had a rendezvous with albatross, petrels, and meny other more common birds.
Totally worthwhile. Great comentary, and great photo ops. Thank you for such an enjoyable afternoon !
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Nice and friendly staff on a one hour boat trip around Otago Peninsula.
Saw lots of Albatross and seals.
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Good activity with kids.
Very interesting and the best way to see all the amazing wildlife. Friendly crew.
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This was a fabulous tour (T3) which enabled us to pack a lot of wildlife viewing into one day.
The staff were friendly and knowledgable and ensured that my husband got his binoculars back after leaving them in the minibus. The driver stopped at viewpoints to enable us to take photos and gave clear instructions of when to be where for collection for transport to the next location. We were able to get close to the albatrosses and penguins and lots of information was given about them. The boat trip enabled us to get good views of the seabirds and seals. The little snack pies on the trip back to base were unexpected and very tasty. I have already recommended Monach to other people we met on our holiday.
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Nice, affordable cruise passed seals, different species of birds and if you are lucky albatross and dolphins, with professional explanation from the guide.
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A shorter boat trip, was really worth the money.
nice and very informed guiding, well organised and equipped.
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Start from Otago Peninsula.
Team knows a lot and very good in spotting animals. Prepare everything - warm clothes (jacket as well as binoculars).
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One of the real highlights of our 6+ weeks.
The Northern Royal Albatross in flight near the point would have been worth it. To then see also Whitecapped and Bullers followed up by some Hectors Dolphins made it "Sweet As".
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Well worth the drive to landing stage and boat captain kept us all interested.
Heavily reliant on the wildlife playing their part but if you are lucky it is a fun trip.
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Initially, I thought the $89.00 cost was somewhat expensive, but once I was aboard and on my way - albeit I was the only passenger for the first part of the journey, I began to appreciate my new surroundings
. A neat little wooden [former] fishing vessel, the MV Monarch was the ideal boat to undertake this particular harbour trip. Detailed information was offered by Ed' and the [lady] skipper about Otago Harbour and the surrounding countryside. The biting wind was largely neutralised by complimentary padded wind-breakers and the sights magnified by binoculars. Once Taiaroa Heads was insight the magnificent albatrosses came into view. And, not just the everyday variety but, according to Ed' and the skipper, species not regularly observed, along with numerous other bird-life that delighted in skimming the surface and flying alongside. Hundreds of birds rest and nest on the Heads with barking seals sunning themselves on the rocks below. For a landlubber like myself it was quite an emotional reckoning to see such special wildlife living their lives in natural and secure surroundings and being taken care of by caring and responsible people such as those who operate the MV Monarch, My return boat journey concluded at Wellers Rock from where I was driven back to the city which permitted magnificent views of the Otago Peninsula and Dunedin City itself.
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A dull wet day brought alive by the trip to see albatross, dolphin and other wildlife.
Well informed and helpful crew made it such a worthwhile time.
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An unplanned trip but one I was very glad to have made.
The boat was fine and it was really good to have the jackets and binoculars. Most important the captain and crew (I think it was Nigel and Craig - apologies if names wrong) were both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about all the wildlife and went out of their way to get the boat to where we would see the most. We saw the nesting great albatross from a distance but lots of other albatross and other birds out at sea and also a spread of krill which was attracting the birds. We saw the spoonbills nesting and great groups of seals and had excellent explanations about behaviours - the beach masters and so on. All in all an excellent trip and good value.
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I did this trip in the rain in 1997 and again in sunshine (and quite a swell) this month.
We had wonderful views of the albatrosses, seals and other wildlife and of the beautiful Otago Harbour and Peninsula. And for a flatlander from Western Australia it was great to see the peninsula with a local expert driving on those steep winding roads. Highly recommended.
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I joined the first morning cruise on 11th December when we saw plenty of interesting wildlife, including nesting albatross, but none in flight.
For this reason, a free repeat cruise was offered which I took at 3:15 p.m. What a treat! Another dream came true, when the Skipper spotted a fishing trawler surrounded by pelagic birds. There, at last, I saw my first Buller's Mollymawk. Many thanks for adding to such a fantastic tour of New Zealand. Wendy, USA
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It was recommended by a colleague and we are glad to have gone.
This boat trip around Tairoa head was excellent value with knowledgeable commentary about the birds, seals etc....