Moeraki Lighthouse Walk
Moeraki Lighthouse Walk
Reviews
Katie
Ranking: 10/10
Incredible- saw sea lions and many yellow eyed penguins!! Went at approx 5-5:30 pm and walked past the lighthouse and cownpaddocks to the end of the walkway- could’ve touched a baby sea lion and walked through at least 20 adults. Saw a group of penguins come up on land- so close! Do not miss- we were sceptical but are now very impressed.
Fabian
Ranking: 10/10
Super nice place! Saw three penguins and loved every moment of that.
Lots of seals, some chilling in the grass like 5 meters from the path. Keep your distance though.Easy walk, not too full.
We went at around seven PM.Note: the area is being closed around 7:30 so don't come too late.
Teb
Ranking: 8/10
An easy walk and nice views, but the lighthouse is fenced off. What’s up with that? :(
Sally Munday
Ranking: 10/10
Well worth the detour. Easily accessible in giant 6 berth camper. Good parking, short walk to see seals all over the place, on the beach and in the fields. Didn’t see penguins today.
Hannibal Winther
Ranking: 10/10
Amazing experience! We saw penguins and seals. It was easy to go around and you really get the chance to see the animals in the wild.
Samantha Brewin
Ranking: 9/10
Easy drive out along a well maintained dirt road. The view was nice but the opportunity to see wildlife was awesome! Please keep to the track and be quiet and respect the wildlife...keep your distance!
Harold Booy
Ranking: 10/10
Great place to see wild penguins up close for free, also many seals.
Ivanova R
Ranking: 10/10
Great for seal viewing.
Conservation Campsite Pass
Save up to 70% on campsite fees! Support conservation and experience the natural beauty of NZ. 78 Department of Conservation campsites, one convenient pass.
Lili Souris
Ranking: 10/10
Nice short walk. A lot of seals and yellow-eyed penguins!
Lisa
Ranking: 10/10
Easily accessible, free, great!!
Ludo and Cha
Ranking: 10/10
We missed the turn off to our campsite and turned to a lighthouse driveway. At the far end, a beautiful free and wild reserve where you can walk to seals and penguins 'home'. Magic!!
Boukje Diijkstra
Ranking: 10/10
More than a hundred seals swimming, playing and lying around. You can see them from above (20-30 metres), but some of them were lying in the grass and you could walk along side them. Also four penguins, fantastic! Very windy at some places.
Georg H.
Ranking: 3/10
What a disappointing place! The description says it's lesser known than the Moeraki Boulders. In the end it was totally crowded with much more people than at the Boulders. Lots of people and families. Was there at 5:30pm... Fences everywhere so you can't really get close to whatever you want to see. Another sign that too many people are visiting this place. The hidden penguin lookout was also closed. For me it was a 1/10, because I went there for seeing penguins, but rated with 3 because at least you can see seals there (which you can see at several other places in the Otago area with fewer people). Would not recommend this place, what a waste of time.
Eva
Ranking: 10/10
It was a short DOC walk to a lighthouse and a location with many sealions, penguins and seabirds. You could go to the sealions (seals?) up to 4-5 metres away! It was great!
Max Brunner
Ranking: 10/10
Penguins and seals. Very nice place but it was sooo windy.
Dianne van der Wal
Ranking: 9/10
This area is worth the visit, stunning views. Many seals around!!
Top Ranked NZ Deals Pass
Access savings worth hundreds of $$ on Top Ranked NZ Accommodation and Activities for just $1 per day.
Bartlomiej Berger
Ranking: 10/10
Free watching of the penguins (yellow eyed), in wildlife, exciting, gravel road to get there.
Markus Johannes
Ranking: 10/10
This is a magical place with seals and a yellow eyed penguin colony. You can get very close to the penguins but please: do not disturb them and please leave at least a small donation!
Danica Vrsaljko
Ranking: 10/10
Yellow Eyed Penguins! A lot of them, also a very beautiful spot.
Matthias Thorn
Ranking: 9/10
Drive to the end of the gravel road and walk down the hill. They try to reafforest the area whith native plants and trees. Maybe it is the second best place to spot yellow-eyed pinguins. And you con spot other Birds and sea-lions on the rocks and beaches. The Lighthous itself is not worth to be mentioned.
Anouck Roudet
Ranking: 10/10
Nice spot to see yellow-eyed penguins for free. There is a little track and some hides to observe them, thanks to volunteers. They did a great job looking after the penguins.
Reto
Ranking: 10/10
Lots of yellow eyed penguins near the lighthouse at 5pm.
Terry Seaman
Ranking: 10/10
This was by far THE BEST place to see penguins and seals up close. I can't believe it's free. We were able to come within a meter of wild penguin chicks and lounging seals in their natural environment. The hideaway hut provided an excellent shelter from the rain and wind while we watched yellow-eyed adult penguins (we saw five) pop out of the surf, waddle through a gauntlet of lounging seals and disappear into the brush to the chicks. The trails and hut are well-maintained and allow for a wonderful viewing experience with little effort.
Thomas Roche
Ranking: 10/10
A beautiful place where you can see penquins and sea lions really close to you.
Avoid Camping Fines!
Each camping location is approved by a regional council in NZ. So if it shows on the map, you’re allowed to stay.
The Rankers Camping NZ app, is also in association with…
Daniel McAlpine
Ranking: 10/10
Great to see the Yellow-eyed penquins in their natural habitat.
FlyingKiwiGirl
Ranking: 10/10
The best spot to see yellow eyed penguins, give the hide a miss and walk the track out to the point(if the gate isn't locked) Be careful you don't trip over seals in the grass and watch for the penguins thay can climb high up through the grass. What an experience!
Tan
Ranking: 10/10
see Penguins very very close !!! Just before Moeraki Boulders if you drive to CHCH. I love this place. Don't forget to donate.I have talked to someone there. They need money for penguins. ^_^ cheers
Julien Panossian
Ranking: 10/10
Lots of penguins and babies with good views around.
Matthieu Daveou
Ranking: 9/10
It is a nice place.
Rey Germain
Ranking: 10/10
There is a shelter with binoculars, you just need to be there at the right time (1 hour before sunset).
Andrew Newark
Ranking: 10/10
Probably the best spot to see yellow eyed penguins for free.Saw several birds up very close along with a number of seal pups. Have to time your visit as the birds are more numerous towards dusk or late afternoon (a good time to spot them is Autumn-Winter due to daylight savings).
Lea Roser
Ranking: 10/10
See sealions for free and very close.
Christian
Ranking: 8/10
Good option to see Yellow Eyed Penguin and seals very close - directly near the walking track.
Camping NZ App
Every camping site on your iPhone™, iPad™ or Android™ phone or tablet. Avoid camping penalties using this council approved app. Featuring offline maps.
Andreas Schacke
Ranking: 9/10
Cute hidden shelter for watching penguins.
Stam
Ranking: 10/10
Seal and penguins!! We did not see them anywhere else so close and so many.
Loic
Ranking: 9/10
Penguins and seals.
Sylvia & Garrit
Ranking: 10/10
Very nice place to see seal, yellow-eyed penguins and little blue penguins for free.
Vincent & Lian
Ranking: 9/10
Never been so up close to a penguin. What a great experience. Pity only they did not show up on the beach. Further saw the seals and birds - WOW!
Urban Reifler
Ranking: 9/10
For free, you see many yellow eyed penguins.
Les and Carole Savins
Ranking: 8/10
Free viewing near lighthouse - excellent!
Michael
Ranking: 9/10
Be patient and you will see them very close to you in the bush and on the beach.
Balonno
Ranking: 10/10
Great spot
Congratulations Moeraki Lighthouse Walk
Thomas Reidinger
Ranking: 8/10
With a little patience you can see yellow-eyed-penguins for free.
Manu & Gabi
Ranking: 10/10
Also good to visit is the lighthouse near Moeraki (street through Moeraki) seals and penguins!!! Very near!!!
Philippa Waters
Ranking: 10/10
Seals and yellow eyed penguins in abundance, lying in the walking track. Great scenery.
Judith K.
Ranking: 10/10
Go from Moeraki Lighthouse carpark to watch the penguins with chicks and seals with baby seals.
davidm239
Ranking: 9/10
We visited the penguin viewing hide near the lighthouse and watched a Yellow Eyed penguin standing out in a paddock at 11.am!
Richard Pearson
Ranking: 9/10
A great experience, with great penguin viewing set up by DOC.
Horst
Ranking: 10/10
Yellow eyed penguins, blue penguins, seals, sea lions. Beautiful hidden lookout - very few tourists.
Raewyn
Ranking: 9/10
Thanks to local enthusiasts, this hide (complete with binoculars) is an unexpected bonus - we saw six Hoiho, adult (moulting) and juvenile. But please respect the birds and facility - and leave a donation.
DavidHilton
Ranking: 8/10
Great to see the penguins and seals walking up.