Blue Penguins Pukekura Experience Otago Peninsula, New Zealand
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
See up to 200 blue penguins returning from sea in the evening! (Generally more penguins are seen over the spring/summer than our autumn or winter months, but we guarantee to see penguins every night!! In the non-breeding months of March to August we often see 20-50 birds each night, however on rare occasions we might see fewer than 10 birds). Extremely close viewing of these birds. Learn about the Māori history of this significant site. Tour includes a special "behind the scenes" look at the reserve and penguin habitat.
We are the only blue penguin evening tours that allows photography (but no flash photography)
Voted in the top 10 experiences in New Zealand (TripAdvisor 2022).
Most tours are led by conservation experts/biologists.
Other wildlife often seen (e.g., seals, sealions, albatross)
Additional Info
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This tour option is for those with their own transport to get to our location. If you do not have a car then book our other tour option that has transport
Guests must be able to walk unaided. Tour involves a 300m walk along a gravel path and boardwalk that has over 60 inbuilt steps along it
We DO NOT allow umbrellas, if it is wet you need to bring a rain jacket
What To Expect
Otago Peninsula's largest penguin colony, see up to 200 blue penguins arrive home from a day at sea (more seen over summer than winter). In the non-breeding months (February to August) we expect between 10 - 80 penguins each night. We offer viator refunds of 30% if we see less than 5 penguins ! (Lower than booking direct through our own website where we can offer refunds of 50 %) If no availability on this site, check our own website for additional availability Tour starts with an introduction to the human history of this significant headland, occupied by Māori long before European arrival. At dusk we watch penguins waddle past us just a few metres away. One of the closest and best opportunities to see penguins! Voted in the top 10 TripAdvisor's Best Experiences in New Zealand 2022. PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED (no flash) Consider joining our 'Otago Peninsula In-Depth Tour' for a fully guided peninsula experience, see penguins and other wildlife too ! We view penguins on our open platform, they are just a few metres away and you do have the ability to move around to see penguins from different angles. We DO NOT allow the use of umbrellas, so if it is wet bring a rain jacket.
Options
Blue Penguins Pukekura Experience Otago Peninsula, New Zealand
What‘s Included
All Fees and Taxes
No transport provided, guests need to drive themselves to our reserve
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
510 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Must visit
lowsue2021,Jun 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Highly recommended. Well organized. Friendly tour guides
Fantastic time visiting the penguins
Safari47745397411,Jun 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We absolutely loved our visit to the penguins. We took our 5 year old daughter and she was buzzing after and has been telling all her friends. Great session beforehand learning about the history of the area and the penguins. The guides were great at the viewing platform sharing more info. The penguins were gorgeous. Definitely recommend a visit.
Blue Penguins of Pukekura Experience is definitely worth it!
E9179KKmichelles,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We loved our Blue Penguins Pukekura Experience! The information session was so well done and engaging that I could have listened to more. The staff were very helpful and the drive out to Otago Peninsula was beautiful. Definitely well priced and so happy we booked ahead as we would have missed out if left to the last minute. The viewing area and atmosphere while waiting for the penguins was lovely and we enjoyed a beautiful sunset. And then the penguins started to arrive.....so cute and surprisingly fast. Plenty of time to watch and listen to them.
Awesome night with the little blues
Happiness12919466327,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The talk at the start of the tour was really good, clear information and what to look out for and the sounds the penguins make. Our 11 year daughter loved seeing the penguins and we saw around 50 the night we went. The guides were amazing with all the information about the area and animals and birds. Lots of space to see penguins from different areas on the platform. We were there around 20 min before tour started, was not enough time to have good look around the gift shop and go to rest room( was a line ) as this was not open after the tour ends. We stayed the whole time allowed as there were lots of penguins still making their way to other nest so lots of time to see them. The hot chocolate and cookie were great to have on a cold night, We were all very pleased with this tour. We felt the coast was really good for the amount of penguins we saw and time to watch and listen to them.
Unforgettable
Morgane R,May 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a wonderful experience discovering these kokorā / blue penguins. The three guides were passionate; it was very educational and interesting to learn more about this species and about New Zealand. We were lucky to be few on the platform to observe the kokorā as they came out of the water while respecting the animals. We recommend it without hesitation!
Best activity in Dunedin and surrounding.
Connector14191599828,May 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The Experience was very nice and very informative. Sian our tour guide did an excellent job and gave us a lot of information about NZ wildlife and nature. I learned a lot this afternoon. The introduction to the Blue penguins was also very informative and useful. But the highlight was definitely going down to the viewing platform and see the little fellas arriving from the Ocean. It was a good evening almost 50 penguins arrived which as far as I understood it, is quite impressive. All in all a very good activity, I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to see Dunedin and its wildlife from a different perspective.🙂🙂
Awesome
W4038SDdavidb,May 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The experience was awesome.. guides were enthusiastic, and penguins were star of the show
If you’re near Dunedin; you MUST see the Penguins
David N,May 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This activity was wonderful! Includes an incredibly interesting 30 minute informative talk about the history of the area in relation to wildlife, as well as Māori and European settlement of the peninsula. This was followed by a short walk down to the viewing platform down by the beach where we were treated to a beautiful sunset and a short wait to see the hoards of Blue penguins coming back to their burrows! We were lucky to see three separate groups venture onto the beach and into their burrows over the course of the 45min-hour we spent on the platform. Make sure you wrap up warm and bring some money and buy yourself a hot chocolate down at the viewing platform. All the money goes towards the forest restoration project that aims to enhance the Penguins crucial ecosystem! Shoutout to the lovely staff that took care of us, encouraged us to ask questions and answered them with brilliant enthusiasm. Cheers!
Best natural penguin experience ever
Roving43674915067,May 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00One of the best experiences of our New Zealand holiday. We had seen nothing like it, and were privileged to witness such an incredible event.
Maypenguin40
947alainh,May 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Can see where money goes at first thought was a lot but the information given by the guide first then the infrastructure put in place and regular information at the well designed large viewing platform was worth it We had 40 penguins come up
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