Based in Dunedin, both times I’ve visited the South Island of New Zealand, I have spent a day on the Otago Peninsula. A haven for wildlife, Otago is a special place where unique species live and are sheltered from human life. The preserves are at the far end of the peninsula. If I could have stayed another day, I would have driven out on the picturesque peninsula again, stopping to explore all the sweet little towns.
Along the way
The Royal Albatross Center protects a secluded colony of the wide-winged birds on a remote hillside at the end of the peninsula. These majestic birds fly in a circle around the South Pole, roosting there and in Chile, without touching land for months at a time. With a wingspan of ten or eleven feet, the Northern Royal Albatross at Otago appear to glide endlessly. We could observe them from a small glass-enclosed building.
A few birds soared over the waves, while their fuzzy white babies nested nearby.
The Penguin Place is one of the few private reserves in New Zealand that has a conservation project and a rehabilitation center. There are hidden, roofed trenches where humans can walk and observe the shy yellow-eyed penguins unseen.
It was molting season and the birds were fluffy and lethargic. We felt like spies in our hidey-holes, keeping quiet and peeking out at the penguins going about their regular day, unaware of our presence.
New Zealand
North Island: Auckland, Rotorua, Hobbiton, Wellington
South Island: Abel Tasman National Park, Kaikoura, Christchurch, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Dunedin, Otago, Oamaru, Moeraki
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Ruth Rosenfeld 
Gorgeous scenery all around on Otago Peninsula! The yellow-eyed penguins especially captured my heart. Thanks for sharing your time, Ruth!
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My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed this one.
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Ah, this brought back some lovely memories – of the landscape, and the albatross and penguins. Wonderful!
Alison
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Thanks, Alison!
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I hadn’t realized the albatross spent so much time in flight. Geez.
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It is quite amazing, isn’t it? They must be able to get some sleep while flying.
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Seeing such lovely landscapes every day would be amazing.
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It would be a beautiful place to live, wouldn’t it?
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For sure.
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As there’s an opportunity to see penguins and enjoy walks with spectacular coastal views, I wouldn’t miss exploring the Otago Peninsula. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Thanks for your comment, Aiva!
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🥰🥰🥰
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Who doesn’t love a penguin!? I’ve heard so much about the beauty of NZ, we really must get there one day, especially as I have a nephew living there!
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I’d be surprised if NZ weren’t in your plans! It’s especially wonderful to visit a place where you know a local or two.
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Those Yellow eyed Penguins look so much lighter in colour from other penguins I’ve seen. They’re adorable. We saw Albatros in Newfoundland, what impressive birds. Maggie
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There are certainly variations among the penguin groups. I remember walking among penguins south of Argentina, and they didn’t mind at all. These are very shy and kept carefully shielded from people. And those birds are amazing.
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Looks like a beautiful spot to enjoy the scenery and the wildlife. Great captures of the albatross (I’ve never seen one in person before) and penguins.
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Thanks! They have done a great job of making the wildlife accessible for viewing without having them stressed from any interaction.
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The directional signs are in a native language of some kind? I assumed English is spoken in New Zealand as well. The last photo – a beautiful capture and fitting conclusion to the post.
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The indigenous language and people of NZ are Maori. English is the main language these days. I didn’t get to visit those little villages, but I’m guessing they have been there for a long time. Thanks, I too love that last photo.
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That last image you captured is stunning. Otago seems to be the perfect spot for birdwatching and the landscape is incredibly beautiful. Seeing the fluffy albatross chicks in their nests must’ve been a pretty special experience. And, the amount of time the albatross spend in flight is mind-boggling.
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Thank you, Leighton! I do love that sunset image. It was a treat that one of the nests was close enough that we could see them from the viewing spot. They are amazing birds. It was a wonderful place to learn about them and the penguins that frequent that far southern corner of the world.
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