Monarch Wildlife Cruises

Say hello to Chris -

He spends his days as our Operations Manager.

You'll frequently find him surfing or running trails around Dunedin. His interest in wildlife developed during his time exploring the Otago coastline in search of remote waves and landscapes.

He's a proud father of two young boys, and he's excited to help them develop a respect and appreciation for New Zealand's special wildlife and nature.

Say hello to Fiona -

At work she wears many hats... crewing the Monarch, helping with the operations team and checking visitors in for their cruise at Wellers Rock Wharf!

Photography is a growing passion. Fiona likes how it makes her look at the natural world in a different way!

Sharing her love for wildlife is whatbrings her joy. Especially watching a person's face light up when they spot their first albatross or penguin.

Meet one of our newest guides Alberto aka

Enjoy a selection of his images taken since he joined us at the start of our summer season.

Alberto is doing his Masters in Coastal and Marine Management. His thesis will focus on korora habitat selection here on the Otago Peninsula.

Before coming to NZ he was working in Iceland as a whale watch guide and naturalist for

You may have recently seen his images of a wayward Adélie Penguin, who turned up here in Dunedin, thousands of km's from its Antarctic home. If not, check back a few posts.. They are stunning!

The majestic flight of Northern Royal Albatross.

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We've been seeing alot of these guys lately... This great photo was captured by crewman

However, as our Skipper Buddy likes to say "the problem with little blue penguins is that they are little and they are blue". He is of course referring to what makes them hard to spot. It doesn't help that generally they're only on the surface of the water for a few seconds at a time.

All these factors makes it extra special for people spotting them during our Wildlife Cruise. For most, the only way to see these special birds is after sunset on a land-based tour.

If you hadn't heard already, a few of our team came across an Adélie Penguin on St Clair Beach last night. This wayward traveller is a long way from his Antarctic home. Our crew kept watch this morning, advising dog walkers and letting other early risers know, before DOC rangers came and collected this beautiful bird...

These gorgeous photos were captured by our crew member Alberto Roldán who has most recently been working with whales in Iceland. He's moved to Dunedin NZ to do his Masters about penguins, so this will have been extra special for him (especially on his birthday).

We'll be sharing a few more great shots taken by Alberto, over the next couple of days... Follow him on instagram

Where nature and culture converge in one spectacular and vibrant meeting place…but, hey, It’s Just Dunedin.

Dunedin NZ

It’s Just Sociable Creatures Where nature and culture converge in one spectacular and vibrant meeting place…but, hey, It’s Just Dunedin.Nowhere else in New Zealand can you find such a me...

Alberto Roldán was kind enough to share some awesome shots from Saturday's orca visit. Such a special experience for everyone onboard!

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🛳 Cruise to the festival 🛳

A perennial favourite - the cruise down the harbour is back with Monarch Wildlife Cruises! One-way or a round trip, this is a gorgeous way to top off your day out.

You can even have a wine on the way!

Tickets are $10 each way and numbers are strictly limited so get in fast ✌️

Find out more and book tickets at https://www.wildlife.co.nz/port-chalmers-seafood-festival

Are you going to the Port Chalmers Seafood Festival? We think you should be! 🥳🎉

We are running a discounted ferry service to and from the event.

🥂Enjoy a drink from our onboard bar and relax during a scenic cruise down the Otago Harbour.

Learn more at our website and grab yourself a spot early - spaces are limited!

💵 Tickets are only $10 per person (each way).

🛳 11:00am-12:00pm | Dunedin to Port Chalmers
🛳 4:30pm-5:00pm | Port Chalmers to Dunedin

Port Chalmers Seafood Festival — Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours Set on the wharf & cruise ship terminal at Port Otago, the Port Chalmers Seafood Festival is the perfect day out for seafood lovers who want to pair their tasty kai moana with high-quality beverages and entertainment for all ages. 30 September 2023 SEAFOOD FESTIVAL ENTRY TICKETS Cruise transport fro...

Kia ora - to celebrate Matariki we are taking 50% off of our 2:30pm Wildlife Cruise on Friday 14 July 2023. The trip departs from Wellers Rock Wharf at Ōtākou on the Otago Peninsula.

Use the discount code: matariki
Book online here: wildlife.co.nz/wildlife-cruise

Here's a couple nice photos given to us by Ali MacArthur, who joined us on Saturday.

Featuring some high flying Dusky Dolphins and a Black-browed Albatross sitting on some beautifully oily water.

Thanks Ali!

We've just made 10 extra spaces available for a 2-hour Sunset Wildlife Cruise happening this Saturday the 1st of April 2023.

Departing Wellers Rock Wharf at 5:30pm and returning at 7:30pm.
$60 per person.

Book here: https://bookings.wildlife.co.nz/obl2/wildlife/availability/m56rwg397b

Otago Museum is organising a 2-hour Sunset Cruise on Saturday 1 April 2023. A great opportunity to nail some images for this year's Tūhura Photography Competition..

Transport from the city is included in the price... Follow the link for info on how to book!

Monarch Sunset Cruise Tūhura Otago Museum in collaboration with Wild Dunedin, New Zealand Festival of Nature, invite you on an unforgettable two-hour sunset cruise with Monarch Wildlife Cruises and Tours.

Wild Dunedin DOWNLOAD FULL PROGRAMME HERE Apr 14 to Apr 23 Family Friendly, Plants and Gardens Be a Native Plant Detective Fri, Apr 14, 2023 9:00 AM Sun, Apr 23, 2023 5:00 PM Larnach Castle (map) Google Calendar ICS An opportunity to encourage children to learn about and identify our New Zealand native plants in...

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🎨 School Holiday Colouring-in Competition🏆

We've got 2 x $50 vouchers to give away to a lucky couple of creative entrants - all ages welcome!

HOW TO ENTER:
1. Download & print out the picture below or pickup a copy from 20 Fryatt St, Dunedin.
2. Use your creative skills to colour-in the picture.
3. Take a photo of your picture and share it in the comments of this Facebook post

We also have another colouring-in competition running in conjunction with Andersons Bay Countdown - enter twice!

Picture can be downloaded here: www.wildlife.co.nz/school-holidays

Two winners will be selected at random on 17 October 2022.

Good luck!

Sad to see the snow go? Or, are you suffering from cabin fever? Well the sun will be back tomorrow!

We are taking 40% off our one-hour Wildlife Cruise from Wellers Rock Wharf. This deal is for tomorrow only (Friday 7 October).

Forecast is calling for sunny skies and south-west winds, our favourite combination!

Book online and use the code: snow40

www.wildlife.co.nz/wildlife-cruise

Carey's Bay Hotel A beloved 1874 bluestone pub and seafood restaurant on the banks of the Otago Harbour.

Get a deal and enjoy the top 3 wild experiences on the Otago Peninsula!

Very infrequent visitor to Otago Peninsula today - fat young elephant seal! Nice!

Only a few spots left for our Wild Dunedin Nature Festival offerings! They'll sell out fast so don't miss out!

Saturday 23 & Sunday 24 April 2022
Book online: www.wildlife.co.nz/wilddunedin