Larnach Castle Tour: Otago Peninsula Wildlife

Embark on a fascinating journey as you explore Larnach Castle and take a wildlife cruise on the Otago Peninsula. Witness breathtaking scenery and encounter amazing wildlife on this memorable tour.

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Otago Peninsula - Tour along the beautiful roads of the Otago Peninsula in our comfortable minivan. Enjoy stunning views of harbour and coast as you go.
  • Larnach Castle & Gardens - Small group guided tour through ‘NZ’s Castle’. Discover the scandalous story of the Larnach family and explore the painstakingly restored building and it’s…
What's Included
  • Entry fee and one-hour Larnach Castle Tour
  • One-hour Monarch Wildlife Cruise
  • Complimentary wifi, jackets and binoculars on the Wildlife Cruise
  • Interactive commentary from a local guide
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Restrooms at Larnach Castle and on the Wildlife Cruise
What's Not Included
  • We don’t provide food or drinks. You can bring it with you or snacks can be purchased at the castle
  • We don’t pickup from Port Chalmers cruise terminal pickup, unless you’ve booked the correct option.
  • Wildlife viewing is not guaranteed, but we’ll always show you as much as possible.
Additional Information

Discover the breathtaking Larnach Castle and explore the picturesque Otago Peninsula with a unique Monarch Wildlife Cruise.
A knowledgeable guide will lead a one-hour tour of Larnach Castle, sharing the intriguing tale of early settler William Larnach and his family. Wander through the meticulously restored castle, showcasing original antique furniture…

Location
Otago Peninsula
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(82 Ratings)
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Nathalie_a
Feb 2, 2026
Our guide was fantastic! - Our guide was fantastic! He knew so much about the history of the area and about all the wildlife that we saw along the way. The view from the boat of the lighthouse and the albatross colonies was great! I highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
David_c
Jan 24, 2026
A must do. - It is a ton of information from an exceptionally knowledgeable guide. I love the views and the castle was fantastic. I also enjoyed the boat tour.
Review provided by Viator
Susan_o
Jan 24, 2026
Great tour - We had a miserable rainy day tour, but the organisation was great. The castle and boat tour was informative and interesting.
Review provided by Viator
Proud2bekiwi
Jan 13, 2026
Larnach Castle and Harbour/Wildlife Cruise. - Rob our onshore tour guide was brilliant. As a born and bred local he had great knowledge of the history and places of interest in Dunedin. He added significant value to our day. The cruise staff were excellent and we appreciated seeing one albatross in flight mode.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
66lefty
Jan 12, 2026
Larnach Castle and Otago boat ride - Great shore excursion,picked up right inside cruise terminal building. Visited Larnach castle- beautifully appointed and such an interesting family story. Will, our guide, was so informative and fun to listen to. The boat ride to Otago peninsula was great! Lots of birds, blue penguin and fur seals. Monarch equipped us with wind breakers and binoculars. The captain pointed out many species of birds( Albatross ) and stopped the boat so we could get some good pictures. It was great spending the day with Will and Monarch Tours- highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mikebm1089yu
Jan 2, 2026
A great tour from Dunedin - Great orgaisation from booking to final drop off in Dunedin. An excellent tour of Larnach Castle and the peninsula before the wildlife cruise. Ross was the perfect guide - sharing his extensive knowledge and insight of the area....and driving with such care and attention. Plenty of time to explore Larnach Castle after the tour from Ross. Staff were friendly and offered help and assistance from first introductions. The tour added so much value to our trip to Dunedin.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Claire
Dec 24, 2025
All the wildlife and an amazing castle - We had a fabulous day with our guide Will who was super knowledgeable about Larnach Castle. Great tour of the castle, which is definitely worth a visit. We then went on the wildlife cruise and we lucky enough to see Albatross, fur seals, sea lion and a pod of Hector's dolphins who gave us an amazing display. We also went to the Opera to see yellow eyed penguin conservation and we did get to see some fledglings. We were then lucky enough to see a young Southern Elephant seal. First class tour and Will was the best, 5 out of 5 would go again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Duane_g
Dec 5, 2025
A great place to visit on any trip to New Zealand - This is a great travel back in time experience. The castle is a work of art, and we found the history fascinating. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and was able to answer all questions. The gardens and grounds were some of the best we saw in all of New Zealand.
Review provided by Viator
Lorie46
Nov 29, 2025
Larnach Castle wildlife cruise and Yellow eyed penguin tour - Was picked up at 10:30, home by 5:30, stopped at some lookouts, castle and the grounds was great then onto the 1 hour wildlife cruise to see lions,albatross and also went to see the yellow eyed penguins which was another 2 hour tour. The crowd size was perfect with 13 of us.
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Paul_j
Feb 5, 2026
Was great fun, I enjoyed... - Was great fun, I enjoyed the castle and cruise. Was disappointed there were no wild penguins at the penguin centre and I would have preferred a visit to the royal albatross centre. Lovely guide, very nice man.
Review provided by Viator