Penguin Place
A private yellow-eyed penguin sanctuary where you can watch one of the world's rarest penguins up close from trenches and camouflaged hides.
Penguin Place is a private farm near Harington Point at the northern tip of the Otago Peninsula. It has been dedicated to yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho) conservation since 1985 and runs a rescue centre. Visits are by a guided tour of about 90 minutes. You first learn about the penguin rehabilitation work, then walk a trench path covered with camouflage netting to a hide. From there you can watch penguins moving between the grassy slopes and the beach just a few metres away, without disturbing them. The tour costs around NZ$70 (check the official website) and must be booked in advance. It is about a 5-minute drive from the Royal Albatross Centre, so the two can easily be combined on the same afternoon.
Opening hours
Multiple guided tours daily (check the official website)
Nearby sights
- Royal Albatross Centre, Taiaroa Head
- Aramoana & The Mole
- Allans Beach
- Otago Peninsula
- Port Chalmers
- Larnach Castle
- Sandfly Bay
- Orokonui Ecosanctuary