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Evening Penguin Tour in Akaroa

Check nest sites, sit in the hides and watch little penguins come home at dusk.

A three hour evening tour of the largest little penguin colony on mainland New Zealand, near Akaroa: a monitoring walk, viewing from hides with binoculars and a telescope, and dusk arrivals.

📍 New Zealand ⏱ 3 Hours 👥 Small group 🔥 Active

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Booked with Wanderlust, an Australian travel business based in Byron Bay (ABN 34 636 612 523). We handle your booking ourselves, before and after you travel.

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Overview

Pōhatu is the largest Australasian little penguin colony on mainland New Zealand, and this evening tour is the hands-on version. You join the conservation monitoring round, so it is less a viewing platform, more a look at how a colony is kept alive, with the birds as the payoff.

It starts at the booking office on Rue Balguerie in Akaroa, 2.5 hours before sunset, which means roughly 7:00pm in January and 3:00pm in July. A 4WD minibus takes you over the rim of the old volcano and down the steep road into Pōhatu Bay, with the harbour and the peninsula opening up on the way. At the bay you are given camouflage gear, then walk the colony checking nest boxes and burrows and recording what is in them. After that you settle into the hides with binoculars and a telescope to watch the white-flippered penguins rafting up and preening on the water, and as the light drops there is a good chance of birds coming ashore. The tour ends before full dark so the colony has the beach to itself.

Allow three hours. The track is steep in places, muddy after rain and slippery, so wear walking shoes with grip, warm layers and a raincoat whatever the forecast; rain does not cancel this tour. Flash photography is banned. Season matters: breeding from late August to December is best, January and February are moult, from late February to early April there are no penguins and no tours, and from mid April to September birds come and go from sea.

Why you'll love it

  1. 1

    Largest little penguin colony on mainland New Zealand

  2. 2

    Join the colony's conservation monitoring round

  3. 3

    4WD minibus over the volcano rim to Pōhatu Bay

  4. 4

    Hides with binoculars and a telescope

  5. 5

    Dusk returns of penguins to shore

  6. 6

    Departs 2.5 hours before sunset

  7. 7

    Best late August to December

Itinerary at a glance

1 2.5 hours before sunset · Depart Akaroa

Meet at the booking office on Rue Balguerie in Akaroa township. Departure moves with the daylight: around 7:00pm in January, around 3:00pm in July.

1 The drive · Over the crater rim to Pōhatu Bay

A 4WD minibus climbs out of Akaroa Harbour and drops down the steep road into Pōhatu (Flea) Bay, with a welcome at the farm on arrival.

1 Monitoring walk · Checking the nests

In camouflage gear you walk the colony with your guide, checking nest boxes and burrows and helping record what is in them.

1 The hides · Watching from cover

From the hides you use binoculars and the telescope to watch penguins rafting and preening on the water, and as dusk comes in you watch for birds landing on the rocks and heading up to their nests.

1 Before dark · Back to Akaroa

The tour finishes before full dark so the penguins are left in peace, then the minibus returns you to Akaroa. Allow three hours.

What's included

✓ What's included

  • Return 4WD minibus transfer from Akaroa to Pōhatu Bay
  • Guided conservation walk and nest monitoring
  • Camouflage gear
  • Binoculars and telescope at the hides
  • Local guide from the family that runs the reserve

✕ Not included

  • ✕Food and drinks
  • ✕Transport from Christchurch to Akaroa
  • ✕Travel insurance

Common questions about this trip

  • Where do I meet and what time?
    At the booking office on Rue Balguerie in Akaroa. Departure is 2.5 hours before sunset and shifts through the year, from about 3:00pm in June and July to about 7:00pm in January. We confirm your exact time when you book.

  • When is the best time of year, and when are there no penguins?
    Breeding season from the end of August to December is the best viewing. January and February are moult, when birds sit tight on land. From the end of February to early April there are no penguins and no tours. From mid April to September the birds come back from sea periodically, and in June to August an evening landing is roughly a coin toss.

  • Am I guaranteed to see penguins?
    If the evening tour is running, it is because there are penguins in the area, and you are guaranteed to see them at their nesting sites on the monitoring walk. Whether they come ashore at dusk is up to the birds and the weather.

  • What should I wear and bring?
    Walking shoes or boots with grip, as the track can be muddy and slippery, plus warm layers and a raincoat whatever the forecast. Camouflage gear is provided on top. Binoculars and a telescope are supplied at the hides, but bring your own pair if you want one each. Leave the flash off your camera.

  • How fit do I need to be?
    It is a walking tour on a farm track that is steep in places and demanding for some. Most people manage the route to the hides without trouble; if you have dodgy knees, tell us when you book.

  • What if it rains?
    The tour runs in the rain. The operator does not cancel for wet weather and calls it part of experiencing this coast, so pack the raincoat.

  • Can kids come?
    The operator prefers children 11 and older on the evening tour, because of the quiet needed in the hides and the walking involved.

  • How do I get to Akaroa from Christchurch?
    Akaroa is about 90 minutes' drive from Christchurch over Banks Peninsula. Shuttles run from the city daily; tell us where you are staying and we will line one up with the tour time.

  • What's the cancellation policy?
    Cancellation terms for this trip are set by the operator and confirmed on your booking voucher. Refunds mirror the operator's policy, if they can refund, so can we. Wanderlust handles the refund for you, refunds mirror the operator's terms 1:1 (including if the operator cancels) and we chase it on your behalf. Message us for the exact day-by-day terms before you book.

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What travellers say

Reviews from real travellers

Public reviews of the operator who runs this tour on the ground.

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"Had a fantastic time on this trip. Thoroughly recommend. Was an experience that we won't forget. The guide was great - friendly, knowledgeable and patient. The views spectacular. We feed the baby lambs. Saw the nesting and swimming penguins. Couldn't have asked for more."
D

Debbie M

Tripadvisor review

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"A brilliant experience, not only seeing penguins nesting and on the water, but also learning about other local wildlife and the complexities and hope for supporting the population thrive into the future. It was a pleasure to be able to support this great conservation effort."
K

Kate

Tripadvisor review

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
via Tripadvisor
"Great experience which I highly recommend if you are interested in learning more about Penguins. We were able to see A LOT of penguins in their natural habitat (observing with provided equipment) and it was super being able to ask questions to a real specialist."
S

Solene B

Tripadvisor review

Traveller reviews, source shown on each · shown as excerpts.

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