meggies

We will be taking local day tours while visiting New Zealand in January. Can fellow travelers please recommend local tour operators in both Dunedin and Wellington with whom you've had a good experience?

John71cove

meggies:
My wife and I traveled throughout NZ in 2000 for 6 weeks late in the year. We did not use a tour operator but made all the arrangements ourselves via the internet. We were not disappointed. In any event, when you get to Wellington, be sure to visit Courtenay Place. Get on the 'net and bring it up. It's an area with a plethora of restaurants as well as a variety of shops to satisfy any appetite.
In Dunedin don't miss touring the Otago Peninsula to see the world's largest colony of Albatross.
There are a number of tour operators in the CBD that one can hire. Again, look it up on the 'net and do some research. You will love both places.
John

meggies

Thanks, John. Though we are not birders, would we enjoy the Otago for its beauty? Would one get just as good an impression of the wildlife by taking only the wildlife cruise?

Tim_and_Liz

In Dunedin: Elm Wildlife Tours

I am interested to hear if anyone has heard of "Wild about Wellington" tours... My parents are considering taking the Boutique Beer Tasting Tour.

John71cove

meggies
The Otago Peninsula is not only known for the Albatross, but for it's natural beauty as well. The scenery is breathtaking.
In my opinion you couldn't go wrong just taking the wildlife cruise. I wish now we had spent more time in Dunedin then we did. Lovely place.
But then I wish we had spent more time in New Zealand than the six weeks we did.
You'll see what I mean once your trip is over.
We're off to Hawaii on Saturday for a week. Another of God's beauty spots.
Aloha.
John

Melissa5

We had a wonderful full-day private wildlife tour on the Otago Peninsula with Robert Brown, wildlife photographer, and his wife Christine. They were in the process of opening a new b&b at that time, and they do offer private tours to folks who stay at that b&b. I saw another traveler on tripadvisor who I notice will be staying with them, that's how I know their new b&b must be taking reservations now. You can search with the name "Robert Brown" and you should find his info in my trip reports which I posted both on fodors and on tripadvisor.

We also loved Penguin Place in February, which was a great time to see both the baby penguins and the adults on the very last tour of the day.

theheadysmiths

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed Classic Jaguar Tours in Dunedin in 2004. The tour is personalized to your wishes -- you can spend more or less time anywhere, stop for photos, etc. We really felt "special" -- this tour was recommended by an "aunt" who lived in Dunedin area for 25+ years. We did a whole day taking in the albatros, yellow-eyed penguin, and Larnach Castle. Especially don't miss Larnach ! The jaguar driver was our personal tour-guide everywhere, including Larnach...