A unique opportunity to experience the very best Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula has to offer. This tour combines sightseeing of Dunedin City, Otago Peninsula, a guided tour of Larnach Castle and its grounds and the Dunedin Chinese Gardens and Otago Early Settlers Museum.
A unique opportunity to experience the very best Dunedin and Otago Peninsula has to offer, a combination of Dunedin City Sightseeing with an entertaining and informative commentary including a guided tour of Larnach Castle and its grounds on the Otago Peninsula. On returning to central Dunedin the tour will stop at Dunedin’s Chinese Garden, crafted by a team of artisans and craftsmen from Dunedin’s sister city of Shanghai. Adjacent to the Chinese Gardens is the Otago Early Settlers Museum where you can view over 100,000 exhibits with emphasis on the early settlement of Otago.
09.00 Collected from your cruise ship at Port Chalmers (Dunedin). From Port Chalmers the excursion travels initially into Dunedin City and then travels through the spectacular scenery of the Otago Peninsula to Larnach Castle, with sightseeing commentary and photo stops on route.
10.30 Arrive at Larnach Castle and journey back in time with a guided tour of New Zealand`s only castle built in 1871. Learn the scandalous, exciting and tragic history of the castle whilst enjoying the magnificent splendor of a bygone era. The tour also includes the castle gardens which are of international significance and provide breathtaking views from this commanding vantage point on the Otago Peninsula. There will be time for lunch at the castle’s café (own expense).
12.30 Depart Larnach Castle and return to Dunedin where a visit of Dunedin’s Chinese Garden has been arranged. This is an authentic Chinese Garden created as a fitting, permanent recognition of the Chinese people who came to Otago during the 1880’s gold rush and stayed to establish some of the city’s businesses. The Chinese Garden was crafted by a team of Shanghai based artisans and craftsmen. Following your exploration of the gardens there will also be time to explore the Otago Early Settlers Museum, the 100,000 plus items in the Museum’s collection highlight the character, culture, technology, art, fashion and transport of the Otago Province from before the time of European Settlement to the present.
14.30 Depart the Dunedin Railway Station and enjoy a very informative, entertaining and scenically stunning tour of Dunedin City. The tour will include Otago University, Botanical Gardens, historic buildings, neo-gothic church architecture and Cathedrals, stately homes, the world`s steepest street with many photo opportunities.
16.00 / 16.30 Return to your cruise ship berthed in Port Chalmers
Tour Duration 7 – 7.5 hours
start time: 8.45 am
Duration (source): 7 hours
Rated 3.5 out of 5 from 6 verified travellers
6 reviews
Alberto was fabulous and explained in detail. The castle and grounds were magnificent. The reason for the poor rating is that the company had us booked on the wrong tour (a train tour) and 2 of the 3 highlights of the tour we did book were not available today. Very disappointed.
Amazing experience, the guide and driver was fantastic, gave a great information on Dunedin and showed us the town around very well, took the time to shows places additionally to the intenary, we had some additional request to stop in few shops, Where the guide and driver went above and beyond to cater to everyone’s preference, Will choose them once again if given the opportunity,
This was the worst tour I have ever had. We didn't have the tour guide, only had bus driver and he didn't really know how run this trip. We have already paid all the admission tickets but the driver didn't have any idea about this. Also, he didn't finish all the itneraries. We didn't go to Toitu Otago Settlers Museum but we have already paid the admission Ticket. Our trip should have 7 hours long (from 9:30am to 4:30pm) but he came to pick us up at 10:05am and ended the tour at 4:05pm.
I request the reimbursement for the admission tickets we paid.
A great tour of Dunedin and the Larnach Castle. Our tour guide, Kim, was very knowledgeable and gave us a fun and entertaining tour of the castle with lots of stories and history of the house and family. Would highly recommend this tour!
This was a very stressful and uncomfortable tour. We arrived at the meeting Point on time and there was no one to meet us. We called the office four times because there was no representative holding a sign for our tour. Over 20 minutes later, we saw a gentleman arrive holding a sign but not standing in the assigned area and looking very confused. It turns out the tour guide did not show up for the tour, so the bus driver was instructed to find 29 of us, and then drive us to the attractions. There was no commentary, no city highlights, no city facts, just a very nice bus driver. He did make a few comments when he could, but only the first few rows could hear him, since they did not equipped him with a speaker. Taft was very nice and did try his best.
I had several emails from Viator telling me to look for iconic tours, Fantail Tours, Good Company Tours and finally Liesure tours. This was a wee bit disconcerting and confusing. Leisure tours never appeared up on the big bulletin board at departure time or who to meet. The kind people at the big meeting hall picked up on this and gathered us all together. Most of the tours had already left, and finally our Brian came with the Johnson’s bus, and had all the information. I wasn’t too upset, because I just gotten off a tour in the city of Auckland. That was absolutely fantastic so I tried to calm the rest of the people down and say no it’s it’ll be all right something will happen.
The rest of the tour was fabulous. There’s not much to do or see in Dunedin, but definitely the castle and the grounds around it were worth the wait. I had four tours booked with Viator for this cruise. The one at Akaroa was cancelled by Holland America lines 2 days before we got there because of winds. The cancellation policy dictated that I get nothing back so I was out $100-ish for something that was not my fault and we heard afterwards that the winds died down, and we could’ve gone, I also know some people that got their money refunded but I was refused.
Those are the only two problems I had and I have 1 more booked at Hobart for
March 7
I am spending a week in Sydney after the cruise and will definely book a few tours with Viator. What happened, due to whatever. Were unfortunate, but The guides that you subcontracted out were Wonderful. I’m sure the small glitches will be ironed out And I will recommend Viator to anyone that asks.
See you in Sydney
