ROADTRIP DE LA PÉNINSULE D'OTAGO

Stretching over 30 km long, it is a great wildlife viewing route (penguins, albatrosses, sea lions). This is not an exhaustive tour, but it does give you the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful places on theOtago Peninsula.

Day 1. FromAnderson Bay Inlet, drive along the Portobello Road and along the Otago Harbour to the village of Portobello where you can make your first stop at the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre to learn more about marine life. Portobello is the main village on the peninsula and you'll find most of the accommodation here. Continue on to the mouth of Otago Harbour at Taiaroa Head, home to the only mainland colony of Royal Albatross. Consider booking a tour of the Royal Albatross Centre and the fort. It is advisable to visit the center in the afternoon and then to stay on Pilot Beach to observe the pygmy penguins after dark (reservation also required). While waiting for the sunset, you can watch the sea lions basking.

Day 2. From Portobello, drive to the ocean beaches! First stop is Victory Beach, where you'll have to take a 2-hour round-trip trail to see the sea lions. If your attempts are unsuccessful, go to Allans Beach. Then, while walking along the Hoopers Inlet, admire the different bird species of the area (spoonbills, black swans). Take the high road by branching off to Sandymount Recreation Reserve where a short 45-minute walk will take you to a magnificent viewpoint. Head back down to Sandfly Bay where the sea lions live. Don't get closer than 25 meters. Don't underestimate them, they charge quickly. After all that ocean breeze, it's time to head back inland to Larnach Castle, the only castle in New Zealand built in 1871 by businessman William Larnach (1833-1898) for his wife. You can spend the night in the old stables where the view of the peninsula landscape is splendid. To visit the castle, it is also recommended to make a reservation. After your visit to the castle, you can drive back to St. Clair before going to Tunnel Beach. There too, a construction in honor of the female gender.