Booking the tour online was simple and easy. Per our request, Jane (tourguide for the day) picked…read moreus up from our B&B. In our group of 10, we came from different countries and Jane was able to give us information fact sheets in different languages. On our way to see albatrosses, she stopped for us to take photos at various scenic points of Dunedin. She explained a lot about the New Zealand wildlife, and pulled over the van whenever she came across interesting birds. At the albatrosses center, the weather turned nasty but according to Jane, it was easier to spot these giant birds as they love wind. And she was right, we saw a handful of albatrosses circling the information center. Unfortunately it was difficult to snap photos of them due to the rain. Afterwards, Jane drove us to this private farmland where we saw sea lions/ yellow eyed penguins up close. (There was a sleeping young sea lion literally two feet from a viewing hut!). On the other side of the hill, we saw heaps of fur seals. A feast for my camera! The hill climb can be long/steep for some people. Definitely wear your comfortable walking shoes! Note that the weather can change drastically, so be sure to wear comfortable warm waterproof jacket/windbreaker :)

We arrived for our cruise on a blustery day. I was so happy to see the warm jackets they provide…read morefor your ride. They also equipped you with your own set of binoculars. The best seats are in the front of the boat and they are also the coldest and sometimes the wettest. But you should still sit out there. The crew joins you in the front and are well skilled in spotting wildlife which they point out to you often. The captain provides a nice narrative as to the history of the area and fun facts about the wildlife you are viewing. We saw so many different kinds of birds. We had an albatross fly right over our boat. In fact, we saw more albatross on this tour than we did in the albatross tour (but still go to the Royal Albatross Center as it's a much closer experience). My fav was when the dolphins decided to play in our wake and at the front of the boat. Can't remember their name but they were patchy in color, the smallest dolphin, and clearly ready to play and have fun. Great experience, even on a windy, blustery day.

Sailing out of Port Ortago in Port Chalmers, New Zealand, Monarch Wildlife Cruises provided a 2 and…read morea half hour wildlife tour, expertly stopping at places where sightings could occur. It was a pleasant boat ride with some beautiful ocean scenery. The tour was purchased directly with the vendor which saved quite a bit of money. The meeting point for the beginning of the tour was in the same warehouse terminal for all the other non-cruise line sponsored tours, and started promptly at 10:00. A small shuttle was used to transport the 12 passengers to the boat, Vivian J. with Captain Dan. Our shuttle driver, Tim, became our guide and narrator. We did end up going out quite far, outside the harbor into open water, past Harrington Point going past the Royal Albatross Centre, going as far as 45°46'46.7"S 170°46'22.1"E. It was a gorgeous day, which Tim remarked is nice for everyone, but isn't the best for spotting of the albatrosses. He handed out some nice binoculars for bird watching. We did go past colonies of seagulls, and there were a few seals just floating the water. There were speakers on the boat, so Tim's narration could be heard pretty well. As part of the tour, tea and biscuits (chocolate chip cookie) was provided towards the end. Like any tours that involve wildlife sightings, it all depends on the day, weather, and luck. That being said, Royal albatross is the animal being watched here, and you will never get too close to truly understand how large they are.

After sailing the Tasman Sea for two days and cruising Milford Sound, our first land excursion in…read moreNew Zealand started with a round-trip scenic train ride from Port Chalmers to Pukerangi (Middlemarch) through the Taieri Gorge. We boarded the train at the port, just a few steps from our docked cruise ship at Port Chalmers, and rode past the town of Dunedin and several other smaller towns. We were prepared to see flocks of sheep, as we've always been told that there are more sheep than humans living in New Zealand, but as we rode past the town and neighborhoods, we barely saw any sheep; instead, we saw cattle! The train tour took us through the rugged South Island terrain where we saw deep canyons carved by the Taieri River, negotiated very narrow tunnels (original tunneling done by explosives and shovels) where it seemed as though there was only a 6" clearance on both sides for the train cars to pass through, and dramatic viaducts. The tour guide commented about the "blasting holes" along a stretch of the mountain sides as the laborers made way for the railway and below, along the river, were gold prospectors had staked their claims and mines. He also mentioned the wild-growing New Zealand tea trees known as "Mānuka and Kānuka" shrub-trees, native kauri (one of the world's largest and most ancient) trees, New Zealand Christmas trees or "Pōhutukawa", and many more native evergreens in the forests. The tour guide also commented about the Monterey pine trees forming the planted and harvestable forest. When we reached Pukerangi (Middlemarch) station, we deboarded the train. We stretched our legs walking around a small open market with local vendors selling edibles, handmade wool accessories, and quilted items. At the same time, the locomotive did a reverse slide to pull the train back into Dunedin. The clean, brisk, and fresh air at Pukerangi was exhilarating, and we almost didn't want to leave this remote station and "off-the-grid" location. We only saw ONE house near the station, surrounded by open plains, rolling hills, and views of New Zealand's Southern Alps. It may have taken us 2 - 2.25 hours to reach Pukerangi, but we barely noticed the time as the landscapes and forests enthralled us. During the train ride, we were served a box lunch and a bottle of water. The train stewardess commented that they also have a pantry car, or snack car, where one could purchase more snacks or beverages if needed. We returned to the beautiful and historic Dunedin Train Station around 2:30 pm, which, according to the train timetable, was accurate. The round trip took us around 5 to 5.5 hours. After which, we spent some time browsing around the town of Dunedin and having a wonderful lunch of Bluff oysters and fish and chips.

"Feel the rattle and rumble of your vintage railcar as you wind through the mountains of Taieri…read moreRiver Gorge." That's the soundbite that pulls you in, to take this 4.5 hour total journey to go inland by rail to see the impressive Taieri Gorge on the South Island of New Zealand. It's designed to fit into the schedule of day visitors coming in from a cruise ship docked in nearby Port Chalmers. In fact, the cruise boats offer it as a ship-sponsored excursion for an exclusive train dedicated to only cruisers. It also has the convenience of being picked up/dropped off right very close to the cruise boat (whereas you have to find your own way if buying directly from provider). And of course, there is a guarantee that the ship will not leave without any passengers that are delayed on a ship-sponsored trip. But one will pay a steep upcharge for this: my brother calculated it to be possibly a 300% markup and it seemed that it cost more as you go up the cruise line chain (i.e. a similar trip cost $100 more on Celebrity than on Royal Caribbean). We did go direct with the vendor and arrived to the train station about 15 minutes before scheduled departure. Tickets are mobile and have assigned seats. The train cars have seating meant to be used for long distances (though there were no overhead compartments for baggage, so any bags brought need to be stowed between your legs). The seats are configured with four facing each other across a table (so eating and/or playing cards would be easy). The tracks are dedicated for this trip for tourists so the return trip is exactly the same, except in reverse (i.e. if you were facing forward going there, you will be facing backwards going back). Also because the best views of the gorge are on the right side of the train going there, the conductor recommended that we switch seats on the return trip to let everyone get their chance for the views. Speaking of the conductor, he was on the intercom giving facts and observations throughout our journey but it was hard to hear (most people were having animated conversations with each other). The cars themselves have large windows for easy observation and in some places we were quite high up with some fantastic views. The train and the rail are maintained exclusively for this trip, and thus depend on visitors to keep going. It was a full train, so it seems like it continues to do well. Because we were on the non-cruise trip, most of the people on the train seemed to be non-cruise visitors. We got to learn a lot about New Zealand from our neighbors, who were visiting from other parts of the country. Like a lot of excursions, the enjoyment of the trip is enhanced by interaction with your fellow travelers, so a bit of luck involved. They do serve food and (alcoholic) beverages on the train, but requires you to go to another car to purchase and bring back. They had cans of local beer (we tried both Emerson's Super Quench and Emerson's Hazed and Confused). We split a hot ham and cheese sandwich along with various chips and even a charcutier tray. There is a long period of time inside the gorge where there is no cell service, thus if you need to pay using a credit card during that time, you would leave your name and seat number so you can pay later once re-entering cell service. At the half-way point, we were given a 20 minute break where we could get off and stretch our legs a bit. There were vendors situated in the area, and many of the passengers took the opportunity to interact and purchase, if they so chose. This was the one train for the day, so the vendors were waiting around just for that moment. The return trip definitely seemed longer than the trip there (even though it was the same time-wise), and have to admit I missed some scenic views because I wasn't paying particular attention. This is a definite must if you are a train-lover. The entertainment is about the train as much about the scenery. But if you consider trains just as another mode of transportation and nothing more, 4.5 hours is a really long time to be sitting in a cramped space for some really nice but relatively short views. I happen to be the former, so I really enjoyed the trip.

I found these guys online during my trip to New Zealand. We met at a restaurant during our initial…read moremeeting to discuss what kind of experience that I wanted to have. Mind you, I had zero experience with firearms and zero experinece hunting before coming to New Zealand. I've lived in cities and suburbs my entire life. After 2 outings with these guys, I had learned how the basics of using a I learned how to handle a rifle, took down a couple wild goats, and a red deer. Sheldon is the owner of the business and really a good hunting guide and firearms instructor. He is very detail oriented and meticulous about safety, encountering animals in the wild, butchering animals, and even taking high resolution photos of you with the animal after the kill! If I go back to New Zealand, I look forward to more trips with Sheldon and his crew!

From the owner: You face a lot of options when planning your New Zealand hunting adventure – our team is here to…read moremake things easier for you. We specialize in the South Island’s ‘big four‘: the mighty red stag, the stoic Himalayan tahr, the athletic alpine chamois, and the territorial fallow buck. We also access New Zealand’s finest elk herd! Mix in Merriam’s turkey, boar, goat, wallaby, and rabbit – and you’ll find us hunting in New Zealand’s hills nearly 365 days a year. We hunt a lot. Southern Hunting Adventures plans and guides what we feel are real and unforgettable hunting experiences. Our hunters have amazing access to diverse swaths of New Zealand hunting acreage: we partner with more trusted local landowners, ranchers, and private estates than any other New Zealand outfitter to ensure that our animals and your hunting days are of the highest quality available in New Zealand. Choose from popular hunting packages or build a hunt to fit your schedule, hunting preferences, and budget. Southern Hunting Adventures caters to all hunter ages, abilities, and fitness levels. Is this your first time hunting or first international hunt? Join us! We guarantee that your New Zealand hunting adventure will be stress-free & unforgettable! Send us a note to start planning your hunt today – we’re here to make hunting in New Zealand easy for you, – Sheldon Lye & the Southern Hunting Adventures Team

We had a wonderful day with Sam Kuprus doing an out and back hike on the Routeburn Track. He was…read moredelightful and very knowledgeable! We are American and he taught us so much about the unique flora and fauna of NZ, discussed conservation and anti predation efforts. He also answered many questions we had about this beautiful and welcoming country. What an amazing and gorgeous forest walk, with epic waterfalls at the top, the azure waters of the Routeburn accompanying us most of the way!

Paula and Phil planned out a fantastic day of wine touring during our visit to Queenstown. We had…read morenever been to New Zealand prior to our trip and they did a wonderful job of recommending places to visit and eat and we took their advice on several stops. They were wonderful hosts and we enjoyed our day with them!! Thanks again from the guys from Austin, Texas!!