Dunedin Peninsula discovery tour
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RouteXpert Peter Moerman - RouteXpert
Last edit: 16-02-2021
Route Summary I rate this route with 4 stars because of the beautiful views, the good roads, also unpaved, the attractions and the sights.
This route is part of a series and together they form a tour of the South Island and North Island of New Zealand that we were able to make in 2020 from Dunedin to Auckland
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Verdict
Duration
8h 19m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
89.36 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review Dunedin (Ōtepoti in Maori) is the second city in population after Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand with approximately 113,600 inhabitants (2005) and an area of 3315 km². Dunedin was founded in 1848 by the Free Church of Scotland. The name comes from Dun Eidann, the Celtic name for the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Dunedin is home to New Zealand's oldest university, the University of Otago. Dunedin is a student city. This town has a typical Scottish appearance and has two large churches: the Anglican St. Paul's Cathedral and the First Church. The Catholic cathedral is the Saint Joseph Cathedral. The street plan is almost identical to that of Edinburgh in Scotland.
From Dunedin station one can take a historic train journey through the hinterland of this city; over and through the mountains, over old bridges, through tunnels and across and along rivers. Around December this trip gives something extra, namely the gorse, which is then in bloom. This trip is called the Otago Central Rail Trail and takes about 4 hours there and back.
This route starts in the parking lot (paid parking) next to Dunedin's historic station. You should definitely visit this station before or after driving this route. You drive along the harbor towards the peninsula. First you get the opportunity to stock up on some food and drink because there is only something available early in the route at the Royal Albatross Center. You can also refuel shortly afterwards. You then follow the coast road towards Portobello. You will pass Pudding Island, a mini nature reserve and then the village of Harington Point. From this village it gets more hilly and the road goes over cliffs to the far eastern point of the peninsula. Here you can park and visit the Royal Albatross Center.
Visit the only mainland Royal Albatrosses breeding colony in the world. Book a tour to see the amazing Northern Royal Albatross, learn fascinating insights into these majestic monarchs of the sea from the expert guides. Come to the exclusive observatory and get the chance to see these charismatic birds raising their young. On a windy day, you might even see them fly by with their massive 10-foot wingspan - a sight you'll always remember. We can fully confirm the latter from our own experience.
After the tour you can also visit the fort and end in the cafe for a good cup of coffee or lunch.
If you drive from the parking lot up the dead end dirt road, you will arrive at the Nature's Wonders Cafe. Here too you can book a tour and visit a seal colony. This just looked a lot less professional and the reviews are not so good. We have skipped these further.
For the continuation of the route you go back the same road a bit and then turn left at Lower Portobello towards the east coast. This road also ends at a parking lot where a walking path takes you to a few hills where you have a magnificent view over the beach. After returning you can drive back the same way and then turn left towards the Papanui Inlet. The Papanui Inlet is the northernmost of two large inlets on the Pacific coast of the Otago Peninsula. The name of the inlet is originally Māori and means great plain. The inlet fills up during high tide and empties again at low tide. This has created a unique piece of nature with many water birds.
You drive around the Papanui Inlet towards the Hooper Inlet, the southernmost of the 2 large inlets. Again, you drive around unpaved roads towards Sandymount where you can park again. There is a path around this hill with a number of viewpoints from which you can admire the Hooper Inlet and the coastal cliffs. Finally, you can also climb the hill. From Sandymount the route continues west towards Sandfly Bay where you can park again and enjoy the view after a short walk. There is also a path down to the beach. This is quite a walk.
From Sandfly Bay the route continues towards Dunedin. You can head inland to Larnach Castle, a country house with a garden, which is now a hotel. However, this can only be visited after paying a substantial entrance fee. We skipped this. At Saint Kilda Beach you can drive to the end where there is a viewpoint or you can take a lovely walk on the beach. There are many parking spaces available here. From here the route returns to the center of Dunedin where you can continue the day with a visit to the city center, the many cafes, the station and the cathedral.
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Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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New Zealand
About this region
New Zealand (Māori: Aotearoa [aɔˈtɛaɾɔa]) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) and the South Island (Te Waipounamu)—and more than 700 smaller islands, covering a total area of 268,021 square kilometres (103,500 sq mi). New Zealand is about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the islands of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. The country's varied topography and sharp mountain peaks, including the Southern Alps, owe much to tectonic uplift and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, and its most populous city is Auckland.
Owing to their remoteness, the islands of New Zealand were the last large habitable lands to be settled by humans. Between about 1280 and 1350, Polynesians began to settle in the islands and then developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand. In 1840, representatives of the United Kingdom and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which declared British sovereignty over the islands. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire, and in 1907 it became a dominion; it gained full statutory independence in 1947, and the British monarch remained the head of state. Today, the majority of New Zealand's population of 5 million is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English being a de facto official and dominant language.
A developed country, New Zealand ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, education, protection of civil liberties, government transparency, and economic freedom. New Zealand underwent major economic changes during the 1980s, which transformed it from a protectionist to a liberalised free-trade economy. The service sector dominates the national economy, followed by the industrial sector, and agriculture; international tourism is a significant source of revenue. Nationally, legislative authority is vested in an elected, unicameral Parliament, while executive political power is exercised by the Cabinet, led by the prime minister, currently Jacinda Ardern. Queen Elizabeth II is the country's monarch and is represented by the governor-general. In addition, New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes. The Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau (a dependent territory); the Cook Islands and Niue (self-governing states in free association with New Zealand); and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica.
New Zealand is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, ASEAN Plus Six, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Pacific Community and the Pacific Islands Forum.
Read more on Wikipedia
Owing to their remoteness, the islands of New Zealand were the last large habitable lands to be settled by humans. Between about 1280 and 1350, Polynesians began to settle in the islands and then developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand. In 1840, representatives of the United Kingdom and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which declared British sovereignty over the islands. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire, and in 1907 it became a dominion; it gained full statutory independence in 1947, and the British monarch remained the head of state. Today, the majority of New Zealand's population of 5 million is of European descent; the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English being a de facto official and dominant language.
A developed country, New Zealand ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as quality of life, education, protection of civil liberties, government transparency, and economic freedom. New Zealand underwent major economic changes during the 1980s, which transformed it from a protectionist to a liberalised free-trade economy. The service sector dominates the national economy, followed by the industrial sector, and agriculture; international tourism is a significant source of revenue. Nationally, legislative authority is vested in an elected, unicameral Parliament, while executive political power is exercised by the Cabinet, led by the prime minister, currently Jacinda Ardern. Queen Elizabeth II is the country's monarch and is represented by the governor-general. In addition, New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes. The Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau (a dependent territory); the Cook Islands and Niue (self-governing states in free association with New Zealand); and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealand's territorial claim in Antarctica.
New Zealand is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, ASEAN Plus Six, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Pacific Community and the Pacific Islands Forum.
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540Amount of downloads (New Zealand)
Route Collections in this region A complete tour of North Island New Zealand from Auckland
A superb tour of everything that the beautiful North Island of New Zealand has to offer. From the far north at Cape Reinga where two mighty ocean currents collide, then, situated at the southern end of the North Island is the capital city of Wellington, recently named "the coolest little capital in the world" by Lonely Planet. Experience everything in between, journey through landscapes of magnificent coasts and beaches, sprawling farmlands and geothermal wonders. The breathtakingly beautiful Bay of Islands or the majestic, symmetrical volcanic cone of Mt Taranaki, or sitting within the Pacific Rim of Fire, Rotorua is a geothermal wonderland with bubbling mud pools, clouds of steam, and natural hot springs perfect for bathing and relaxing in. North Island has it all.
Māori culture is rich and ever-present in many parts of the North Island as is the architecture of the early European settlers. I would allow 3 weeks to cover this tour as this will enable you to spend more than one night in some of the fantastic locations.
Note: At Gisborne you have a choice of two routes, the coastal route included in this collection 13a or a shorter, inland route that travels through the Waioeka Gorge Scenic Reserve 13b. Links for both routes are included in the route 12 review.
Enjoy.
Māori culture is rich and ever-present in many parts of the North Island as is the architecture of the early European settlers. I would allow 3 weeks to cover this tour as this will enable you to spend more than one night in some of the fantastic locations.
Note: At Gisborne you have a choice of two routes, the coastal route included in this collection 13a or a shorter, inland route that travels through the Waioeka Gorge Scenic Reserve 13b. Links for both routes are included in the route 12 review.
Enjoy.
View Route Collection
A complete and epic 9 route tour of South Island New Zealand
The picture above is of the Devil's Staircase running alongside Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand's longest lake at 80 km. It was difficult to find one picture to sum up South Island because of the many varied and stunningly beautiful landscapes that this tour travels through.
The beauty of the South Island is in the diversity of its scenery.
Southern Alps
The main feature of scenery in the South Island is mountains. The Southern Alps mountain range is the backbone of the island, stretching for roughly 500 kilometres from Wanaka to Arthur's Pass. The Alps have snowy tops all year round, feeding glaciers and crystal clear rivers.
The highest mountain in New Zealand, Aoraki/Mount Cook, this soars to 3,724 metres. Mount Cook is one of New Zealand's greatest natural features.
Route highlights:
01: Lewis Pass road.
02: Arthur's Pass.
03: Mount Cook.
04: Lindis Pass.
05: Southern Scenic Route and Bluff.
06: Devil's Staircase.
07: Haast Pass.
08: Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.
09: Buller Gorge.
Eight of these routes are 5 ***** star routes and the ninth is a 4**** star. There is so much to see on this tour it is guaranteed to make unforgettable memories.
You might want to allow for a few extra nights, I would suggest 2 nights in:
Christchurch.
Bluff or Invercargill.
Queenstown.
Fox Glacier.
And maybe a night in Motueka.
Enjoy.
The beauty of the South Island is in the diversity of its scenery.
Southern Alps
The main feature of scenery in the South Island is mountains. The Southern Alps mountain range is the backbone of the island, stretching for roughly 500 kilometres from Wanaka to Arthur's Pass. The Alps have snowy tops all year round, feeding glaciers and crystal clear rivers.
The highest mountain in New Zealand, Aoraki/Mount Cook, this soars to 3,724 metres. Mount Cook is one of New Zealand's greatest natural features.
Route highlights:
01: Lewis Pass road.
02: Arthur's Pass.
03: Mount Cook.
04: Lindis Pass.
05: Southern Scenic Route and Bluff.
06: Devil's Staircase.
07: Haast Pass.
08: Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers.
09: Buller Gorge.
Eight of these routes are 5 ***** star routes and the ninth is a 4**** star. There is so much to see on this tour it is guaranteed to make unforgettable memories.
You might want to allow for a few extra nights, I would suggest 2 nights in:
Christchurch.
Bluff or Invercargill.
Queenstown.
Fox Glacier.
And maybe a night in Motueka.
Enjoy.
View Route Collection