10 Great Dunedin Cruise Port Options: Wildlife to a Castle

When your ship docks at Dunedin cruise port, you’ll find yourself at the gateway to one of New Zealand’s most charming cities.

We’ve explored Dunedin many times and are excited to share our favourite experiences to help you maximize your time here.

Dunedin offers a rich blend of Scottish heritage, stunning landscapes, and unique wildlife. Explore historic sites like Larnach Castle, enjoy the vibrant downtown area with its cafes and shops, or head out to the scenic Otago Peninsula for breathtaking views and wildlife encounters from the Royal albatross to endangered penguins.

Our recommendations below will help you make the most of your one day in Dunedin, ensuring you don’t miss any of the city’s highlights.

Map of Dunedin cruise port highlights including the dock location

Dunedin cruise port is located at Port Chalmers, about 15 kilometres from the city centre. The port is a gateway to both Dunedin’s vibrant downtown and the scenic Otago Peninsula, renowned for its wildlife.

You will need transportation to get to any of the sites. We recommend checking your cruise itinerary to see if there is a free shuttle into town. If not, your options are to take a group or private tour that picks up at the port, take the Line 14 bus, which costs $3-$4 and takes about 18 minutes, or find a taxi or Uber.

Below, we outline the 10 things we recommend to pick from if you have only one day in Dunedin, followed by several tours that combine multiple venues, thus making the most of your limited time.

Read next: Cruise port tips to help you choose the best shore options

What to do in one day in Dunedin

There are plenty of amazing things to do in Dunedin, but with only one day in the region, here are the highlights.

Port to Dunedin City highlights

• Dunedin Railway Station
  This historic and architecturally stunning building is the most photographed building in New Zealand. Once inside, be sure to notice the stained-glass windows and mosaic floor.
• World’s steepest street
  Walk up (or down) Baldwin Street. According to Guinness World Records, it is the steepest street in the world at 34.8% incline.
• Signal Hill Lookout
  Panoramic views of Dunedin and Otago Harbour.
• The Octagon
  A lively area in the heart of the city, it is home to St. Paul’s Cathedral and is a central hub with cafes, shops, and entertainment.
• Olveston Historic Home
  Tour this well-preserved early 20th-century mansion with original furnishings, art collections, and beautifully landscaped gardens.
• St. Clair Beach
  Beautiful scenery at this surf beach in Dunedin.

Otago Peninsula highlights

• Larnach Castle
  Tour the grand rooms and beautifully maintained gardens of Larnach Castle, which was New Zealand’s only castle until about 10 years ago when a small one was built in Oamaru. Larnach was built during the 19th century and is not like the medieval castles we see when we travel in Europe.
• Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance
  Previously called Penguin Place, it is a natural home to yellow-eyed penguins and other wildlife, and the tours highlight some of their active restoration projects.
• The Royal Albatross Centre
  At the far end of the peninsula, the Royal Albatross Centre is home to the only mainland breeding colony of royal albatross in the world. You need a tour of the centre to see the birds’ nesting area.
• Wildlife cruise
  From out on the water, you get a different perspective of Dunedin’s wildlife, usually spotting albatross, penguins, and seals in their natural habitat.

How to See it all from the Dunedin cruise port

Obviously, seeing it all in your one day in Dunedin is impossible, but there are a few highly rated tours that pick up from the port, offer small groups, and give you a taste of the city and wildlife, often with a castle too. These are our top picks:

More highly rated Dunedin shore excursions

• Castle, coast, & city tour
  This 4.5-hour tour will visit the three main city sites: Balwin Street, the Octagon, and the Railway station, then head out for 1.5 hours at Larnach Castle and gardens. Reserve your castle, coast, and city tour here.
• V8 trike, peninsula and city tour
  This one-hour tour is just fun. Be sure to read the reviews, as they rave about the guide, the views, and the bike. Note that this tour starts from the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, and while it states it’s great for cruise passengers, you will need to be sure you can get to the starting point. Reserve your V8 trike tour here.
• Dunedin city and coastal views
  This 3-hour small group guided tour will explore the highlights of Dunedin, including a stop at Signal Hill for the amazing views, the Railway Station, Baldwin, Octagon, University of Otago, and St Clair Beach. Reserve your city tour here.
• Albatross, wildlife, and harbour cruise
  This 1.5-hour wildlife cruise starts in Port Chalmers and is a great way to see native birds like albatross, shags, and blue penguins and marine animals like sea lions and dolphins close-up. Reserve your wildlife cruise here.
• Hire a private guide
  If none of this appeals, you don’t like to do it on your own, and you want to cram the maximum amount into your one day in Dunedin, you might want to hire a private guide.

What to bring when cruising in New Zealand

Good news. We offer several free packing lists,including one for cruise travel. If you are like us and like to have everything you need, but not tons of extra stuff, check out these tips for packing light while cruising.

Where to next: What to do at each of the New Zealand cruise ports

If you haven’t read it yet, don’t miss our general tips for first-time visitors to New Zealand or our overview of cruising in New Zealand. We have written more on each cruise port here:

• Bay of Island Cruise Port

• Auckland Cruise Port

• Tauranga Cruise Port (Rotorua, Hobbiton, Mt Maunganui)

• Napier Cruise Port

• Wellington Cruise Port

• Picton Cruise Port

• Christchurch Cruise Port (Lyttleton or Akaroa)

• Dunedin Cruise Port

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How will you spend your one day in Dunedin?