Home»Photo Galleries»New Zealand»New Zealand 2013»Dunedin / Otago Peninsula

Dunedin, situated at the end of a long natural harbour, is a university city originally modeled after Edinburgh in Scotland. Filled with excellent examples of Victorian and Edwardian architecture, Dunedin is centered around the University of Otago. With its long-standing tradition of education, Dunedin has produced many of New Zealand’s best artists, scientists, and business leaders. The city sits below a series of forested hills and low mountains and lies adjacent to the Otago Peninsula, which boasts a landscape of green hills and spectacular coastal scenery where seals, sea lions, yellow-eyed penguins, and a rare and protected colony of albatross can be observed. An hour to the north of Dunedin is historic Oamaru and the famous Moeraki Boulders, while to the south lies the rugged coastline, thick forests, and beautiful waterfalls of the Catlins region. To the west is the Central Otago region with spectacular Lake Wanaka and Queenstown.

The close proximity of Dunedin to so many local and regional gems provided plenty of weekend opportunities for some very special hikes. In addition to our journeys to Wanaka, Queenstown, and the Catlins, we had some wonderful afternoon hikes around Dunedin: Tunnel Beach, Sandfly Bay, Mt. Cargill, Heyward Point, Allans Beach, Long Beach, Taiaroa Head (Albatross Colony), Aramoana, Okia Flats & Victory Beach, Boulder Beach, and Orokonui Ecosanctuary. These places provided us with relaxing strolls on sandy beaches, wonderful views from hilltops, and pleasant walks through forests. We saw yellow-eyed penguins, albatross, seals, sea lions, and many native birds. And some amazing cloud formations led to many fantastic sunsets.