Royal Albatross Centre
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Royal Albatross Centre
Imagine.... a huge Royal Albatross with a three-metre wingspan gliding overhead, within metres from where you are standing....
The Royal Albatross Centre is located at Taiaroa Head on the tip of the Otago Peninsula 45 minutes drive from Dunedin. Owned and operated by the Otago Peninsula Trust, a charitable trust, whose purpose and objective is the protection and enhancement of the Otago Peninsula. Taiaroa Head itself, a nature reserve, is managed by the Department of Conservation.
As well as being the only mainland place in the world to view Northern Royal Albatross in their natural habitat, Taiaroa Head has a strong historical connection. From Maori settlement in the 1300's to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi: the establishment of the lighthouse and fortifications in the late 1800's, and its use as a defense base during World War I and II, New Zealand's culture and history is uniquely celebrated here alongside wildlife.
Open 364 days, the Visitor's Centre is complete with gift shop and cafe. Reservations Essential.
Things to know:
The Royal Albatross Centre is owned and operated by a charitable trust. All surplus funds generated by the enterprise are returned to projects which protect and enhance the environment and wildlife of Dunedin’s Otago Peninsula.
There is no public access to the wildlife reserve, access is granted by booking on a guided tour. Bookings are essential to guarantee a place on a tour.
The albatrosses are not in captivity. They are wild creatures. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee their behaviour or sightings on any given day, although some times of year and some seasonal and weather variations create more suitable conditions for albatrosses to fly.
Ours is a rugged environment. A reasonable level of fitness is required to walk from the Centre to the observatory and the fortifications.
Adults not booked on a tour pay a $5 entry fee to visit the Centre to enjoy the facilities. NZ Gold Card holders $3 and school age children free.
The Royal Albatross Centre is a 32km scenic drive from Dunedin city centre.
The closest public transport to the Centre terminates at Harington Point, 3.5kms from the Centre.
The Northern Royal Albatross is just one of about 20+ species of bird and animal which makes its home on Otago Peninsula’s Taiaroa Head.
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Otago Peninsula TrustCommercial organisation |
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South Island ▷ Coastal Otago ▷ Dunedin |
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Bird Watching
Reviews
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5.0/5
Great experience to see the Royal Albatross during flight.
An excursion was very interesting and instructive too - life of Albatross is really glamourous. The windy day is the best for the excursion.
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5.0/5
Fantastic.
Great information by our guide. Yes - people tell you that the birds can be seen from the parking lot - but paying for the guided tour is well worth the money. Weather was cold and windy but many albatross were flying that day.
JB![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(14,110,91)" /><path d="m 150 643 Q 182 118 -343 150 Q 182 182 150 -343 Q 118 182 643 150 Q 118 118 150 643 z" fill="rgb(220,180,93)" /><path d="m 150 474 Q 267 33 -174 150 Q 267 267 150 -174 Q 33 267 474 150 Q 33 33 150 474 z" fill="rgb(35,75,162)" /><path d="m 150 349 Q 215 85 -49 150 Q 215 215 150 -49 Q 85 215 349 150 Q 85 85 150 349 z" fill="rgb(241,145,164)" /></svg>)
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4.0/5
Very expensive but you feel that good work is done there, nice staff with a good knowledge.
AT![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(109,211,222)" /><path d="m 150 502 Q 160 140 -202 150 Q 160 160 150 -202 Q 140 160 502 150 Q 140 140 150 502 z" fill="rgb(96,89,131)" /><path d="m 150 511 Q 67 233 -211 150 Q 67 67 150 -211 Q 233 67 511 150 Q 233 233 150 511 z" fill="rgb(159,166,124)" /><path d="m 150 200 Q 95 205 100 150 Q 95 95 150 100 Q 205 95 200 150 Q 205 205 150 200 z" fill="rgb(146,44,33)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
Really impressed with the dedication from the team there.
Very informative information and was amazing to see those incredible birds in flight and nesting.
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4.0/5
Great sense of history.
Video, tours and more wildlife than you can shake a stick at. Seal, sea lions and a variety of birds. You do not have to pay for the seals and lions but the Albatross and penguins are guided tours.
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3.0/5
Beautiful landscape where it is possible to see seals, albatross and penguins.
But to see penguins it is a little expensive just for one or two hours photography.
LB![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(7,131,82)" /><path d="m 150 686 Q 177 123 -386 150 Q 177 177 150 -386 Q 123 177 686 150 Q 123 123 150 686 z" fill="rgb(68,18,237)" /><path d="m 150 482 Q 294 6 -182 150 Q 294 294 150 -182 Q 6 294 482 150 Q 6 6 150 482 z" fill="rgb(187,237,18)" /><path d="m 150 324 Q 201 99 -24 150 Q 201 201 150 -24 Q 99 201 324 150 Q 99 99 150 324 z" fill="rgb(248,124,173)" /></svg>)
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4.0/5
We saw a lot of birds and a few very big Albatross.
Great to see these birds and nice centre with a lot of information.
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3.0/5
Since we love bird watching, we paid double what it should have cost to see four nesting birds and little else.
There was 2 tier viewing and the people in the back row were left waiting for a turn to see.
CH![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(36,16,193)" /><path d="m 150 714 Q 107 193 -414 150 Q 107 107 150 -414 Q 193 107 714 150 Q 193 193 150 714 z" fill="rgb(124,248,119)" /><path d="m 150 520 Q 168 132 -220 150 Q 168 168 150 -220 Q 132 168 520 150 Q 132 132 150 520 z" fill="rgb(131,7,136)" /><path d="m 150 267 Q 210 90 33 150 Q 210 210 150 33 Q 90 210 267 150 Q 90 90 150 267 z" fill="rgb(219,239,62)" /></svg>)
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2.5/5
Expensive.
Interesting explanations about Albatross lives but could not see very well with birds (too far away or too fast).
R![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(113,76,99)" /><path d="m 150 661 Q 205 95 -361 150 Q 205 205 150 -361 Q 95 205 661 150 Q 95 95 150 661 z" fill="rgb(166,178,99)" /><path d="m 150 451 Q 262 38 -151 150 Q 262 262 150 -151 Q 38 262 451 150 Q 38 38 150 451 z" fill="rgb(89,77,156)" /><path d="m 150 181 Q 194 106 119 150 Q 194 194 150 119 Q 106 194 181 150 Q 106 106 150 181 z" fill="rgb(142,179,156)" /></svg>)
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4.5/5
Have seen 5 nests (sitting Albatross) and one flying Albatross!
Wonderful experience.
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3.5/5
Very nice centre and an informative tour, we did not see very many albatross though!
EP![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(92,173,233)" /><path d="m 150 713 Q 183 117 -413 150 Q 183 183 150 -413 Q 117 183 713 150 Q 117 117 150 713 z" fill="rgb(61,216,176)" /><path d="m 150 502 Q 57 243 -202 150 Q 57 57 150 -202 Q 243 57 502 150 Q 243 243 150 502 z" fill="rgb(194,39,79)" /><path d="m 150 190 Q 270 30 110 150 Q 270 270 150 110 Q 30 270 190 150 Q 30 30 150 190 z" fill="rgb(163,82,22)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(255,72,162)" /><path d="m 150 752 Q 158 142 -452 150 Q 158 158 150 -452 Q 142 158 752 150 Q 142 142 150 752 z" fill="rgb(225,101,120)" /><path d="m 150 307 Q 246 54 -7 150 Q 246 246 150 -7 Q 54 246 307 150 Q 54 54 150 307 z" fill="rgb(30,154,135)" /><path d="m 150 254 Q 76 224 46 150 Q 76 76 150 46 Q 224 76 254 150 Q 224 224 150 254 z" fill="rgb(0,183,93)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(239,70,109)" /><path d="m 150 725 Q 229 71 -425 150 Q 229 229 150 -425 Q 71 229 725 150 Q 71 71 150 725 z" fill="rgb(160,138,143)" /><path d="m 150 534 Q 190 110 -234 150 Q 190 190 150 -234 Q 110 190 534 150 Q 110 110 150 534 z" fill="rgb(95,117,112)" /><path d="m 150 248 Q 89 211 52 150 Q 89 89 150 52 Q 211 89 248 150 Q 211 211 150 248 z" fill="rgb(16,185,146)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(244,133,228)" /><path d="m 150 644 Q 46 254 -344 150 Q 46 46 150 -344 Q 254 46 644 150 Q 254 254 150 644 z" fill="rgb(169,101,63)" /><path d="m 150 430 Q 238 62 -130 150 Q 238 238 150 -130 Q 62 238 430 150 Q 62 62 150 430 z" fill="rgb(86,154,192)" /><path d="m 150 321 Q 218 82 -21 150 Q 218 218 150 -21 Q 82 218 321 150 Q 82 82 150 321 z" fill="rgb(11,122,27)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(69,105,49)" /><path d="m 150 738 Q 96 204 -438 150 Q 96 96 150 -438 Q 204 96 738 150 Q 204 204 150 738 z" fill="rgb(159,70,188)" /><path d="m 150 458 Q 58 242 -158 150 Q 58 58 150 -158 Q 242 58 458 150 Q 242 242 150 458 z" fill="rgb(96,185,67)" /><path d="m 150 258 Q 177 123 42 150 Q 177 177 150 42 Q 123 177 258 150 Q 123 123 150 258 z" fill="rgb(186,150,206)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(134,237,125)" /><path d="m 150 531 Q 129 171 -231 150 Q 129 129 150 -231 Q 171 129 531 150 Q 171 171 150 531 z" fill="rgb(39,244,149)" /><path d="m 150 485 Q 225 75 -185 150 Q 225 225 150 -185 Q 75 225 485 150 Q 75 75 150 485 z" fill="rgb(216,11,106)" /><path d="m 150 257 Q 266 34 43 150 Q 266 266 150 43 Q 34 266 257 150 Q 34 34 150 257 z" fill="rgb(121,18,130)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(148,185,226)" /><path d="m 150 616 Q 226 74 -316 150 Q 226 226 150 -316 Q 74 226 616 150 Q 74 74 150 616 z" fill="rgb(248,16,142)" /><path d="m 150 545 Q 213 87 -245 150 Q 213 213 150 -245 Q 87 213 545 150 Q 87 87 150 545 z" fill="rgb(7,239,113)" /><path d="m 150 329 Q 238 62 -29 150 Q 238 238 150 -29 Q 62 238 329 150 Q 62 62 150 329 z" fill="rgb(107,70,29)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(0,182,198)" /><path d="m 150 708 Q 90 210 -408 150 Q 90 90 150 -408 Q 210 90 708 150 Q 210 210 150 708 z" fill="rgb(137,47,250)" /><path d="m 150 343 Q 192 108 -43 150 Q 192 192 150 -43 Q 108 192 343 150 Q 108 108 150 343 z" fill="rgb(118,208,5)" /><path d="m 150 152 Q 280 20 148 150 Q 280 280 150 148 Q 20 280 152 150 Q 20 20 150 152 z" fill="rgb(255,73,57)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(209,42,28)" /><path d="m 150 592 Q 203 97 -292 150 Q 203 203 150 -292 Q 97 203 592 150 Q 97 97 150 592 z" fill="rgb(67,148,88)" /><path d="m 150 304 Q 166 134 -4 150 Q 166 166 150 -4 Q 134 166 304 150 Q 134 134 150 304 z" fill="rgb(188,107,167)" /><path d="m 150 245 Q 114 186 55 150 Q 114 114 150 55 Q 186 114 245 150 Q 186 186 150 245 z" fill="rgb(46,213,227)" /></svg>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(31,163,99)" /><path d="m 150 556 Q 277 23 -256 150 Q 277 277 150 -256 Q 23 277 556 150 Q 23 23 150 556 z" fill="rgb(174,99,225)" /><path d="m 150 319 Q 247 53 -19 150 Q 247 247 150 -19 Q 53 247 319 150 Q 53 53 150 319 z" fill="rgb(81,156,30)" /><path d="m 150 144 Q 172 128 156 150 Q 172 172 150 156 Q 128 172 144 150 Q 128 128 150 144 z" fill="rgb(224,92,156)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
Fantastic.
Great information by our guide. Yes - people tell you that the birds can be seen from the parking lot - but paying for the guided tour is well worth the money. Weather was cold and windy but many albatross were flying that day.
JB -
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4.0/5
Very expensive but you feel that good work is done there, nice staff with a good knowledge.
AT -
5.0/5
Great experience to see the Royal Albatross during flight.
An excursion was very interesting and instructive too - life of Albatross is really glamourous. The windy day is the best for the excursion.
-
3.0/5
Beautiful landscape where it is possible to see seals, albatross and penguins.
But to see penguins it is a little expensive just for one or two hours photography.
LB -
5.0/5
Really impressed with the dedication from the team there.
Very informative information and was amazing to see those incredible birds in flight and nesting.
-
4.0/5
Great sense of history.
Video, tours and more wildlife than you can shake a stick at. Seal, sea lions and a variety of birds. You do not have to pay for the seals and lions but the Albatross and penguins are guided tours.
-
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2.5/5
Expensive.
Interesting explanations about Albatross lives but could not see very well with birds (too far away or too fast).
R -
3.0/5
Since we love bird watching, we paid double what it should have cost to see four nesting birds and little else.
There was 2 tier viewing and the people in the back row were left waiting for a turn to see.
CH -
4.0/5
We saw a lot of birds and a few very big Albatross.
Great to see these birds and nice centre with a lot of information.
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3.0/5
For bird lovers, very interesting, for me nice, but not a must see.
We saw three nesting Albatross.
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2.5/5
There were only three albatross to see sitting on their eggs, we expected to see more, quite expensive $45 per person, but the guide gave a lot of very interesting information and it is a good project
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4.5/5
Have seen 5 nests (sitting Albatross) and one flying Albatross!
Wonderful experience.
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2.0/5
Nice to see the rare bird.
But a bit expensive 9$45) to see them by a window at 300m doing nothing. But maybe we were unlucky.
L![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(101,17,255)" /><path d="m 150 709 Q 248 52 -409 150 Q 248 248 150 -409 Q 52 248 709 150 Q 52 52 150 709 z" fill="rgb(172,171,185)" /><path d="m 150 519 Q 174 126 -219 150 Q 174 174 150 -219 Q 126 174 519 150 Q 126 126 150 519 z" fill="rgb(83,84,70)" /><path d="m 150 339 Q 207 93 -39 150 Q 207 207 150 -39 Q 93 207 339 150 Q 93 93 150 339 z" fill="rgb(154,238,0)" /></svg>)
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3.0/5
It was friendly people there and the moved and other things was okay.
But it is too expensive.
B![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(96,78,140)" /><path d="m 150 508 Q 141 159 -208 150 Q 141 141 150 -208 Q 159 141 508 150 Q 159 159 150 508 z" fill="rgb(201,114,231)" /><path d="m 150 327 Q 49 251 -27 150 Q 49 49 150 -27 Q 251 49 327 150 Q 251 251 150 327 z" fill="rgb(54,141,24)" /><path d="m 150 158 Q 248 52 142 150 Q 248 248 150 142 Q 52 248 158 150 Q 52 52 150 158 z" fill="rgb(159,177,115)" /></svg>)
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3.5/5
Very nice centre and an informative tour, we did not see very many albatross though!
EP -
5.0/5
Viewing nesting Albatross chicks, guided tour, presentation all were excellent.
Very well managed facilities, saw many adult and several Albatross chicks.
je![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(4,12,225)" /><path d="m 150 629 Q 275 25 -329 150 Q 275 275 150 -329 Q 25 275 629 150 Q 25 25 150 629 z" fill="rgb(3,35,215)" /><path d="m 150 418 Q 288 12 -118 150 Q 288 288 150 -118 Q 12 288 418 150 Q 12 12 150 418 z" fill="rgb(252,220,40)" /><path d="m 150 284 Q 266 34 16 150 Q 266 266 150 16 Q 34 266 284 150 Q 34 34 150 284 z" fill="rgb(251,243,30)" /></svg>)
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