We had a GREAT experience working with Dianne and her firm GoWalkAbout Travel. (…) She has deep knowledge of the accommodations, sights and adventures, earned over many years of experience, but happily finds the new and innovative.
Dunedin And The Catlins, New Zealand
Dunedin is the second-largest city on New Zealand’s South Island, and it’s located on the southeast coast at the base of the Otago Peninsula, which juts out into the Pacific Ocean. It’s most well known for its Scottish heritage, dramatic natural sights, and high student population thanks to the University of Otago.
The Catlins is a region at the very bottom of New Zealand’s South Island, starting just south of Dunedin and extending along the coastline as it curves to the southwest. Wild and remote, The Catlins is a great place to get off the beaten path and experience rural New Zealand at its most beautiful. Picture wind-swept cliffs over the ocean and green grass on rolling hills dotted with white sheep. We especially recommend the Catlins as the most scenic driving route between Queenstown and Dunedin.
When to Visit Dunedin And The Catlins
Since Dunedin and the Catlins are at the southernmost tip of New Zealand, they can get chilly from around April through October. Summer is the most popular time to visit, especially between November and February.
However, all of the area’s wonders, both natural and man-made, are gorgeous at any time of year. Plus, since it’s not in the Southern Alps, the area tends to be a bit warmer with less snow in winter than points West like Queenstown and Wanaka. In fact, some of the best wildlife can be found in the colder months, so depending on your interests, that might be the best time of year for you to go! Your New Zealand Travel Agent will assist you with choosing your travel times!
Where to Stay In Dunedin And The Catlins
Dunedin is a great place to spend two or three days, and the Catlins is best as a two or three-day drive. There are a couple of high-end properties around Dunedin, mostly in the scenic natural areas to the North (around Oamaru) and on the Otago Peninsula. Dunedin itself has a number of three to four-star hotels, B&Bs, and apartment-style rentals that offer a comfortable stay. In the Catlins, you can visit a farm stay or homestay, or if standard hotels are more your style, then the small city of Invercargill offers a few good options. Invercargill is the southernmost city in the world and the jumping-off point for flights and ferries to Stewart Island.
What to Do When Touring Dunedin And The Catlins
Our favorite activity around Dunedin is to spend a day (or more!) out on the Otago Peninsula, just East of town. The Otago Peninsula is home to the world’s rarest penguin, the Yellow-Eyed Penguin, as well as the world’s only mainland Royal Albatross colony and a healthy population of Little Blue Penguins. Marine mammals are also common here, with the world’s rarest sea lion, the New Zealand Sea Lion, as well as New Zealand fur seals.
On the Otago Peninsula, you’ll also find Larnach Castle, a large stone Scottish manor with extensive gardens and lovely views. Or if you’re just here for nature, head out on any of the peninsula’s lovely hiking trails, leading off towards the shoreline where you may find some sea lions basking in the sun. Or try to spot marine life from onboard a cruise around the harbor.
Within the city of Dunedin, you have the sense of immersing yourself in history. This city is home to New Zealand’s oldest University, oldest surviving newspaper, first public art gallery, and stately Edwardian and Georgian architecture. Head over to Baldwin Street, renowned as being the steepest street in the world, where the sidewalk is actually stairs! In the city of Dunedin, you can also stroll through the Chinese Garden, or visit a number of museums — Otago Settlers Museum, New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, and Otago Museum are favorites especially for those traveling with kids.
About an hour’s drive north of Dunedin, you’ll find the unusual Moeraki Boulders. Like giant marbles on the sand, the creation of these natural boulders is mysterious and offers a striking place to explore for an hour or so.
Once you head into the Catlins to the South of Dunedin, sightseeing is all about getting off the beaten path. There are lots of little stops along the road that make the experience here all about the drive, not the destination. Some of our favorite sights include Curio Bay, where you can see petrified tree stumps at low tide. We also love Nugget Point, with its lighthouse and occasionally, spotting of yellow-eyed penguins. Slope Point is the Southernmost Point in New Zealand, with nothing but a few tiny islands and a lot of ocean between you and Antarctica.
For those who love scenic drives, wilderness, wildlife, and history, Dunedin and the Catlins are the perfect places to visit in New Zealand. Whether you’re coming from New York, Calgary, Seattle, or somewhere in between, this region is well worth a visit.
What Our Past Travelers Have to Say
G’day Dianne. Thank you! You listened well and organized our trip extremely well. Pick up and delivery times were spot on. The hotels were all good to great. (…) I just wanted to let you know that we appreciated everything you did to arrange a wonderful trip.
42 Days, 2 Countries, 6 States, 1 Territory, 15 Cities/Locations, 14 Flights and not a single mishap. On top of that, we had a GREAT TIME! A TRIP OF A LIFE-TIME! Our six week adventure to Australia and Singapore was our most memorable vacation to date. (…) Dianne is a wonderful find and without hesitation we recommend her to family and friends. Dianne will certainly be organizing our next adventure.
(…) Dianne put together an incredible New Zealand trip for us – we travelled from one tip to the other, East and West included. I would have thought Dianne knew me from childhood as every spot we visited or stayed at – was exactly what I would have chosen myself (had I known the country). (…)
Dianne planned a fantastic honeymoon for us. (…) We gave her an idea of the things and activities that we like to do and she just rolled with it! We didn’t really know much about either place, so didn’t have too much of a preference of where we wanted to go, but with her knowledge she was able to send us to some amazing places. (…) Thanks for planning us a wonderful honeymoon!
(…) Everything went very smoothly, thanks to you and your organizational skills! We really appreciate everything you did for us! (…) I want to thank you (Dianne) for all the work you & your colleagues did to ensure that we had an enjoyable holiday.
(…) Dianne, there are so many things you did for us that I cannot list them all in a letter. However, I can say that I have never worked with a travel agent before who took as much time to deal with all the details – big and small. It was like we were part of your extended family and you took full responsibility for our wellbeing. I would recommend you to anyone looking for a great travel agent, and I wish you the best of success in the future.
(…) From the beginning, Dianne really stood out. She spent a significant amount of time on the front end learning what we were interested in and what we did not like about previous tours. (…) I would definitely recommend GoWalkabout Travel to any of my friends and family. Thanks again for our trip! We had a fantastic time!
It was a trip of a lifetime!! (…) Every thing was working like clockwork. (…) Thanks Dianne and it was a pleasure meeting you and you taking the time to meet us in Sydney.
We really enjoyed working with Dianne in planning our trip to Australia. She was very efficient and gave us great recommendations. Prior to our departure, she ensured we had everything we needed including packing tips, in order to have a great trip. We would highly recommend using her services.
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