Akaroa: Pohatu Little Penguins 3-Hour Evening Experience

Highlights

• Marvel at wild penguins in their natural habitat at dusk
• Enjoy a scenic 4WD drive to Pohatu/Flea Bay from Akaroa
• Gain great insight into the life of a penguin and local conservation efforts
• Contribute to a 30-year conservation and monitoring project

Description

Join the tour from Akaroa for a scenic drive by a 4WD minivan over the crater rim of the Akaroa volcano to Pohatu/Flea Bay. Listen as your guide shares with you the history and unique wildlife of the area.

Stop for photo opportunities where you can gaze across Akaroa harbor and enjoy stunning views of the endless Pacific Ocean. On arrival, walk around the colony to monitor nesting sites (small wooden houses), collect data, and make sure that the birds are doing well.

Spot penguins undisturbed and socializing on the water, with a chance of some returning to shore as darkness falls.

Binoculars and camouflage gear are provided to maximize viewing abilities. Darkness will signal the end of the activity, as artificial lighting disturbs the birds so is not used.

At certain times of the year, you may even see some of the rehabilitation efforts, such as supplemental feeding.

Seasonal Info

Note, our colony is very organised and there are times of the year when numbers are higher than others so here is what to expect throughout the year.

The colony breeds from mid-September to the end of December. Then, birds moult until mid/ end of February. There are generally no penguins from early March to mid-April. Over the winter months, penguins come and go and although it is rare to find a bird, there are times with less birds than others.

Includes

Scenic return transport by 4WD minivan
Experienced guide
Photo stops
Penguin monitoring and viewing
Camouflage gear
Use of binoculars

Important Information

• The departure time changes due to the sunset. The local tour operator will send you an email with further information regarding where to meet, what to bring Photography is welcome, but the use of flash is strictly prohibited The main focus of this activity is monitoring nesting sites offering the opportunity to see penguins up close and watching them socializing on the water Tours rely on natural viewing for this colony, no artificial lighting is used. Depending on the weather and natural penguin behavior, there is usually a window of opportunity before it gets too dark to view penguins coming ashore. It cannot be guaranteed that the birds will come ashore before darkness Due to the sensitive wildlife habitat, only guided groups can visit the breeding colony to view the White-flippered Penguins

Easy cancellation

Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund