Oamaru Blue Penguin Evening Viewing Ticket

Watch the penguins come home
at the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony

See blue penguins, known as the world's smallest penguin species, return to the colony after a day of fishing at sea, all in their natural environment. The penguins make their way across the beach and rocks to their nesting area.

Check in and meet the penguins from the viewing area

When you arrive at the colony, check in with the staff and a guide will show you to the seating area. The general admission seating is about 10–15 m from the path the penguins take from the beach to their nests, so you can watch them head to their specially built nesting boxes.

Viewing times vary by season. In summer, evening viewing can run as late as 9:00 PM, while in winter the penguins arrive early, around 5:30 PM. The number of penguins also varies widely, from more than 200 in summer to fewer than 30 in winter.

Learn about penguin ecology from the expert team

Throughout the experience, the local expert team explains penguin biology and ecology, breeding habits, the colony's work to protect the penguins, and why conserving these little birds matters so much in New Zealand. If you're lucky, you may also spot New Zealand fur seals and other seabirds such as the Otago shag at the nearby wharf.

※ Wildlife lives in its natural habitat, so sightings and penguin numbers cannot be guaranteed.
※ To protect the penguins, photography and filming are strictly prohibited during the viewing.