Dunedin Holiday Packages

Dunedin is one of New Zealand’s most underrated cities, and a lot of travellers who include it in their South Island itinerary come away wishing they’d spent more time there. It has a strong Scottish heritage, beautiful Victorian and Edwardian architecture, a lively university-town energy and some outstanding wildlife on its doorstep. The Otago Peninsula is one of the best places in the world to see royal albatross, yellow-eyed penguins and New Zealand fur seals in their natural habitat.

Two nights gives you enough time to explore the city and get out to the Otago Peninsula. Three nights is a more comfortable pace, particularly if you want to take a day tour out to the peninsula’s wildlife areas and still have time to enjoy the city itself. Most of our Dunedin holiday packages include it as part of a broader South Island itinerary, which works really well.

A visit to the Otago Peninsula for the wildlife is the standout experience for most travellers. While you’re out that way, Larnach Castle is well worth a stop — it’s New Zealand’s only castle and the gardens and views alone make it worth the visit. Baldwin Street, once recognised as the world’s steepest residential street, is a fun stop. The Dunedin Railway Station is one of New Zealand’s most photographed buildings and worth seeing even if you’re not catching a train. The Otago Settlers Museum is also worth a look if you’re interested in the city’s history. And the local food and craft beer scene has grown considerably in recent years.

It’s a fairly long drive from Queenstown to Dunedin, around three hours each way, so a day trip is possible but leaves limited time to actually explore. Most travellers find it more enjoyable to build Dunedin in as an overnight stop rather than a day trip, which gives you time to get out to the Otago Peninsula and take things at a relaxed pace. We’re happy to help work this into your itinerary.

Dunedin is generally one of the more affordable South Island cities to visit, with a good range of accommodation options across different budgets. Our Dunedin holiday packages are priced competitively and can be tailored to suit what you’re looking for, whether that’s a short stopover or a longer stay with more experiences built in.

It fits in really naturally. Most South Island itineraries travel between Christchurch and Queenstown, and Dunedin sits comfortably on that route. Adding a night or two there breaks up the journey nicely and gives you access to the Otago Peninsula and the scenic Taieri Gorge Railway, which is one of the more memorable rail experiences on the South Island.