This does cost $40 but is a pretty unique experience. It is good to know that this small colony of only about 150 birds is being supported to exist on mainland NZ, while 20,000 of their cousins thrive on a remote island! Our guide was excellent and the tour of the fortifications and Disappearing Gun is also well worth doing.

Great tour guide, very interesting tour seeing Albatross chicks, parent birds flying in with food, the disappearing gun and history, beautiful countryside and lovely drive out from Dunedin and back. Well worthwhile experience, highly recommended, good value for money. Visitor centre full of interesting information.

We really enjoyed the visit and now understand more about these immense and mesmerising birds. There were four chicks on display, although in a later cruise around the headland we saw about 22 in total. My wife is worried that the enormous chicks are just sitting there and anything could happen to them. I think that she has realised that... More

... as it is the only place to be able to easily see them on the cliff side. The adults can be seen soaring from the parking lot (not as great a picture there as over the water, though). We visited as part of the Elm Wildlife Tour.

The exhibit was really interesting. We didn’t pay the full fee to go up to the lookout. We are glad of the decision as one royal albatross circled around us a couple of times as we walked across the car park. If you walk down to the blue penguin look out and up to the cliff top lookout you will... More

needs to be a windy day for the Albatross to be flying and they're more likely to be around when the chicks are still dependent on the parents feeding them,

We saw the center. The wind was not blowing so the Albatross was not flying... HOWEVER, we went just below and saw seals drying their coats in the sun. Went back at night (cost $20) and heard a talk about blue penguins. These little guys are so cute! Ask inside the Centre about the penguins.

I accept that there is no control for wildlife and that you may not see an adult bird however only getting 15 minutes in the observation room before the next group came in is a bad coporate style of appeoach that is causing the majority of negative comments. After spending $100 for the two of us and we have not... More

We're not at all interested in birdlife, but as we were close to this centre and as it is one of th few places in the world to see Albatrosses we thought we'd give it a go. We were glad we did as it was outstanding. The centre and their staff are excellent. The best bit was viewing the birds.... More