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Pohatu Penguin Habitat

Flea Bay, Akaroa, New Zealand
033048542
Website
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Ranked #1 of 7 attractions in Akaroa
Type: Nature/ Wildlife Areas
42 visitor photos
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60 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    55
    2
    2
    0
    1
Date Rating
Australia
Senior Contributor
45 reviews 45 reviews
10 attraction reviews
Reviews in 21 cities Reviews in 21 cities
18 helpful votes 18 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 11 May 2013

Our Penguin / Nature trip got off to a bad start when we turned up to the office to find nobody at home. After waiting a bit we called and it turned out they had forgotten that we were booked for today! Despite this it was an excellent tour despite the weather and a great insight into the fantastic conservation... More

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Kalispell, Montana
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
17 helpful votes 17 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 May 2013

We stayed overnight at Pohatu Penguin Habitat on the last day/night of our trip to NZ. We met Kevin in town and he helped us load our luggage into his van and took us to a safe area to leave our vehicle overnight. He was very friendly, informative, and made many stops along the way for us to get out... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 2
Perth
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 April 2013

This was without doubt the best tour we did in New Zealand. We were lucky enough to be the only 2 on the tour which meant we had lovely Shireen, (tour guide and business owner), all to ourselves. What a fabulous lady. Shireen is a very skilled and knowledgeable tour guide and her passion for the land, her home and... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
New York
Top Contributor
107 reviews 107 reviews
52 attraction reviews
Reviews in 46 cities Reviews in 46 cities
40 helpful votes 40 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 April 2013

We booked the Pohatu Penguins "Scenic Nature Tour" for a Cruise Critic Roll Call private tour. We booked seats for thirteen and they brought two vans. Shireen Helps, the co-owner of Pohatu Penguins, is a very special person. She was one of the two van drivers. They use 4-wheel drive vans, and when you see where you travel, you clearly... More

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Williamstown, Massachusetts
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
6 attraction reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 April 2013

We took our daughters (ages 7 and 9) on an afternoon sea kayaking trip. The entire experience was outstanding. Kevin picked us up in town and took us out to the bay. We stopped several times for photos en route, and the views back over the harbor were beautiful. He is a very skilled guide, and offered detailed information about... More

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Huntsville, Alabama
Top Contributor
119 reviews 119 reviews
13 attraction reviews
Reviews in 86 cities Reviews in 86 cities
45 helpful votes 45 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 April 2013

I'd love to give a better rating and my experience is from a very short visit during a cruise. The tour is advertised as an opportunity to see penguins. I know the Littles are nocturnal so I should have expected that we wouldn't be able to see them in their natural environment. However, what we saw was one poor little... More

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Kevin P, Manager at Pohatu Penguin Habitat, responded to this review
14 May 2013

I am very sorry to hear that the tour hasn't reached your expectation but there are some things you obviously did not understand and maybe it is our fault for not explaining it clear enough due to the shearing that was happening on that day that we sacrificed time to let you see. As you pointed out Little Penguins are... More

New York, NY
Senior Contributor
30 reviews 30 reviews
12 attraction reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
14 helpful votes 14 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 March 2013

We were lucky enough to participate in the 2 day adventure with our 7 and 10 year old sons. Overall, it was a wonderful, fun- filled experience. On our way to Flea Bay, we stopped and walked a bit to see some spectacular sights, and Shireen provided an informative commentary on the natural history of the area. Upon arrival, we... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Tel Aviv, Israel
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 March 2013

We had Kevin as our guide. He also drove us from Akaroa to Flea Bay and was very impressive, made sure to stop on the way and show us special spots to take in the view and take pictures, was very knowledgeable about the wildlife and area in general and made sure we had a great trip. Kayaking in Flea... More

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Northampton, United Kingdom
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 March 2013

We did the 2 day package on 13th / 14th Feb with our 2 young kids (aged 7 & 10). It was a perfect 2 days. Our package started with a spectacular drive out of Akaroa giving terrific views of the bay, with a few photo-stops along the way. There was an equally scenic drive down the other side into... More

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Christchurch, New Zealand
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 March 2013

We - group of 6 (4 adults and 2 small children) - booked accommodation at Flea Bay with Pohatu. Despite a confirmed booking and a down payment, there was no accommodation available on the day. The owners made no effort to find alternative accommodation and simply gave us our money back. Poor organisation, combined with poor service. Be careful when... More

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