Good morning from National Geographic Orion. We are on the ninth day of a two-week voyage to explore the two main islands of Aoteroa. We began in Auckland, exploring the North Island for the first week and are now exploring the South Island. Our guests enjoyed a morning full of extraordinary talks from a few of our naturalists, and after lunch, we docked in Dunedin.
Guests had three options for the afternoon: a town tour including a lovely museum and train station, an adventurous four-wheel drive to view New Zealand fur seals (and if guests were lucky, some little blue penguins), or to visit Orokonui Ecosanctuary, where guests explored a native rainforest in hopes of seeing a variety of birds and plants. Opened in 2007, the ecosanctuary is a prized jewel of Dunedin. Residents and sanctuary workers have been extraordinarily successful in maintaining this stunning bit of Dunedin. To be honest, it was a bit of a difficult choice for our guests because each option was brilliant! What an absolutely stunning day here in magical New Zealand.
Tomorrow, we will wake up in the southernmost part of New Zealand to explore Stewart and Ulva Islands. Guests are beyond excited!
