Garden and City tour
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
This is a short tour by bus around some of the main attractions of Dunedin. It is aimed at cruise ship passengers but anyone can participate so long as it is a cruise ship day.
The tour stops at all locations mentioned with a chance to get off and have a walk around.
Comfortable vehicles and a commentary is provided.
A full refund will be offered if at the conclusion of the tour the customer is dissatisfied with any part of the experience that is within the operator's control so long as the issue is raised first with the operator before any third party. (Subject to tripadvisor complying with operator request)
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
We can usually accomodate wheelchairs and prams in the bus but person must sit on a seat in bus.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
The Octagon
See the central area of Dunedin
Baldwin Street - World's Steepest Street!
View or walk up the street
What‘s Included
Air-conditioned vehicle
Lunch
Options
Garden and City tour from Port
Duration: 4 hours: Leaving at 9.45 and 10.30 from Port Chalmers or if ship comes in later about an hour after the ship docks. Returns at 1.45-3
Port pickup: Pickup from Port Otago at Port Chalmers, tour of Dunedin and then return to Port.
Bus
Pickup included
Later cruise ship dock time
Tour starts at customised time
Pickup included
Reviews
199 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Good overview of Dunedin's main attractions if you want a leisurely half-day tour of the central city and gardens.
Wendy H,,Jan 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00David, our guide, born and bred in Dunedin, was very knowledgeable and shared many interesting facts and stories that enhanced the overall experience. He gets 5 stars. I'm rating the tour itself 4.5 stars, but 5 stars was the only option. I'm deducting 0.5 stars because there was not enough time allocated at the Octagon to have lunch and walk around. However, there was an option to stay longer, but it meant you had to make your own way back to the ship. Our tour began with a half-hour drive to the most -photgraphed Railway Train station. Right next door was Toitu museum, where you can grab some lovely souvenirs, a nice coffee snack, and the local delicacy, the cheese roll (a buttered, single piece of white bread, filled with cheese) for a hefty $6 NZD. If you wait to get it at the bakery on George St, near the Octagon, it is only $2.60 NZD. Next stop was the steepest street in the world, Baldwin St, followed by Signal Hill (a lookout), and then the expansive Botanic Gardens. We drove past the botanic garden boundary and was dropped off at the bottom to explore for about 40 min. Finally, we arrived at the Octagon and was allocated about 45 minutes to enjoy. We decided to go down George St for a quick bite at the local McDonalds and found we only had enough time to walk back to the pickup point. For the price we paid, I would highly recommend this tour if you want a guided tour of just the highlights of Dunedin and want to get back to the ship within a 4.5 hour window. Good to know: If you are early for your tour, it is worthwhile to check out the free-entry Maritime Museum, which has a lovely view of the cruise ship on the 2nd floor. If local, handmade items are your thing, check out the local markets. It's very small, but I purchased some wooden bookmarks and magnetic bottle openers for $10 NZD each. After the tour, at the exit of the cruise ship terminal, is a gift shop with some reasonably-priced last- minute souvenirs. Also, know that there will be others joining the tour from the Railway station, which means you may be displaced from your seat. I found there were people who did not know the seating etiquette, who kept 'upgrading' their seats as the tour went on, but that was not the tour company's fault.
Informative and fun!
Jennifer1315,,Jan 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Craig was informative and humorous. He took us to the main attractions and gave us the right amount of time to explore on our own. He was considerate of the time to return to the cruise ship. I highly recommend this tour!
Much better value than the cruise ship tours.
Michael F,,Jan 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was an informative and enjoyable 4+ hours of information and sightseeing exactly what we wanted. With a pleasant and lovely guide and driver Craig. Lots of free time to explore and buy the odd souvenier. Excellent value for money all run by a friendly and helpful team Bronny, Highly recommended.
What an awesome tour around Dunedin!
Elizabeth B,,Jan 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Craig was phenomenal. Knowledgeable and made our tour worth every penny. Will definitely recommend to friends and family. We went with their garden and city tour for our family along with other tourists and it ran on time and smoothly.
Dunedin Garden & City Tour
F7554DNmichaelr,,Jan 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our driver and tour guide was Craig. He made the tour very enjoyable for adults and kids. We visited all of the sites on the itinerary with plenty of time at each stop. Craig was very knowledgeable about things around Dunedin and imparted his knowledge with many local anecdotes and a good sense of humour. I would highly recommend this tour especially if you are visiting on a cruise ship. Good value for money.
A wonderful excursion through Dunedin.
dservetter,,Jan 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Came into Dunedin on a Norwegian cruise and at the cruise part look to see what we can do for the day. After looking at several options, my wife, my brother, and myself decided on the Garden and City tour. Our trip included a visit to the Octagon (central Dunedin), Baldwin Street (the world’s steepest street), the Botanical Gardens, and the Railway Station/Toitū Otago Settlers Museum. The trip also included a ride up to the top of a mountain overlooking the city for some spectacular views, and also some driving through local neighborhoods. Our tour guide, Craig, was beyond fantastic. His wealth of knowledge and humor made this trip a wonderful experience. All three of us would highly recommend this trip to anyone coming into Dunedin
Great value for money, informative & humorous tour
B7998VBjohnb,,Jan 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We took the tour with Craig, who exceeded our expectations with his humour & knowledge of Dunedin. We had a fantastic time & recommend anyone visiting Dunedin to take this very comprehensive & value for money tour 🤩 John & Alice
Absolutely Brilliant!!
Daydream36939279895,,Jan 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Stopped in Dunedin on our cruise over the Christmas and New Years holidays. Myself, husband and his family didn’t have anything planned for the day (Dec 30,2025) and decided to see what was available at the port. We chose the Garden and City Tour with Exploring New Zealand. It’s was absolutely fantastic- quite organised and definitely worth the price. Our tour guide Craig was and absolutely delighted. You could really tell he loved what he does and was so passionate about Dunedin and what it all has to offer. He was extremely enthusiastic and engaging. We could not fault him at all. The whole atmosphere with the group of 36 was surprisingly really lovely, everyone seemed to enjoy and get along. We had plenty of time at each stop to explore, eat (lots) and enjoy the sites on the itinerary and overall duration for the whole tour was great. I would recommend this tour to almost everyone, if there is mobility challenges there will be only a couple of stops someone might find a little challenging but overall lovely and enjoyable for the whole family. Quack Quack Craig 🦆⚫️7
Excellent customer service
Babak M,,Dec 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We actually couldn't catch the tour as our cruise ship couldn't dock at the port due to bad weather, but the tour agency accepted our excuse and fully refunded us.
Great day and well organised
Andrew J,,Dec 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a great day on this tour. Thanks to Bronnie for the great communication when booking. Owen our driver was excellent and gave lots of information along the way. Plenty of time to explore at the stops. Well organised and enjoyable tour - can definitely recommend.
From NZ$60.00
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Operated by Exploring New Zealand