Seeing the Fiordland Penguin at Lake Moeraki
Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge
From Fox Glacier, it was a short drive to Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge. We traveled here for one reason. The Fiordland crested penguin.
We had booked a garden view room and were assigned Room #10, which overlooked the river and felt like an unexpected upgrade. The lodge had this warm, slightly wild atmosphere that reminded us of places like Africa or even Borneo. We really like wilderness lodges. Breakfast and dinner are included, and they are proper meals, not buffets. Somehow I managed zero photos of the lodge and about twenty photos of the food.
There are guided activities each day, plus hiking trails and kayaks. They even offered a guided hike to see eels, but I still had nightmares from the eels at Abel Tasman. We did a few of the walks on our own and they were lovely, especially for macro photography.
But we weren’t here for kayaking of macro photography.
Penguin #13: The Fiordland Penguin
The Fiordland crested penguin, or tawaki, is one of the rarest penguin species in the world, found only along the remote southwest coast of New Zealand. They nest in dense coastal forest and are notoriously difficult to access, which makes sightings like this feel earned rather than guaranteed.
Our first outing was the morning penguin walk, with just seven of us including our guide. We met our lovely guide at 9am for a quick briefing.
We were fitted with muck boots. Despite there being a whole room of boots, there weren’t any in my size. Maybe the other people all wore the same size and got there first? I felt slightly ridiculous clomping around in boots clearly designed for someone with much larger feet, and it reminded me of that ryokan we stayed at in Japan when we went to photograph the snow monkeys. Still, dry feet matter, and it was better than getting my hiking shoes soaked.
We drove five minutes down the road before pulling over and quickly slipping onto the trail while our guide moved the van further along, careful not to leave any obvious trace of where we’d entered. It felt oddly tactical, like we were being deployed rather than going for a walk. The area is technically public access, but Fiordland penguin habitat is fragile, so location discretion is part of the deal.
The walk itself is straightforward, less than a kilometre in total, with five small river crossings that keep things interesting without being difficult.
Our First Sighting of the Fiordland Penguin
It had been raining earlier that morning, but the skies cleared just as we reached the beach. And almost immediately, we saw them. Two penguins. Just standing there. Penguin number thirteen. The Fiordland penguin. Check.
Fiordland penguins have striking red eyes that stand out against their dark plumage, giving them a slightly intense, almost watchful expression. There is no bird flu in New Zealand, so unlike Antarctica and the Subantarctic Islands, you are allowed to sit and lay down if you want. Andy took full advantage, and for context, this is how close we were able to get.
Further down the beach, a few more were making their way from the water toward the forest. If I asked 100 people to describe the ideal penguin habitat, I bet none would describe this beach.
The beach was scattered with vivid pink seaweed, the kind of color that looks almost artificial until you realize it’s yet another small detail that makes New Zealand feel a little unreal.
One penguin lingered near us for most of the 90 minutes before heading back out to sea. He walked with a noticeable limp, something wrong with his foot, and our guide told us he has been around for years and seems to manage just fine.
Were the photos portfolio-worthy? No. But that was never our expectation. These penguins are notoriously difficult to see, so just finding them felt like a win, and we walked away pretty pleased, especially knowing we had another session booked for the following afternoon.
Sand Flies and Round Two
We were back at the lodge for lunch and decided to head out again that afternoon for a hike on our own. For reasons that still escape me, we wore the muck boots again. They had been useful that morning, but for a six-kilometre completely dry hike they were completely unnecessary and deeply uncomfortable.
There may well have been Fiordland penguins on that beach, but we will never know because the sand flies were relentless. So much so that I only lasted long enough to take my boot off and shake out a rock before admitting defeat. We practically jogged the rest of the way back to the lodge.
The Perfect Penguin Afternoon
The next day we had booked the afternoon penguin walk. Yes, we had already seen the Fiordland penguin the day before. But we always book multiple outings when wildlife is involved. Conditions change. Weather shifts. Animals behave differently from one hour to the next. And this time, everything aligned. The weather was almost suspiciously good for New Zealand. Clear skies. Bright sun. Proper beach weather.
We had a larger group that afternoon, twelve people split across two vans, but it never felt crowded. We reached the beach and got settled, ready to wait for the penguins to appear.
But there was already a penguin standing there as if he had arrived early to greet us. Then more emerged from the water. We watched the Fiordland penguins shake droplets from their feathers, waddle deliberately up the beach, and climb the hill toward their nests. Others swam just offshore, porpoising through the water in that efficient way penguins do. It was one of those wildlife moments where everything unfolds exactly as you had hoped.
And somehow, miraculously, there were no sand flies. Here’s some iPhone video because they are just too cute.
The End of the Pre-Trip
Our side-quest to New Zealand had been a complete success. We were two for two on new penguin species, and it was now time to move on to the riskier part of the itinerary: The quest for Snow Hill and the Emperor penguins.
We’re Andy and Jennifer—two former corporate executives who chose long ago to prioritise experiences over stuff while pursuing our passions for travel and photography. From the Arctic to Antarctica, and most places in between, we’ve captured the world through our lenses and love sharing those stories. Our careers gave us the means, but our purpose is inspiring others to explore and helping people create images they’re proud of.
