Exploring the Scenic Otago Peninsula Loop
The Otago Peninsula is one of the most rewarding short road trips in Dunedin, combining sheltered harbour edges, exposed ridgelines, historic settlements and wildlife-rich coastlines. If you’re short on time, the Portobello Road–Highcliff Road loop is the perfect introduction, an easy half-day outing that still feels expansive and varied.
The loop takes you out of Dunedin along the water’s edge on Portobello Road, through small harbour-side communities to Portobello, before taking Highcliff Road onto the high spine of the peninsula for wide, windswept views back across Otago Harbour and out to the Pacific.
Following the Harbour: Portobello Road
From central Dunedin, Portobello Road hugs the shoreline of Otago Harbour, staying low as it winds east. This is the gentler half of the loop, with calm water, jetties, and pockets of settlement tucked against the hills. Watch out for the cute painted bus shelters!
Along the way, you’ll pass Broad Bay, a quiet residential hamlet with a strong maritime feel, before reaching the small township of Portobello, the natural heart of the peninsula. It’s an ideal place to stop for a coffee or a meal and a wander along the foreshore. From there, it is also a short drive and walk to Quarantine Point. You can also take a boat to nearby Quarantine Island, once used to isolate arriving crew and passengers carrying disease and now a peaceful spot to pause and explore.
For cyclists, there is also an excellent purpose-built cycle track from Dunedin to Portobello alongside the road. This track is also joined to the track that runs along the north side of the harbour. You can take a boat trip from Port Chalmers to Portobello to complete a loop.
Climbing the Spine: Highcliff Road
From Portobello, Highcliff Road climbs sharply onto the peninsula's ridge, quickly changing the mood of the trip. At around 290 metres above sea level, the road delivers sweeping views across Otago Harbour on one side and down toward the Pacific coast on the other. The road is sealed, but narrow and winding in places; however, the scenery more than compensates.
A short sidewalk from Highcliff Road takes you to the top of Harbour Cone, one of the peninsula’s most prominent volcanic remnants. Near the track access, the exposed conditions have shaped a line of dramatically wind-bent trees, a striking reminder of how harsh the weather can be on the ridgeline.
Another worthwhile stop is the Soldiers’ Monument Lookout, where a brief walk leads to panoramic views back toward Dunedin and across the harbour. This, and a walk to the nearby monument, are the best vantage points on the peninsula.
Side Trips and Detours
One of the joys of this loop is how easily it connects to other highlights of the Otago Peninsula. Short detours from Highcliff Road take you to wild and rugged Sandymount and Sandfly Bay, contrasted by a visit to Larnach Castle, New Zealand’s only castle, set among formal gardens.
How to get there
From central Dunedin, take State Highway 1 south and turn onto the Jety Street bridge, over the railway line, then turn south again. Jetty Street continues on, then becomes Wharf Street, then Portsmouth Street as it turns east around the end of Otago Harbour. Finally, turn north onto Portobello Road and stay on this road to Portobello. The leg of the loop from the central city to Portobello is about 19 km and takes 25 minutes.
From Portobello, Highcliffe Road heads sharply southwest from the end of Portobello Road in the small Portobello township. The return trip to central Dunedin is 19 km and takes 30 minutes.
If you have more time, nearby places worth exploring include Taiaroa Head, Okia and the Pyramids, Victory Beach, and Allans Beach, each offering a different perspective on the peninsula’s rugged outer coast.
