Otago is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island. The name “Otago” is the local southern Māori dialect pronunciation of “Ōtākou”, the name of the Māori village near the entrance to Otago Harbour. “Otago” is also the old name of the European settlement on the harbour, established by the Weller Brothers in 1831, which lies close to Otakou.
Major centres include Dunedin (the principal city), Oamaru (made famous by Janet Frame), Balclutha, Alexandra, and the major tourist centres Queenstown and Wānaka. Kaitangata in South Otago is a prominent source of coal. The Waitaki and Clutha rivers provide much of the country’s hydroelectric power. Vineyards and wineries have been developed in the Central Otago wine region.
If you enjoy skiing then this region has some of the best skiing in NZ. The largest ski resorts offer up to 40 kilometres of slopes (Mt. Hutt, Coronet Peak, Cardrona). The highest ski resorts for skiing on the South Island extend up to an altitude of 2,133 metres (Roundhill – Lake Tekapo).
See more of the South Island region here.