Kaikoura: Whale Watching Cruise
1.Whale Watching Cruise
Track giant sperm whales off Kaikoura, with dolphins, seals, albatross, expert commentary, and mountain views on a 210-minute cruise.
“Whales made it great, dolphins were an added bonus!”
New Zealand · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS
The 15 Best Boat Trips in New Zealand
A great deal of this country only makes sense from the water. The 15 below run from a 90-minute lake cruise to a full day in a fiord, each priced and clear about how much of it is actually spent afloat.
Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown
2.Premium Milford Sound Small Group Tour & Cruise from Queenstown
Review of the 13-hour Milford Sound small-group tour from Queenstown, with scenic stops, guided commentary, picnic lunch, and a two-hour cruise.
“The trip and the experience and the scenery were all superlative. I do have a bit of a hearing problem, but with the fan motor going at the back of the van and the young lady, talking in a high-pitched voice may be a bit too fast and a lot of strange names and never repeating any of them. I had to ask her when we got to our stops what she had said about everything… And on the way back, she told about all the restaurants all the hotels all the bars, all the places to visit and everything. I then even could not think of that I needed…”
Cruise Milford NZ Small Boutique Cruise Experience
3.Cruise Milford NZ Small Boutique Cruise Experience
Cruise Milford Sound on a smaller boat with lounge seating, live commentary, hot drinks, waterfalls, seals, dolphins, and Mitre Peak views.
“Great experience, show up on time and get a good seat. The perfect amount of time. Captain did a great job!”
Whale Watching in Kaikoura by Boat
4.Whale Watching in Kaikoura by Boat
See sperm whales, dolphins, seals, and seabirds off Kaikoura on a well-run catamaran tour with expert commentary and an 80% whale-sighting refund.
“We had a fantastic time with Whale Watch Kaikoura! Very professional and friendly team. Special thanks to Captain Malena for spotting a sperm whale. What a treat for us! A check off my bucket list. Highly recommend this company!”
Queenstown: Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise
5.Walter Peak Gourmet BBQ & Lake Whakatipu Cruise
Cruise Lake Whakatipu, feast on a local BBQ at Walter Peak, and watch a working farm dog show on this relaxed Queenstown outing.
“Amazing views and food — the sheep-shearing part of the farm show wasn’t my favorite, but everything else was absolutely spectacular.”
Queenstown: Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Full-Day Trip
6.Milford Sound Coach & Cruise Full-Day Trip
Ride from Queenstown to Milford Sound for a full day of rainforest views, waterfalls, wildlife, local commentary, lunch, and a scenic fiord cruise.
“Great day great activities, our guide Carl made sure we got there regardless of the few challenges he was facing made sure we got there on time, safe and everyone accounted for. Great day out on Pure Milford”
Milford Sound: 2-Hour Small Boat Scenic Cruise
7.2-Hour Small Boat Scenic Cruise
Cruise Milford Sound on a small boat, reaching waterfalls, cliffs, seals, dolphins, and penguins with live commentary and hot drinks.
“Long drive out to the ship from Te Anua. But worth it. Limited food options so don't go hungry. The Sound is awesome. And the 2 hour boat ride was just enough. We had a great time and very glad we took the time to do it.”
Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Ride in Queenstown
8.Shotover River Extreme Jet Boat Ride in Queenstown
Review of Queenstown’s Shotover River jet boat ride, with 360-degree spins, canyon scenery, practical tips, pricing, safety, and booking advice.
“It was fun and exciting The driver was professional . Fan and very recommend . I smile all the time.”
Small Group, Award Winning Milford Sound Day Experience & Cruise
9.Small Group, Award Winning Milford Sound Day Experience & Cruise
Review of Altitude Tours’ small-group Milford Sound trip from Queenstown, with scenic stops, picnic lunch, cruise, tips, and honest value advice.
“Amazing day visiting Milford sound! We were blessed with a rare sunny day and our guide made extra stops for us to admire the beauty! At the end they also offer for you to fly back via Venice flight if weather permits, DO IT. Absolute highlight of the experience and trip!”
Akaroa Dolphins ~ Harbour Nature Cruise
10.Akaroa Dolphins ~ Harbour Nature Cruise
Review of Akaroa Dolphins’ two-hour catamaran cruise, with Hector’s dolphins, seals, penguins, coastal views, drinks, and practical tips.
“Excelent tour, very informative, lot of dolfins and sea lions and even a pingguin. We enjoyed it very much.”
Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly Tour from Queenstown
11.Milford Sound Fly-Cruise-Fly Tour from Queenstown
Fly from Queenstown to Milford Sound, cruise beneath towering cliffs, and return by a different scenic route in just 4.5 hours.
“Such a great way to enjoy the scenery in New Zealand through flying and get to Milford Sound for the cruise. Micheal, the pilot made sure we had an enjoyable and safe flight over. One of the highlights of our NZ trip!”
Auckland Dolphin and Whale Watching Eco-Safari Cruise
12.Auckland Dolphin and Whale Watching Eco-Safari Cruise
Review of Auckland’s 4.5-hour whale and dolphin safari, with marine scientists, Hauraki Gulf scenery, conservation support, and practical tips.
“I highly recommend this crew. They were incredibly kind and knowledgeable. We had two whale sightings and saw multiple dolphin pods during our January 6th afternoon safari. This trip was truly memorable and well worth it.”
Queenstown: Shotover River and Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride
13.Shotover River and Kawarau River Jet Boat Ride
Ride KJet through Lake Wakatipu, the Kawarau, and Shotover rivers at 95 kph, with spins, mountain views, and heated handrails.
“Easy location, excellent customer service by phone and in person. The guide was very friendly and considerate. It was absolutely awesome!!! You are bound to get wet especially if you are sitting in a corner so be prepared. We loved it though.”
From Queenstown: Milford Sound Full-Day Trip by Plane & Boat
14.Milford Sound Full-Day Trip by Plane & Boat
Fly from Queenstown to Milford Sound, cruise beneath waterfalls, spot wildlife, and return over Fiordland on a scenic five-hour trip.
“This was a great way to see Milford Sound from Queenstown. We were prepared to make the drive, but that would have been a mistake. They picked us up at our hotel, drove us to the airport flight center, and flew us over incredible picturesque territory, including Milford Sound before landing at a small airstrip by the docks where the sight-seeing boats leave from. They bus us the two-minute trip to the docks and organized which boats we were going on. All was done for us. The boat trip was comfortable and provided a great tour of the Sound. The return trip on the airplane was on a different route;…”
2-Hour Milford Sound Scenic Cruise
15.2-Hour Milford Sound Scenic Cruise
Review of Mitre Peak Cruises’ 2-hour Milford Sound trip, with waterfalls, wildlife, hot drinks, practical tips, value, and honest drawbacks.
“My family enjoyed this tour. I booked with this company as it's advertised as less people on the boat than some of the bigger boats. The tour was fully booked as it was over the holidays, but it was still pleasant. We found a seat on the top Read more”
