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 · KAIKOURA TOURS
The 14 Best Kaikoura Tours
The 14 best kaikoura tours you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Whale Watching in Kaikoura by Boat
2.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!”
Kaikoura: Whale Watching Flight with Commentary
3.Whale Watching Flight with Commentary
See Kaikoura whales from a small plane with window seats, live commentary, and sweeping views of dolphins, mountains, reefs, and coast.
“We saw a blue whale which is very unusual as well as a hump back whale. What a combination”
Wildlife Sea Kayaking Tour – Kaikoura
4.Wildlife Sea Kayaking Tour – Kaikoura
Paddle Kaikoura’s marine reserve with seals, seabirds, and possible dolphins, guided by local experts on a relaxed three-hour sea kayak tour.
“Our guide, Yasmin, was wonderfully entertaining and informative. She did a great job keeping everyone together and safe out on the water.”
Seal Kayaking Adventure in Kaikoura
5.Seal Kayaking Adventure in Kaikoura
Pedal along Kaikoura’s coast for fur seals, dolphins, birds, and possible penguins on a relaxed three-hour guided kayak tour.
“This Seal Kayaking excursion was awesome! Connor was our guide and he was super knowledgeable about the Kaikōura coastline, and the wildlife living there. The foot pedal Kayaks used by this company are very easy to peddle and steer which gives you the ability to take pictures of the animals in the water. During our trip, we had a small pod of dolphins swimming around us, we saw native a blue penguin, and several coastline birds. My husband and I were lucky enough to get a very small tour, and when my husband started feeling seasick, Connor was very accommodating. What a great company and guide!”
Kaikoura: Half-Day Wildlife Kayaking Tour
6.Half-Day Wildlife Kayaking Tour
Paddle Kaikoura’s coast with fur seals, mountain views, and possible dolphins or penguins on a friendly three-hour guided kayak tour.
“We had the most amazing time with Loz, who had a wealth of information about birds and all the sea life, we were even lucky enough to kayak right beside some dusky dolphins! It was an amazing experience”
Half Day Zipline Adventure in Kaikoura
7.Half Day Zipline Adventure in Kaikoura
Zip above Kaikōura on five twin ziplines, cross a river by Unimog, and enjoy mountain, farm, forest, and ocean views.
“An unexpected highlight for a family of varying ages. Really organised and slick team that inspired confidence. Enjoyed the stunning and informative short walks between the zip wires. Zip wires themselves were fun and exhilarating.”
Kaikōura Whale Watching Scenic Flight (40 Minutes)
8.Kaikōura Whale Watching Scenic Flight (40 Minutes)
See Kaikōura’s whales, dolphins, and alpine coast from a small plane, with window seats, pilot commentary, and a 40-minute flight.
“Captain Ben flew us over Hikurangi Marine Reserve, searching for whales and finding many while providing fantastic information about the locale and the marine life. He professionally and effortlessly delivered a five star memorable experience. Highly recommended.”
Kaikoura: Whale Watching Flight with Guided Commentary
9.Whale Watching Flight with Guided Commentary
See Kaikōura whales and dolphins from a six-seat aircraft, with expert commentary, mountain views, and a 30-minute flight for $164.
“This was an excellent day out. I can't recommend this company enough. Lou and the team were very accommodating and ensured that I got to experience the whales for my day trip to Kaikaoura.”
Whale Watching in Kaikoura – Ultimate Experience
10.Whale Watching in Kaikoura – Ultimate Experience
See Kaikoura’s whales, dolphins, mountains, and coast from a small aircraft, with town transfers, expert commentary, and weather flexibility.
“The views were amazing, Kaikoura's landscape with the turquoise sea close to the mountains is really beautiful. Unfortunately, we didn't see any whales. Jo was a great pilot and we enjoyed the flight.”
Kaikōura: Zipline and Native Forest Adventure Trip
11.Zipline and Native Forest Adventure Trip
Zip through Kaikōura’s native forest on five scenic ziplines, ride a 4X4 across Rakanui Station, and learn about local conservation.
“Very well organised. Felt very safe doing the zip lining. Excellent, and very informative guides, and great fun. Best activity I have done so far. Highly recommend. Thankyou.”
Kaikoura Whale Watch Day Tour from Christchurch
12.Kaikoura Whale Watch Day Tour from Christchurch
Review of the Kaikoura whale watch day tour from Christchurch, with sperm whales, seals, scenic drives, practical tips, costs, and drawbacks.
“What an incredible day! Firstly we had fantastic weather. The drive to Kaikōura was scenic and beautiful. We were a group of 10 on the way up. (12 on return.). Carmen, our guide and driver really prepared us for the queuing for the shuttle as well as the best place to sit in the boat. We saw two sperm whales, one orca, and a small school of common dolphins. It was the triple crown! The few hours on the boat were serene as the views are quite simply amazing. We had lunch in Kaikoura and had time for shopping or just walking along the beach. As we were leaving the…”
Llama Trek (Half-day) – Kaikoura Bay, Beaches & Seal Colony
13.Llama Trek (Half-day) – Kaikoura Bay, Beaches & Seal Colony
Walk Kaikōura beaches with your own llama, spot fur seals, hear local earthquake history, and enjoy cake and a drink for $154.52.
“Highly recommend! Super unique, educational and warm experience trekking with our llama pals Archie & Harry. Kevin was a superb guide! He shared interesting insights, helped us to understand the llamas through their lens and made us fRead more”
Kaikoura: Sunset Evening Kayaking Tour
14.Sunset Evening Kayaking Tour
Kayak beneath Kaikoura’s evening mountains, watch fur seals at close range, and look for dolphins, penguins, and albatross.
“Wow, wow, wow, what more can I say. An amazing evening, the weather, the tide levels and the natural all seemed to hit perfect to give us the best experience. We paddled out further than expected due to the calm sea conditions and saw a colony of breeding seals. Saw some dolphins on the way back in. Absolutely superb.”