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Auckland Dolphin and Whale Watching Eco-Safari Cruise: Explore Hauraki Gulf's Wildlife
4.6
1,705 Ratings
Auckland
Embark on an exciting eco-safari cruise in Auckland to spot whales, dolphins, and seabirds in the pristine waters of Hauraki Gulf. Learn from experts and contribute to marine conservation efforts.
Embark on an exciting eco-safari cruise in Auckland to spot whales, dolphins, and seabirds in the pristine waters of Hauraki Gulf. Learn from experts and contribute to marine conservation efforts.
Duration:
4 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
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Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana - New Zealand’s most interactive whale and dolphin watching experience.
An incredible eco safari direct from downtown Auckland. If you’ve always wanted to go whale watching, our 4.5-hour safari features breathtaking encounters with New Zealand marine wildlife, including whales, dolphins, seals, rare seabirds, and more!…
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Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana - New Zealand’s most interactive whale and dolphin watching experience.
An incredible eco safari direct from downtown Auckland. If you’ve always wanted to go whale watching, our 4.5-hour safari features breathtaking encounters with New Zealand marine wildlife, including whales, dolphins, seals, rare seabirds, and more! Make close-up discoveries and enjoy experiences with our diverse marine wildlife in the stunning scenery of Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Enjoy unique and special moments with our wildlife and capture photos of rare birds, marine mammals, and amazing island views during your personal encounters.
What's Included
- Local guide
- Contribution to Marine Mammal Conservation with every ticket
- Expert commentary and interaction with onboard Marine Research Scientists
- Local guide
- Contribution to Marine Mammal Conservation with every ticket
- Expert commentary and interaction with onboard Marine Research Scientists
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks (available to purchase)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks (available to purchase)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information
Look for whales, dolphins and seabirds in the pristine waters of Hauraki Gulf just a short boat ride from Auckland city’s Viaduct Harbour. Learn from experts on board working to protect these precious creatures and their fragile home. As an active marine-mammal research vessel every passenger contributes to important conservation efforts, just by coming…
Look for whales, dolphins and seabirds in the pristine waters of Hauraki Gulf just a short boat ride from Auckland city’s Viaduct Harbour. Learn from experts on board working to protect these precious creatures and their fragile home. As an active marine-mammal research vessel every passenger contributes to important conservation efforts, just by coming on board. A dollar from every ticket purchased goes towards the Hauraki Gulf Guardians fund which supports organisations and programs that aim to regenerate the Hauraki Gulf and ensure its future.
- Advisable to dress in warm layers and weatherproof gear as weather can be unpredictable
- Advisable to bring sun hat (with chin strap to secure it), sunscreen, sunglasses, camera, binoculars and flat-soled shoes
- IMPORTANT: Check in closes 15 minutes prior to stated departure time. Those passengers who are late risk losing their allocated seats.
- If mobility impaired and a wheelchair is required, please contact operator directly to discuss requirements
Location
Eastern Viaduct
Our boat is at Berth 9, Eastern Viaduct Marina, accessed from the end of Quay Street heading West. This is opposite the Maritime Museum. On arrival look for our crew at the top of our boarding ramp to check in 30 minutes before departure (check-in closes 15 minutes prior to trip time).
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(1705 Ratings)
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417jills
Aug 23, 2025
Fantastic Cruise - This was an amazing tour, the weather was perfect! Sadly we didn't get to see any whales, but we saw loads of dolphins and their babies too. The sail out into the ocean alone was fantastic, out in the water it was so quiet and relaxed, one has time to just sit back, chill and mull over whatever pops into your head. 100% recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Derlangetom
Aug 17, 2025
great combination of boat ride and exploring the gulf hiking on an island - the ride itself with the stop on the island is great - but as it is with wild animals: be prepared to not see whales even if the crew really gives their best, you should enjoy the boat ride as well
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Derilyn_f
Aug 1, 2025
A lovely day at sea - This was a lovely day out with beautiful weather and some very knowledgeable guides. Saw gorgeous dolphins and some of the more rare seabirds but sadly no whales on this trip. Obviously, I will need to try again on my next trip to New Zealand!
Review provided by Viator
Lindabq575xx
Jul 31, 2025
Amazing and emotional experience - The trip was easy to book online, instructions were clear and the pre-boarding process was quick and straightforward. The boat size and number of passengers was perfect. The team gave an interesting insight into the purpose of their organisation with teaching sessions about their research and the impact it was having on the wildlife they were studying. The crew were always there for support, very enthusiastic about the research and the importance of not disturbing the wildlife and responsive to questions. The crew were second to none regarding their knowledge.
They went above and beyond to locate the wildlife to benefit the passengers and positioned the boat so as not not to adversely impact the wildlife and passengers, any decisions by the crew were explained fully to the passengers. Safety was always paramount as regards the passengers and wildlife being observed.
The whole trip was beyond our expectations and what we witnessed was truly amazing. We saw an incredible work-up by the dolphins which provided fish for the Gannets and at least four whales.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N35tdgaryb
Jul 28, 2025
Customer Service and Experience Save the Day - The cruise was exceptional for specific reasons and worth a future trip : our original trip was canceled due to extreme bad weather. Rebooking another day was easy with quick attention and replies from the staff.
The weather the day of the cruise was still "rough" but the on boat crew were exceptional and did their best to make the trip smooth, informative and enjoyable. There was a very apparent safety focus.
We did not see spot any whales, however had a one hour engagement with a super pod of Common Dolphins. Exceptional, and the crew were excited too.
Given the poor weather and the fact that we did not see whales, the crew issued a voucher for a future cruise. This was not required according to the booking terms and conditions, but was a generous offer.
This operation know what they are doing and I highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Reenum
Jul 23, 2025
An amazing experience - An amazing experience! I saw dolphins and a Bryde’s whale, and the crew were fantastic and friendly & informative. WOW!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Romitac723
Jul 21, 2025
- "Had an absolute blast! The crew was super knowledgeable and the team was ridiculously friendly. Overall, a 10/10 experience. Would definitely go back and highly recommend!" 5/5 stars
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tejovanschie
Jul 21, 2025
- This was a superb experience. We saw hundreds of aihe/common dolphins and gannets and 3 tohora/brydes whales all at once. The feeding frenzy was astounding yet aihe still had time to perform their beautiful ballet under the boat. Great info from the guides and a couple of kororā/little penguins to plate our day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hilmarl_m
Jul 21, 2025
This tour was a big... - This tour was a big disappointment. We didn’t see any whales (except for one or two glimpses of a puff of water hundreds of meters away), even though weather conditions were very good and it’s supposedly the season for whale watching. They can’t guarantee and spottings, but even so, the chance of seeing whales seems siginicantly lower than either the advertisement or the boat crew will tell you. Plus, the crew told us whales would not approach the ship either, so the picture in the advertisement misrepresents the experience you’re likely to have. Kaikoura is clearly the better option if you want to see whales. The dolphin watching was OK, but quite average, compared to other tours I’ve taken.
Review provided by Viator
Sara_r
Jul 15, 2025
Unpleasant - A very unsatisfactory and quite unsafe activity. The crew is not watching the passengers and it is very unlikely to see whales. I do NOT recommend it
Review provided by Viator