Kaikoura Whale Watch Day Tour: Discover Marine Life and Scenic Views

Embark on a thrilling whale-watching adventure in Kaikoura, New Zealand. Discover majestic Sperm Whales, playful dolphins, and adorable seals while enjoying stunning views of the Kaikoura Ranges. End the day with a scenic drive and a wine tasting experience.

Duration: 11 hours
Cancellation: 6 days
Highlights
  • Kaikōra - Your day starts with pickup from your Christchurch hotel, then travel in a comfortable coach for about 2.5 hours to reach Kaikoura, taking a scenic road through the North Canterbury region.
What's Included
  • View fur seal colonies up close
  • Experience whale watching on a boat tour
  • Enjoy the comfort of air-conditioned vehicles
  • Explore North Canterbury vineyards with wine tasting (subject to availability)
  • Savor lunch (available with selected options)
  • Benefit from live commentary during the tour
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Experience the natural treasures of New Zealand on a whale-watching cruise from the picturesque town of Kaikoura. Look for the mighty Sperm Whales that live in these waters along with Dusky Dolphins, New Zealand Fur Seals and Seabirds. Admire breathtaking views of the snow-capped Kaikoura Ranges during your free time in Kaikoura’s township and visit a…

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.

Customer Ratings
4.2
(135 Ratings)
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Anabel_g
Jan 16, 2025
100% recommend - Incredible experience made even better by Carmen. She was a knowledgeable and friendly guide who gave us amazing tips, organised us really well and looked after us in every way. Whalewatching itself was great and we saw a whale. Very bumpy boat but we love that. Lunch was fab too with alot of good choices and well organised.
Review provided by Viator
Rong_c
Dec 31, 2024
Fantastic trip with perfect guid! - Pete is an experienced guid. Our boat was cancelled due to the weather and he managed plane for us and we finally saw the whale! So lucky we are. If without him , if we go by our own, we won’t be able to get a chance to see the whale! Thank you Pete!
Review provided by Viator
Inspire43505091194
Dec 16, 2024
The trip was great. - The staff were friendly. Even for my families who did not speak English. I booked our accommodation through the “pick up location “ list and found the accommodation was really bad. We paid for four stars price but the condition was only 2-3 stars. It may be a good idea to remove it from your list.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nathaniel_w
Nov 8, 2024
Great experience! - Scotty was awesome! Knowledgeable, easy going and organized to keep us on time for an incredible experience. Would highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Carmela
Oct 31, 2024
Wonderful trip and worth it! - Jude our driver and tour guide was excellent. The Boat Crew was wonderful, boat was clean and we were successful in finding the magnificent Sperm whale, Moby. We also encountered a lot of Duskies. A wonderful time spent on the ocean!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sokboey_a
Oct 26, 2024
Unforgettable Experience - This day trip was absolutely unforgettable! The guide was knowledgeable and friendly, the itinerary was well-planned, and every stop was breathtaking. We managed to have close encounters with sea seals, dolphin and whale. The sea was not too rough. Highly recommend it for anyone looking to make the most of a single day!
Review provided by Viator
Julina_k
Sep 21, 2024
Fun outing - As this is a weather and nature/wildlife dependent activity, there is never a 100% guarantee that you will see whales. So, do approach with an open mind. The alternative nature tour offered was equally rewarding. We got to watch several dolphin pods playing, swimming near the catamaran and jumping off the waters, seals, several varieties of sea birds, albatrosses running on the water’s edge to take flight and so on. So, I still had a fun day.
Review provided by Viator
Sarah_m
Jul 6, 2024
Even better than I hoped!! - We had a great day with our guide Pete. He picked us up at our Airbnb and had lots of excellent knowledge to share about the history of New Zealand etc. The day was too choppy for the boat to go out, and the company was able to arrange for flights at the last minute, which meant Pete juggled way more than I would have ever expected, and he did so with patience and ease. He truly went above and beyond, including stopping along the roadside so we could get some great seal photos. It was an amazing day!
Review provided by Viator
Nico_d
Jul 5, 2024
A great day out. - We had a great trip with our driver Pete, who was very friendly and a safe driver, but who also told many interesting stories about geography, geology, biology and history. Saw one whale, maybe two. Went by plane instead of boat. Had hoped for more. However, there were many seals on the way back.
Review provided by Viator
Josephine_w
Jul 24, 2024
new experience of whale watching - though the cruise was canceled, it was fantastic to get on the plane. the tour guide is friendly and the wine tasting at the end was good too.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 9 guests
1 Adult
January 2025
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