Seal Coast Safari: Wellington's Natural Wonders

Embark on a thrilling 4WD adventure along Wellington’s rugged south coast. Explore native forests, encounter iconic bird species, and marvel at stunning views of the Cook Strait. Get up close with New Zealand Fur Seals and learn about their history and conservation. Book now!

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Otari-Wilton’s Bush Native Botanic Garden - We begin our journey at Otari-Wilton’s Bush - one hundred hectares of ancient and regenerating forest and New Zealand’s only botanical garden dedicated solely to native plants. Designated a six-star Garden of International Significance by the New Zealand’s Gardens Trust of the Royal New Zealand Institute…
What's Included
  • Proud partner of the Capital Kiwi conservation project
  • Exclusive access to private farmland with stunning views
  • See Wellington’s hidden gems that even most locals don’t know about
  • Pick up and drop off available direct from cruise ships - we’ve never missed a drop off
  • Travel in style and comfort with our new fleet of 4WD Mercedes
  • NZ Fur Seals…
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embark on a unique and thrilling adventure to Wellington’s hidden coastline. With special access through private farmland, this journey unveils Wellington’s natural marvels in a region unfamiliar even to many locals. Just 20km from the city, this area offers a completely different world.
Travel in state-of-the-art 4WD Mercedes vehicles to explore a…

Location
Otari-Wilton's Bush Native Botanic Garden
160 Wilton Road
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(286 Ratings)
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Malcolm_r
Nov 26, 2025
Great trip - Easy to book with pick up from hotel. Small group. Informative guides made it an enjoyable experience. Great to get close to seals in their natural environment
Review provided by Viator
David_l
Nov 24, 2025
A Really Good Experience - This was a very nice small group tour. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and personable. He gave a running commentary of where we traveled that was quite interesting. Pick up and drop off was easy and convenient.
Review provided by Viator
Steven_r
Nov 23, 2025
Heck of a Day - We love nature and Grant did a fantastic job taking us through the botany garden and about time. The highlight is the ocean and the fur seals. We could of spent all day there. Just beautiful and amazing to see the critters without a care it the world. By the way I found Willson, the ball that entertained Tom Hanks in Cast Away.
Review provided by Viator
Nomad13795637778
Nov 22, 2025
Can’t miss Wellington tour!! - Marc was an excellent guide. Even though Nov-Jan is not the optimal time to see the seals, we still saw over 30 of them. This experience to a private destination is an amazing opportunity and is a can’t miss for Wellington. We were blessed with phenomenal weather. The seals allowed us to walk within 10 meters to take pictures. The scenic views were spectacular.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ann_m
Nov 21, 2025
Seals, Birds and mountain Farm - Grant was very knowledgeable about Wellington history and gave us a great tour to a beautiful area outside of the city in the comfort of 4WD Mercedes vans. This is a great option to leave the city, see native plants, animals and the coastline. On a clear day you can see the South Island.
Review provided by Viator
Lmoranaptos_ca
Nov 20, 2025
Highlight of Trip for Two Californians - Exceptional! Our guide, Sara, was a delight—she knew Wellington PLUS, she actually lives on the ranch. A week into our trip to this gorgeous country, I was dying to see some mammals. While this excursion is called the “Seal Coast Safari,” its real value is access to a huge private sheep and cattle ranch (station). It is amazing to see sheep, cattle, and wild goats thriving on STEEP, gorse-covered grazing land overlooking 3 bays. The sheep are a British breed that molts, so expensive shearing is unnecessary. The lambs are beautiful, but the adults look pretty sad in the spring! The wild goats keep the invasive gorse at bay and scamper across the steep hills at the sound of a vehicle. These animals live as perfect a life as any creatures raised for food could want. We also saw paradise ducks, huge hares, and hawks. Because of an agreement between the ranch owners and a power company, the erection of 62 windmills and the resulting gravel roads needed to maintain them, the ranch has survived despite fluctuations in the value of wool and mutton. It is a perfect example of cooperation between a massive energy company taking advantage of a renewable resource without destroying the environment and allowing a humane farming operation to continue. Yes, there are a few seals (just a couple of oldsters and the young dudes because it was mating season) but touring the farm is just—amazing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chandni_p
Nov 20, 2025
Amazing Seal Coast Safari Experience - Me and my husband had an incredible time on the Seal Coast Safari tour. We loved the exciting ride and the stunning views of the mountains and coastline. Watching the seals up close was an unforgettable experience, and we also enjoyed learning about the native trees and bush along the way. Our tour guides were amazing very kind, knowledgeable, and made the whole journey even better. Thank you for such a wonderful and memorable experience!
Review provided by Viator
Michelek281
Nov 20, 2025
Lovely way to spend a day! - What a nice day in nature! Perfectly timed tour left enough of the day to wander about town a bit but spent time with the seals and on the beautiful farm. Sara was very knowledgeable and quite entertaining! Would recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marguerite_k
Nov 15, 2025
Excellent tour - Marc is great fun. Excellent sense of humour. Vistas are amazing. It’s special to see the fur seals.
Review provided by Viator
Demetrio_a
Nov 12, 2025
Amazing Seal Tour - Fabulous experience on the Seal tour. Our hosts Sara and Grant were terrific. They were very knowledgeable and so fun during this experience. The ride was exciting getting to see beyond the city of Wellington to the coast where the seals are located and then to the botanical gardens. Sara drove with experience and safety. We definitely would recommend this tour. Thank you for the experience!!
Review provided by Viator
From $113
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).