Tours in Kaikoura

Whale Watch is located in the small coastal town of Kaikōura on the East Coast of New Zealand’s South Island a scenic two and a half-hour drive north from Christchurch and two hour drive south from Picton. Kaikōura is a special place of lush pastures and towering, snow covered peaks that fall to the sea. This rare magic continues just offshore where a deep undersea canyon combines with unusual sea currents to attract an extraordinary abundance of marine life, the most famous being the Giant Sperm Whale. Whale Watch is New Zealand's only vessel-based whale watching company offering visitors an exciting up-close encounter with the world’s largest toothed predator the Giant Sperm Whale in their natural environment at all times of the year. Whale Watch scheduled tours operate daily. Our 95% success rate means we guarantee an 80% refund if your tour does not see a whale. Whale Watch tours are extremely popular so we recommend booking early.

The best way to see Kaikoura's World Famous Sperm Whales and Marine Life - Make your trip to New Zealand one to remember with a Whale Watching Flight. Depart from Kaikoura Airport on a trip to view the mighty Sperm whales in their natural environment - from the air you'll have the best view getting to fully appreciate the size of these majestic animals. Air Kaikoura's friendly team have been operating Whale Watching Flights for 30+ years, so you can trust you're getting the most quality experience out there. While on your Whale Watching flight get to appreciate the beauty Kaikoura has to offer from the air - enjoy picturesque views of the dramatic mountains that meet the vibrant turquoise seas. Get to enjoy all of Kaikoura's famous marine life from a 40 minute flight, some things you can potentially see: Sperm Whales, Dusky Dolphins, Humpback Whales, Blue Whales and Orca.

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 seal colony on land. Wrap up the day with a scenic drive back to Christchurch and a wine tasting at a vineyard in North Canterbury (time permitting). Your experienced guide shares informative commentary throughout the day on this fun and fascinating tour.

Discover magnificent marine wildlife out on the South Pacific Ocean during this 12-hour Kaikoura dolphin swim from Christchurch. Travel through the rolling hills of North Canterbury to the rugged coastline of Kaikoura — the perfect place to view New Zealand’s dolphins, seals and birdlife in the wild. With warm wetsuit on, hop aboard your boat and learn from your guide the tricks used to encourage interaction with the graceful and curious dolphins. Dive to the depths below, snorkel over the waves and savor the joy of sharing the dolphins’ natural habitat.

Kaikoura's Original Kayak Operator - Est 1998 Celebrating over 25 years of operation! New Zealand's only Sea Kayak operator that holds a marine mammal permit to view Whales. Kaikoura's only Kayak operator that holds a marine mammal permit to view Dolphins, Whales and Seals. New Zealand's 1st Friend of the Sea sustainable operator for Dolphin and Whale viewing. Traditional double sea kayaks with cockpits and spray skirts for a dry ride and rudders for easy steering. Qualified New Zealand Guides. 100% guaranteed to view Fur Seals on all tours. Family Friendly - operating year round. The Wildlife Kayaking tour is the real deal!

Come fly with Wings Over Whales for an incredible opportunity to witness the largest toothed whales in the world from above! Whale watching from the air allows you to see the entire animal, as well as giving you epic views of the scenery, and the ability to cover large areas to see even more whales and dolphins. All our aircraft are high-winged for unimpeded viewing, and are equipped to the highest safety standards. We are the only company in Kaikoura that uses real-time tracking systems in all our aircraft. We operate an exceptional product where every customer is treated like part of the family. Book today for an unforgettable whale watching experience!

Within minutes of taking off from our beach from helipads, you will be in the spectacular environment that plays host to one of the worlds largest marine mammals, the magnificent Sperm Whale. This flight allows you extra time in the whale area to view these majestic creatures of the deep. This also gives you the possibility of viewing dolphins for just a little extra. - A better option for when the whales are feeding further off shore or are holding their breath for longer than expected. - More chance to view any transient baleen whales - these whales typically spend short surface intervals (one to 4 breaths) followed by long periods under water (often 2-5 minutes), the longer flight time gives us longer wait for them. - Depending on the location of the Sperm whales, gives us more time to search for dolphin and /or fly along the Kaikoura southern coastline on our way back to land.

This tour offers 2 different kayaking options for you to choose from: Seal Kayak tour and the Sunset Kayak Tour. It is the first kayak tour in New Zealand to offer hands free kayaking. Now with the largest human muscle group in play, kayaking becomes easier and more efficient than ever. Come get up close and personal with the New Zealand fur seal as they play around and under your hands free pedal kayak. Taking photos/selfies have never been easier now you can capture all your moments without stopping!

Kaikoura's Original Kayak Operator - Est 1998 Celebrating 25 years of operation! 100% guaranteed to view Fur Seals on all tours. Family Friendly - operating year round. New Zealand's only Sea Kayak operator that holds a marine mammal permit to view Whales. Kaikoura's only Kayak operator that holds a marine mammal permit to view Dolphins, Seals and Whales. New Zealand's 1st Friend of the Sea sustainable operator for Dolphin and Whale viewing. Traditional double sea kayaks with cockpits and spray skirts for a dry ride and rudders for easy steering. Qualified New Zealand guides. The Sunset Evening Kayaking tour is the real deal!

Kaikoura's Original Kayak Operator - Est 1998 Celebrating 25 years of operation! New Zealand's only Sea Kayak operator that holds a marine mammal permit to view Whales. Kaikoura's only Kayak operator that holds a marine mammal permit to view Dolphins and Seals. New Zealand's 1st Friend of the Sea sustainable operator for Dolphin and Whale viewing. Traditional double sea kayaks with cockpits and spray skirts for a dry ride and rudders for easy steering. Qualified New Zealand guides. 100% guaranteed to view Fur Seals on all tours. Family Friendly - operating year round. The Wildlife Kayaking tour is the real deal!

Helicopters depart from our centrally located beach front helipads, lifting off on your scenic helicopter tour to view the Kaikoura Coast. View Sperm Whales from head to tail, offering you a unique and uninterrupted vantage point of these magnificent marine mammals.

Spend quality time with one of the world's most exotic animals. You trek with your own llama, who walks on a lead, at your side, while carrying your belongings in saddle bags. Llama are highly intelligent, clever animals = requiring that you get to know them (and work with them) to successfully complete your trek. The subtle 'bond' you form with your llama companion is highly rewarding. You experienced guide will help you get to know your woolly companion. Your guide will also share a range of local Kaikoura history and information, including the extraordinary effects of the 2016 earthquake (the largest ever recorded in New Zealand) You do not ride your llama.

Enjoy a 25 minute panoramic scenic flight, with stunning scenic views of the Seaward Kaikoura ranges and a birds eye view of the Kaikoura Peninsula. After take-off, we will climb to approximately 6000 feet to fly past the back of Mount Fyffe for some true mountain flying. Experience views of snowy mountain peaks, a waterfalls or a wild deer if you have sharp vision. Next, overfly Lake Hapuku, which is a direct result of the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. Your pilot will then descend towards the Hapuku river mouth and fly along the black sand beach towards the Kaikoura peninsula. Flying around the peninsula, you get to see that it is dotted with resident seals next to the turquoise ocean.

A half day of adventure in nature awaits you in Kaikōura, with five zipline flights, totalling 2.2km, above lush rolling farmland, native forest, an interpretive walk through a private 3,000-acre station, and a ride on custom-built 4X4 Unimog. Departing from central Kaikōura township, your journey will begin with a scenic drive, with a breathtaking backdrop of the Seaward Range and views over South Bay, this is an eco adventure not to be missed!

This tour is perfect for a romantic getaway, family adventure or group of friends. We are sure that you will enjoy this unique experience and remember it forever. Fly with Kaikoura Helicopters and enjoy a delicious picnic at altitude amongst the stunning Kaikoura Seaward Ranges with 360-degree views of this unique and rugged coastline. The pilot will choose the best location on the day, where weather conditions are best and the views are finest. After a scenic flight around the lower levels of the seaward Kaikoura ranges, land at a secluded landing site. Our picnic offers spectacular views of the Kaikoura township and Peninsula. On a fine day, you can look North along the coastline to spot Wellington and South to Banks Peninsula.

Enjoy a 1hr Taster Llama Trek - along the Kowhai River banks and riverbed. Surrounded throughout by protected native woodland, and abundant wildlife.

Helicopters depart from our centrally located beach front helipads, lifting off on your scenic helicopter tour to view the Kaikoura Coast. View Sperm Whales from head to tail, offering you a unique and uninterrupted vantage point of these magnificent marine mammals. Enjoy the true Kaikoura 'where the mountains meet the sea' experience by further exploring the Seaward Kaikoura ranges and a Alpine landing with magnificent views.

This one hour whale watch experience shows you the incredible marine wildlife that exists here in Kaikōura, then takes you to the tops of the Seaward Kaikōura Ranges for a landing in the peaks. During your experience with us you will be taken on a journey above one of New Zealand’s most unique areas, the underwater Kaikōura Canyon. Due to the special underwater geography of the area, it enables a huge abundance of food to be produced due to a large upwelling and mixing of both warm and cold currents. The food produced here supports a very diverse variety of marine life including many types of whales that migrate through the area such as Humpback, Southern Right, Blue, and of course our resident Sperm Whales the worlds largest toothed whale. Enjoy our longest whale watching flight to go out and spot the amazing wildlife. There is also a chance to view the resident Dusky dolphins and New Zealand fur seals before heading up into the mountains.

Cruise down the Kaikoura coastline to our exclusive hill top landing site where an ATV ( All-Terrain Vehicle) will be waiting to take you on a guided tour through a private farm. This adventure will take you to the Haumiri bluffs (Spyglass point) where you will get the opportunity to take in the incredible scenery. Upon completion of your trip you will return to Kaikoura via vehicle.

This tour begins with whale watching, when you head out over the Kaikōura Whale Sanctuary and Hikurangi Marine Reserve to view the incredible wildlife found in Kaikōura’s waters. Experience the magnificent sperm whale, which can be found here all year round. Kaikōura is also a migratory route for a variety of different whale and dolphin species. After viewing the abundant marine life, your trip takes you north along the rugged Kaikōura coastline. During this trip you can see the incredible changes from the 2016 earthquake that occurred in Kaikōura. The shoreline lifted up to 6 meters in places, entire mountains moved, and fault lines run out into the sea. Head into the Seaward Kaikōura Ranges for a landing at the turquoise waters of Hapuku Lake, which was created during the earthquake in 2016. Then we will fly you to the tops of the peaks for a second landing overlooking the ranges, Kaikōura Peninsula, and the Pacific Ocean.

You’re going to love how easy it is to kayak in and around the beautiful Kaikōura Peninsula using the Hobie Mirage Drive Pedal. We have a 100% success rate of viewing the New Zealand Fur Seal. There is also a lot of other marine life to view such as the blue penguin, albatross, and plenty more. Come and capture some moments with the fun and friendly fur seals playing around and under your hands-free pedal kayak in New Zealand. The kayaks we use are made by Hobie Cat, one of the leading boating and kayak companies in the world. Explore with family and friends by booking one of our New Zealand sea kayak adventures!

Departing from our centrally located beachfront pads, skirting the beautiful Kaikoura Peninsula, before climbing over 8000 feet into the Seaward Kaikoura Ranges where you get to experience the vast, rugged mountain ranges and seaward views. All from the comfort of your luxury helicopter. Take the opportunity to stand on the highest mountain outside of the Southern Alps and soak in the magnificent views of the East Coast of the South Island and Pacific Ocean.

This exciting new product is the only one of its kind in New Zealand and is in collaboration with renowned Marine Mammal Biologist Dr Krista van der Linde who represents Kaikoura Marine Mammal Foundation. We depart in our Eurocopter and head out to explore the Hikurangi Marine reserve where the whales reside close to the Kaikōura coastline, during this time Krista will be happy to share her broad knowledge of all things marine with our guests and answer any questions they may have during the tour. After, we will head to Karaka lobster for a crayfish lunch owned by local family who are a 3rd generation fishing family who catch the crayfish that Kaikōura is named after and famous for. After lunch, we will depart and your pilot will give your guests a personal tour of the damage caused by the devastating 2016 Kaikōura Earthquake where they will be shown large landslides, rivers that have been diverted by fault lines, and other interesting sights before the conclusion of the experience.

Experience the exhilaration of flying a helicopter in the capable hands of a professional instructor. This unique experience is only available in our region with us.