Whale Watching in Kaikoura by Boat
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Ngôn ngữ có sẵn
3 giờ 30 phút
Vé di động
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.
Thông tin khác
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tours operate all year: 7.15am, 10.00am, 12.45pm & 3.30pm (Nov-Mar)—Please note that these are check-in times only - please do not come earlier than the times specified.
The minimum age limit for children traveling on a whale watch tour is 3yrs+, although Whale Watch Kaikōura maintains the right to raise the age limit depending on sea and weather conditions at the time of check-in.
All our tour are subject to favourable weather & sea conditions. If cancelled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund.
Whale Watch staff constantly monitor the weather and respond professionally to any changes. This may mean a tour is cancelled or safety restrictions placed on children or passengers with medical problems. Passenger comfort and safety is always our priority. Passengers travelling to join us on the day of their tour are strongly advised to telephone the FREEPHONE number 0800 655 121 for a sea conditions update.
Dress warmly and wear flat shoes. If you wish to spend time on the outside decks of our vessels you may need light waterproof clothing depending on the sea conditions.
Don't let sea sickness ruin your whale watch tour experience. Purchase motion sickness pills to help prevent sea sickness, car sickness, or any type of travel sickness from our Retail Store before you travel.
The actual time on the water is up to 2.5 hours. Including check-in time, safety briefing and bus transfers you should allow 3.5 hours in total.
If travelling in a wheelchair please contact us prior to arrival so we can provide additional details and advise how we can assist you
Chính sách hủy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cần Quan Tâm
Few places on Earth possess the magic of Kaikōura. Many who visit leave transformed. It is a special part of New Zealand, imbued with powerful natural energy. A place where tectonic plates collide, towering peaks fall to the sea and ocean currents converge. Such rare combinations lure an abundance of marine wildlife, the most famous being the Giant Sperm Whale. It was a whale that led the Māori ancestor Paikea to New Zealand many centuries ago. His descendants live in Kaikōura today. Fittingly, the whale continues to guide the people of Kaikōura and the visitors they host. Kaikōura is one of New Zealand's leading eco-tourism destinations offering a variety of exciting activities and experiences. Despite the recent rise in tourist numbers, the town retains much of its historical charm. Many new motels, cafes and restaurants can be found in beautifully restored old buildings. Fresh local seafood is always on the menu. The retention of the town's distinctive character has made Kaikōura extremely attractive to artists. Their work, inspired by the remarkable landscape and wildlife, can be seen all over town.
Bao gồm
Experienced knowledgeable staff providing a running commentary throughout your tour
Bus ride to and from our marina
95% success rate backed up by an 80% refund if your tour does not see a whale
Award winning onboard animations
Tours operates all year round
Modern fleet of purpose built catamarans
Food and drinks
Tùy chọn
10.30am Departure
Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure time - Please allow 3.5 hours with us.
1.15pm Departure
Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure time - Please allow 3.5 hours with us.
7.45am Departure
Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure time - Please allow 3.5 hours with us.
Đánh giá
2.913 đánh giá
Tổng số đánh giá và xếp hạng từ Viator & TripAdvisor
A magnificent morning on the sea
FluffP7,,3 thg 2, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00Well organised right from the off, smooth check-in, good communication from the staff and everything felt good. But that's not why you're readying this review. The boats went out a long way into the sea and we saw a small pod of dolphins on the way out, there were also lots of sea birds, the albatross particularly were very impressive. But most importantly, we say a huge sperm whale and got the iconic tail shot. Th staff on the boat were super helpful, gave some really interesting info on what was going on and also were sympathetic to those suffering from seasickness. On that note, on the day we did it the sea was rough and so we were advised to take seasickness meds and to stare at the horizon, something we both did and that worked well. Even in some big swells we felt fine. A really, really good excursion. And on a side note, their t-shirts are lovely!
Experience was off the scale. Rebooting cancelled trip was quite the opposite.
JOHN M,,2 thg 2, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00The experience itself was superb. To see a humpback, two sperm whales, a porpoise pod and albatross was stunningly awesome. Viator / Whale Watch interaction needs attention on response rate to change booking when weather impacts. We had to wait many hours for an immediate text reply to an invited changed booking to be told of cancellation. NB Whale Watch prioritise telephone calls over message system.
Fantastic experience. A long wait to locate the whale but well worth it. Male sperm whale so majestic. Tour guide great
Alison M,,2 thg 2, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00A long wait to locate the whale but when we did WOW. The male sperm whale was so majestic. Put on a show for us. Pretty incredible experience. And we felt super comfortable with the environmental and sustainable approach that tour company took. No sonar to mess with whales natural ecosystem etc. Tour guide lead who provided the commentary outstanding. A whale expert and made outing educational engaging and fun.
Great tour with the best outcome!
carol b,,1 thg 2, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00OMG!! A bucket list adventure which does not fail to satisfy! The crew on board give you loads of information and explain how they find where the whale(s) are. It requires a bit of patience because once you find the area the whale is in, you need to wait for it to feed and it can take its time! But your patience will (hopefully!) be rewarded and the sight is magical. It moved me to tears. 16.2m of whale doing its thing - just wonderful. Be prepared for choppy waters, even when they are described as "moderate"! There were a lot of people using their sick bags! I only just managed to control myself by constantly looking at the mountains or horizon but the girl next to me had a terrible time of it! It is definitely worth it though!!
A great day.
stephanie p,,30 thg 1, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent, a great day with dolphins and two sperm whales. It can be rough if you get seasick! Very informative and efficient.
A wonderful experience and well worth doing!
711mozzie,,30 thg 1, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00This was a highlight of our holiday. We were given a really fun and interesting commentary and video show while we were being taken out at speed on the boat, and then we were lucky enough to see Rangitira (a sperm whale) as well as albatross and several other bird species. Thoroughly enjoyable trip.
Awe-inspiring experience!
hunnyjar,,30 thg 1, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00We thoroughly enjoyed our experience! The staff were fantastic and even though it was really rocky getting out there, it was all worth it when we got to see Rangatira, the sperm whale. Absolutely amazing! We also had the VIP experience, and that was great to have with the exclusive cabin, viewing area and the wonderful snack boxes (such yummy food and great that they could do a vegetarian option!). I would definitely recommend bringing dramamine, seabands or other seasickness remedy with you, just in case, although they have some there you can purchase.
Great experience
Lena Y,,29 thg 1, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Viator
5.00Really professional and well organised. Very informative commentary. Good safety focus. We saw whales twice and also dolphins.
Wonderful day at sea
Bjarne C,,29 thg 1, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00Fantastic well done tour - with a tour guide who could tell about the tour, the whales, the dolphins and the birds in a lively and interesting way. We saw a cascade whale very close and also lots of dolphins. A totally fantastic trip which I can warmly recommend
Canceled / weather
941jacobs,,28 thg 1, 2026
- Đánh giá từ Tripadvisor
5.00The trip cancelled because of weather The trip cancelled because of weather The trip cancelled because of weather Cancelled
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