Kaikoura Tours

Located on the eastern shores of New Zealand’s South Island, Kaikoura is famous for the spectacular array of marine wildlife living off its shores—but to see the best of it, you have to take to the waves. On this tour, cruise into Kaikoura’s deep waters by speedy catamaran with running commentary throughout from your guide, and spot dolphins, seals, and sperm whales in their natural habitat.

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.

Explore the coast of Kaikoura from a unique perspective – by kayak. Paddle through protected waters to see an array of wildlife, potentially including dolphins, seals and even whales (in season). With small group sizes and a certified guide leading the way, this half-day tour is perfect for nature lovers who want the chance to get up close with some of New Zealand's most iconic animals.

Be enchanted on a Kaikoura dolphin swim during a 12-hour day trip from Christchurch. Travel via the rolling hills of North Canterbury to the rugged Kaikoura coastline, a whale-watching paradise where you’ll board a sightseeing boat and dive into the Pacific Ocean with a provided wetsuit and snorkel. Swim alongside dusky dolphins in their natural habitat and learn from your guide how to encourage interaction with one of nature’s most graceful and curious sea mammals.

Lift off on a scenic helicopter tour to view New Zealand’s Kaikoura coast, offering a unique, uninterrupted vantage point of magnificent marine mammals, including sperm, blue, and humpback whales. Kaikoura is home to both resident and transient sperm whales, which are routinely found close to the coast. You’ll be equipped with a headset with a microphone so you can hear commentary and ask questions.

Take in aerial views of the home of one of the world's largest marine mammals on this scenic helicopter flight in Kaikōura. Search for sperm whales, dolphins and have a better chance at seeing baleen whales. Get panoramic views of the South Island's rugged east coast. See whales feeding further offshore, away from the tourist boats.

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!

Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just want to treat a loved one, this private heli-picnic is a great way to reach parts of the Kaikoura Range you’d struggle to access any other way. You’ll receive a gourmet picnic with local cheese and beer or sparkling wine, to enjoy as you admire the views from a mountaintop. Look out for whales and dolphins from above during the flight.

Spend quality time with a wooly llama on New Zealand's rugged Kaikōura Coast. Trek with your own llama, who can carry your belongings in saddle bags. Your guide will help you get to know your wooly companion. Learn Kaikōura history and facts, including the extraordinary effects of the 2016 earthquake, as you trek along Kaikōura's coastlines and beaches. Take in mountain and coastal scenery throughout.

Kaikoura's Original Kayak Operator - Est 1998 Celebrating over 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!

Explore the Kaikoura coast on a hands-free kayak tour with an experienced guide. Use your feet to pedal your boat, so your hands are free to snap photos of New Zealand fur seals and the scenic shoreline. Choose one of three kayak tours: follow a route to the best spots for viewing seals, penguins and albatross, watch a New Zealand sunset on the water, or opt for a shorter, little-kid friendly spin along the coast. Encounter the South Island’s distinctive wildlife up close in a natural environment that’s unforgettably beautiful.

Experience one of Kaikoura’s must-do activities–whale watching–without risking seasickness when you take a scenic flight. The whales are tracked so you won’t waste time flying in the wrong direction. Enjoy unobstructed views of sperm whales, dolphins, and possibly other migratory whales from a safe, high-winged aircraft. Also admire the beautiful Kaikoura coastline and the mountains beyond.

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!

Experience the true beauty of Kaikoura and mountain top experience without the 4 hour hike. On a clear day the view stretches from the North Island to Banks Peninsula. During Winter there is often an abundance of snow to play in, take pictures and build a snowman!

Take off and within minutes view the mighty sperm whales. Climb high above Kaikōura to land among the rugged Seaward Kaikōura Ranges to enjoy views of the ranges, flats and peninsula. See the different colors of water along the coastline. Weather permitting, fly to the head of the Kowhai River to see the effects of the 2016 earthquake.

Get up close to some of Kaikoura’s beautiful wildlife on this private 3.5-hour kayaking tour. You’re guaranteed to see fur seals and there’s a good chance of seeing other wildlife, too. Paddle alongside fur seals as they hunt and play, look out for dusky dolphins and blue penguins, and admire the views of the beautiful Kaikoura coastline and mountains beyond.

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

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.

Enjoy a two-for-one helicopter and ATV quad bike adventure on the Kaikōura coast. Fly down the East Coast before landing atop a hill, taking in panoramic views of the ocean and coastline. Get ready for adventure as you track up and down hills, along the coastline and the middle of a river on your ATV. Ride to the Haumuri Bluffs and Spyglass Point for more adventure and rugged scenery.

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.

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.

Skirt the Kaikōura Peninsula, before climbing over 8000 feet into the Seaward Kaikōura Ranges where you get to experience the vast, rugged mountain ranges and seaward views. 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.