All Kaikoura Tours & Excursions in 2026

Well organised trip, informative crew who go to great lengths to make the trip a memorable one. The crew are very experienced in whale spotting and on our trip we viewed a sperm whale for several minutes before he flipped his tail and disappeared under the water. The captain then moved on to another spot where we just missed another whale descending. We then moved on again and just missed another whale! Although there are whales permanently living in the vicinity, they do only come to the surface briefly and it is down to the skill of the crew to get the boat to the right position to enable everyone to actually see the whale. Before heading back to port, the captain took the boat alongside several pods of dolphins located along the coast which gave great entertainment to all the passengers. We were advised that it is extremely unlikely that we would have seen more than one sperm whale at a time as they only travel alone, so on that basis we were so happy with our trip.

We saw 2 sperm whales and a humpback, as well as dolphins. We were fortunate the weather was really clear, so the view of the whales and also the scenic views of the mountains and peninsula were excellent. Everyone gets a window seat, and the pilot circles the whales in both directions so everyone gets the chance of an excellent view. I’ve done lots of boat-based whale watching previously, so it was great to do something different - and get a clear view of the ‘whole whale’, not just the tail! Seeing these giants blow from above was an incredible experience! Everyone on our flight was fine; but I can imagine that if you’re prone to motion sickness, the circling might get to you a bit, and be wise to take some pills before-hand. The only other observation is that whilst the pilot gives you a great explanation through your headset, you can’t reply, so not possible to ask any questions, and we had a few. Overall, an outstanding and memorable experience.

Fabulous trip and well worth the long drive as scenery is beautiful. The cruise was great and we saw sperm whales, dolphins, seals and albatross. It was a bit choppy so go prepared if you are prone to sea sickness (the Gin.Gins available at the wharf are excellent as a prevention). Our guide got us on boat first so we had pick of the seats on the boat. The seal colony was also lovely with lots of pups. There’s plenty of places for lunch - we booked but wouldn’t do it again as there’s lots of time to order food. Take along the beach at lunchtime if you like seabirds. I think the winery only happens if cruise is cancelled due to bad weather - didn’t need it anyway.