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Whale Watch Kaikoura

4.6
771
An exciting up-close encounter with the Giant Sperm Whale at all times of the year!

An exciting up-close encounter with the Giant Sperm Whale at all times of the year!

Highlights

  • 95% whale viewing success rate with an 80% refund if your tour does not see a whale
  • Discover Kaikoura on the water in our purpose built wildlife viewing catamaran.
  • Encounter New Zealand Fur Seals, pods of Dusky Dolphins and the endangered Wandering Albatross
  • Crewed by a friendly team of Skippers and Guides very experienced in interacting with the local Sperm Whales

We venture offshore over a deep undersea canyon that attracts an extraordinary abundance of marine life, the most famous being the Sperm Whale.

You will be viewing from our purpose built whale watching catamarans equipped with noise minimising engines, large outside viewing decks, spacious air-conditioned interiors and comfortable seating for those colder days on the water.

Whale Watch® is New Zealand's only marine-based whale watching company offering visitors an exciting up-close encounter with the Giant Sperm Whale at all times of the year. 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 advise to book early!

Giant Sperm Whales are the stars of the show and year-round residents. Depending on the season you may see migrating Humpback Whales, Pilot Whales, Blue Whales and Southern Right Whales. Kaikoura also attracts the largest concentration and variety of seabirds on mainland New Zealand!

Whale Watch vessels are crewed by a friendly team of Skippers and Guides very experienced in interacting with the local Sperm Whales. They have expert knowledge of Kaikoura's sea conditions and are fully trained in all aspects of safety.

Adult $175.00
Child $60.00 (3-15 years old)

Duration

  • Allow approx. 3.5 hours for the whole experience.

Location

  • Whale Watch is located in the town of Kaikoura. Please check in at Whale Watch Office located on Whaleway Station Road.

Restrictions

  • Minimum age 3 years old.

Child Friendly

  • This experience welcomes families with children.

Notes

  • IMPORTANT FOR BOOKINGS MADE WITHIN 48 HOURS OF DEPARTURE:

    For bookings made through Bookme within 48hours of departure, you will need to call the number provided in your booking email to fully confirm your booking and departure time in order to avoid disappointment or inconvenience.

    Duration: Time on the water is up to 2.5 hours however please allow up to 3.5 hours in total.

    Child price applies to ages 3 - 15 years.

    If your Whale Watch Kaikoura tour does not see a whale we will refund 80% of your fare.

    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.

    Whale Watch operate tours every day (weather permitting) excluding Christmas Day.

    If you are susceptible to motion-sickness Whale Watch offer Aqua Straps for hire or purchase. Whale Watch also sells natural active motion-sickness tablets but we are not permitted to sell medicatedoptions which can be purchased at the local pharmacy located in the town centre. Allour Whale Watch tours are graded with a seasickness warning announced over our PA system prior to tour departure.

    Please note every Whale Watch tour is a unique experience and the sightings will vary.

Available Bookings from 5 Apr to 18 Apr 2025

Change Dates

All prices are shown in NZD ($)

Sat 5 Apr
Sun 6 Apr
Mon 7 Apr
Tue 8 Apr
Wed 9 Apr
Thu 10 Apr
Fri 11 Apr
Sat 12 Apr
Sun 13 Apr
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Tue 15 Apr
Wed 16 Apr
Thu 17 Apr
Fri 18 Apr

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

Bookings close in 11 hours...

  • Adult$175.00
  • Child$60.00

Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme

Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme

4.6

771 reviews

Showing all 771 authenticated Bookme reviews

Sonja from Switzerland wrote on 13 February 2025

Marvelous

It was a wonderful experience with a friendly staff and good explications.The Whales we have seen and the Orcas-a indescrible encounter.

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Ricky Lewis from New Zealand wrote on 09 March 2025

Whale watching kaikoura

Brilliant

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cash from New Zealand wrote on 07 March 2025

Brilliant day

Fantastic trip. Very well organised and professional. We saw a whale plus dolphins. Highly recommended

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max36 from China wrote on 03 March 2025

Life experiences

Fantastic trip, professional staff and lucky day!

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Angela Hughes from United Kingdom wrote on 19 February 2025

Whale watching

This was the most incredible experience. Highly recommend this trip we saw two sperm whales and tens and hundreds of dolphins as well as sea birds. The crew were absolutely brilliant very informative, friendly and helpful.

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Qualmark Certification

This award identifies a business with a high level of professionalism, a keen awareness of the impact it has on the environment and a commitment to a customer centric approach.

This award is evidence of a sophisticated tourism business that consistently exceeds visitor expectations. Their proactive leadership and management ensure the business's focus on continuously improving their economic, social and environmental performance to create genuine, constantly evolving and sustainable tourism experiences.

This award recognises the best sustainable tourism businesses in New Zealand. It denotes exceptional customer experiences at the heart of everything the company does. This business is leading the way in making the New Zealand tourism industry a world class sustainable visitor destination.

When you see the Qualmark logo, your activity of choice is endorsed by New Zealand Tourism's official quality assurance organisation and backed by leaders in the industry. It's your trusted guide to iconic activities and experiences that are awarded for their exceptionally high level of quality, safety and sustainability.

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