New Zealand / South Island Popular Experiences
3.5 Hours

Dolphin Tour - Dolphin Encounter

Kaikoura

5.0 (2 reviews)

Why You Will Love It

  • Active and fun adventure 
  • Swim with playful dusky dolphins 
  • 3.5 hour tour 
  • Spot other marine life like New Zealand fur seals, albatross and sometimes orcas!
  • Snorkelling equipment and wetsuit provided 
  • One of Kaikoura's most popular experiences

Adventure Awaits

This is one for the animal lovers out there! With the Dolphin Encounter Tour, you'll have the chance to not only see but swim alongside wild dusky dolphins, an incredible once in a lifetime experience. While out in the waters off Kaikoura, we also often spot other marine wildlife, including New Zealand fur seals, albatross and sometimes orcas. Swimming opportunities are restricted to small group sizes, making your experience even more special and memorable.

Itinerary

Day 1: Dolphin Encounter
Depending on the season, we have several departure times to choose from to head out to sea for your dolphin swim experience. The tour runs for approximately three and a half hours, in which time you will enjoy a boat cruise, wildlife spotting and an opportunity to swim with wild dusky dolphins!

Your Adventure Includes

  • 3.5 hour tour 
  • Opportunity to swim with dolphins (subject to availability and must be booked in advance due to high demand) 
  • Wetsuit and snorkelling equipment

The Specifics

Departure Days: Subject to availability due to high demand 

Departure Times: 

Summer season (November to April) 5:30 am, 8:30 am and 12:30 pm

Winter season (May to October) 8:30 am and 12:30 pm

Check-in: Confirm at time of booking 

Additional Costs:

  • GoPros and towels available for hire 

Extra Information:

  • Allow three and a half hours approximately, the tour can be lesser or greater in duration dependent on dolphin behaviour
  • This is an exertive adventure activity and ideally swimmers should be able to swim and snorkel confidently in open water
  • All bookings must reconfirm 24 hours prior to tour departure

Reviews

5.0 (2 reviews)
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Lianne V 05 Feb 2019
We absolutely loved this trip!!!!! Not exaggerating to say that this was the best trip we ever done. This coming from someone who hates cold water is something to say. Yes, the water is freezing cold but you’ll all forget about this the moment you see around 300 dolphins around you!
Izz M
WOW, this was truly one of the best experiences we have ever had. Obviously, you can't have high expectations as it varies from day to day or even tour to tour. We were lucky to both see these packs of dusky dolphins and also swim among them on this tour. Once you're all geared up and ready to go, they let you know when to get in the water and point to where the dolphins are. They will swim past you quite close and you'll be surrounded by these amazing wild dolphins. If you're lucky, you will engage in some one on one interaction with a dolphin swimming around you and following each others eyes. Such an amazing feeling. Once they've all swam past, you get back on the boat and do it all again - repeated a couple of times! WOW WOW WOW! Such a good time and definitely a memory of a lifetime.

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Enquire

Dolphin Tour - Dolphin Encounter

Call 02 6680 6800 for immediate availability and information