Make a date with with Black Cat to meet the worlds smallest, rarest and friendliest dolphins only on Akaroa Harbour. There is only one place on the planet where you can swim with wild Hector's dolphins, also known as the New Zealand Dolphin, and that is the beautiful destination of Akaroa Harbour.
With only 12 swimmers per vessel this is an intimate wildlife experience. During your briefing and instruction you will learn how to interact responsibly with Hector’s dolphins and what to expect prior to your water adventure. Then don your provided wetsuit and mask and slip into the blue waters to observe these magnificent marine mammals up close.
After your dolphin swim, you can warm up quickly in the heated cabin and enjoy a warm hot chocolate and biscuit onboard, followed by a hot shower when back at the wharf.
There is an option to join this experience as a spectator of the swim experience. This option to watch is only available when booking and travelling with a swimmer.
Posted By : Z7816NLstephanier
Friendly staff who looked after us well and answered all of our questions. They worked hard to make sure we had a good experience! Loved our experience swimming with the dolphins.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-25 04:43:11 
Posted By : castiron135
Fantastic Crew with attention to detail. They take care of customers while teaching and protecting Hector’s Dolphins
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-02 23:28:49
Posted By : nickwC2353UM
The whole experience was excellent from seamless check-in, excellent equipment, great crew (big shout out to Chris and Nicole 👏) and a very professional outfit.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-01 12:24:21
Posted By : gabbybisschops
Such a fantastic cruise. The staff were so friendly and kind. They really care about the animals and the nature. We didn't get to swim with any dolphins but I was so happy to have been able to see them and I love that the company cares about ensuring the dolphins are comfortable before putting people in the water with them rather than just getting people in the water regardless. Despite not swimming we got to see dolphins, seals and a lot of bird life.
Would highly recommend.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-03-29 04:16:39
Posted By : HackswithRak
I was booked on the 0930 Dolphin Swim. Black Cat is very professional, setting us up with a briefing, wet suits that fit, complimentary lockers for our belongings and dry bags to take along cameras and phones. We set out to find a playful pod of Hector's dolphins. Black Cat guarantees that if you're not able to swim with the dolphins, they will provide a partial refund. The boat captain, Des, and his assistant, Harriet, were very knowledgeable and ensured the comfort of all participants, including warm blankets, hot chocolate and home made ginger snap cookies. Well worth the experience!
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-03-24 06:09:55
Posted By : Michael_P
The whole experience was excellent. Our guides Harriet and Thomas were very good and enthusiastic and made it a fun and memorable experience. We were lucky and saw a penguin on the way out to the dolphins. Conditions were good and we were able to spend 45 minutes in the water as they came to visit. The equipment was really good and the thick wetsuits kept us comfortable in the cold water. The warm water pumped into the wetsuit afterwards felt good! A great experience and highly recommended.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-03-22 14:37:40 
Posted By : Robin_L
Didn’t get to swim with dolphins because they weren’t around, which of course is not the company’s fault. They offered a 30% refund and we asked if we instead could get some of the free spots on the next tour, but they said we had to pay full price for that, really wanted to swim with dolphins but is it really reasonable to take 70% of the risk that there will be no swimming if we pay for another one? I feel that they could’ve offered us to go along with the next tour, that would’ve not cost them anything extra, but at least we would’ve got the experience we were looking for
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-03-18 16:14:53
Posted By : DenaF343
Great experience. Safety and explanation of the whole experience was clear. We LOVED our experience. Granted that you cannot control nature, however we lucked out and dolphins were everywhere. Bonus included penguins and fur seals. Truly a memorable day. Staff and skipper were top-notch.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-03-15 03:21:19
Posted By : Adrie_H
Saw a jumping dolf.
apparently you don't see that very often we were told.
We could not swim with the dolfijnen as they were Watchung people.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-02-29 02:20:55
Posted By : j_durban
Great tour company. Guides were informative and entertaining. Unfortunately we didn’t get to swim with the dolphins as they weren’t in an interactive mood but it was great to see them swimming beside the boat. Also added bonus was penguins and seals.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-02-26 14:48:52
