Following a morning pickup from your Christchurch hotel, hop aboard your air-conditioned coach and settle in for the comfortable 2-hour drive north to the coastal town of Kaikoura. The South Pacific Ocean off the Kaikoura coast is home to a spectacular array of vibrant marine life. Sperm whales, Dusky dolphins, seal colonies and flocks of albatross are attracted here all year round by the nutrient-rich waters and plentiful food supply — it’s a wildlife-watcher’s paradise!
On arrival in Kaikora, enjoy an early lunch (own expense) at the Craypot Café and Bar or take time to explore the attractive town on foot at your leisure. A thriving coastal community, Kaikoura offers a wide selection of shops, bars and other amenities and a buzzing seaside atmosphere.
When it’s time to hit the waves for your dolphin swim, follow your guide to the cruise base in town, climb into your warm wetsuit and listen to an informative briefing on the varied marine wildlife that calls Kaikoura home. Afterward, transfer to your bus for the short journey to the harbour, hop aboard your boat and cruise out into the deep ocean.
As your captain talks of the prevailing conditions out on the waves, breathe in the salty sea air and keep an eye out on the horizon for the wild dolphins’ tell-tale leaps and splashes. Be sure to ask the team on board about the tried and tested methods used to encourage the dolphins’ natural curiosity then, with the engine cut, strap on your mask, snorkel and flippers and jump into the ocean.
Whether you choose to dive down to the depths below or bob about on the surface, swimming with the friendly and curious Dusky dolphins in their natural habitat is truly unforgettable. Marvel at their elegance in the water as they swim energetically around you and enjoy the experience of sharing the waves with these intelligent, graceful and inquisitive creatures.
When your time with the dolphins is up, climb back aboard your boat for the short journey back to land. At approximately 3:30pm, depart Kaikoura for the return journey to your Christchurch hotel where your tour will come to an end.
See Availability.
Traveler pickup is offered
12 hours(approx.)
Children must be aged 8 years and over to swim with Dolphins.
Customers must declare any pre-existing medical conditions. A basic level of fitness is required. Customers will be floating in the open ocean and will be required to swim to and from the boat - distances up to 50 meters (150 feet) at a time.
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Once the tour has commenced only the unused portion of the tour will be refunded should the Dolphin boats not sail. If due to Dolphin sightings or weather conditions the boat offers a partial refund, this refund will be passed on to our customers
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Posted By : Joanne_Y
Swimming with hundreds of wild dolphins is truly magical. Seeing so many schools of them playing in the ocean is just beyond word description.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-03-25
Posted By : Charlotte_R
Beautiful dolphins, friendly and educated staff. Very well organised, may be more $$$ than a standard day trip but 100% worth it.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-02-28
Posted By : Donna_B
Dolphins everywhere!!! We got great pictures and video of the swim. Only issue was the cold water but even that was tolerable. Highly recommend!
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-02-17
Posted By : Lisa_P
Our driver was excellent, very accommodating and interesting to talk to. The crew on the boat were amazing and very dedicated to optimizing our experience! We saw hundreds of dolphins 🐬 highly recommend this trip! We also stopped by a seal colony on the way back.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-01-29
Posted By : Michelle_I
Very good day overall but beware of sea sickness. The boat for the dolphin encounter is not very large and you can feel every wave even when slight to moderate swells. If you don't know if you get motion sickness or don't go on boats often, buy tablets for it! The staff are great if you do get sick, but try to avoid it. I didn't and I regret it. Apart from that, it was a beautiful day and the dolphins were on show and very close to the boat.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-01-02
Posted By : Chelsea_P
Fantastic experience!!! Saw hundreds of dolphins and they even played with me. There were countless albatross. Staff were really good. I loved this!
Rating :
Posted On : 2023-11-30
Posted By : John_F
The tour was cancelled the day before due to lack of numbers. This gave me no time to sort out an alternative tour of my choice as there were no places left. However the same tote company that runs this attraction offered me a place on the Waipara wine tasting tour and that was a nice pleasant trip
Rating :
Posted On : 2023-09-29
Posted By : Julia_H
Swimming with dolphins in Kaikoura was an amazing experience. The dolphins were so friendly and seemed to love swimming with us as much as we enjoyed swimming with them!
Rating :
Posted On : 2023-05-06
Posted By : Crystal_F
Amazing Experience. My kids absolutely loved it (as I did) and the way the team treated my mother (who has asthma) was amazing. They treated her like a VIP instead of someone with a heath condition. They also went out of their way to help her be able to experience the dolphins with us.
Rating :
Posted On : 2023-01-03
Posted By : Katie_D
Definitely worth it. We were collected by Jude who was fantastic. She gave us commentary on the trip up of the local sights. The dolphin swim itself was amazing. So fantastic to see these beautiful animals in the sea and not in some pool. Definitely 100% worth it!
Rating :
Posted On : 2022-11-28
