Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Akaroa Harbour, Canterbury, New Zealand
Akaroa Harbour is a sheltered harbour, a flooded crater of an extinct volcano surrounded by awe-inspiring volcanic cliffs. With a group limit of 12 people per vessel, the Akaroa swimming with dolphins tour means it will be an even more intimate experience.
The 3-hour dolphin tour is very popular due to the limited number of passengers permitted per departure. Book now to avoid disappointment.
You will be guaranteed a safe and memorable dolphin swim.
Dolphin Sightseeing Guarantee - If you see dolphins but for some reason do not get to swim with them, then receive a part refund. 50% refund if no dolphins are found and a 25% refund if dolphins found but you are unable to swim with them. In the last 12 months we saw dolphins on 98% of our cruises and had successful swims on 81%.
• All crew are highly trained. This means that you'll get a great briefing on how to interact with the dolphins and what to expect prior to your journey. They'll also give you safety instructions to allow you to enjoy your experience. If you are new to snorkeling and use of a wetsuit your crew will be on hand to help you out.
• All equipment is provided including wetsuit, masks and snorkel. You only have to bring a swimsuit and a towel. With hot showers available.
• The vessel is a heated, covered, jet powered catamaran. It's safer for you and the dolphins because there are no propellers. It's also heated so after your swim you can warm up quickly in the cabin.
Stop At: Akaroa, Akaroa, Canterbury Region, South Island
The historic French Village of Akaroa and its spectacular harbour is just a 90 minutes drive from Christchurch.
See Availability.
1: Akaroa, Main Wharf, Akaroa, Christchurch 7520, New Zealand
2: Akaroa, Main Wharf, Akaroa, Christchurch 7520, New Zealand
3 hours(approx.)
Returns to original departure point
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Children Swimmers between 8yrs and 12yrs must be accompanied by an adult swimmer.
Children between 13yrs and 17yrs must be accompanied by an adult spectator.
Akaroa is ideally situated, only a 110 minute drive from Christchurch International Airport. You can either drive yourself or catch one of the shuttles, which operate daily between Christchurch city center and Akaroa.
Life Jackets are not provided or permitted and if one is required this product is not suitable, please join our Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise.
In the event that you do not have a successful swim a 30% refund will be processed.
Minimum age for a child to Swim with Dolphins is 8yrs and to join as a spectator 4yrs
Final Check in time is 15 minutes prior to Tour Time
If you have Asthma/Allergies please know you are required to have your inhaler/EpiPen with you
Please reconfirm your reservation the day prior so weather updates can be given.
All medical conditions need to be declared as this product may not be suitable due to injuries or recent surgeries.
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 is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
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.
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Posted On : 2024-04-25
Posted By : castiron135
Fantastic Crew with attention to detail. They take care of customers while teaching and protecting Hector’s Dolphins
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Posted On : 2024-04-02
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.
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Posted On : 2024-04-01
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.
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Posted On : 2024-03-29
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!
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Posted On : 2024-03-24
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.
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Posted On : 2024-03-22
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
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Posted On : 2024-03-18
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.
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Posted On : 2024-03-15
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.
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Posted On : 2024-02-29
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.
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Posted On : 2024-02-26
