Wild Dolphin Encounter in Tauranga
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
Join this tour for a must-do, once-in-a-lifetime adventure with friendly dolphins in their natural habitat!
Admire wild common dolphins from the boat and, in some cases, get in the water with these beautiful creatures. This is a half-day trip departing from Tauranga Bridge Marina aboard the comfortable catamaran The Guardian, with an expert crew providing live commentary on the animals' behaviour and life history, as well as any support you may need throughout the tour.
Our summer dolphin encounter tours operate from November to May, weather and passenger numbers permitting.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
All trips are subject to weather and minimum booking numbers.
Trips operate with a 48 hour non refundable cancellation.
Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Children must be over 7 to swim with dolphins and be confident swimmers in the ocean.
Not recommended for travellers with mobility constraints
What To Expect
Join us for a memorable day out at sea, encountering wild dolphins in the Bay of Plenty. The dolphins we have in the Bay of Plenty are very curious and playful, and they often like to hang around the boat and watch us while we watch them. In some cases (around 70% of our trips), we allow guests to enter the water with them. We are fortunate to be permitted by the Department of Conservation to offer this experience in the Bay of Plenty. Whether guests are able to enter the water depends on several factors, including weather conditions, the behaviour of the dolphins, and the presence of juveniles within the pod. We can take up to 8 people in the water at a time, holding onto the swim bars while the boat moves slowly. It is a magical experience to be in the water with these incredible creatures, and this is the only way to keep up with them, as they can swim at speeds of up to 25 km/h. Our expert crew of Wildlife Guides will ensure your trip with us is a fantastic experience and a highlight of your visit to the region. We provide all equipment, including wetsuits, masks, and snorkels, give a full briefing for those entering the water, and also include hot drinks and fresh fruit.
Options
Wild Dolphin Encounter
What‘s Included
Professional guide
Tea and Coffee
Live commentary on board
Sightseeing dolphin cruise
T-shirts available to purchase
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
196 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great crew!
484yasmint,May 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We were very lucky to stumble across a pod of 200+ dolphins on our trip out. The crew were fantastic at helping seasick passengers and informative. Location was easy to find.
Amazing
Vae H,Apr 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had the most amazing experience getting close with the dolphins, swimming with the dolphins in the most calmest calm sea, the water was that calm we could see our reflection, we could see the dolphins skin, clear crystal, what an experience, this is a must when you get to Tauranga. The girls were awesomely nice, making sure we get to see more of the Tauranga Moana before coming back. My family absolutely loved it. Will be back for sure😊 “Kiaora, Tino Ataahua to mahi”
Great day w/ the Dolphins!
Hailey P,Apr 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We saw hundreds of dolphins! We saw them playing, chilling, and even hunting. It was so amazing and they followed along with the boat. The water was crystal clear and the weather was great, so we had a perfect view. Unfortunately, there were some babies in a pod and only one of the groups got to get into the water. No big deal though. We still had a great time!
Beautiful day out !
flosshawker,Mar 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great day out .. saw a lovely pod of dolphins but there were babies so we couldn’t swim with them. Despite this it was a great trip . The crew were knowledgeable and pointed out other things of interest . Highly recommended.
Best day out ever!
Lyndyg53,Feb 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We can highly recommend this trip, the captain, the crew, gave us a day to remember, the day was clear, calm seas, warm sun - perfect, we saw 3 pods of dolphins and one large pod stayed with us for a long time , in their milling dolphin mode, some young ones with the pod so we didn't swim for conservation reasons but we had a swim later when the dolphins had left us, warm sea, I didn't need a wetsuit, a very very happy day indeed.
Perfect way to see the dolphins
John R,Feb 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a brilliant time on this trip. The team were really helpful and informative. We saw a small group of around 7 dolphins first then later a very large group of around 100. We were able to get some fantastic photos. There were newly born dolphins in the group so we couldn't swim with them but we had the opportunity to see them close up from the boat.
Impressive team, great communicators.
124ornab,Feb 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My score is not for the tour, but for the overall expeuof dealing with Dolphine Seafaries.I was looking forward to this adventure as part of my cruise to NZ. Unfortunately, the weather was so bad, our ship couldn't dock, so I missed out. However I am writing romaay I had various communicationscswith the providers before I left home and they were extremely responsive and helpful. Also once the cruise cancelled the stop, Viatour and Dolphin Seafaries, refunded my fee, before I had time to think about it. So impressed. It's an absolute promise, that if I ever get the chance to be your way again, your tour is top of my list.
Bucket list stuff 👌🏽
V7851ZTkellys,Jan 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We loved it!!! Spent an hour with a pod of friendly dolphins. It was an incredible morning. Awesome staff and highly recommend 👍🏽
Sensational
wisij,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Super friendly crew, lots of dolphins, some penguins, 2 shark fins, jellyfish and a Maorishif. What more could you want. Very fair price!
Amazing
A3149DRsharons,Dec 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing saw lots of dolphins. Staff were enthusiastic and informative about the dolphins. We arrived on a cruise ship and our wharf arrival time didn’t give us enough time to get to the departure point. No problem for these guys they just swung by the pier near our wharf and picked us up. Thanks for a great day.
Related Experiences
Operated by Dolphin Seafaris NZ Limited