Whale Watching in Kaikoura by Boat

Overview

Available languages

English

3 hours 30 minutes

Mobile ticket

Whale Watch is located in the small coastal town of Kaikōura on the East Coast of New Zealand’s South Island a scenic two and a half-hour drive north from Christchurch and two hour drive south from Picton. Kaikōura is a special place of lush pastures and towering, snow covered peaks that fall to the sea. This rare magic continues just offshore where a deep undersea canyon combines with unusual sea currents to attract an extraordinary abundance of marine life, the most famous being the Giant Sperm Whale.

Whale Watch is New Zealand's only vessel-based whale watching company offering visitors an exciting up-close encounter with the world’s largest toothed predator the Giant Sperm Whale in their natural environment at all times of the year. Whale Watch scheduled tours operate daily. Our 95% success rate means we guarantee an 80% refund if your tour does not see a whale. Whale Watch tours are extremely popular so we recommend booking early.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Public transportation options are available nearby

Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Tours operate all year: 7.15am, 10.00am, 12.45pm & 3.30pm (Nov-Mar)—Please note that these are check-in times only - please do not come earlier than the times specified.

The minimum age limit for children traveling on a whale watch tour is 3yrs+, although Whale Watch Kaikōura maintains the right to raise the age limit depending on sea and weather conditions at the time of check-in.

All our tour are subject to favourable weather & sea conditions. If cancelled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund.

Whale Watch staff constantly monitor the weather and respond professionally to any changes. This may mean a tour is cancelled or safety restrictions placed on children or passengers with medical problems. Passenger comfort and safety is always our priority. Passengers travelling to join us on the day of their tour are strongly advised to telephone the FREEPHONE number 0800 655 121 for a sea conditions update.

Dress warmly and wear flat shoes. If you wish to spend time on the outside decks of our vessels you may need light waterproof clothing depending on the sea conditions.

Don't let sea sickness ruin your whale watch tour experience. Purchase motion sickness pills to help prevent sea sickness, car sickness, or any type of travel sickness from our Retail Store before you travel.

The actual time on the water is up to 2.5 hours. Including check-in time, safety briefing and bus transfers you should allow 3.5 hours in total.

If travelling in a wheelchair please contact us prior to arrival so we can provide additional details and advise how we can assist you

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Experienced knowledgeable staff providing a running commentary throughout your tour

Bus ride to and from our marina

95% success rate backed up by an 80% refund if your tour does not see a whale

Award winning onboard animations

Tours operates all year round

Modern fleet of purpose built catamarans

Food and drinks

What To Expect

Few places on Earth possess the magic of Kaikōura. Many who visit leave transformed. It is a special part of New Zealand, imbued with powerful natural energy. A place where tectonic plates collide, towering peaks fall to the sea and ocean currents converge. Such rare combinations lure an abundance of marine wildlife, the most famous being the Giant Sperm Whale. It was a whale that led the Māori ancestor Paikea to New Zealand many centuries ago. His descendants live in Kaikōura today. Fittingly, the whale continues to guide the people of Kaikōura and the visitors they host. Kaikōura is one of New Zealand's leading eco-tourism destinations offering a variety of exciting activities and experiences. Despite the recent rise in tourist numbers, the town retains much of its historical charm. Many new motels, cafes and restaurants can be found in beautifully restored old buildings. Fresh local seafood is always on the menu. The retention of the town's distinctive character has made Kaikōura extremely attractive to artists. Their work, inspired by the remarkable landscape and wildlife, can be seen all over town.

Options

1.15pm Departure

Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure time - Please allow 3.5 hours with us.

7.45am Departure

Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure time - Please allow 3.5 hours with us.

10.30am Departure

Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure time - Please allow 3.5 hours with us.

Reviews

4.45

2,859 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

1971

511

185

104

Not just a trip but an education.
Steven G,
Nov 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
This is an amazingly informative trip to see the sperm whales. The trip is well organised and the staff are very friendly, professional and knowledgeable. We had a very detailed talk on the whales and the kaikoura bays and canyons by a marine biologist which give you a massive understanding on how these animals live, hunt and survive in the sea. We managed to see a sperm whale and also on the way back we were greeted by a pod of dusky Dolphins playfully frolicking around the boat. I highly recommend this amazing trip to everyone. (Take your sea sickness tablets before departure though ) Thank you very much to everyone involved for a fantastic morning. Steve
No whales, but still good
RobertM5293,
Nov 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
Nature is unpredictable. The crew could not locate the hidden whales on this outing. They were able to show us seals, albatross, many other sea birds and dozens, if not hundreds, of dolphins. Here's a little surprise I was not aware of: due to not being able to find whales, 80% of the tour cost was refunded. Seriously.
Capt Jack well done
jackiedouglas64,
Nov 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Well organised. Crew friendly and informative. Capt Jack found 2 whales for us and then dolphins. A great experience wrap up can be chilly.
A terrific experience!
summerg532,
Nov 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We went on two whale watching trips on two different days. Both were a wonderful experience! We saw a sperm whale each time. Our guide turned out to be Robbie on both trips, and he's terrific. It was cool to be able to see how the equipment works in order to hear the whales. They heard that a humpback whale was out but we were not able to find it or see it. The crew went out of their way to see what they could do. They also took us to see dolphins -- which included cute baby dolphins! Overall, it was a great experience! I don't usually get seasick and we sat towards the front of the boat on our first tour. It was a little rough. On the second trip, we sat in the back of the boat and it was much better. For viewing purposes, it doesn't matter where you sit so don't rush to get a good seat. Once the crew sees something, they stop the boat and then you can go to the decks to get your pics!
Great whale and bird watching experience
sarah h,
Nov 15, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Took 40 mins or so to get out to the whale area. Interesting commentary and good graphics. Glad we took the sea sickness pills as sea was described as moderate - I would have said quite choppy. Saw a sperm whale for at least 5 minutes before it dived. All worth it. Sea birds were fantastic too esp the acrobatics of the albatross. Crew all kind and helpful too
Sperm whale and many dolphins spotted so happy despite nausea
Salima,
Nov 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
You will get a lot of explanation about the different sea creatures during the trip, very informative. The sperm whale and a lot of dolphins seen super nice despite the fact that I got really lousy, even that I had taken pills. But the crew is very nice and attentive. Really recommend it when you are in Kaikoura.
Finally saw whales
Lois B,
Nov 12, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
What a great experience! The crew was very thoughtful. The naturalist gave an excellent narrative about whales we hoped to see and a general description of the ocean around us. We saw 2 whales, Humpback and a Sperm plus numerous dolphins and sea birds. Because the Humpback was as curious about us as we were about him, the captain did not rush us out of the area but gave us plenty of time for this great experience. I have been on whale watching trips around the world but this was my first close up sighting.
Great experience
maurivamjunior,
Nov 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Great experience! The staff are friendly and the guy who was narrating the boat tour did a great job. We unfortunately weren't able to see any whales due to bad weather and the company automatically issued a refund, as they promised in their advertising, which was really nice.
Sperm whale
Vickie C,
Nov 11, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Great captain and crew, experienced and very considerate to the tourists. We saw a sperm whale this morning but wasn’t able to see the other one coming up to surface before we had to return to the marina. Captain decided to offer us a partial refund which was unexpected, great service!
Loved it!
KatyBcTravels,
Nov 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My husband and I really enjoyed this tour. Despite warning us that the chances of getting seasick were high on the morning of our tour, the boat ride was quite smooth! We saw plenty of dolphins, one humpback whale quite close (and another further from the boat), seals, and albatross. We had a beautiful sunny day for this tour, which made for a great experience of standing on the back/sides of the boat to take photos (I’m pretty sure it was a bit chilly on the upper level, but we had amazing views from the back of the boat on the lower level). The nature guide and captain did an amazing job of guiding the passengers to whichever location we needed to be in to enjoy seeing wildlife throughout the tour.