Whale Watching in Kaikoura by Boat
Overview
Available languages
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 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.
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
Options
7.45am Departure
Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure time - Please allow 3.5 hours with us.
1.15pm 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
2,968 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
No whales, but fair and honest company
Joy R,Mar 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
4.00Unfortunately we didn't see any whales. We were in the 10%. But they were true to their word and refunded immediately 80% of my cost. That said we saw a couple of dolphins and a blue shark. Disappointing, but fair. Which is why I gave 4 stars.
Great experience not to be missed
211dirkz,Mar 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A must do activity. The boat will take you to a place where there are whales. These can be spermwhales, grey whales or killer whales. In addition, often dolphins and sometimes also various birds. You'll get an explanation of the animals to spot along the way. Very educational. In case of bad weather and cancellation, refund or rescheduling of the activity.
Great experience. A must do !
MichelleH6728,Mar 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great trip and a must do. The staff clearly loved what they do and made us feel part of the journey. Was incredible to see the whales & dolphins in their natural environment.
Pricey Tourist trap
bdodan,Mar 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00Well organized tourist trap. They wait until 15 minutes before check in to divulge if they’re going out that day. When you check in they mention that the seas will be rough, do you still want to go? This causes many to rush over to their gift shop and buy overpriced medications and sea bands. Everyone gets on a bus and then a short drive to the boat and we depart like clock work. They zoom around and make stops to check for whales while dropping in a “hydrophone” which looks like pvc pipe and a loudspeaker duct taped together. When they stopped to use it, we could get up and move about, otherwise not. My husband and I felt there were 5 predetermined spots to check and the hydrophone was mostly show. We never saw a whale, likely a reason could be that they only surface every 45 min or so and we had to only 2 hours. They did find some dolphins and a shark near the end but soon we had to scurry inside because time was up. They supposedly will refund 80% of the money so a pricey boat ride to see albatross and dolphins you can see from land. They made good money in the gift shop selling sea sickness stuff ( I get seasick and this was over exaggerated to sell remedies) amongst other things. I’ve been on whale watch tours before like in Alaska and this doesn’t cut it. Maybe you’d see more action during whale migration!
A truly lovely adventure!
luckygreen,Mar 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My partner and I saved this adventure for our last day in New Zealand. I thought we should go out with a bang, and we did! We saw three different sperm whales and so many Dusky dolphins! We enjoyed being out in the deck and having the option to sit inside whenever we needed to. It really was a lovely experience. Thank you!
Magic
fbv3844,Mar 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Cannot zap this tour if you pass by kaikoura In 2016 I made the observation by plane but nothing replaces the boat and the approach as close as possible to these mastodons ( 3 different specimens in 3 hours , congratulations to Captain Jack) that remain on Kaikoura thanks to the sea canyon up to 1000m deep. End of visit with accompanying dolphins
Incredible !
Destination526862,Mar 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing we saw Orca, humpback and Sperm whales! A truly incredible trip that exceeded expectations. The guy narrating the trip was so good, really interesting commentary.
English man watching whales
Geoffrey K,Mar 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The boat ride was spot on seen Blue whales and Sperm Whales also on way back seen pod of dolphins crew could not of been more helpful
Amazing experience, very enthusiastic staff
Lynn B,Mar 22, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Well organised trip, informative crew who go to great lengths to make the trip a memorable one. The crew are very experienced in whale spotting and on our trip we viewed a sperm whale for several minutes before he flipped his tail and disappeared under the water. The captain then moved on to another spot where we just missed another whale descending. We then moved on again and just missed another whale! Although there are whales permanently living in the vicinity, they do only come to the surface briefly and it is down to the skill of the crew to get the boat to the right position to enable everyone to actually see the whale. Before heading back to port, the captain took the boat alongside several pods of dolphins located along the coast which gave great entertainment to all the passengers. We were advised that it is extremely unlikely that we would have seen more than one sperm whale at a time as they only travel alone, so on that basis we were so happy with our trip.
Worth it
B C,Mar 21, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It’s great. Not cheap but very well organised, staff went above and beyond, friendly and informative
From NZ$179.49
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Operated by Whale Watch Kaikoura Ltd