Akaroa Dolphins: Small Group Nature Cruise with Local Wine and Homemade Treats

Join Akaroa Dolphins for a small group nature cruise in Akaroa, New Zealand. Enjoy local wine, homemade treats, and get up close to wildlife. Book now!

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 65 Beach Road - As a holder of a New Zealand Department of Conservation Marine Mammal Viewing Permit, we are legally authorized to take guests on dolphin and seal viewing tours. We are proud to be one of only two year-round operators in Akaroa Harbour with this permit, so we encourage you to choose responsibly.
    Enjoy a 2-hour nature cruise on our…
What's Included
  • Famous home-baked cookies
  • Complimentary New Zealand wine, beer, or a non-alcoholic option
What's Not Included
  • We do not swim with the dolphins.
Additional Information

In essence, we are a family enterprise with our steering team being fifth and sixth generation locals of Banks Peninsula. We work alongside our relatives and a dedicated team focused on providing an unforgettable experience!
To ensure comfort and optimal viewing, we limit the number of passengers per group. This allows you sufficient space to explore the…

Location
65 Beach Road
Beach Road
Check-in is no later than 30 minutes prior to the departure, with boarding 15 minutes beforehand. Please note, Akaroa is roughly a 90-minute drive from Christchurch and Lyttelton Port.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(1928 Ratings)
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317shelaght
May 26, 2025
Memories - It was a fantastic experience from booking at the kiosk to returning with unforgettable memories. The boat was clean and well-maintained, and the crew was welcoming and friendly. They even served a choice of drinks and a delicious homemade cookie. The skipper commented on interesting facts, adding a touch of humour and involving the passengers in our search for Hector dolphins. Once the dolphins spotted our boat, it was time to play, chasing and racing us, diving below the boat and then surfacing to run ahead of us, giving the odd jump and twist, just because they can. Everyone had a smile on their face as we laughed, snapped photos, and took videos. The skipper took us close to land to look at points of interest, including a ledge of baby seals lying in the sun, camouflaged against the backdrop of the rock face. An excellent trip for any age. Thank you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M1729xns
May 24, 2025
Great activity when in Akaroa - Enjoyed our tour with the friendly and welcoming team! They shared stories and introduced different sites along the way. We also got to see hector dolphins and seals on our trip! The captain also mentioned passing by the penguins but they were hard to spot… would highly recommend this if you pass by Akaroa!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Petew1049
May 18, 2025
Cruise Akaroa Harbour - This cruise is a really great activity to do when visiting beautiful Akaroa. Lots of historical and harbour information provided, as well as spotting all types of wildlife. Dolphins and seals in particular. Using the dogs to assist spotting the wildlife is a really nice touch!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
294shereef
May 17, 2025
Amazing - We went specifically with this company as they’re a local family owned business. We were well looked after by the crew who were both very knowledgeable about the bird & sea life. Nice little added extras with home baked cookies & beverages of your choice including dine & beer. AND we saw so many dolphins who performed for us throughout the trip & put on quite a visual display of tricks. Thank you Chops & Hannah 😀
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Adamfx7191nk
May 16, 2025
Great trip - Fantastic trip - crew were great with excellent commentary. Jagged a perfect day and saw huge numbers of dolphins, fur seals birds and incredible geographical features
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Getaway19130212731
May 15, 2025
Superb! - 5th time doing this boat trip, it is an absolute must if in Akaroa, the best 👌. The dolphin spotting dog, the drink and baking and excellent staff make it such a pleasant experience. Loads of room to move around, saw so many dolphins today, superb! Thank you again 🙂
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tily50
May 10, 2025
Great trip - A lovely vessel. The staff were lovely especially Hannah they were both very knowledgeable On the area. Both very friendly. One thing I did notice nothing was mentioned about safety in case of abandoning the boat. So we had no idea where life jackets were. That was a concern. Otherwise it is a great trip and I recommend it.
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Jarrodb97
May 8, 2025
STUNNING experience! - One of the best experiences of my life! Not only did we see HEAPS of dolphins, we also saw seals and beautiful birds. Not to mention the cruise itself was stunning with fascinating history. MUST DO x
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Roam28272484861
May 4, 2025
A wonderful moment with the Hector Dolphins ! - Amazing experience ! A fun captain with incredible knowledge of Akaroa's history and, of course, its marine animals. We were lucky enough to see Hector dolphins swimming alongside and in front of the boat. We also saw fur seals and many sea birds. We were also delighted to enjoy drinks and homemade cookies ! Last thing : all cruise members and the captain were very thougtful with children !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Positive
May 3, 2025
Great experience - We got lucky with a last minute reservation for an afternoon boat ride The staff was great!! The dolphins were out and the doggie captain won our hearts Very knowledgeable staff I highly recommend this trip
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $72
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).