Day sea kayak tour Rangitoto Island: Explore Auckland's landmark with wildlife and volcano walk

Experience a thrilling sea kayak tour to Rangitoto Island in Auckland. Explore volcanic landscapes, encounter wildlife, and enjoy panoramic city views. Book now!

Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Auckland Sea Kayaks - Embark on a sea kayaking adventure to Rangitoto Island, the largest and youngest volcano in Auckland, a true landmark of the region, as the sun sets over Auckland and the Waitakere Ranges. Complimentary pick-up and drop-off from central Auckland is available upon request (Auckland Museum). After a safety briefing and paddling…
What's Included
  • Top quality sea kayak equipment
  • Small friendly groups
  • Experienced guides
  • Suitable for people with little or no kayaking experience
  • Tea and coffee
  • Fully catered with BBQ lunch
What's Not Included
  • N/A
Additional Information

Embark on an adventure in the Auckland region and view the city from a unique vantage point.
Journey across the Waitemata harbour, known as ‘sparkling waters’, where you might encounter wildlife like Little Blue Penguins and Cooks Petrels.
Upon reaching Rangitoto Island, the largest and youngest of Auckland’s volcanoes, you’ll begin a relaxed 1-hour…

Location
Auckland Sea Kayaks
Tamaki Drive
Meetup: St Heliers central boat ramp 384 Tamaki Drive, Auckland. We do offer a free city pick up from the Atrium Auckland Museum and this needs to be communicated to us at time of booking see https://www.aucklandseakayaks.co.nz/city-pick-up-location/
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(83 Ratings)
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Kristie_farmer
Feb 2, 2026
Must do - Awesome day experience with the guide Dan. The day we did our tour was not the best weather but was still a great day and catered well to my partners dietary requirements for lunch. 100% recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Colleen_i
Jan 6, 2026
We had a beautiful day... - We had a beautiful day for kayaking and hiking! It's not for the faint of heart as the hiking portion can be strenuous at times, but it is definitely worth doing this tour. Lunch provided after the hike was delicious! We had an excellent tour guide, Ben, who you can tell loves what he does. He was very gracious when I was struggling a bit on the hiking portion. He also made sure that everyone stayed together during the kayaking and hiking. Highly recommend Ben for your tour guide on this excursion.
Review provided by Viator
Trail33469121039
Dec 22, 2025
Ben the trip guide is top-notch - Had a fantastic time co-guiding with guide Ben on the Duke of Edinburgh silver trip with the Baradene College students. The 3 night, 4 day trip was well organised and set up efficiently from the beginning. The gear was sorted, the students were looked after and it was a well-executed trip. The easy-going nature of guide Ben meant that the students found it stress-free. Safety systems were top-notch, meaning that the teenagers were well cared for and in safe hands. Of note was the educational experience that the students received. Ben went to great lengths to ensure that the students had a robust knowledge of navigation and were ready to lead their sections of the trip. He equipped them with the thinking needed to carry out their leadership responsibilities while supporting them to make safe decisions. This was apparent as he would get the group to huddle and reflect, then discuss while informing them of what was needed. All in all, it was an easy trip as a co-guide because it was stress-free and the students had a lot of fun!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Safari47223321463
Nov 3, 2025
Great day out with Ben from Auckland Sea Kayaks - Our Tour Guide today was Ben, he was amazingly insightful & made it a very special day. Right from the safety briefing to the guided tour & delicious lunch he was caring & helpful. Thank you Ben for such a great day that I would highly recommend anyone regardless of your experience. Cheers Phil
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Monica_a
Aug 21, 2025
Phenomenal - We had an amazing day with Daniel! He’s an amazing guide and knew so much about the plant life, birds and answered any questions we had. The kayak ride was nice and leisurely. The water was quite calm and the weather was ideal. The hike was an incline but not bad at all and the views at the top of Rangitoto are absolutely worth it! The day started at St Heliers beach at 8:30 and ended at the same place about 2 pm which was perfect leaving time in the day to walk around and have a nice dinner. Definitely worth it for anyone visiting!
Review provided by Viator
Sunshine04416217335
Jul 7, 2025
Unforgettable - The best experience I’ve done in New Zealand so far! I loved every second of the activity, our instructors Ben and Camilla were so knowledgeable and friendly, the views were incredible, food was delicious, and the kayaking was unforgettable, especially in the dark. I was blown away by how much equipment we were given, fleeces, coats, torches, splash skirts, shoes and more!! Way beyond my expectations. Would recommend to anyone :))
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ingrid_s
Apr 25, 2025
Ingrid S Likes Auckland - Great day out & a must do when in Auckland. Love the great outdoors so a great way to see & experience Auckland.
Review provided by Viator
Michelle_c
Mar 24, 2025
Great Guide, Great Day - Our guide Daniel was terrific. Based on the condition of the water and incoming rain, he provided us with an alternative option for our kayak trip to avoid rough water. We headed to Browns Island where we hiked to see inside the old volacano crater. Afterward, we paddled back to a private beach area and enjoyed a delicious lunch. The paddle back was difficult but short. Had we headed to Rangitoto Island, it would have been very difficult. Thanks to Daniel for making the best of our excursion!
Review provided by Viator
978c_liab
Mar 20, 2025
Discover Auckland differently - The Brown Island excursion was magnificent! We were originally supposed to go to Rangitoto, but we had to change our destination because of the wind. We were not disappointed, quite the opposite. The island was magnificent and the view from its summit over Auckland Bay was incredible! Ben, our guide, was very knowledgeable and full of good energy. The barbecue was so good! I found it incredible to discover such a wild place near Auckland, I really recommend it 100%.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_p
Feb 27, 2026
Kayak Tour & Viator need to improve! - Horrible experience! Booking a few months ahead was a mistake! When the cruise ship arrived that day we went to check out the tour location for the next day and found omissions from the Tour Listing. "It did / does not mention the Kayak Row of 3.25 miles each way, across a very very busy channel". Realizing there was no way for our group of 7, aged 60-71 would be able to row 6.5 miles. That distance omission was / is significant and a show stopper. I contacted the tour company as soon as we realized, 22 hours before the excursion was to begin to cancel and seek a refund (Keep in mind the ship had just arrived) Answer was NO! Discussed further and tried to explain, NO! Contacted Viator and explained everything, Answer was NO! Not even a swap or partial refund, no admission of any misinformation.. UNACCEPTABLE!! I have been using Viator for 3 years in multiple countries and events. I, and my group will no longer use and support Viator ever again. Nor would I recommend the Kayak trip to anyone! You may have kept my money, but you have lost in the long run.
Review provided by Viator
From $144
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).