Helicopter Tour: Sperm Whale Adventure

Embark on an extended whale watch flight in Kaikoura and witness the majestic Sperm Whales and playful dolphins. Enjoy more time in the whale area and increase your chances of spotting baleen whales. Fly along the stunning Kaikoura coastline on your return journey.

Duration: 40 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Kaikoura - Embark on a helicopter journey from our coastal launch pads, soaring into the breathtaking realm that is home to the colossal Sperm Whale, one of the ocean’s largest inhabitants.
    This aerial tour grants you additional observation time in the vicinity of these oceanic giants, an ideal choice when the whales are dining further from the…
What's Included
  • Scenic helicopter excursion to view sperm whales and wildlife
  • Exploration of the unique and rugged Kaikoura Coastline
  • Uninterrupted aerial views of marine mammals from a luxury helicopter
  • Headsets with microphones for clear commentary and Q&A with expert pilots
  • Viewing the deep-sea canyon near Kaikoura from above while searching for Giant Sperm…
Additional Information

Within a matter of minutes after ascending from our beach helipads, you will find yourself in the breathtaking habitat that is home to one of the most colossal marine animals on Earth - the mighty Sperm Whale. This air tour grants you additional time in the vicinity of the whales to marvel at these astonishing behemoths of the ocean deep. It also…

Location
16 West End
West End
Across the road from Coopers Catch fish and chip restaurant and below the railway bridge.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.5
(17 Ratings)
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Xiao_bao_cambodia
Apr 1, 2026
Expensive but unique experience -- worth the splurge if you can afford it. - I've done whale & dolphin watching in Kaikoura and elsewhere by boat. The dolphins are better by boat, and it's not even close. But the helicopter vantage really brings the size and majesty of whales into focus. If you truly enjoy whale watching, then at least once you will want to see the whale from above. Our sightings this trip included a sperm whale, and a humpback whale with shark swimming in close proximity. Smartphone pics attached -- but obviously, the real-life view was much better. This was a splurge and an indulgence for me -- but I am glad I did it. If you can afford this as part of your NZ vacation, and truly enjoy whale watching, give it a try.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dreamer26334274019
Mar 9, 2025
Saw more than we expected in the first five minutes! - Cal was a great pilot and the entire experience was easy from start to finish/ within 5 minutes we saw two Sperm Whales, we stumbled into hundreds of dolphins on the shore and then he sought out a giant Fin Whale. We saw way more than we had anticipated and it was well worth the trip to Kaikoura.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hansmaas40
Mar 6, 2025
Fantastic helicopter experience with many different whales (sperm whales and blue whales) - What a fantastic experience. We had accidentally arrived at the chopper not at the office. We got our safety briefing from the pilot, at the chopper and everything went on as usual. The flight was indescribably more than 13 different whales seen. The weather was fantastic and the pilot was great. It was worth the price. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Craig_t
Mar 6, 2024
Whales from the sky! - What an amazing experience!! We were lucky enough to see 2 whales, a pod of dolphins, and a lot of seals. Being able to view these creatures from this perspective is so cool! Highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Erica055
Mar 4, 2024
New Zealand Highlight - Our pilot Arron gave us a magnificent flight. His expertise in spotting and locating the whales was a marvel. His knowledge of the whale behaviour added to our enjoyment. We saw 2 separate sperm whale plus a pod of pilot whales with dolphins and albatrosses.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sabinemarieloiuseb
Feb 5, 2024
Perfect flight over the Kaikoura peninsula with Whaleand dolphine spotting - The day was perect for a flight over the Kaikoura peninsula and out to the sea for searching of whales. As there was no Whale spotted this morning, we were happy to find a sperm Whale, just coming up for taking air. Our pilot was very knowledgeable and gave us very good opportunities for taking photos of the Whale, of the schools of dolphines as well as the peninsula and the coast. Would do it again, any time!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Louisek431
Mar 22, 2024
Fantastic helicopter tour - Fantastic excursion out over the ocean to view a sperm whale offshore. Also got to see some dusky dolphins on the flight out. Our pilot was exceptional. He coordinated well with the whale watching boats and scenic planes to help locate at least one whale in the vicinity.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
749neetap
Jul 27, 2025
Whale watching flight - It was very short ride even though I bought extended tour. Saw two whales but didn't see the second one properly. Pilot was in hurry to finish of the trip. It was not worth of money.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jason_d
Feb 20, 2026
Bummer - We did not see whales. The only thing that could have made up for it would have been an engaging guide sharing about the area or the ocean and the marine life may at least have left us with a bit of insight. Another example: when I called to confirm the flight, a simple thing like letting us know where we could park, or having binoculars along on the flight, a story about migrating blue whales, any sign of passion about whales or New Zealand or the ocean would have enhanced the experience. Again, had we seen whales, this would be a non-issue. However, as NOT seeing whales is a known risk, I would recommend that the service provider hedge against disappointed clients like myself by putting in the extra effort on future flights.
Review provided by Viator
Y1305hhmartinw
Dec 19, 2023
Disappointing - Our departure time was brought forward and so our flight missed out on spotting the one whale that was in the area. Flight was a failure, no refund nor extended flight, nor anything. Very disappointing considering the cost
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $298
up to 6 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).