Whale Watching Flight: Kaikōura's Marine Giants

Experience the majesty of Sperm Whales and breathtaking ocean views on a Whale Watching Flight in Kaikoura. Book now for an unforgettable adventure in New Zealand!

Duration: 40 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 627 State Highway 1 - Gather for check-in and a pre-flight briefing about Kaikoura’s whales and other marine life.
  • Depart from the airport to the whale watching area just off the coast to observe Kaikoura’s whales from above.
  • Relish the stunning alpine and coastal scenery before returning to land.
What's Included
  • 40-minute scenic flight
  • Headset with live pilot commentary
  • Window seat for every passenger
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pickup/drop-off
  • Food & drinks
Additional Information

Experience the world-famous sperm whales and marine life of Kaikōura with an unforgettable Whale Watching Flight. From the sky, enjoy the perfect vantage point to admire these magnificent creatures in their natural environment, fully appreciating their immense size and beauty.
During the journey, there may also be sightings of dolphins, humpback whales,…

Location
627 State Highway 1
State Highway 1
At Kaikoura Airport, 10min drive south of Kaikoura. Turn right on arrival, Free parking. Checkin 30min before your flight. Flight times may be adjusted to align with whale dive times, this may result in earlier departures. If you are not present at the checkin time, the flight may depart without you
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(227 Ratings)
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Trek23249817321
Mar 21, 2026
Whales and (many) dolphins - Nice 6 seater plane, experienced pilot. Of course it remains to be seen if you see whales, but the pilot does his best to find them. Eventually we saw 4 of them and the plane turned 2 circles so everyone had a good view of them. It's hard to take a good picture, but the memory remains!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michaelt8386
Mar 8, 2026
Whales and killer whales - Great experience, we had the chance to observe two sperm whales and killer whales. The pilot was very good and gave us lots of information about the whales.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rachel_d
Mar 6, 2026
Excellent experience. - We saw 2 sperm whales and a humpback, as well as dolphins. We were fortunate the weather was really clear, so the view of the whales and also the scenic views of the mountains and peninsula were excellent. Everyone gets a window seat, and the pilot circles the whales in both directions so everyone gets the chance of an excellent view. I’ve done lots of boat-based whale watching previously, so it was great to do something different - and get a clear view of the ‘whole whale’, not just the tail! Seeing these giants blow from above was an incredible experience! Everyone on our flight was fine; but I can imagine that if you’re prone to motion sickness, the circling might get to you a bit, and be wise to take some pills before-hand. The only other observation is that whilst the pilot gives you a great explanation through your headset, you can’t reply, so not possible to ask any questions, and we had a few. Overall, an outstanding and memorable experience.
Review provided by Viator
Seren_dipity10000
Feb 26, 2026
This was a fantastic experience - The best moment of my trip to New Zealand! Absolutely magical to see two blue whales hanging out together…
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deo37
Feb 22, 2026
Fabulous! - A fabulous flight on a beautiful day. We saw a sperm whale and pods of dolphins as well as having stunning views of the coastline in Kaikoura. Our pilot, Ben, was great and very knowledgeable. We highly recommend this experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sherpa67376723283
Jan 26, 2026
An incredible experience🐋🩵 - If you’re in Kaikoura this is a MUST do! A great experience and so surreal to see the sperm whale from above. Ethan, the pilot did his absolute best to ensure each of us had a good view of the whale. We was able to see the whale surface and then go back down again. The 40 minutes flew by (pardon the pun) but it was honestly so amazing!! Would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Reise2579
Jan 25, 2026
we felt safe and secure. - Interesting flight with optimal view of whales and dolphins. The experienced pilot steered the plane safely. All passengers had good visibility, window seat.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cynthia_e
Jan 22, 2026
Again and again! - I can fully recommend the tour and the organizer. On the one hand, unfortunately, we missed our tour due to the weather and traffic (we didn’t consider the half-hour briefing before) and the team still made everything possible to offer us alternate times. That was very nice and accommodating and especially not a given. Thanks again for that. On the other hand, unfortunately, we did not see any whales, but the pilot was very anxious to discover some. We came across a dolphin school. For me, this flight was absolutely worth it just by looking at the landscape from above. My daughter flew at another time and they saw whales. So all in all an absolutely perfect and unforgettable experience. Thanks to the great team.
Review provided by Viator
Alexarydberg
Mar 1, 2026
Ok! - A bit disappointing to see only one whale after 40 mins and then swiftly heading back to shore. No commentary during the 30 minutes just circling the same area.. Of course there is no way to control wildlife. A bit scary when the pilot was turning. Well organised otherwise but should be called scenic flight and whale watching flight.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shane_e
Jan 19, 2026
Perfect day, no whales - We had a perfect day for our flight, unfortunately didnt see any Whales just a few dolphins. Was a little concerned to see the young pilot on his personal phone between his legs rather than looking for whales during our flight. Have done this flight before and saw two Sperm Whales with a keen eyed pilot. Learnt that the boat tuours run a hydrophone and have a good idea when the whales will come up so will do that next time.
Review provided by Viator
From $157
up to 7 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).