Day Trips

From Christchurch: Kaikoura Whale Watch Day Trip with Round-Trip Transfers

A Humpback Whale Joyfully Breaches in New Zealand with Mountains in Background

A whale is rolling to the side and showing its big tail.

seals sunbathing on the limestone rocks along the kaikoura peninsula

Spot whales, explore a fur seal colony, and tour a vineyard on this Kaikoura day trip from Christchurch with round-trip hotel transfers.

Highlights

Skip the drive and hop aboard a coach from Christchurch to Kaikoura for a guided tour, watching giant sperm whales, dolphins, and humpback whales.
On the spacious boat deck, watch whales come up for air and do backflips, as an English-speaking guide narrates Kaikoura’s marine life and Maori history.
Witness Kaikoura's fur seals and their pups basking and swimming in one of New Zealand's largest seal colonies.
If time permits, sample delicious fine wines at a local Canterbury winery, tour the vineyards, and maybe even meet the winemakers.
Fun fact: The Maori tribes of Kaikoura hold a deep connection to whales. Passed-down knowledge claims some can even talk to these giants!

Inclusions

10-hour day trip to Kaikoura Whale Watch
Round-trip hotel transfers in AC coach from Christchurch
English-speaking guide
Whale-watching tour by boat
Fur seal colony viewing
Vineyard visit and wine tasting (if time permits)

Cancellation policy

You can cancel these tickets up to 7 days before the experience begins and get a full refund.

Reviews

4.3

15 ratings

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Headout Guest

5/5

Nov, 2024

I had a wonderful day, we could see a lots of dolphins, seals and an impressive sperm whale. And the landscape is also really beautiful. Pete was an excellent guide. He was funny and we learned a lot.

Headout Guest

5/5

Nov, 2024

We booked this and it was amazing! Our trip guide, Pete, was absolutely INCREDIBLE and really made the drive up and back enjoyable. The whale watching park was great as well. We saw dophi s, albatross and a sperm whale. We would definitely recommend for others.

Headout Guest

5/5

Nov, 2024

Jude our driver and tour guide was excellent. The Boat Crew was wonderful, boat was clean and we were successful in finding the magnificent Sperm whale, Moby. We also encountered a lot of Duskies. A wonderful time spent on the ocean!!

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Your experience

Watch whales do backflips from up close

How often do you get to witness whales breaching out of the water, showing off their acrobatic flips? At Kaikoura, this epic display of marine life is practically a daily occurrence! Your guided day trip starts on a comfy, AC coach ride from your hotel in Christchurch. Don't worry about snoozing through the 2.5-hour journey – a friendly, English-speaking guide will keep things lively with tales of Kaikoura's whaling history, its fascinating Maori tribes, and the incredible creatures that call this coastline home. Keep your cameras charged because the gorgeous countryside of North Canterbury is perfect for capturing those Insta-worthy moments.

Top off your trip with a seal colony and winery visit

Once you arrive in Kaikoura, you’ll be transferred to a cruise boat with a spacious deck to see the whales come up for air, in the clear Kaikoura waters. Not just whales, you'll also be treated to a spectacular display of rare dolphins and albatrosses. Depending on the season, you might also catch rare Hector's dolphins, humpback whales, or even migrating orcas. Then, hop back on the bus to visit a wild fur seal colony nestled on rocky shores with a backdrop of lush greenery. If time permits, this day trip squeezes in a visit to a North Canterbury winery, where you can tour the vineyards and savor some delicious fine wines.

Know before you go

Accessibility

This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.
Your guide dogs are welcome at the venue.
Transportation is wheelchair accessible.

Additional information

This trip accommodates 35 participants.
Wineries close at 5pm daily and on some holidays as well. In such cases, a stop may not be possible.

My tickets

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.
Please display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo at the time of pick-up.

Hotel transfers

This ticket includes hotel pickups and drop-offs.
In the next step of booking, please select your pick-up location.
On the day of your tour, please report at your hotel lobby 10-15 min prior to your scheduled departure.
If your hotel does not have a lobby, please wait at the entrance of the hotel.