The 6 Best Dolphin Watching Tours in Akaroa

1.Akaroa Dolphins ~ Harbour Nature Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,143 reviews · from $80Our pick

Review of Akaroa Dolphins Harbour Nature Cruise, with Hector’s dolphins, seals, penguins, local guides, catamaran comfort, and practical tips.

“George and the team at Akaroa Dolphin Cruises could not have been any more personable and lovely if they tried! They are such down to earth people who are proud of where they are from and showcasing the knowledge they have of the land, fauna and history! We saw many Dolphins, Seals and one Albatros and a Penguin. Just amazing. Supporting a local families company is easy when they are so great at what they do! Including George’s banter and entertaining speeches!”

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2.Dolphin Nature Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 440 reviews · 2 hours · from $77

Cruise Akaroa Harbour for rare Hector’s dolphins, seals, penguins, volcanic cliffs, local stories, wine, cookies, and a friendly dolphin dog.

“Honestly we can see how this is one of the best attractions in New Zealand. The skipper and crew were very friendly and helped make the experience unforgettable. We were lucky on the day, saw plenty of dolphins, seals and even penguins. Akaroa is a beautiful town too, well worth the short trip from Christchurch! Seriously recommend.”

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3.Swimming with Wild Dolphins in Akaroa

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 261 reviews · from $128

Swim with rare Hector’s dolphins in Akaroa Harbour on a small-group boat tour with wetsuits, hot showers, wildlife and expert guides.

“A great day going to see and swim with the hector dolphins. Chris was a great captain and Charlotte was a great first mate!!! If you are prone to seasickness take something ahead of time. We took the less drowsy Dramamine and so happy we did! The dolphins were so cute and a bonus to see the seals!!!!”

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4.Akaroa Harbour 2-Hour Dolphin Nature Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 235 reviews · 2 hours · from $71Best value

Review the Akaroa Harbour dolphin cruise, with Hector’s dolphins, seals, penguins, volcanic cliffs, practical tips, and honest value advice.

“Saw lots of wild life, informative skipper, comfortable boat, great trip.”

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5.Swimming with Wild Dolphins Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 123 reviews · from $123

Swim with rare Hector’s dolphins in Akaroa, with expert guides, warm wetsuits, harbour wildlife, hot showers, and a small 12-swimmer group.

“This was fantastic. Staff were very honest about the low chance of swimming with dolphins due to the orca activity in the area and offered a transfer to the sightseeing cruise instead. I accepted the risk that we would not swim and went anyway. SO glad that I did. We did indeed get to swim with these beautiful creatures. Thomas took photos and unlike other activities where you are asked to purchase photos for an inflated price - we were all emailed the photos for free shortly after the tour. This tour was simply terrific. I highly recommend.Read more”

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6.Wildlife Cruise with Dolphins and Penguins

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 27 reviews · 3 hours · from $77

Sail Akaroa Harbour aboard the historic Fox II for Hector’s dolphins, penguins, seals, caves, cliffs, and local history.

“A really great sailing trip with dolphin encounter and spectacular views. A very relaxing atmosphere with music when the dolphins appeared to crap them curious about the boat, few people on board, which made it a really pleasant trip. We highly recommend this very special experience! Thank you!”

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