Akaroa Dolphin Encounter: Breathtaking Harbour Nature Cruise
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At the core, we’re a family business with our management team being 6th & 7th generation Banks Peninsula locals. Alongside our family members, we have a passionate team who are committed to you having a once-in-a-lifetime experience! We keep our passenger groups small so that you have more room to move around the boat, and enjoy your cruise without overcrowding or missing dolphin sightings due to a shortage of viewing space. Our boat has a low-lying profile which means you get closer to the wildlife! When you board our boat you’ll be offered a complimentary drink. Choose from beer, award-winning local wine or non-alcoholic options. You’ll also enjoy our famous home-baked treats made from our family recipe and served to you by our delightful onboard crew. We are committed to the conservation of our harbour's environment and wildlife. After all, it’s the centre point of our business. *Check-in is 30 minutes prior to the departure, with boarding 15 minutes beforehand.
Reviews
Reviews and Rating (Tripadvisor)
5 stars
Reviews by Tripadvisor travelers
Undecided_In_VP, 10/22/2025 3:01:04 AM
Anazing tour, even in the rain and clouds! It was windy and chilly but we still had a great time, saw lots of hectors dolphins and some seals! Take the tour, you won’t regret it!
395jenniferz, 10/20/2025 12:45:37 AM
Outstanding tour! Natalie and Dave (pilot) were so informative and accommodating. They discussed the history of the area and the geography. They showed us native dolphins, penguins, seals, and birds! It was truly an experience of a lifetime. Loved it!!
Daydream135878, 10/19/2025 10:41:40 PM
Excellent 2 hour cruise around the harbour on a lovely catamaran cruiser. Lots of different inside and outside seating and viewing options depending on how cold and wet you want to get. If you sit up front outside they give you a warm coat which is nice. I spent $20 on a woolly hat before the trip and it was the best $20 of my holiday as it does get cold. We saw Hector's dolphins, seals and a white flippered penguin.
Exploration771253, 10/18/2025 6:56:06 AM
Amazing tour, the guides were great and very informative. We loved Albie the dolphin detecting dog! I’ll definitely recommend to family and friends in the future.
Adventure27233349110, 10/18/2025 1:03:24 AM
Such a wonderful experience. Lovely attentive friendly crew/staff. Great commentary. A beautiful day, highly recommend ☺️
Daydream42460770484, 10/17/2025 9:29:37 PM
Had such a great time! The crew were lovely. We got hot drinks and they took their time to chat with us all. Seeing the dolphins up close was such a great experience! Even the views were worth it. Just beautiful. 100% recomend this trip.
bainfamily5, 10/16/2025 6:19:42 PM
What a great way to spend a morning! A welcome reception at the office (and a quick breakfast next door), then on to the boat with about 23 other passengers. We all found our place on board -with plenty of different areas to choose from, so it didn't feel crowded at all. The crew (the 2 L's) were lovely and the skipper, Dave very informative and good humoured. They supplied welcome drinks and also very welcome warm and waterproof coats (our day was cloudy and showery). A beautiful look around the bay, and then theough the heads to search for dolphins. It says a lot about this company that it was actually the Hector's Dolphins who came looking for us! They love to play in the bow wave, and Dave knew how to create their perfect wave! About 5 dolphins came around, and three played around the boat. Magic. We also went for a visit to the seals before heading back to dock. a fun, beautiful and memorable experience. Was so happy to learn how the sealife in that area is being protected and supported to thrive.
simoncZ1091KL, 10/16/2025 5:02:24 AM
Great trip saw the dolphins captain Dave and his assistant Elsa were marvellous couldn’t have wished for a better experience. Dolphins were amazing as was all the wildlife and points of interest A must do trip Dave was brilliant with a young boy showing how the boat worked and was driven
Rodney_H, 10/15/2025 8:54:07 PM
A wonderful two hours seeing some amazing wildlife, especially the Hector Dolphins. The crew were fabulous too.
J3025DKgavinj, 10/12/2025 9:55:47 PM
Very informative and a truly delightful experience. One less thing to cross off the must do list. Excellent staff along with the Captain who all added to the experience. bucket
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We do not swim with the dolphins
Departure point
Check-In: 30 minutes before departure. Boarding 15 minutes prior. Note: Akaroa is approx. a 90-minute drive from Christchurch and Lyttelton Port.Return details
At the core, we’re a family business with our management team being 6th & 7th generation Banks Peninsula locals. Alongside our family members, we have a passionate team who are committed to you having a once-in-a-lifetime experience! We keep our passenger groups small so that you have more room to move around the boat, and enjoy your cruise without overcrowding or missing dolphin sightings due to a shortage of viewing space. Our boat has a low-lying profile which means you get closer to the wildlife! When you board our boat you’ll be offered a complimentary drink. Choose from beer, award-winning local wine or non-alcoholic options. You’ll also enjoy our famous home-baked treats made from our family recipe and served to you by our delightful onboard crew. We are committed to the conservation of our harbour's environment and wildlife. After all, it’s the centre point of our business. *Check-in is 30 minutes prior to the departure, with boarding 15 minutes beforehand.Redemption
1. Check-in is no later than 30 minutes prior to the departure, with boarding 15 minutes beforehand. 2. Please contact us via email or phone, 24 hours prior to the cruise for an update on the sea and weather conditions. 3. Please note, that we DO NOT swim with the dolphins on our tours.24 hours before travel date - 100% refund
Less than 24 hours before travel date - 0% refund