15 Akaroa Tours, Compared

Akaroa Dolphins ~ Harbour Nature Cruise - Akaroa Lighthouse and the first harbour views

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

Review of Akaroa Dolphins’ two-hour Hector’s dolphin cruise, with wildlife, local guides, catamaran comfort, pricing, and practical tips.

“Loved it! Everyone was so enthusiastic about the wildlife and it seeped into everyone onboard! We got very lucky with a gap in the awful weather and even luckier (given the conditions) to see dolphins and an albatross. Dog was a welcome plus also who kept everyone aboard smiling. Would highly recommend.”

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Akaroa Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, Tour Reviews

Akaroa: Dolphin Nature Cruise

2.Dolphin Nature Cruise

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

Review of Akaroa Dolphins’ two-hour Hector’s dolphin cruise, with seals, penguins, volcanic scenery, local history, and practical tips.

“George and the team on the boat were absolutely fantastic! They were enthusiastic and kind. George was also very knowledgeable about the town, harbour and nature. We saw hector dolphins, an albatross, a penguin and seals. The office was easy to find and the team there were also extremely friendly and welcoming! Even if we hadn’t seen any animals I would highly recommend this trip to see the harbour and learn the history of the town! Thank you!!”

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Akaroa Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews

Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise

3.Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 332 reviews · from $77

Cruise Akaroa Harbour by catamaran for Hector’s dolphins, penguins, seals, sea caves, volcanic cliffs, and expert local commentary.

“Excellent service. Crew had great knowledge of the area and wildlife. Would do it again. Wildlife was amazing”

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2-Hour Experiences, Akaroa Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, Tour Reviews

Akaroa Harbour 2-Hour Dolphin Nature Cruise

4.Akaroa Harbour 2-Hour Dolphin Nature Cruise

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

Review of Akaroa’s 2-hour dolphin cruise, with Hector’s dolphins, seals, penguins, volcanic cliffs, practical tips, and honest value advice.

“Our two hour Nature trip was amazing. Our crew looked after us well. Saw amazing landscapes along the coast eg Cathederal and Elephant Rocks , and also close up dolphins, seals and even a fairy penguin. Great photo opportunities. Highly recommended.”

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Akaroa Tours, City Tours, Shore Excursions, Tour Reviews, Tours

Akaroa Shore Excursion: Banks Peninsula and Christchurch City Sights Tour

5.Akaroa Shore Excursion: Banks Peninsula and Christchurch City Sights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 228 reviews · from $89

Review of Akaroa’s Banks Peninsula and Christchurch tour, with scenic drives, earthquake sights, gardens, timing advice, and honest value tips.

“Unfortunately this tour was not possible due to wave action that prevented our ship (Ruby Princess) from deploying tenders so we had to bypass Akaroa”

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Akaroa Tours, Canoes & Kayaks, Guided, Shore Excursions, Tour Reviews, Tours

Shore Excursion Guided Sea Kayaking through Akaroa Marine Reserve

6.Shore Excursion Guided Sea Kayaking through Akaroa Marine Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 160 reviews · from $83

Paddle Akaroa’s volcanic bays with expert guides, good gear, and chances to see Hector’s dolphins, penguins, seals, and seabirds.

“We are avid kaykers and have kayaked the west coast of BC. Jake and Joey were fantastic guides. Their passion for knowledge of the history of the area and the flora and fauna was most impressive. Great day on the water!!”

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Akaroa Tours, City Tours, Shore Excursions, Tour Reviews, Tours

Akaroa Shore Excursion: Banks Peninsula, Christchurch City Tour and the International Antarctic Centre

7.Akaroa Shore Excursion: Banks Peninsula, Christchurch City Tour and the International Antarctic Centre

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 135 reviews · from $124

Review of Akaroa’s Christchurch and Antarctic Centre shore tour, with Banks Peninsula views, penguins, Hagglund ride, timing advice, and value tips.

“I would have left a 5* review and Scotty and the guide at the Antarctic Centre were both excellent but had to deal with a majority of passengers who were in a group of Spanish speakers who did not understand English. This meant they talkeRead more”

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2-Hour Experiences, Akaroa Tours, Penguin Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Akaroa: Pohatu Penguins Scenic Nature 2-Hour or 4-Hour Tour

8.Pohatu Penguins Scenic Nature 2-Hour or 4-Hour Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 125 reviews · 2 - 4 hours · from $56

Ride from Akaroa to Pohatu Bay for volcano views, sheep, little penguins, local stories, and conservation on a 2 or 4-hour 4WD tour.

“Really enjoyed the opportunity to see the great conservation work done in Flea Bay, to observe several pinguins, sheeps and other animals and to learn more about this nice piece on earth”

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Akaroa Tours, Canoes & Kayaks, Morning, Tour Reviews, Wildlife

Sunrise wildlife sea kayaking in Akaroa marine reserve

9.Sunrise wildlife sea kayaking in Akaroa marine reserve

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 123 reviews · from $96

Review of Akaroa’s sunrise sea kayaking tour, with Hector dolphins, marine reserve views, guides, pricing, logistics, and practical booking advice.

“Great day kayaking. There was a bit of instruction to start with. We had never worn spray skirts while kayaking before. Had hoped for single person kayaks, but we accepted the tandem ones and enjoyed the day. Finally saw some Hector dRead more”

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Akaroa Tours, Canoes & Kayaks, Guided, Safari, Tour Reviews

Akaroa: 4WD Safari and Guided Sea-Kayaking Experience

10.4WD Safari and Guided Sea-Kayaking Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 120 reviews · 4h 30m · from $80

Review of Akaroa's 4WD and sea-kayaking tour, with volcanic cliffs, Flea Bay wildlife, safety advice, value tips, and booking guidance.

“We enjoyed an amazing kayak and 4WD tour through Banks peninsula. Their knowledge and passion for what that do is amazing! Definitely recommend the tour! Part of the benefit go to conservation needs!”

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3-Hour Experiences, Akaroa Tours, Evening Experiences, Penguin Tours, Tour Reviews

Akaroa: Pohatu Little Penguins 3-Hour Evening Experience

11.Pohatu Little Penguins 3-Hour Evening Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 119 reviews · 3 hours · from $68

Watch little penguins return to Pohatu Bay, enjoy Akaroa views, and support a 30-year conservation project on this small-group evening tour.

“Excellent tour! We enjoyed a very scenic drive with a couple of photo stops to get to the remote bay where the penguins nest. Both our guides were very friendly and extremely knowledgable about the wildlife and surrounding area. As it was getting dark, we managed to see penguins floating out at sea and then starting to hop across the beach. Great experience, would recommend!”

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Akaroa Tours, Farms, Tour Reviews, Tours

Shamarra Alpaca Farm Tours

12.Shamarra Alpaca Farm Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 117 reviews · from $38Best value

Meet, feed, and learn about friendly alpacas at Shamarra Farm, with Akaroa Harbour views, family fun, and practical transport tips.

“Very well organised, informative and interactive tour! There's a lot to learn about how to interact respectfully with the alpacas and Rising Sun, the king of the alpacas here, is such a star. The guides were also very helpful and egged us to interact with the alpacas, showing us individual sweet spots of each individual alpaca. The scenery was beautiful as well! At the end of the tour, they even provided light refreshments and the toilets were very clean.”

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Akaroa Tours, Canoes & Kayaks, Guided, Tour Reviews

Small group guided sea kayaking in Akaroa marine reserve

13.Small group guided sea kayaking in Akaroa marine reserve

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 116 reviews · from $83

Paddle Akaroa’s volcanic marine reserve with a small group, spotting Hector’s dolphins, penguins, seals, and seabirds.

“Let me start by saying that we were genuinely excited for this tour and, overall, we did enjoy the experience — largely thanks to the wonderful guides. Ours was a kind young French gentleman named “Luan” (I hope I’ve got his name right). Read more”

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Akaroa Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Tour Reviews, Wildlife

Akaroa Wildlife Cruise

14.Akaroa Wildlife Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 101 reviews · from $68

Cruise Akaroa Harbour in a small boat, looking for Hector’s dolphins, penguins, seals, seabirds, cliffs, and volcanic shores.

“Tony and Moffie are incredible. They knew exactly where to go and how best to maneuver their boat to get up close and personal to the seals, cliffs, caves, and dolphins. They respect the dolphins and don’t chase them, but the dolphins flockRead more”

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