15 Dolphin Watching Tours in New Zealand, Compared

1.Akaroa Dolphins ~ Harbour Nature Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★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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2.Auckland Dolphin and Whale Watching Eco-Safari Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,790 reviews · from $135

Review Auckland’s 4.5-hour whale and dolphin safari, with wildlife odds, boat comfort, route details, price value, and practical tips.

“Great experience. Good knowledgeable crew and the vessel was stable. Had a good time on board. Do this for sure”

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3.Whale and Dolphin Watching Half-Day Eco Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,072 reviews · 4h 30m · from $130

Review of Auckland’s 4.5-hour whale and dolphin eco-cruise, with practical tips on wildlife sightings, boat comfort, conservation, and value.

“great experience, saw lots of dolphins and cool birds, very comfortable boat and friendly crew! definetly recommend this one:)”

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4.Paihia/Russell: Hole in the Rock, Dolphins & Island Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 821 reviews · 4h 30m · from $95

Cruise from Paihia or Russell through the Bay of Islands, spot dolphins, visit Urupukapuka Island, and reach the Hole in the Rock.

“Weather conditions were not the best, nevertheless the crew was really nice and tried their best to reach the hole in the rock (and made it!!)”

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5.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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6.Tikapa Moana Whales, Dolphins and Islands Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 292 reviews · 6 - 8 hours · from $92

Cruise Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf for dolphins, whales, island walks, and wine, with a marine mammal guarantee and practical tips for a full day at sea.

“Wow, wow, wow, what a fabulous day and so lucky😎 Even the guys running the boat said we saw a lot more than is usual and in perfect weather too. Loads of Gannets that gave away the positions of the feeding Common Dolphins and Bryde's Whales😎 These whales are quite common here but considered as critically endangered generally🙄 Brutus" is a nickname for the Bryde's whale, that is pronounced "Broodus"🐳”

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7.Akaroa Harbour 2-Hour Dolphin Nature Cruise

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

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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8.Hole in the Rock Scenic Cruise including Dolphins and Island stop

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 225 reviews · from $105

Review of the Bay of Islands Hole in the Rock cruise, with dolphin spotting, Urupukapuka Island, prices, tips, and honest drawbacks.

“Lovely day out .No dolphins though sadly .Would have been great if dolphins were tracked for us to see sonar wise Especially with advertising re same .”

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9.Swim With Wild Dolphins in Tauranga

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 189 reviews · from $102

Swim with wild dolphins in Tauranga on a six-hour Bay of Plenty cruise with wetsuits, snorkel gear, hot drinks, and expert commentary.

“Wonderful experience. The crew were helpful, friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Coffee and snacks were great but the stars of the show were the dolphins. We felt really privileged to have been able to not only observe them in their natural habitat but to engage with them as well. Couldn't have been a better day.”

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10.Motuara Wildlife Sanctuary Tour and Dolphin Cruise from Picton

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 180 reviews · from $104

Cruise Queen Charlotte Sound, spot dolphins and seals, and walk Motuara Island sanctuary on a guided half-day tour from Picton.

“Highly recommend this trip. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. They knew where the best viewing sites were and we were able to see all the wildlife that we expected, which was amazing to see. The hot drink and wine offered on the way back was an added bonus.”

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11.Half-Day Swimming with Dolphins Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 151 reviews · 5 hours · from $98

Swim with wild dolphins from Tauranga, spot whales and seals, and enjoy a five-hour Bay of Plenty cruise with an expert crew.

“We had an amazing time on our dolphin cruise and swim! Heidi and Lizzie were absolutely awesome as our guides and boat skipper. They were super knowledgeable, friendly, and went out of their way to make sure everyone had the best experience. We were lucky enough to see over 100 dolphins and even got to swim with them — truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment! The boat ride itself was smooth and enjoyable, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. This experience exceeded all expectations, and I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area!”

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12.Dolphin and Wildlife Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 96 reviews · 5 hours · from $104

Cruise Tauranga’s Bay of Plenty for dolphins, penguins, whales, seals and more, with expert commentary, open views and a useful onboard bar.

“the whole experience was fantastic. the guide gave a fully loaded info as well as his assistant pleasant trip calm and gave is a close up of the dolphins as well as the bird life”

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13.Motuara Island Sanctuary: Wildlife & Dolphin Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 57 reviews · 4 hours · from $100

Review of Motuara Island Sanctuary tour, with dolphins, rare birds, expert guides, pricing, itinerary, tips, and practical booking advice.

“Courtney and Dan were so informative and interesting to listen to. I could’ve stayed all day and heard about all the facts of the Sound. They made the trip very fun. With the bad weather we did not see what we planned to see (but that’s wildlife!) but they made up for it. Thank you both !!”

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14.Akaroa Swim with Dolphins Tour from Christchurch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 35 reviews · from $223

Swim with wild Hector’s dolphins on a full-day trip from Christchurch, with Akaroa Harbour, scenic stops, free time, and cheese tasting.

“I can highly recommend swimming with the Dolphins! They are so beautiful and in the wild, an experience I will never forget. And the pickup, transfer etc also all went smoothly. Do it!”

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15.Wildlife Cruise with Dolphins and Penguins

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

Sail Akaroa Harbour aboard the wooden Fox II, watching Hector’s dolphins, penguins, seals, seabirds, cliffs, caves, and waterfalls.

“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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