Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise: Scenic Adventure with Dolphins, Penguins, and Birds

Embark on a scenic adventure in Akaroa Harbour and encounter majestic dolphins, playful penguins, and a variety of fascinating bird species on this nature cruise.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Main Wharf - Experience the thrill of observing rare Hector’s dolphins in their natural habitat, along with New Zealand fur seals, little blue penguins, albatross, and other native seabirds on this acclaimed cruise. Step aboard a spacious, modern catamaran featuring two open viewing decks, indoor seating, and onboard amenities. Journey through…
What's Included
  • 2-hour nature cruise
  • Wildlife viewing
  • Full on-board commentary
  • Tea, coffee or hot chocolate
  • Postcard
  • GST (Goods and Services Tax)
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop off
Additional Information

Sail through the breathtaking Akaroa Harbour and discover some of New Zealand’s most distinctive marine wildlife, such as the rare Hector’s dolphin, NZ fur seals, penguins, and seabirds. Aboard a spacious, modern catamaran with expansive viewing decks and indoor seating, this award-winning nature cruise provides comfort, panoramic views, and insightful…

Location
82 Beach Road
Beach Road
Please check in to the Black Cat office, on the Main Wharf, in Akaroa (big blue building!), at least 30 minutes prior to departure.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(348 Ratings)
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Jacksprat2015
Mar 15, 2026
Excellent day - We had an excellent day on Akaroa Harbour. Everything was perfect. The staff were entertaining, funny and knowledgeable and we saw lots of dolphins, seals and even penguins. The boat wasn't too crowded so we had lots of opportunity to see over the side and space to move around.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarah
Mar 12, 2026
Dolphin swim - Our experience on these cruises were incredible. Me and my partner chose to swim with dolphins and looked at many websites but this one stuck out. Our boat journey was excellent with grace and a man driving the boat. Grace was a lovely girl who kept us in the loop and I can’t remember the man’s name may of been Chris he was also amazing. The actual swimming was also the best thing we’ve ever done, we never once felt nervous, on edge or uncomfortable just free, fun and relaxed. The dolphins were super cute and friendly and the professional pictures were perfect. Highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karolinesz1105mz
Mar 11, 2026
Wonderful experience - A wonderful experience! It was so nice to see the dolphins playing around in the boat. The crew was very friendly, everything well organized.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A2297tdlizad
Mar 8, 2026
A grat day out - Very exciting as I rarely go out on a boat. Real thrill to catch a glimpse of the dolphins. The crew were super professional and friendly. Good value for money.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tour42891385767
Feb 24, 2026
Best experience ever ! - A fantastic morning trip out with Elijah and James - spotted and then swam with many many Hector dolphins - quite the best thing ever!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
1sharkim1
Feb 21, 2026
Awesome dolphin viewing trip - Amazing dolphin viewing with Black Cat! We saw numerous Hector’s dolphins swimming next to the boat. Phenomenal trip, highly recommend! We also saw a fur seal nursery along some rocks. Great wildlife viewing!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amanda_l
Mar 11, 2026
Friendly crew; good... - Friendly crew; good commentary; easy to move around boat; did not see penguins, however, did see Hector's dolphins, seals and birds of the albatross family.
Review provided by Viator
Philip
Feb 21, 2026
Worth going just for the commentary - Very enjoyable and informative. We saw the Hector’s dolphin, fur seals and little penguin. The commentary was first class and funny by Thomas and thanks to Grace and Fleur. Highly recommended. I suffer from sea-sickness but managed a two hour cruise without difficulty but with the help of sea-sickness pills.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeff_r
Feb 16, 2026
Beautiful views and the dolphins were great. - Seeing the Dolphins was great. They are rare and beautiful. The coast line is spectacular. The crew and the boat were very nice.
Review provided by Viator
Susan_g
Feb 16, 2026
Disappointing customer service - We travelled specifically to Akaroa for this experience. Whilst the company cannot be held responsible for the weather, they failed to email to say it was cancelled. We turned up to book in and were told it was not going ahead. They said they would have called and emailed us. With no New Zealand number, I was reliant on the email. There was no duch email sent. Their only excuse was that they must have put my email address in incorrectly. There was no offer to rebook us on for another day when the weather was better. A half- hearted apology was given. When asked about a refund, I was told to contact the booking agent. Due to the failure to contact us, we wasted most of the day waiting around for the trip, when we could have used the time to do something else. Disappointing customer service.
Review provided by Viator
From $73
up to 9 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).