Akaroa Wildlife Cruise: Intimate Tour with Local Expert
4.9
109 Ratings
Akaroa

Embark on an intimate wildlife cruise in New Zealand with stunning views of the country’s diverse wildlife. Join our limited number tours and discover hidden treasures on the waters, while enjoying the company of our friendly crew and the tales of Tony, a true Kiwi explorer.

Duration: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Akaroa - Explore Akaroa Harbour and coast with local skipper and owner Tony. He has a real wealth of knowledge and will give you entertaining insights into the wildlife, history and geology of our beautiful backyard.
What's Included
  • All Fees and Taxes
Additional Information

We keep our tour group sizes small to provide you a personal and exclusive journey, capable of reaching spots the majority can’t, whilst offering breathtaking vistas of New Zealand’s animal life. Our approachable and seasoned team enjoys interacting and conversing with our patrons. Our pleasant boat dog, Scruffy, accompanies us on our post-noon…

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Location
59E Beach Road
Beach Road
You will find us on Drummonds Jetty opposite the Fish n' Chips shop in Akaroa
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(109 Ratings)
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Nancy_m
Mar 15, 2026
A great day out in Akaroa! - Everything on the website is true, small groups, an amazing guide Tony with knowledge and enthousiasme! We were lucky and saw all the wildlife as: seals, dolphins, a pinguïn, albatros… Absolute an amazing boattrip!!!
Review provided by Viator
W9986jnchristinen
Mar 11, 2026
Great afternoon out. - Very enjoyable by local boatie. He went close to rocks which large companies can’t do. A pleasant operator.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rachel_d
Mar 9, 2026
Excellent boat trip! - Great to be on a smaller boat with only a few other guests, and with really knowledgeable and friendly skipper(s) in Tony & Mafi. Their personal approach to describing local history, geology and wildlife made for a unique trip. We saw Hector’s Dolphins, Fur Seals, Albatrosses and Penguins as well as getting up close to fascinating coastal features. A very memorable experience - would choose it every time over the bigger mass market boat operators.
Review provided by Viator
H8426dhkarens
Mar 5, 2026
A must do - Amazing cruise with a very experienced captain. Well worth it. You get close to the cathedral crater, close to wildlife and the Hecter dolphins come to play with the boat. Tony has vast local knowledge, covering local history too. Don’t delay, Tony is threatening to retire one day. Thank you Tony. We loved your cruise.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q4095lxmarlong
Feb 28, 2026
Best option - I chose this charter since it was a much better value than the Black Cat tours and seemed like a smaller more personal tour and I wasn't disappointed. Our group of 4 was joined by another group of 4, for 8 customers total, and our two guides provided an engaging and informed tour of the bay, spotting dozens of Hector Dolphins and seals, a few penguins, many birds, and we got to see a lobster(crayfish?), a starfish, and an octopus when the captain serviced a baited trap. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E6180hccharlotteg
Feb 21, 2026
Sensational! - A group of us went out with Tony and Mafi on Thursday and had a sensational trip! Penguins, dolphins (jumping!), baby NZ fur seals in a rock pool (too cute to be true) and interesting geology. Tony is incredibly knowledgable on local history and wildlife. We sat on the top deck and loved every minute.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trail53051782277
Feb 13, 2026
Really see the coast up close! - An amazing experience! We were taken out to sea to really see the coast up close! Beautiful rock formations, vulcanic cliffs, caves, seals and of course…..dolphins!! The owners were passionate and knowledgeable about the area. Highly recommended! They also organise fishing trips which I put on my list for next time we’re in Akaroa.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dreamer814642
Feb 1, 2026
Great Tour with a Smaller Group - Héctor Dolphins! I loved this boat tour. Captain Tony knows this harbor and coastline like the back of his hand. He was an great guide and very friendly. Coast Up Close offers small group tours so we did not have to jostle for space to see the Hector Dolphins ride the bow wave. I learned a lot from Tony about the history, geology, and wildlife in the area. I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Philipjs5168nw
Jan 10, 2026
Excellent boat trip. - Very good trip on the boat. We saw quite a few of the Hectors dolphins in the bay. On the coast outside the bay there were quite a number of seals on the rocky slopes, including young pups. Crew were very knowledgeable which made the excursion interesting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M4393fhnicholaso
Jan 9, 2026
Great experience! - Great tour! Mafi and Tony are both friendly and highly experienced, Tony has incredible knowledge of not only the wildlife but of Akaroa and the surrounds, which he was more than happy to share. They also let the dolphins come to them, which is much less intrusive than many of the other tours that target them. Thank you both!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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