Akaroa dolphins cruise review: which is the best tour?
If there’s anything you must do, whilst in New Zealand, you should definitely go on the Akaroa dolphins cruise. The Hector dolphins are one of the smallest species of dolphins in the world and also incidentally, one of the rarest dolphins worldwide.
I believe it is the second rarest dolphin in the world that live in the region of Akaroa in the South Island of New Zealand.
There are two main tours to see the Hector Dolphins: the one I visited was the family owned business by the name of Akaroa Dolphins with a touch of high-end luxury and they are an absolute gem of a tour. You are pretty much guaranteed to have an incredible time and the likelihood of seeing dolphins is extremely high – they know the bay well. And not to mention, the included refreshments – beers, wine and juice!
It is definitely a once in a lifetime experience, and if you can make your way down to Akaroa, then you should do a tour with Akaroa Dolphins, one of the best Akaroa cruises!
If you’re spending a bit of time in Akaroa, read my guide on Things to do in Akaroa.
Have a look at some of my other Aotearoa / New Zealand travel guides for things to do in North Island and South Island! If you’re looking at some amazing glamping spots, incredible spas – the Onsen hot pools – and of course Glenorchy Wharf!
This blog may contain affiliate links.
Have a look at some of my other Aotearoa / New Zealand guides for attractions nearby on your South Island itinerary:
- Glamping on South Island
- Things to do in Akaroa
- Wanaka lavender farm
- Lake Tekapo purple flowers: the famous Lupins
- Tekapo Hot Springs
- Tekapo Star Gazing Dark Nature Reserve
- Lake Pukaki viewpoint of Mount Cook
- Onsen hot pools
Quick links
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Akaroa Dolphins Tour
The best tour to go on in the town is the Akaroa dolphin tour which is a family run and family owned business in Banks Peninsula but with a touch of high-end luxury. It’s definitely the best cruise! You’re on a medium sized boat which was actually handcrafted by the owner, Pip and Hugh and they’ve been running the business for around 20 years, and have a lot of in-depth knowledge of the animals and marine life in the region, the landscape and the history of the place.
If you’re spending a bit of time in Akaroa, read my guide on Things to do in Akaroa.
What time is the tour?
There are generally three tours a day at 10:15 am, 12:45 pm and at 3:15 pm
They offer complimentary refreshments such as juices, beer wine, and water, and at the end of the tour, you’ll be offered some delicious home-made cookies. Make sure you pick up your tickets no later than 30 minutes before depature, and board the vessel at Akaroa harbour 15 minutes before.
The staff on board are also incredibly welcoming, friendly and kind and extremely attentive making it one of the best Akaroa boat trips.
If it’s a windy day, they will start to offer out windbreaker jackets. Keep you warm they’ll advise you where to put your things and there’s always someone on board who is spotting dolphins, penguins, seals and more. Staff always point them out so everybody knows where to look .
One of the staff on board will always be one of their cute dogs that are official dolphin spotters, and they’re trained to sense out where the dolphins are, which is an excellent addition, specifically for extra cuddles.
Have a look at some of my other Aotearoa / New Zealand travel guides for things to do in North and South Island! If you’re looking at some amazing glamping spots, incredible spas – the Queenstown Onsen hot pools – and of course Glenorchy Wharf!
The tour leaves from the main hall there in the town centre and will take you out to the known spots where dolphins seem to hunt. Apparently the bay is a great place for the dolphins to hunt because of the waves stir up, the water is giving it a milky cyan blue colour which means the visibility is a bit low and fish currency. However, Dolphins use sonar to hunt and is the perfect feeding grounds for them.
The staff on board will give you plenty of historical information on not only the landscape but also the history of the settlers in the region. Apparently there was a race between the British and the French to sail to this South Island bay in New Zealand first.
The British won and reached the shores five days earlier than the French, however, they came to an agreement and allowed the French areas to land and settle. if you look at the town, you’ll notice many French buildings and the owners of the tour, Pip and Hugh are 6th and 5th generation French settlers in New Zealand.
Other Tours + Swim with Dolphins Akaroa
The other tours in the region include the Akaroa dolphins harbour nature cruise, Black Cat Cruises tour, an Ecoseaker tour and Akaroa Fox Sailing cruise.
Do not swim with the Hector dolphins.
Some of these tours do swimming experiences with the Hector dolphins however I feel these dolphins need space from humans to survive.
As the world’s smallest and rarest dolphins, I feel like the dolphins need their space to live freely without disturbance and interference by humans. Their numbers are low – let them breed in peace.
What will I see on Board?
Obviously, when it comes to wild animals you can never guarantee a sighting, but if you’re lucky you’ll see:
- Hector dolphins
- Penguins
- Seals
- Salmon farms
- Pearl & oyster farms
- Incredible land formations – Elephant’s Head!
Have a look at some of my other Aotearoa / New Zealand travel guides for things to do in North and South Island! If you’re looking at some amazing glamping spots, incredible spas – the Onsen hot pools Queenstown – and of course Glenorchy Wharf!
How much does the tour cost?
The dolphin tour costs :
- Adults: $110
- Children: $50
- Infants: $20
Hector Dolphins – Akaroa Harbour Cruises
There’s actually a very high chance of seeing Hector Dolphins as they are frequently in the area and they need to come up to the surface to breathe every 90 seconds so you will see small pods swimming constantly and the skipper and staff are very knowledgeable about where the Akaroa Dolphins tend to hunt and swim so you’ll have a very high chance of seeing them.
The female dolphins measure up to around 1.4 meters to 1.6 meters. The males are slightly smaller at 1.2 meters, and the calves when borne come out at around 60 cm which is the second smallest dolphin in the world.
Have a look at some of my other Aotearoa / New Zealand travel guides for things to do in North and South Island! If you’re looking at some amazing glamping spots, incredible spas – the Queenstown hot pools – and of course Glenorchy Wharf!
Conservation
There has been concerted efforts to protect the Akaroa dolphins as a result, the bay and areas surrounding where the dolphins live is now a protected environment, meaning that it’s free from fishing vessels.
When the dolphins got caught in the fishing vessel nets, they would often die, drowning because Dolphins need to come up to air every 90 seconds, and when they would get tangled and nets they wouldn’t be able to survive sadly.
Thankfully, as fishing and trawling vessels now no longer allowed to operate in the area. this is seen a steady incline in numbers.
On your tour, also likely to see salmon, farms and oyster and Pearl farms, and the staff on board will be able to tell you the history behind these farms and how the pearl farming these days. It is now ethical oyster farming without hurting the oysters.
Akaroa Dolphin Cruise: Facilities on board
When you get on board, there are plenty of places to sit outside and indoors as well. The indoor seating area is very clean and well furnished and there is also a toilet on board too.
Depending on the weather, guests are welcome to move around the boat freely, and they recommend if feeling seasick to sit at the back of the boat.
How long is the tour?
The tour is two hours long, and in this time we were able to spot penguins seals, Hector Dolphins, a number of birds, as well as grand land formations of the New Zealand coastline.
Have a look at some of my other Aotearoa / New Zealand travel guides for things to do in North and South Island! If you’re looking at some amazing glamping spots, incredible spas – the Queenstown day spa – and of course Glenorchy Wharf!
What do I need to bring?
Make sure you check the weather in advance as this will determine firstly whether your cruise is going ahead and what the appropriate attire you need to bring. Even on sunny days it can get windy in the harbour making it a bit chilly so it’s advisable to bring at least one cover up cardigan or windproof jacket.
Suncream sunglasses, a hat just bear in mind that when it is windy or hot can blow off so make sure it’s secured tightly.
Of course, don’t forget your camera and take some great images of these rarest of rare dolphins.
Where can I park in Akaroa?
There is plenty of public parking around Akaroa which is completely free to park along the street. Just make sure you get to the Tour at least 30 minutes early to check-in at the office. Pick up your tickets and then walk down to the jetty, where the boat is.
Don’t forget to look around town – Akaroa is beautiful! Read my guide on Things to do in Akaroa.
Have a look at some of my other Aotearoa / New Zealand travel guides for things to do in North and South Island! If you’re looking at some amazing glamping spots, incredible spas and of course Glenorchy Wharf!
Things to do in Akaroa
There’s a tonne of things to do in Akaroa, with it’s charming colonial architecture, whacky jewellery stores, pretty harbour, and of course, the best fish & chips in the world! Read my guide here on Things to do in Akaroa.
South Island Weather
Here is the average weather on the South Island by each month. The South Island of New Zealand experiences a diverse climate, with the west coast receiving high rainfall and the east coast being drier and cooler.
Seasonal temperatures vary widely, from warm, sunny summers to cold, snowy winters, especially in the mountainous regions.
South Island Weather in January
Average temperature: 15°C (59°F)
Average rainy days: 8
Average daylight hours: 15
Average sunrise time: 6:15 AM
Average sunset time: 9:30 PM
South Island Weather in February
Average temperature: 14°C (57°F)
Average rainy days: 7
Average daylight hours: 14
Average sunrise time: 6:45 AM
Average sunset time: 9:00 PM
South Island Weather in March
Average temperature: 12°C (54°F)
Average rainy days: 8
Average daylight hours: 12
Average sunrise time: 7:15 AM
Average sunset time: 8:15 PM
South Island Weather in April
Average temperature: 9°C (48°F)
Average rainy days: 9
Average daylight hours: 11
Average sunrise time: 7:45 AM
Average sunset time: 6:45 PM
South Island Weather in May
Average temperature: 6°C (43°F)
Average rainy days: 10
Average daylight hours: 9
Average sunrise time: 8:15 AM
Average sunset time: 5:30 PM
South Island Weather in June
Average temperature: 4°C (39°F)
Average rainy days: 11
Average daylight hours: 9
Average sunrise time: 8:30 AM
Average sunset time: 5:15 PM
South Island Weather in July
Average temperature: 3°C (37°F)
Average rainy days: 11
Average daylight hours: 9
Average sunrise time: 8:30 AM
Average sunset time: 5:30 PM
South Island Weather in August
Average temperature: 5°C (41°F)
Average rainy days: 11
Average daylight hours: 10
Average sunrise time: 7:45 AM
Average sunset time: 6:00 PM
South Island Weather in September
Average temperature: 7°C (45°F)
Average rainy days: 10
Average daylight hours: 12
Average sunrise time: 6:45 AM
Average sunset time: 6:30 PM
South Island Weather in October
Average temperature: 9°C (48°F)
Average rainy days: 9
Average daylight hours: 13
Average sunrise time: 7:15 AM
Average sunset time: 7:45 PM
South Island Weather in November
Average temperature: 11°C (52°F)
Average rainy days: 8
Average daylight hours: 14
Average sunrise time: 6:00 AM
Average sunset time: 8:30 PM
South Island Weather in December
Average temperature: 13°C (55°F)
Average rainy days: 9
Average daylight hours: 15
Average sunrise time: 5:45 AM
Average sunset time: 9:15 PM
Have a look at some of my other Aotearoa / New Zealand guides for attractions nearby on your South Island itinerary:
- Glamping on South Island
- Things to do in Akaroa
- Wanaka lavender farm
- Lake Tekapo purple flowers: the famous Lupins
- Tekapo Hot Springs
- Tekapo Star Gazing Dark Nature Reserve
- Lake Pukaki viewpoint of Mount Cook
- Onsen hot pools
Full disclosure! Some of the links here are affiliate links, meaning I get a small commission from every booking made. This is at no extra cost to you. It helps keep me writing and sharing my travel guides free of charge to you 🙂 Thank you for your support! Read our affiliate policy here.
