New Zealand / Christchurch & Canterbury Coast / KaikouraKaikoura
Whales, Dolphins and Seals Under Snowy Mountains
Kaikōura is a coastal town where the Seaward Kaikōura Range drops to a deep undersea canyon that brings sperm whales close to shore all year. Whale-watching boats and flights go out daily (weather permitting, with a refund if no whale is seen on the boat), dusky dolphins swim in big pods, and fur seals laze on the rocks of the peninsula walkway. Crayfish (kōura) is the local dish. On State Highway 1 and the Coastal Pacific line between Picton and Christchurch, rebuilt after the 2016 earthquake.
Highlights
- Whale-watching cruise or flight
- Swimming with dusky dolphins
- Peninsula Walkway and the seals
- Ōhau Point seal colony
- Crayfish at a roadside caravan
- Snow-capped mountains above the sea
Things to do
- Whale Watch Kaikōura cruiseMorning · 3h 30m
- Swim or watch with dusky dolphinsMorning · 3h 30m
- Kaikōura Peninsula WalkwayAfternoon · 3h
- Seal colony at Ōhau PointAfternoon · 1h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: All year (sperm whales are resident); November – April for the calmest seas
Heads up
Coastal Pacific Train Not Running
The Coastal Pacific (Picton–Kaikōura–Christchurch) runs only in its summer season, from late September to April. In other months take the InterCity coach or drive (SH1), which follow the same coast.
Heads up
Whale Watching and Rough Seas
Sperm whales are off Kaikōura all year (humpbacks pass in June and July), but winter swells cancel more boat trips. Book the first morning sailing with a day to spare; a whale-watching flight is the fallback.