Akaroa Swimming with Dolphin
- Swim with the smallest and rarest dolphins in the world, rated as one of the top ten Marine Mammal Experiences in the world by Lonely Planet
- If you prefer not to get in the water, you can watch the dolphins from the comfort of the boat
- Part of your ticket price will be donated to the conservation, research, and education of Hector's dolphins
Similar adventures in Christchurch
Orana Wildlife Park Admission Ticket
What to expect
Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to have an unforgettable swim with Hector's dolphins, the world's smallest dolphins which are endemic to New Zealand. In the clear waters of Akaroa Harbor and surrounded by majestic volcanic cliffs, you'll get to experience an intimate connection with nature in your small group. If you'd rather stay dry, you can still watch these cute marine mammals splash in the water with the other passengers, from the excellent viewing platform of the boat. This is an experience not to be missed if you are in New Zealand, and is even rated as one of the top ten greatest marine mammal encounters in the world by Lonely Planet!










Reviews
Pretty amazing experience! Unfortunately we couldn’t swim with them (‘cause they were shy), but we appreciated anyway!
it was just a terrific experience. The crew also take photos and email them to you after the swim at no extra cost. This is a terrific way to remember the day.... one to remember for ever!
Got a voucher for swimming with Hector's Dolphins via Klook! Klook doesn't state the company in charge of the event. It's run by Black Cat Cruises. They are located right at the wharf, by the jetty. Cheaper then main website! Check in at shop was easy. Wetsuits, boots & mask were provided. Disappointed that there were no prescription masks available, considering lots of tourist book this event. Changing area & communal showers were clean! Black Cat also provided individual dry bags & lockers FOC! Very good service! We went out on a speed boat. My boat took 11 passengers. Went about 30mins out to the big open sea. Sea was choppy that day, will drink seawater. You must be a confident swimmer to enjoy this event as there were no lifejackets. However the boat hovers nearby. Just give a signal & the captain will get you back on board. On the way back, we saw some fur seals sunbathing. We had some hot chocolate & ginger cookies! Went back to the shop for a quick hot shower! So bring your towels & spare clothes!
Due to bad weather and strong winds and waves on that day, it is not recommended for people without sea experience to go into the water. So we changed to an eco-guided boat activity. They will send a refund letter and Klook will refund according to this letter.
We were only able to be in the water once as there were not many dolphins and the guide said they didn’t seem to be willing to interact with human and were busy feeding etc. so it was just a boat cruise. But it is respectable how they valued nature and put their interests above business. We got a 30% refund at the end.
The service staff is very professional and careful. I have repeatedly confirmed that I have the ability to swim in open waters. I can carry it with me if I have a bag. Go pro, sunglasses and hats can be brought. Other towel locker waterproof bags can be rented separately), but at 13:30 that day, the dolphin had been eating in the open sea of the bay and refused to come in to play with us, so there was no water but a refund was given. Still a great experience!
Watching dolphins is really very lucky. We still saw some dolphins, but our tour guide didn't feel that we really experienced it, so there were some refunds, which was very fair. They will provide winter clothing and shoes. The shower is open and basically well equipped.
The weather and sea conditions were unfortunately not great, and we were transferred to the cruise instead of the swimming with dolphins. Did not manage to catch a glimpse of dolphins on the cruise either. Hope to return one day.
1. We didn't swim with dolphins at all (which means it's inconsistent with the title of the activity). We went into the water but there were no dolphins around. The claim for compensation failed. I don't know what Klook is doing. It's not worth it at all. 2. The gathering time given by Klook was wrong, so the whole day's schedule had to be cancelled. The official email sent the day before yesterday said the gathering time was 12:30pm, but Klook gave the gathering time at 9:30am. 3. The information provided by Klook is also incomplete. You must be able to swim about 50 meters in the sea because the company will only give you cold weather clothes but no life jackets. 4. It's very, very, very luck-dependent. It's really difficult for wild dolphins to get close to you. It might be more worthwhile to go whale watching to see whales and dolphins swimming by the boat at the same time:) 5. The facilities provided by the company are very complete and clean. Summary: Not recommended
Insufficient ordering information. Upon arrival, I was informed that I have no experience in sea swimming and the ability to swim longer than 50 meters, and no life jacket will be provided. However, there is an ecological guided sightseeing boat activity that is changed to the next day. However, there are no refunds.
Contact us
You might also like...
Tasman Glacier Heli Hike Experience in Mt. Cook
Dark Sky Project Summit Stargazing Experience at Mt John Observatory
Fox Glacier Heli Hike Experience
International Antarctic Centre Ticket in Christchurch
Evening Penguin Tour from Akaroa
Silver River Stargazing Experience in Lake Tekapo
Te Puia Ticket
Ski Plane and Helicopter Flight Experience with Glacier Landing
Glenorchy & Paradise Half Day Tour
About the operator
Trending sights
FAQs
Explore more on Klook
Top attractions in Christchurch
- 1 Akaroa
Everything you need for your Christchurch visit
Top destinations in New Zealand
- 1 Queenstown
- 2 Mackenzie District
- 3 Auckland
- 4 Christchurch
- 5 Waikato
- 6 Rotorua District
- 7 Wanaka
- 8 Te Anau
- 9 Kaikoura
- 10 Matamata
- 11 Taupo
- 12 Wellington
- 13 Waitomo
- 14 Bay of Islands
- 15 Hamilton
- 16 Hanmer Springs
- 17 Nelson
- 18 Tauranga




