Akaroa Swim with Dolphins Tour from Christchurch
Description
Explore the coastal town of Akaroa and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime chance to swim with dolphins on this full day tour from Christchurch. Travel through the breathtaking New Zealand countryside to Akaroa and admire sights of interest such as Governor’s Bay and Lake Ellesmere on route. Cruise into the harbour with your guide and watch the waves for marine life. Strap on your snorkel and flippers and swim with elegant Hector’s dolphins in the wild. Enjoy free time to explore Akaroa, then visit a local cheese factory for a tasting session.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Children must be 8 years and over to swim with the Dolphins
- Customers must declare any pre-existing medical conditions. A basic level of fitness is required. Customers will be floating in the water and will be required to swim to and from the boat - distances up to 50 meters (150 feet) at a time.
- Minimum 4 adults required before tour can operate
- Must be able to swim, you will be floating in the water (ocean) and will be required to swim to and from the boat – distances up to 50 metres (150 feet) at a time. You will not be able to touch the bottom.
- Life Jackets and Floaters are not permitted.
Reviews(36)
I had an amazing experience, would definitely recommend!
Thank you - appreciate your kind words.
I had a really negative experience. My swimming with dolphins tour date was changed and then the new one cancelled. It was cancelled due to weather which was not their fault, however, I feel like I was treated very poorly and their communication was lacking. They were quite cold and only acknowledged how disappointing this was to me after I called them out. The other distressing part of the situation is that they told me while I was already in the coach. Had I not been I would have cancelled entirely and not gone but I was in the vehicle. So the fact that they won’t give me a full refund is horrible and very shady. There was no realistic option for me to go back to my accommodation and make other plans for my day. I feel very manipulated by them. Take my advice and do not book with them. I called plenty of other places and they were so lovely and tried to help me. Demonstrating the true kiwi kindness that I had experienced from everyone else I’ve come in contact with while here.
Thank you for sharing. You may recall when we found out your dolphin swim was cancelled due to weather, our driver offered to take you back to your accommodation so you could make other plans, you advised you had no other plans and was happy to carry on. Our supplier also offered you an alternative nature cruise but you chose not to go. That was a shame because all others on the boat had amazing close dolphin encounters. You will recall you were given full refunds for the experiences you missed out on. We wish you well.
Fun bus ride from Christchurch and the boat ride was nice. We saw a lot of dolphins, but only got in the water 1 time and the dolphins were gone pretty quickly. It was fun to see dolphins, a penguin, a couple seals, but prob better off just doing a cruise be getting into a wetsuit and all that goes with it. It would be nice if they supplied towels for the hot shower afterwards to make it an all inclusive type trip. I didn't realize we needed to bring them and if I did I would be dealing with a wet towel for 4 hours on a bus
Thanks for taking the time to submit your review, sorry to learn you didn't enjoy the dolphin swim which most find one of the highlights of their trip to New Zealand.
The guides were knowledgeable about the dolphins and took good care not to chase or harass them. We got to swim with the dolphins when the dolphins signaled they wanted to play. It was awesome!
Thanks for the review and pleased you had a great and enjoyable day.
I give this trip 4 stars because none of the disappointments on the trip had anything to do with the tour provider. Carmen was friendly, on time, and made the journey pleasant. That being said, the night before our tour, we were informed that swimming with the dolphins would not be an option because of the unsafe ocean conditions. They offered us the tour with the harbor cruise instead, and refunded us the difference. Unfortunately, we did not see any dolphins on the cruise either (or seals, or penguins, or really any wildlife). Black Cat tours that provides the tour did give us a voucher for a free return visit, but we were not able to use it this trip.
Kiaora Wendy and thank you for leaving a review. I am pleased tonhear that you enjoyed your tour with Carmen!
The female driver for the ride was kind and the best. The bad thing about this tour is that you don't check your swimming level at the time of application. I was informed on the day that I couldn't experience it on my level, so I just watched it from the boat. I think I wouldn't have had to pay such a high price if I had known at the time of application. And what made this tour one of my worst memories of the trip was the same horrible experience I had on the shuttle bus on the day I knew I couldn't swim with dolphins. That there was a rogue tour-goer who put coffee cup trash and chip trash in my luggage. The clothes smelled like coffee and were disposed of. The experience of being mean made the tour itself one of my worst memories.
It is always disappointing to receive poor reviews especially when the review relates to matters outside of the operation of the day tour the customers were experiencing. Most understand that the swimming with dolphins is in their natural surroundings, the ocean and to swim with them you do need to be able to swim. With regard to a third party placing trash in their luggage, whilst this is totally unacceptable, again it is something as a the operator we have no control over, although had the driver seen this happen she would have intervened.
This trip was amazing! We saw many dolphins and one penguin. The dolphins got within a couple feet of us. This was definitely a highlight of our trip to New Zealand.
Kiaora and thank you for leaving a review. I'm very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your tour with us!
The cruise was great with a good guided explanation of marine life. I enjoyed every bit of it. The highlight was the Orca - killer whale for which the captain was very generous to stop for the entire duration of spotting.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review it's very much appreciated! Sounds like you had a stellar day! And very lucky to see an Orca!
Boat crew very good.Patience needed to bob around in cool water trying to see dolphins An experience
Hi Ian, thanks for taking the time to leave a review. Great photos by the way! I'm unsure though as to why you only rated us 3 stars as you look to have had a great day swimming with dolphins.
got cancelled for the secound time now workers had no sympathy towards it or anything, quite disappointed
I am sorry to learn you had a disappointing experience. Unfortunately we have no control over the weather and the sea conditions.
