Welcome to Kaikōura Kayaks ~
Experience a kayaking adventure of a lifetime amongst a multitude of marine life!
Top Activity in Kaikōura TripAdvisor
2023 Travellers Choice - TripAdvisor
Concession to watch Whales & Dolphins
We are Kaikōura's only kayak company that allows you to view dolphins & NZ’s only that offer the ability to view Whales!
Highly Qualified Experienced Guides
As a family run business, our guides are part of our family who we trust with the care of our customers. They are qualified, Kiwi and proud that most have been with us for years.
100% guaranteed Seal Sightings
The Kaikōura Peninsula is famous for viewing the New Zealand Fur Seals. You can see them basking in the sun and even ducking, weaving and diving around your kayak.
Top Favourites
Guided Wildlife Kayaking
Experience the excitement of watching Fur Seals ducking and diving around your
Guided Family Kayaking
Sea Kayaking, the ideal fun activity for families visiting Kaikōura!
Private Tours
Make your kayaking tour uniquely special by having your own private experience
Meet The Locals
Dusky Dolphins
Dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) can be found all year round along the east coast of the South Island.
Blue Penguins
The world's smallest penguin, little penguin (also known as little blue) stand just over 25 cm and weigh around 1 kg. They spend much of their...
NZ’s 1st certified Friend of the Sea
We believe our wildlife deserves our care and respect, that is why we are certified and adhere to the standards set by the World Sustainable Organization for Sustainable Dolphin & Whale Watching.
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What our customers have to say
Wow wow wow! We'd done whale watching the day before but this beat that hands down. Miles was great, just enough instruction and safety chat and getting us involved in prep. He mentioned that he'd seen spouting and splashing over the other side of the bay so we decided to head that way. Within minutes we were seeing loads of leaping...
Lesley H, UK
We did the trip with a 6 and 8 year old. Parents in the back of each kayak, kids in the front. This worked really well. Saw a huge number of dolphins & Seals. They were playing & doing crazy tricks. Had a lovely time, the staff were really friendly, helpful & enthusiastic. Great value for money and would highly recommend this...
Steve, Nelson NZ
Marine mammal megamix Spent a truly incredible morning around the Kaikoura Peninsula with Matt and Emma, two fantastic local guides. The whole operation was very professional, with high quality kayaks, equipment and a detailed safety briefing. Spent a good amount of time observing the seals, tried our hand at some kayak surfing in the big...
Tom, Neverlands
I would have to say this is up there with one of my best experiences in New Zealand! The kayak tour was incredible and I would really recommend this to anyone. The staff are great, friendly and funny which made the tour even more enjoyable. My team included Emma, Cam and Sophie. As I was on my own, I had the pleasure of sharing a kayak with...
Giorgio Favarulo, UK / Ireland
Third time with Kaikoura Kayaks! Have been in guided tours and hired a double kayak; all experiences were incredible. Great staff and equipment. Kaikoura is one of the most amazing places to kayak - so much wild life and you're surrounded by epic scenery.
Kiana Saltarelli, North America
Great Trip - even the oldies loved it! Had a really great trip with Cowan out to the see the seals and the reef on a beautiful morning. I was a bit worried getting in a kayak with my mother (67) and father (70) but Cowan kept us going at a leisurely pace and even convinced us to have a go in the open ocean! What a great experience and...
John R, UK
"To Matt and the Kaikoura Kayaks team, Thank you very much for a fantastic day of kayaking. Both our trips were very well organised by your friendly team. We found your lessons enjoyable, helping us all to be confident, expert paddlers! We were so lucky to have a beautiful sunny day, and we enjoyed fantastic scenery and wildlife out...
Kowhai Class, Hurunui College NZ
The experience of a lifetime! Having intuitive and professional guides who allowed us the opportunity to experience an outstanding and very memorable day. They knew just where the incredible action was happening. We saw an amazing array of dolphins playing right near us and also saw blue penguins and seals. We travelled for two weeks around...
Paula Kirby, Wellinton NZ
Sunset magic 10/10 thanks to Emma and her crew. We had a magical day on the water and got to see feeding seals, dolphins and wildlife. Thanks so much would 100% recommend to anyone looking for a unforgettable experience in Kaikoura!!
DKG, Australia
We had a truly wonderful experience; my husband and I went as a stop on our honeymoon trip. Our guide, Ru, was knowledgeable and skillful, and checked in with us often to provide the experience that would help us feel challenged, excited, and also safe and comfortable. From start to finish the team was so thorough and made sure we had all of...
Laura James, USA