Guided Family Kayaking
Our stable sea kayaks enable children to safely experience the joys of kayaking with an adult paddling right behind them.
Tour Overview
Experience the magic of Kaikōura's breathtaking coastline on our captivating Family Kayaking tours. Accompanied by an expert guide, you'll paddle at a leisurely pace through an aquatic wonderland, surrounded by dramatic mountain vistas, craggy rock formations, and the playful antics of New Zealand fur seals.
Our skilled guides will lead you on a safe, unforgettable journey, providing all the high-quality equipment needed to stay warm, dry, and comfortable. The enclosed tandem sea kayaks feature a centre hatch, perfect for younger children.
This family kayaking adventure promises an exceptional, safe, and highly memorable outing that will leave you with a lifetime of cherished memories. Witness Kaikōura's stunning coastline from a unique vantage point, observing seals, sea birds, and other marine life in their natural habitat.
In any adventure activity, there is an element of risk involved, view risks in undertaking this activity here.
Tour at a Glance
Open Season:
Open all year
Prior Experience:
None Required
Duration:
1.5 - 2 hrs paddling time, allow 3hrs
Age:
Child 3 - 12yrs ~ Adults 13yrs +
Highlights
Kaikōura's Top-Rated Activity - TripAdvisor 2025
- Guaranteed sightings of NZ Fur Seals
- Chance encounters of Dolphins & Penguins
- A ratio of 1:1 guide-to-family ensures a safe, authentic experience for your family.
- Interactive unforgettable family experience
- Customised tours in stable, enclosed sea kayaks keep you warm, dry, and comfortable
- Safety briefing and paddle instruction included
Summer Timing 2025 -2026
September 28th - April 5th 2026
3 x Half Day Tours Daily
8:30 AM
Offers an optimal experience for families to engage with marine life.
12:30 pm
Warmest part of the day.
4:30 pm
Surreal visuals of the mountains as the light changes in the bay.
Winter Timing 2026
April 5th - September 27th 2026
8:30 am
Best interaction with marine life as it's before prevailing winds.
12:30 pm
Warmest part of the day.
3:30pm
Available 5th April to 30th April 2026
What our customers have to say
Truly amazing experience! We had a lot of luck with the weather and animal encounters, we saw a small whale and loads of seals. Staff were super friendly and it was much fun. Would definitely recommend
Serafin K, Europe
I’d like to say thanks for a great day today. The guides were excellent setting up the day and introducing everyone. They’re very organized. The equipment was of a great standard and the day was brilliant. The weather was good and we saw well over 100 dolphins, and even seals and birds local to the area. All in all we had a great...
Emma H, Canada
Marine mammal megamix Spent a truly incredible morning around the Kaikōura 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
We loved our trip with Kaikoura kayaks. We took our whole family and the kids aged 9,12 and 14 really enjoyed paddling on the water and getting up close to the seals on the rocks. The guides were really informative and friendly. The safety briefing meant us parents felt comfortable with our kids out on the water. We would highly recommend!
Erin, Australia
We had a great time kayaking with this outfit. The guides were professional and trained us well before we got into the water. We saw loads of fur seals as well as albatross. It was a wonderful experience that I highly recommend.
Marcella R, USA
We had an amazing time with our guide Loz, gave us some really cold facts about all the wildlife around! He had a wealth of knowledge and even managed to bring us to some Dusky dolphins!!
Emma R, Ireland
"To Matt and the Kaikōura 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
We were soooo lucky - perfect sunshine, calm water and 300 dolphins! But it wasn't just luck: Kaikoura Kayaks were also superbly organised, friendly, safe, encouraging and a LOT of fun. Thank you!
Lucy M, UK