Whale Watch Kaikoura – An Honest Review of My Experience

Table of Contents

Kaikoura had been on my radar long before my trip to New Zealand and I was desperate to visit there and see what it’s famous for – the whales. I’m not stranger to whale watching so had debated whether to just do the whale watching flight, or do the boat trip as well. The only whale watching boat operator in Kaikoura is Whale Watch Kaikoura. They had a winter deal on and with such a nice discount, it was hard to resist. Before I knew it, I was signed up for whale watching in Kaikoura. Below, you’ll find a review of my experience with Whale Watch Kaikoura.

Here’s a general guide to whale watching in Kaikoura with all options available. For other activity options, here are the best things to do in Kaikoura.

Who are Whale Watch Kaikoura?

Whale Watch Kaikoura are the only whale watching boat operator in Kaikoura. They’ve been running tours since 1989 and run a well-oiled machine. The tour starting point even has its own gift shop.

How to get to Whale Watch Kaikoura

The main office and meeting point is at the end of Station Road. There is ample parking here. Once you check-in, there is a waiting room which has some information on the whales. Two coaches eventually come to collect everyone and take them down to the pier, about a ten-minute drive away.

The office is well situated if you don’t have your own transport and want to walk.

My experience with Whale Watch Kaikoura

Once I arrived at the pier, I boarded the boat and was told to sit inside. The staff ran through a safety video and shared some information about the whales. The trip quickly got underway and we sped off to find the whales.

A few points to be aware of:

You must be inside the boat while it’s moving
The sea can get very rough so take sea sickness medicine
There is a VIP area upstairs which you can upgrade to. This makes it difficult to move freely around the boat when stationed
There are toilets on the boat
There is free water to refill your reusable bottles

It only took us about 20 minutes to find our first whale – a sperm whale. Once the boat was stationed, we were allowed outside to view it. Once the whale dived down, we moved locations and found two more whales.

After two hours, it was time to head back to shore. Once you arrive at the pier, you’ll jump back on the bus and head back to the office.

An honest review of Whale Watch Kaikoura

Okay, I’m going to be completely honest… I can’t say this was my favourite whale watching experience. The tour went smoothly, the crew were professional and we saw three sperm whales, but there were a couple of things that frustrated me a little.

This tour was the most commercialised whale watching I’ve done. I’ve previously done whale watching tours in California, New York, Costa Rica, Iceland, Canada and Ecuador so I’m no stranger to how they work. I’ve always enjoyed the tours which feel a little more intimate, but this tour couldn’t have been further from that.

Whale Watching in Kaikoura, New Zealand

We all piled onto the bus, then got sent to the cabin where we were told we had to stay whenever the boat was moving. Once they found a whale, we were allowed outside. This meant a rush of 80-odd people rushing through three tiny doors to get the best view. People were pushing and shoving – it wasn’t enjoyable.

I also didn’t like that we had to stay inside while the boat was moving. They said this was for safety and so the boat can move fast. However, I think the only reason they wanted the boat to move fast was so they can fit in as many tours as possible during the day.

Part of the fun of whale watching for me is being outside looking for the whales myself. This wasn’t at all possible on this trip. You sat inside until they found something. The staff were also more interested in crowd-controlling passengers than sharing any information on the whales. There seemed to be a lack of passion for these gentle giants.

Don’t let what I say put you off. It was still a fun experience and if you want to see whales, it’s well worth your time. I just can’t help but compare it to other experiences I’ve had. This includes being on a RIB boat with only 8 people, surrounded by blue whales and humpback whales, with a passionate marine biologist as my guide. Read about my experience whale watching in Husakvik, Iceland.

I think if you’re an avid whale watcher, just know this isn’t going to be the most intimate or natural experience. If you take it for what it is, you’ll still enjoy it.

I have to say the operator was determined to find whales for us and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.

Read my review on swimming with dolphins in Kaikoura.

Are you guaranteed to see whales?

No. You’re never guaranteed to see the whales. The whales that live here are completely wild and Whale Watch Kaikoura respects this. As the sperm whales are permanent residents, the operator does know where they frequent and uses a hydrophone to locate them. This means there is a high success rate for seeing them. If you are unlucky, you’ll receive a refund minus an operational cost.