Kayaking with seals, sea lions, dolphins, and more in Kaikoura, New Zealand with kids.
Take the kids kayaking with exotic and unique animals in New Zealand with Kaikoura Kayaks. This memorable family kayaking experience is a unique way to see the coast and some of New Zealand’s most precious wildlife!
After a month of touring the South Island, our family puts kayaking on the coast of Kaikoura at the top of our favorite experiences list. Watching our littles paddle alongside dolphins and seals in the great Pacific was an experience that we won’t soon forget.
Plus, Kaikoura Kayaks took care of the details big and small while making our family feel valued and special.
Read on to find out why this experience might be right for you!
Why Kaikoura New Zealand?
The unique wildlife of the coasts of New Zealand is renowned throughout the world. Many species are only found in New Zealand, or found most frequently here. From giant squid and whales to the rare and petite Hector’s dolphins, you can find a vast array of marine life just off the beach.
Due to its long coast that nestles up to deep waters, the marine life is more varied and more abundant near shore than along most shores in the world.
Kaikoura New Zealand is one of those amazing towns remotely situated on the coast of New Zealand’s South Island, where the entire focus of the town is to adore and celebrate marine life!
While the town is quaint and small, come summer it is crawling with beachgoers, campers, and seekers of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. During New Zealand’s summer, the campgrounds at Kaikoura are packed with caravans and nature explorers!
Also, Kaikoura is home of the world-famous swimming with dolphins experience at Dolphin Encounter and some of the best whale watching in the world.
However, while many come for just the whale and dolphin watching, don’t overlook getting up close and personal with the wildlife in your very own kayak.
Why Kaikoura Kayaks?
Kaikoura Kayaks is conveniently located in the heart of quaint Kaikoura and just a short drive from the launch zone. They hold to strict standards and codes that allow tours to get up close and personal with unique wildlife while not overexposing or endangering them.
Our family chose Kaikoura Kayaks not only for its glowing reputation but because they divide their tours into small, intimate groups. They even offer exclusive guides for family excursions so that your children aren’t stuck looking at the back of an adult’s head the entire time!
KAIKOURA KAYAK GUIDED FAMILY TOUR
It also has a glowing eco-reputation. As Kaikoura Kayaks was the first “Friend of the Sea” sustainable dolphin and whale watching operator in all of New Zealand.1
Before you launch your kayak with Kaikoura Kayaks
Kaikoura Kayaks is housed in a small office building with plenty of space for meeting up and applying yet another layer of sunscreen before you leave! Plus, they sell any of that gear that you might have forgotten (waterproof phone cases anyone?) in their main office.
Before you embark on your tour, you will meet your guides for a quick headcount, waiver signing, and safety demonstration.
Afterwards, we transferred as a group to the launch site. Each person was fitted with kayak skirts, life preservers, water shoes, and paddles. The team at Kaikoura Kayaks made sure that they even had appropriate equipment for my 4, 7, and 9-year-old.
Then, before we started paddling, the guides gave lessons in operating the kayaks, how to turn and stop them, and finally, how to launch and move them.
Even our children were kayak pros before they got into the water making them feel much more comfortable about paddling out onto the open ocean.
Our family –comprised of my husband, me, and our three young children launched with our own guide who was not only a tremendous and patient guide but made the entire experience fun and exciting for our children. (Thanks, Emma!!!)
What’s it like to kayak with Kaikoura Kayaks?
While the entire tour was focused on seeing, learning about, and visiting the fur seal colony that makes its home on the rocky outcrops of Kaikoura, our family was shocked at the diversity of wildlife that we saw.
We let our kids know that this was a seal/sea lion excursion, and any other animal sighting was a bonus.
Kayaking with Dolphins!
Within 5 minutes of leaving shore, our kayaks were surrounded by a pod of dusky dolphins eager to check us out, show us their calves, and simply swim alongside our kayaks. It was the experience of a lifetime!!
Shortly after the duskies moved on to check out another kayak group, a small pod of Hector’s dolphins (a mother and calf) swam alongside us and said a quick but shy hello!
Within moments, fur seals were twirling in the water in front of us and chuffing at my son! We toured the rocks and watched the sun-baking males and playful young pups.
Our guide explained that we had embarked on the tour on an extremely lucky day –that dolphin sightings and dancing seals weren’t always the norm. However, she went on to explain, that some days whales pass by, or larger pods of dolphins play in the waters near the kayaks.
In other words, the tour changes daily, and the marine life do not make appointments beforehand to meet the guides! On your tour, you could see just seals and seal lions. Or, you could pass by the famous blue penguins, whales, and dolphins! We felt extremely lucky to have been surrounded by such amazing wildlife!
Before we knew it, our excursion had to come to a close, and we had to return our kayak to shore. Despite their tired arms, our kids could have easily spent the entire day out on the water in their kayak. They even asked Emma (our guide) to come with us for the rest of the day and to take a picture with them.
Our Kaikoura Kayak Review
Paddling out onto the Pacific Ocean with three small children was certainly not my idea of a great time. I have a fear of water and especially the open ocean that I am trying hard not to transfer to my children. However, Kaikoura Kayaks made the entire experience fun, simple, safe, and AMAZING.
Simply put, this experience is easily going into my top ten experiences of my lifetime, and my children will remember it for decades to come.
The entire experience does come at a more premium price than simply taking a group boat tour, but your contact with the wildlife is completely different.
In our experience, the guides did not see our children as inconveniences or nuisances but were thrilled to share their knowledge and the beauty of New Zealand’s coast with our children.
They took extra time to make sure that they were comfortable and confident with their paddles and even took pictures of our children throughout the excursion!
After taking many tours all over the world, we value guides who can connect with children and families rather than ignoring our children. Kaikoura Kayaks guides made my children feel so special. They took the time to learn their names, and made sure that their suits and equipment were a safe fit.
Small Group Tours!
Finally, in small groups, our guide was able to hone in on what my children were interested in and focus on those aspects.
While another small group was interested in the unique marine birds in the area, my children were far more interested in the seal pups and learning about the diversity of wildlife.
My four-year-old even got to ask questions about sperm whale diets and the size of the habitats –something that I am sure he would not have been comfortable to ask about in a larger group.
I can whole-heartedly recommend Kaikoura Kayaks as a unique and awesome opportunity for the entire family. If you are seeking a dolphin, seal, or marine life encounter that isn’t just watching from the crowded deck of a ship, this kayak tour is a great way to get up close and personal with New Zealand’s coastal fauna.
Tips for Booking with Kaikoura Kayaks
- Book the morning tour: wildlife is more active in the early morning, so the sunrise booking is worth the loss of sleep!
- Don’t come with expectations – animals aren’t on your schedule, and your guide is not responsible for calling them beforehand! Enjoy the experience of paddling on the open ocean in a beautiful spot!
- Book ahead. Kaikoura can be bustling in the summer months, and these excursions can sell out well in advance.
- Consider booking more than one experience: one of the couples in our group had booked an evening and a morning kayak experience. Their experiences were so vastly different that they were glad that they had more than one booking.
- Let them know the ages of your children in advance. This helps with equipment and guide assignments to ensure that your children stay safe and the guides are prepared for making your child feel special!
Check out our Kaikoura Kayaks Reel Here
Is Kayaking with Kaikoura Kayaks right for you?
Kaikoura Kayaks is right for you if:
- You value a personal experience.
- You are physically able to leisurely paddle a kayak for 2 hours or more.
- You value a knowledgeable and local tour guide.
- You understand that marine life may or may not appear on demand!
- You are prepared for the experience of a lifetime!
- You can respect local wildlife, ecology, and guide instructions!