Dolphin Encounter
Dolphin Encounter
5
Scuba & SnorkellingBoat ToursEco ToursDolphin & Whale WatchingNature & Wildlife Tours
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles1,514 reviews
Excellent
1,390
Very good
86
Average
21
Poor
10
Terrible
7

gabriellet787
Kununurra, Australia100 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Friends
Unbelievable experience. So many dolphins surrounding you! It should be called " swimming among the dolphins" as you certainly can't swim with them. They are way too fast and agile.
Written 15 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

caroleweller
Breckenridge, CO109 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Friends
It was worth getting up at 5am. Thorough briefing, new equipment, knowledgeable guides and 500 + dolphins. Into the water 4 times, with very buoyant wet suits, dolphins just inches away. Amazing experience, highly recommended.
And an unexpected orca encounter
Written 14 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

philip d
Oxfordshire, UK13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Family
Been looking forward to this much anticipated highlight of our family visit to New Zealand and it happened today. Never to be forgotten. The day not only lived up to what we hoped it would be, it exceeded in every possible expectation: from check-in, to equipment issue, facilities, the safety briefing, the transport, the boat, the amazingly considerate and helpful staff and best of all, the experience of ‘swimming with the dolphins’. Highly recommended.
Written 12 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HahnTravels
Liverpool, Australia1,227 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
This was outstanding. I swam while my wife viewed from the boat. Very well instructed prior to going out, all safety, gear and interaction instructions all clearly communicated. The staff all love their work, the dolphins and Kaikoura. We saw literally hundreds of dolphins and swam 5 times with pods. The dolphins seemed to enjoy it, swimming around us and interacting. Up to them of course. We had a beautiful, calm day which helped but wow, would do it again in a heartbeat. Good value considering. Outstanding!
Written 3 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CChambers
Elizabeth, CO4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
Absolutely amazing way to experience wildlife! The team ensures they don’t go out at times that are disruptive to the dolphins and limits tours and number of swimmers. We saw soooo many dolphins and each time we jumped in the water we were perfectly placed to have them swimming around us. Once in a lifetime experience I highly recommend to anyone who loves these aquatic animals. On top of that the staff was amazing and very caring for those who felt ill. I sat out the last swim and they were right there to make sure I was alright. During that last swim I noted then repeatedly counting the swimmers and actively communicating to each other to ensure everyone was safe. Absolutely top notch!
Written 2 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Graham M
Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK376 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
I was an observer while my wife swam. We are both in our seventies. This is one of the most enjoyable organised activities I have ever done. I gave nothing but praise for the organisation, care, knowledge, humour and experience of the team. They all seem to love their job and do everything to make this a safe, enjoyable and memorable experience. I have no adverse comments or suggestions to make. If you want to swim with dolphins in way that is friendly to the dolphins and the environment, this is the answer.
Written 1 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mei-Mei K
Estero, FL2,195 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
As everyone else reports, this is a wonderful experience! The pods of hundreds of Dusky dolphins are so vibrant and energetic, they make you giddy with joy--whether you're in the water or on the boat.

If you want details, you've come to the right review, as I could not find this info myself.

We arrived Dec. 31 at 8:15 for the 8:30 meet-up. The weather forecast was not great, and they had a video monitor showing "moderate to heavy" sea conditions with the motion sickness indicator at the bottom of the red part. Hmmmm.

The nice greeter told us we could cancel and get a full refund; or convert to spectator only instead of swim. After hemming and hawing, we stayed the course. I had spent months imaging us filming each other underwater as we swam lazily alongside gentle dolphins...

There was quite a bit of waiting around (in the gift shop!) before everyone got checked in and groups were called to get fitted. We were each handed a full body suit, jacket, insulated hoods, and snorkel/mask/flippers to try on in the changing rooms. Then we sat through a video safety briefing, which was a little uncomfortable and warm in our tight gear.

Our group boarded the bus at 9:30 for a short ride to the boat (two went out at the same time); we returned at 11:50 after four entries into the water.

What I didn't expect was how chaotic and frantic it is to try to get groups of humans to swim by/with VERY FAST dolphins.

When the crew spots a pod, they yell at everyone to get ready to go in. So you're in a tight cluster of fins and arms and heads on a small ledge in the back of the boat, plunging together into the very cold water, and swimming out toward the dolphins....who never seem to be where you are looking!

The staff continues to yell out helpfully: "Go left! They're going left!" or "You're going the wrong way!" or "Kick your feet like this!" When they decide the dolphins have gone too far, they yell for everyone to herd back to the boat, which then tracks the pod to the next swim. Each swimmer had a colored fabric velcroed to their hoods so the crew could keep track of those on their boats.

On a warm, calm day, this would be amazing.

Our day was cold, gray and choppy, even though we were mostly in the calmer bay. I am an OK swimmer and I struggled with the waves; the extreme buoyancy of the wetsuit made me so vertical I had a hard time getting horizontal to swim! (The cold wasn't a factor after a few minutes in the water.) I mostly bobbed like a buoy, so I returned to the boat early--it was a challenge for me to even get up on the ledge. I went in a second time, using a boogie board to help, but it was hard work and I gave up, permanently.

My adult daughter, on the other hand, did every swim, had a marvelous time and got FABULOUS shots with her GoPro (though slightly murky)! As instructed, she swam in tight circles and made funny sounds underwater to attract the dolphins, which apparently worked.

There were 16 swimmers in our snug boat and 10 or more spectators. Several other swimmers either didn't get in or got in only briefly. At least one got quite sea sick. (The boat has a cabin with rows of seats where we left our towels and dry bags, along with viewing areas around the sides and front.)

I was hosed off (not quite a "warm shower" as advertised) and changed out of my gear. You're told to bring warm clothes but it's very awkward to attempt changing in the tiny bathroom amid the rocking, and many people didn't bother.

Then I just enjoyed the action from the boat. The dolphins were SO MUCH FUN! They were all around us, and so acrobatic, doing multiple somersaults and flips--we have video of one doing 15 leaps! I regretted not just staying in and just bobbing in the water since the dolphins went back and forth. In hindsight, maybe I should have taken off the jacket to decrease my float.

At the end, with everyone back aboard, we watched the pod for another 20 minutes or so. We're required to leave at 11:30 so the dolphins can “relax” before the afternoon boats. (Tip: We brought some energy bars and they were much welcomed by my daughter after two hours of intense in-out-dash-kick-swims.)

She had tried swimming with dolphins in the North Island years ago and spent her time chasing dolphins as they swam away. So she had low expectations for Kaikoura. Afterward, she conceded happily that yes, you can, indeed, swim with, alongside, and among dolphins!

I still had a great time because the pod was so vivacious and entertaining. I would return, to try again.

BTW: The attached Cafe Encounter is fantastic!
Written 28 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JustinSmith
Sheffield923 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
Absolutely fantastic, swimming with wild dolphins, what could be better ?
Some will literally swim around you, yards away, and they seem to like you spinning round trying to beat them, I had that 3 or 4 times. UNBELIEVABLE !.
It is a bit weather dependent though, we were very lucky as it was a sunny calm day.
I would STRONGLY recommend all swimmers take their own mask, or even just swimming goggles, and use them if they have any problems with the supplied snorkelling gear. My wife and child did that after the first two swims (you get about five as the boat follows the pod round the bay) and they said they much preferred it.
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

madamiamadam
Canada22 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
Exactly as advertised. A very well-run organization. We had 4 different swims with the Dolphins and then a long time viewing them from the boat. The crew maximized the time spent with the Dolphins without bothering them, working with their natural behavior and moving as they moved, without chasing them down. Very ethical.
Written 14 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nora R
10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
We saw a pod of about 200 dolphins. You can read all the other reviews to find out how amazing swimming with these beautiful creatures is and how magical watching them from the boat so I just wanted to add a shout-out here to the team who run this activity. The organisation was faultless from the moment we turned up at the office until we were dropped back off again. I am a weak swimmer and also have a lung disease so I was extremely nervous about getting in the water with the dolphins and having to wear a snorkel. However Teresa and (I want to say) Ned (the red-headed guy; sorry Ned if that’s not your name 😁) were brilliant: very calm, really reassuring and good at building confidence, kept their eye on me the whole time in case I lost the plot in the water, had a twisted tag on my water hood so they could easily recognise me in the water, let me wait till everyone else was in the water for the first couple of swims so I could take my time and only go when I felt ready, then got me to sit at front for next couple of swims so I could be first in the water and therefore nearer the dolphins before they moved on. Guys, you were excellent! Thank you so much for enabling me to do this activity.
If you are nervous and not sure if you can do this, I would encourage you to give it a go - these guys will be your guardian angels.
Written 14 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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DOLPHIN ENCOUNTER (Kaikoura) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go