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Whale Island Tours

15 reviews

#6 of 10 Boat Tours & Water Sports in Whakatane

Tours, Outdoor Activities, Boat Tours & Water Sports, More

About Whale Island Tours

Guided walking tours of Whale (Moutohora) island sanctuary, a pristine wildlife reserve 9kms from Whakatane. The tour includes boat trip to the island, circumnavigation, walking on island to saddle lookout. Your skipper and guide Phil with Diveworks has 23 years of involvement with regeneration and restocking of native flora and fauna, he has been involved with the introduction of endangered Saddleback, most of the Kiwi, Tuatara lizard and the many Scientific monitoring, Firewatch and Cultural expeditions during the Islands establishment period. In 2009 he concluded a 3 year DOC concession to monitor and study the newly establishing seal colony which later resulted in a permit to swim with them. Phil has extensive information and records of the pest eradication program and the introduction and monitoring of Kiwi and Tuatara. He will tell you how Kakariki were introduced and then recaptured and will proudly show you trees he himself planted now exceeding 10 meters in height. The whole trip is exciting, informative and culminates with a Hot water beach swim.

Contact

Whakatane, New Zealand

Website

+64 7-308 2001

Travellers talk about

“awesome tour”(2 reviews)
“steph”(2 reviews)
“saddle”(2 reviews)

Whale Island Tours
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1 - 10 of 14 reviews

RBayTraveller

Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

Reviewed 2 weeks ago via mobile

Fabulous day on Whale Island

From start to finish, this tour of Whale Island was incredible. We were a party of 10 of mixed ages - from 9 to 83. Steph, Phil and their daughter Karly showed us a really good time and were true professionals. Our trip was well...More

Date of experience: January 2019

Thank RBayTraveller

13canadiankiwi13

Tauranga, New Zealand

4112

Reviewed 15 December 2018 via mobile

Awesome tour great for families

Had a wonderful tour today. Gaia was very knowledgeable and Jess super friendly. Saw so much wildlife some we've never seen here. Very relaxed so good for younger kids. Was such a beautiful day and pahutekawas were in bloom.

Date of experience: December 2018

Thank 13canadiankiwi13

KimDeve

Opotiki, New Zealand

Reviewed 27 January 2018

Fantastic day at White Island

A fantastic trip on the PEEJAY 1V remember to bring suntan lotion and something if you get sea sick , also good footwear and a must a camera to get those fantastic pictures .The staff at White Island Tours from the ladies at the booking...More

Date of experience: January 2018

Thank KimDeve

graham19582015

Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

Reviewed 10 January 2018

Good boat good crew excellent guides who have a good knowledge of the island and wildlife etc

This is a unique day out if your interested in wildlife eg birds, lizards and the local seal population. Be prepared for a not to lengthy walk where the guides will provide a great narrative of the history and current happenings. Take your bathers, water...More

Date of experience: January 2018

Thank graham19582015

Ian58_12

Napier, New Zealand

5625

Reviewed 11 April 2017

Brilliant day trip

Whale Island Tours is a very professional group. We booked online. They do not take payment because the trips are weather depend. You get a phone call the night before confirming the trip. In the morning you check in at their office then go down...More

Date of experience: March 2017

Thank Ian58_12

Mariarun2015

Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

Reviewed 22 January 2017

An awesome tour...a must-do!

Thanks Phil and team for making this a wonderful experience for us. We enjoyed every bit of this tour - listening to the birds and seeing a few of them, exploring the island and learning more about its past, the electrifying views from the Saddle,...More

Date of experience: January 2017

Thank Mariarun2015

hpee2014

Kawerau, New Zealand

Reviewed 29 March 2015

Awesome Whale Island Tour

What an amazing tour to take - Phil and the crew were so informative and helpful, it was a great value for money trip. It was so beautiful to land on the island and see the work that Doc has done in making this island...More

Date of experience: February 2015

1 Thank hpee2014

TrudiPhillips

Kawerau, New Zealand

Reviewed 25 March 2015

Bluelight Kawerau goes to Whale Island

Thanks Phil, Steph and team for the amazing day out you provided for 22 of our young ones. It was a beautiful day on the water; and our young ones came home excited at the chance to experience a natural wildlife reserve, to learn about...More

Date of experience: March 2015

2 Thank TrudiPhillips

Bjrchain

Ulverstone, Australia

Reviewed 7 March 2015

An Aussie experience

We had a great afternoon with Whale Island Tours seeing nature untouched. The crew went out of their way to accommodate us. Being a small operator was a plus as they did not have to work to a script, we were accommodated as individuals. I...More

Date of experience: March 2015

Thank Bjrchain

Martin776

Lower Hutt, New Zealand

Reviewed 4 February 2015

A Touch of Nature Undisturbed

The team at Whale Island Tours were all fantastic, welcoming, friendly and helpful throughout the afternoon. Flexible to our needs and wants as well, and full of information and points of interest and history. The island itself had the look of being relatively undistrurbed by...More

Date of experience: February 2015

1 Thank Martin776

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