Come and join us for an amazing fully guided sea kayaking safari in an extinct volcano crater!
Grab the opportunity to experience a once in a lifetime chance to explore a stunning & protected marine reserve in the comfort and tranquillity of your sea kayak whilst being looked after by experienced local guides who will show you around one of New Zealand's most scenic and ecologically diverse natural environments.
Small group numbers are key as we are visiting fragile, pristine, and relatively undisturbed natural areas, enjoy exploring this marine reserve in a low-impact and environmentally responsible way.
Close encounters. No noise, No engines, No crowds, No pollution.
If you have a sense of adventure, this safari is for you, our guides will show you some well-kept secrets of this magical harbour!
Why go with a guide?
You would be crazy not to! With over 17 hectares of stunning bays and inlets why would you waste time looking for wildlife and volcanic features by yourself, you will soon find it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack!
Instead of paddling in circles... shhh... your knowledgeable, qualified local guide knows all the secret spots including when and where to go to maximise your time on the water, and most importantly they will keep you safe in New Zealand's extreme & changeable weather conditions!
Seventy-five kilometres from Christchurch, Akaroa is a historic French settlement nestled in the heart of an ancient volcano. The clean, sparkling water of the harbour is the home to a variety of amazing sea life, including the Hector dolphin, the world’s smallest dolphin, as well as heaps of seabirds, NZ fur seals and the smallest penguins in the world...little white-flippered penguins.
You don’t need any previous kayaking experience; in fact, most guests have never kayaked before. But please note: you DO need a good level of fitness and hand/ eye coordination. You need to be able to learn to control your kayak quickly and be able to paddle for up to 2 hours ( sometimes into the wind).
Groups are small, with a maximum of 14 guests per safari, and the equipment is new and stable. You’ll get full instructions and a safety briefing before you start, so you’ll be safe and secure on your Akaroa Guided Kayak Safari adventure.
Akaroa Guided Sea Kayaking Safaris is a proud recipient of the highly regarded Outdoor Mark Safety Audit certification. This means your safety is their number one priority at all times.
Departure: 40E Rue Lavaud, Akaroa (outside the bowling club).
*** If in doubt watch the video! ***
We are extremely surprise and disappointed you did not appreciate the nature that surrounded us on this tour. I'm not sure why you think you did not see wildlife, we saw a baby fur seal, many different species of birds and a stingray that morning. The tour has alot of conservation land so the guide was telling you about the native trees and plants along the coastline, and the rocks are not just rocks- you actually were paddling through an extinct volcanic crater with ancient lava formations which most people find very interesting. The fact you did not appreciate the beauty that was surrounding you is a a real shame. If you want to see an ocean with 'animals' surrounding you on command then I suggest a trip to seaworld.
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Yannick GOBRON from France wrote on 30 October 2019
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Je ne conseil pas cette excursion, le moniteur était gentil mais pour la partie kayak on est resté le long de la côte (on a du faire 2km) à parler pendant 3h des rocher et des arbres... Pas une fois il a cherché à voire des animaux pourtant c'est ce qui est noté dans le descriptif ! Vous êtes mieux de louer le matériel et de partir tout seul vous aurez largement plus de chances den voire et vous irez beaucoup plus loin à ce le kayak. Pourtant dans le descriptif il est noté de ne pas perdre de temps sans guide 🤔
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