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Coast Up Close Scenic Wildlife Tours - 2.5 hours - Akaroa
Experience a comfortable up-close encounter with some of the most amazing wildlife and stunning coastlines around Akaroa and Banks Peninsula!
Experience a comfortable up-close encounter with some of the most amazing wildlife and stunning coastlines around Akaroa and Banks Peninsula!
Highlights
- Spectacular views of Banks Peninsula and Akaroa!
- See some of the most amazing wildlife in their natural habitats
- Small groups tours make for a more intimate and incredible experience
- Bring your camera for the best wildlife viewing and photo opportunities!
Join us for a wildlife tour that explores the spectacular volcanic coastline and abundant wildlife of Banks Peninsula and Akaroa.
Our wildlife tour numbers are kept limited, offering you a small and intimate tour that will take you where others can’t, with amazing views of New Zealand’s wildlife. Our friendly and knowledgeable crew love meeting and talking with our guests. Tony, a real Kiwi, has been exploring the waters around the Peninsula since the 1960s. He’ll entertain you with his the stories of his adventures and share his enthusiasm for this wonderful environment and stunning wildlife.
Our characterful and comfortable boat - Wairiri, is a 41-foot Kauri Launch built in 1964. Our tours specialise in small groups and enough space to move around the boat for the best wildlife viewing and photo opportunities! On your tour you’ll see gigantic cliffs, go inside sea caves and get close to all the incredible wildlife. Tony often still has a lobster pot out and we pull it up on some of our trips. We never know what we find in it: Lobster, octopus, conger eel, starfish and sand sharks are just a few of the creatures we might have caught.
Experience Akaroa and Banks Peninsula on this intimate boat tour where you’ll see stunning wildlife and extraordinary views of the coastline!
All prices are shown inNZD ($)
- Adult$110.00
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$99.00
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$79.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$79.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$69.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$79.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$99.00
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$69.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$79.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$69.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$69.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
- Adult$79.00 Less than 6 at this price!
- Child$40.00
- Infant Free of Charge
Authenticated Reviews
Real highlights, tips, and the helpful advice straight from Bookme customers who’ve actually done this experience, summarised with AI support
- emergencyCustomers loved the personal touch of the tour, with many praising the small group size which allowed for a more intimate experience (30 people said this).
- emergencyThe knowledgeable and friendly guides, Tony and Mafi, received high praise for their informative commentary and passion for the wildlife and history of Akaroa (25 people said this).
- emergencyGuests enjoyed seeing a variety of wildlife up close, including Hector dolphins, seals, and even penguins, which made the experience magical (28 people said this).
- emergencyThe comfortable and well-organized boat was highlighted as a significant factor in enhancing the overall experience (20 people said this).
- emergencyMany reviewers mentioned the stunning coastal scenery, making it a visually spectacular trip (22 people said this).
- emergencyThe opportunity for kids to engage, like steering the boat, was a memorable highlight for families (10 people said this).
- star_shineBring a camera to capture the stunning views and wildlife
Consider booking early to secure your spot on this popular tour
Showing all 238 authenticated Bookme reviews
From Coast Up Close Scenic Wildlife Tours - 2.5 hours - Akaroa
Hi Jane Thank you for much for joining our cruise last week and this amazing review. We are stoked that you enjoyed your time with us despite the windy conditions. Aaaand beating the baguettes.... All the best to you all. Tony and Mafi
vanessec from New Zealand wrote on 11 January 2026
Amazing experience
Very enjoyable experience — we saw dolphins and seals! We are truly grateful to the skipper and crew. We arrived late due to difficulty finding parking and going to the wrong wharf, and we felt very sorry about it. Thankfully, they waited for us, which made this wonderful experience possible. Highly appreciated.
From Coast Up Close Scenic Wildlife Tours - 2.5 hours - Akaroa
Hi Vanessa Thank you for joining us on a cruise and this 5 star review. It was lovely to meet you all and we are glad you enjoyed the trip. Luckily the other passengers were quite relaxed about waiting but is not usually possible to wait for late arrivals. Cheers, Mafi
mariah25 from New Zealand wrote on 04 January 2026
"It felt like cruising with friends" ☆☆☆☆☆
Wow! What an Awesome time ! Absolutely perfect choosing this small group cruise. It felt like we were cruising around the Bay with friends. The weather was perfect. Excellent commentary, Tony is very knowledgeable. We saw lots of wildlife , and YES Dolphins! Very friendly team. A lovely relaxed time. Definitely choose to go on this!
From Coast Up Close Scenic Wildlife Tours - 2.5 hours - Akaroa
Hi Maria Thank you for joining our cruise and this fabulous 5 star review. We hope you had a great start to 2026 an wish you all the best. Cheers, Tony and Mafi
Kath Tocjayao from New Zealand wrote on 01 January 2026
Wonderful crew to cruise with
We enjoyed the cruise watching wildlife and being in sea. The boat was the best one to ride out there and enjoy the waves and sightseeing. We were very happy with our hosts and saw heaps to enjoy despite cloudy weather. Great for families including seniors and foreigners to experience a great day out in Akaroa.
From Coast Up Close Scenic Wildlife Tours - 2.5 hours - Akaroa
Hi Kath Thank you for joining our cruise yesterday and this lovely 5 star review. We are very happy that you enjoyed the trip despite the cloudy weather and the waves. All the best for 2026. Cheers, Tony and Mafi
Wouter from Netherlands wrote on 28 December 2025
Amazing experience!
This was one of the highlights of our trip to NZ! It was so personal, relaxed and welcoming. What was very important to us is how respectful towards nature and wildlife this tour is, really 10/10!
From Coast Up Close Scenic Wildlife Tours - 2.5 hours - Akaroa
Hi Wouter Thank you for joining Coast up Close for a cruise and this 5 star review. We are of course stoked that our cruise was one of the highlights of your trip. All the best for 2026. Regards, Mafi
Copyright ©2026 Bookme Limited.
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janec26 from New Zealand wrote on 15 January 2026
Fantastic trip - highly recommend!
We took this tour on a sunny, windy day and LOVED it. Mafi expertly manoeuvred the boat through the waves and Tony casually balanced on deck with hands in pockets telling us about the landscape and wildlife, never holding onto anything! Saw the super cute Hectors dolphins, baby seals playing in a rockpool... Tony spent time with everyone and is such a great guy. I think he could get along with anyone. Can't recommend this tour enough. The antithesis of big company tours. Thank you Tony and Mafi - our trip with you was the highlight of our time in Akaroa, even better than the baguettes :-)