Marine Life

Kaikoura is the marine mammal watching center of New Zealand so if you have always wanted to kayak with Seals we guranty it!

You also have a good chance of paddling with the Dusky & Hectors Dolphins and if your really lucky Orca or Humpback Whales.

The Kaikoura Peninsula to the south of the township creates currents that draw in marine life from a trench deep in the Pacific Ocean.

Sperm Whales reside here year-round in fact sightings are so frequent that some whale watching operators will provide a refund in the unlikely event of not spotting one.

Humpback, Pilot, Southern Right and Blue whales can sometimes be seen migrating, and often you’ll see pods of Dusky Dolphins, these can be anywhere between a few and a few hundred!

If you’re really lucky you may see a small pod of Orca (Killer Whales), the largest of the dolphins, or the smallest and rarest the Hector Dolphin.

High up in the surrounding mountains are the nesting grounds for a huge variety of seabirds including an assortment of species of albatrosses, petrel and shearwaters.