Encounter Kaikoura (Dolphin Encounter)

What an amazing experience.we were 2 pax who ensured we don't miss the whale watching in kaikoura . We booked it on Agoda and the sailing was totally smooth.. we watched a lot of whales but the waters became rough. Highly recommended.

We did the Albatross Tour and had an amazing time. Our guide Tracy was highly knowledgeable and it was lovely being in a small group. And habing dolphins splash around the boat at the end of our trip made it even more special.

We‘ve had an amazing day with Dolphin Encounters.After check-in you get a briefing on how to behave and attract the dolphins as best as possible when swimming. You‘ll then transfer to the Pier/Quay/Jetty via bus. The tour on sea takes around 2,5-3 hours and is worth every penny.We had light to moderate conditions and everyone was offered to „get off“ the tour due to the decreasing conditions which we thought was really fair!We travelled with roughly 20 people on board which led to everyone having enough space to take good photos.On the boat crew really looked after everyone to make sure everyone is fine and safe at all times.We saw plenty of dolphins (~200/300) and could enjoy the sun on deck.

An absolute must do if you're in the area. Incredible. We did the early morning 5am tour since I read that's the best time / is when the dolphins are most active. I noticed the tour that was prepping as we came back was quite a bit bigger so I'm happy we did the morning one.It was all very well organized from pre to post departure. Great guides and information along the way.We found the dolphins very quickly after heading out. We did 2 or 3 swims with different pods. Amazing. Loads of dolphins!Our group size was decent as well spread between two boats.Two piece wet suits kept us warm and it wasn't cold at all (March).We brought our GorPro but you can rent them there too.There's a nice cafe for afterwards if you want a drink or food.After the swims you can take some pictures of the dolphins out of the water as well (from the boat).If you dont want to swim/snorkel you can also view them from the boat for the duration of the trip.Probably the best activity we did in NZ!

Super friendly and professional stuff. The team on board was very helpful. We started 12:30 pm and were very lucky to see many dolphins and swim with them. The tour was perfectly organized with plenty of time for swimming with dolphins.

The highlight of our trip to NZ!I don't like cold water, but Encounter Kaikoura have great wetsuits and gear.The whole operation runs like clockwork. The land team will fit you with gear, brief you and load you into a bus over to South Bay.You get onto a boat and head out to the dolphins. The boat guides keep you informed and entertained. Really passionate and knowledgeable staff. Hundreds and hundreds of dolphins. We slid into the water and in no time were surrounded by curious dolphins. They swim past, they swim under, they circle and play and they look you in the eye (mask) as they swim. We dropped into 4 locations. The dolphins were good at the first one. They were uninterested at the second one so we quickly moved onto the next spot which was truly amazing.After the swims we had a warm rinse off, got changed, grabbed our phones and got to cruise along and watch 100's of Duskies swim, leap, tail slap and somersault. We even saw a few of the smaller and rarer Hector's dolphins.Just awesome. Love this so much!!!!

My wife and did the Albatross Encounter for the second time today. Gary was extremely knowledgeable as usual. We were able to see numerous stunning birds. The Wandering Albatross has the largest wing span of any flying bird in the world. The Short-tailed Shearwater was a lifer for me. Gary saw it from a few hundred meters away. Awesome.

Absolutely amazing experience! Our guide Emma was very kind and helpful. Everything went flawlessly (Check in, Fitting of wetsuits, Transfer to wharf, boat cruise, swimming with dolphins and the photosessions). Unbelievable, how many dolphins we could see and how close they came up to us. We learned a lot about the species of the dusky dolphins and had an amazing view on the landscape. Keep in mind: It does get pretty shaky on the boat so you might wanna bring sea-sickness pills with you (they also have heaps of buckets on board, if needed ;).

Their dolphin encounter tour is recommended highly.There’s a very high chance of seeing and swimming with dolphins because they’re resident in the waters off the coast of Kaikoura.They’re there because it’s a rich feeding area supplied by nutrients swept up by currents from the Grand Canyon-sized undersea chasm which culminates just off-shore.A similar one at Nazare Portugal generates the world’s biggest waves.Kaikoura’s supports a wealth of marine life, including numerous dolphins of different species.The whole Encounter operation is highly efficient with top quality equipment and a strong emphasis on safety.We had glorious weather, all the better to see many dozens of dolphins.Recommend the first outing for dawn on the water.

MUST DO ACTIVITYspectating dolphins or swim with dolphins, it's magical experience. The guides (Tracy, Effie) for the trip are welcoming, considerate and attentive to the groups needs (checking in with us if we need blankets to keep warm, ushering us to more comfortable areas etc)The safety briefing video was very humourous.We went on a sunny day and were able to see many dolphins up close doing all kinds of shenanigans eg flips, somersaults, tail flaps etc. There were many pods and the group size was just nice that it's not overly crowded or rambunctious. We were also in a nice friendly group.Cons: the announcements for which groups to prepare etc could be better. Instructions given while checking in could be improved so I'd know what to lookout for in the announcement.