Ecoseaker - Dolphin Swimming & Harbour Adventure Cruises

Absolutely awesome! Only 12 people on the boat, free pictures of the dolphin swim and such a friendly, positive atmosphere on the boat thanks to Steve and Dany. Great time, great dolphin viewing and encounter. We even saw baby dolphins which was very special- thanks so much.

This experience was incredible!!! We had a wonderful, intimate swim with the dolphins and enjoyed every second of our time on the boat. Steve and his staff are warm, friendly, professional and knowledgeable, and this is a local, family-run, eco-friendly business. I hope to be back one day and am SO grateful that the Kaikora trips were full because I can’t imagine a better trip than this.

The dolphin swimming experience was top-notch. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! The guides also shared a lot of other interesting information about the wildlife, nature, and the Akaroa area in general. We really enjoyed this. Please note that the Hector's dolphins in Akaroa are very rare and the pod sizes might not be too big whereas in Kaikoura you might see more not so rare dolphins.

A fantastic experience. We chose Ecoseaker because we knew they were a family run business which had the conservation of wildlife in the local area at the heart of their ethos. We went on a small boat with a group of 10 people. It was not long before we found a pod of Hector Dolphins. Steve was really knowledgable of the dolphins and understood their behaviour really well. He knew when it was safe and and a good chance to 'swim' with the dolpins. On quite a few occassions we were able to get in the water with the dolphins and they would swim around us and be really curious. Steve also told us some local knowledge of Akaroa and other wildlife. We were really lucky to see a penguin and some fur seals. Towards the end of the boat trip, we were treated with some hot chocolate and a biscuit. Danny who was also on the boat, was really helpful and knowledgeable of the dolphins.We are so glad and happy that we chose ecoseaker and not another more commercial company.Thank you Steve and Danny!

My afternoon Harbour Cruise was amazing. Steve, our skipper, showed brought us to so many spectacular sights, including awe inspiring cliff faces, arches, dolphins, seeing the sea lions and native birds diving into the water for food, etc. The local knowledge you get is priceless as you hear stories about his family's history with the land and marine reserve. The boat is small and agile, and able to get right up next to the interesting spots. Must do!

Great team!The size of the boat makes it possible to be in small numbers (12 max) and to ear the explanations given, and to approach the dolphins without scaring them away.The cruise also allows you to admire the coast and see other animals (seals, penguins).The equipment (wetsuits) is provided and of good quality, and makes hyper-safe and warm to be in the water

Best experience in Akaroa!! We saw penguins, seals and lots of the playful Hector dolphins. Our guide was very knowledgeable of the area - 5th generation living in Akaroa- which added even more value to this experience. The boat is perfect for getting as close as possible to the harbour’s wildlife.

I’d highly recommend this trip. It was a fantastic experience with a small local Akaroa business. The owner-operator gave us a lovely cruise around the harbour showing us the local birds, seals and penguins.But the highlight was a pod of dolphins which followed the boat, delighting us with their antics.Great trip, excellent value for money.

My family (2 adults and 2 children) took EcoSeaker’s dolphin tour in February. The owner, Steve, called us the day before to confirm and told us the weather may not be ideal for kids swimming in the ocean. He offered to refund us if we wanted to cancel but we went ahead and did the tour the next day. We are so glad we did. The waves were choppy as expected but we saw dolphins, penguins, birds and seals in the wild. Steve’s partner gave us a nice lesson on the wildlife and hector dolphins. My oldest son went into the ocean to be with the dolphins and he loved that experience. Because the swells were high, my younger one stayed on the boat with me. We were served hot chocolate and biscuits on our way back to shore. Steve and his partner are very pleasant. I definitely recommend this tour.

Do NOT book a tour with them. I do not understand the positive ratings, in particular this company provides VERY BAD customer service.1) Chance to see Dolphins in this area is not as high as advertised.2) Even if you see dolphins it does not mean that you can swim with them (although you paid for dolphin swimming, not watching).3) This company does NOT guarantee anything and they DO NOT offer even partial refunds. Other companies at least offer a partial refund (25-50%) in case you can't swim with the dolphins.So, don't make the same MISTAKE as we did and don't choose this company. Otherwise you could most likely end up paying more than 200 NZD for a 3h boat trip WITHOUT DOLPHIN SWIMMING. Other companies offer at least a refund, this company does NOT.