Seal Kayak Kaikoura — Attraction in Kaikōura

Ok, first and foremost I want for thank Richie and Em for being great. They were kind, energetic and fun. They are the reason this is a two star review and not a one star review. I wasn’t even going to leave a review but they sent each of us an email for a review, so I obliged.

We just didn’t like the tour and here’s why:

It says it is a 3 hour tour and it did take a total of three hours. But with all the pre-trip stuff plus the ride to the park (and bathrooms) plus getting to the launch plus lugging the boats in and out of the water plus setting up all the boats- the total time on water was about 1 1/2 hours. While we were supposed to see a “seal colony” we only saw six seals and they were just sleeping on the rocks. I understand and am aware that they are wild animals and the tour has no control over how many seals you see or what the seals are doing. However it was weird that the tour didn’t even acknowledge it was an off day. If they had acknowledged that there were a lack of seals, that would have helped (which they stressed at our dolphin encounter earlier in the day) but when they tell you that the seal colony in Kaikoura is 400k and you see six, it’s disappointing. If you have seen seals before (pro-tip: you can for free just by driving south along the coast), the seal part of this tour doesn’t add anything. The kayak route itself was just okay. The part we kayaked was exactly what we saw from the beach where we started. We didn’t see anything but the shore along the road and a small rocky area. The sun set quickly behind a mountain so even the sunset location was just okay.

Again- great guides,...

First off, nothing but love for our two guides - they were legitimately great hosts for the trip. Three star review does not reflect their enthusiasm. They take great care of their guests and are knowledgeable and respectful of the animals and ecosystem. Experiencing pedal kayaks was a novel, fun experience.

However. If you want to spot seals, you’re better off just walking the nearby trail along the coast, towards the seal colony that lives there. You’ll see more, and have more time observing.

Most of the time spent on the water was spent - slowly - making our way to some seals and then - slowly - returning to starting point. Actual time near the seals was rather limited. Just not the best ROi when you at time spent. Within the group you have to stick together and tempo is therefore dictated by, let’s say, the least fitness-inclined individuals in the group.

If you’re keen on getting out on the sea to spots seals, and feel comfortable kayaking near the coast line, I advice renting a kayak and go out by yourself. If you’re okay with slow as molasses peddling for 80% of the trip with the occasional seal popping up the other 20% - more power to you. Ask yourself first whether or not you’re the target demographic - we...

I had a truly fantastic experience. The predeparture information was succinct and clear, there was an appreciated bathroom stop before putting in, and the staff, Levi and Rich, were so hospitable carrying the boats into the water for us and ensuring the pedals were at a comfortable setting for our leg length. Out on the water we got to view interesting sea birds (binoculars recommended) and paused in a cove with seals around on the rocks and in the water, swimming, playing, lazing. There were even some pups. At a few points on the kayak, seals swam right beside the boats. Levi knew a lot about the seals and provided interesting information and answered our questions. We spent a good amount of time on the water with a good balance of pedaling and pausing to just watch the wildlife. On the way back to shore, a pod of at least seven dusky dolphins swam alongside our boats for about ten minutes, weaving around and under the kayaks. It was absolutely wondrous! The whole time, the mountains and surrounding landscape views were breathtaking. If you're near Kaikoura, I would highly recommend...