Swim With Dolphins Day Tour

Akaroa Swim with Dolphins Tour from Christchurch

★ 3.8 37 verified reviews on the listing

from NZ$385 per person

Opens the operator's official listing with live dates. Book there; nothing is charged on this site. Free cancellation comes with the Swim with Dolphins tour from Christchurch. A full refund requires cancelling at least 6 full days before the start time; after that a tiered policy applies, and part or all of the payment may be kept. All cut-offs follow New Zealand local time. The day also depends on the weather, both for the road over Banks Peninsula and for the water itself. If the operator cancels for poor conditions, you will be offered a different date or your money back. A minimum number of travellers is required for departure, and if the count is not met an alternative date or a full refund is on the table. The terms on the live booking page govern the booking, so read them before you lock in a date.

Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: Free cancellation comes with the Swim with Dolphins tour from Christchurch. A full refund requires cancelling at least 6 full days before the start time; after that a tiered policy applies, and part or all of the payment may be kept. All cut-offs follow New Zealand local time. The day also depends on the weather, both for the road over Banks Peninsula and for the water itself. If the operator cancels for poor conditions, you will be offered a different date or your money back. A minimum number of travellers is required for departure, and if the count is not met an alternative date or a full refund is on the table. The terms on the live booking page govern the booking, so read them before you lock in a date.
Run by: Leisure Tours

Swim With Dolphins Day Tour runs through Leisure Tours. Rated 3.8 across 37 reviews. Runs 9 hours. From NZ$385.

Overview

Leisure Tours runs the door-to-door transport: hotel pickup, a drive out to the harbour town, and the boat trip itself. The whole experience runs about nine hours.

You are not watching from the deck. A wetsuit and snorkel gear are included in the price, along with the boat's live commentary. Reviewers say the water is cold but the wetsuits keep it tolerable, and the swim itself is the reason most people book.

The day is bigger than the swim. The drive to Akaroa is scenic, with stops for photos, and the trip includes a cheese tasting at Barry's Bay. Reviewers describe the format as a relaxed bus ride out, a couple of hours on the water, free time in Akaroa for lunch, then the trip home. You need to be a confident swimmer, since you swim to and from the boat in open water where you cannot touch the bottom. Families with children under eight cannot take part in the swim.

What's Included

Included

Cheese tasting at Barry's Bay
Live commentary on board
Air-conditioned vehicle
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Wet suit hire
Use of Snorkelling equipment

Not Included

Food and drinks, unless specified
Gratuities

Itinerary

Hotel pickupPickup and drop-off from your Christchurch accommodation are included. One reviewer reported a long wait for the minivan, so it is worth confirming timing with the operator directly.
Scenic drive to AkaroaReviewers mention an informative driver and photo stops along the way.
Dolphin swim cruiseBoard the boat in Akaroa for the swim with wild Hector's dolphins. Wetsuits and snorkelling equipment are provided, and live commentary runs on board.
Time in AkaroaSeveral reviewers describe free time in town for lunch before the return journey. Food and drinks are not included unless specified.
Return to ChristchurchThe day runs about nine hours in total, ending with drop-off back in the city. A cheese tasting at Barry's Bay is included in the tour package at some point in the day.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points shape whether this tour works for you, from swimming ability to what the reviews say about the water and the day's pacing.

Swimming fitness. The listing requires a moderate fitness level and the ability to swim in open ocean, covering distances up to 50 metres at a time to and from the boat. You float where you cannot touch the bottom.
Cold water. The water is cold, a point made in review after review. Wetsuit hire is included and reviewers say the suits keep the cold tolerable and make floating almost effortless.
Wild animals. The dolphins are wild and decide for themselves whether to interact. If conditions are poor, the operator cancels for weather and offers a different date or a full refund.
Bring your own lunch. Food and drinks are not included unless specified. Reviewers mention free time in Akaroa for lunch, so plan to buy it there. Gratuities are also not included.
Long but easy day. At about nine hours this is a fairly long day, as one reviewer put it, but the driving legs are relaxed and the vehicle is air-conditioned. Reviewers describe photo stops on the drive.
Kids and age limits. Children must be eight or over to swim with the dolphins. The tour is not wheelchair accessible.

Common issues. The tour needs a minimum of four adults to run, and if that number is not met you are offered a different date, a different experience or a full refund. Weather can also cancel the swim, in which case you are offered a different date or a full refund. Since these are wild dolphins, sightings and swims are never certain, and one reviewer came away without seeing any. One reviewer waited an hour for hotel pickup and reported patchy communication about transfers, so calling the operator to confirm arrangements is sensible. Life jackets and floaters are not permitted in the water, and the full refund window requires cancelling at least six full days ahead.

Choosing Well

What is included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, the air-conditioned vehicle, wetsuit hire, snorkelling equipment, live commentary on board and a cheese tasting at Barry's Bay are all included. Food and drinks are not, unless specified, and gratuities are excluded.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, pickup and drop-off from your Christchurch accommodation are included. One reviewer reported a long wait and confusing transfer arrangements, so it is worth confirming your pickup time with the operator the day before.

Can children swim with the dolphins?

Children must be eight years or over to swim with the dolphins. The swim takes place in open ocean, so their swimming ability matters, and the listing requires all swimmers to be able to swim to and from the boat.

How fit do I need to be?

You must be able to swim, since you float in open ocean and swim to and from the boat, up to 50 metres at a time, without touching the bottom. The listing asks for a moderate fitness level and requires you to declare any pre-existing medical conditions.

What is the cancellation policy?

A full refund requires cancelling at least six full days before the tour starts. Cancelling two to six full days ahead gets a 50 percent refund, and less than two full days gets no refund. If the operator cancels for weather, low numbers or the four-adult minimum not being met, you are offered a different date or a full refund.

What should I bring?

Bring swimwear and money for lunch and drinks in Akaroa. Snorkelling gear and wetsuits are provided.