Akaroa: Hector's Dolphin Cruises and Swims - Lyttelton: Island and Harbour adventures and Private Charters

DISCOVER DOLPHIN
EXPERIENCES IN AKAROA

Akaroa Nature Cruise Swimming with dolphins

New Zealand’s first true eco-tourism operator
with over four decades of national and international awards

New Zealand’s first true eco-tourism operator with over four decades of national and international awards

AKAROA NATURE CRUISE

Explore Akaroa Harbour on our 2-hour, award-winning Akaroa Nature Cruise. View Hector’s dolphins, seals, and native seabirds while cruising through stunning landscapes of Akaroa, one of the wildlife experiences 90-mins from Christchurch.

PRICEs

Adult $130 
Child 5-15 years $60
Kids under 5 – Free

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SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS

Swim with Hector’s dolphins in beautiful Akaroa Harbour, 90 mins from Christchurch. This intimate 3.5-hour dolphin encounter offers the chance to meet the world’s rarest dolphin all while learning about marine conservation in New Zealand

PRICEs

Adult $250
Child (8 – 15 years) $220
Spectators $180

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Quail & Ripapa Island escapes

Discover Christchurch’s historic island escapes in Lyttelton Harbour. Take a short ferry ride to Quail Island for secluded bays, regenerating native bird sanctuaries, and historic quarantine station walks, or explore the fascinating Māori and military heritage of neighbouring Ripapa Island.

PRICEs

Adult $45 
Child 5-15 years $22 
Kids under 5 – Free

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DIAMOND
HARBOUR FERRY

Legend says Diamond Harbour was so named because one of the early settlers observed the sun reflecting on the water and thought it looked like a thousand shining diamonds. It remains one of the sunniest and most unspoilt destinations on Banks Peninsula.

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Tailored Private Charters

Host your next gathering against the stunning backdrop of Lyttelton Harbour. Fully customisable charters for celebrations, corporate events, and family functions, complete with flexible vessel setups and catering options.

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PROTECT
HECTOR'S DOLPHINS

Conservation is embedded in our DNA. Protecting our unique dolphins isn't just an act - it defines us. We collaborate with industry partners and the community, continually advocating for enhanced protection of our rare native dolphin.

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SPECIALS
AND PROMOTIONS

Discover our fantastic deals, promotions and special events. We host awesome events in Akaroa and Lyttelton throughout the year along with a mix of ongoing deals and one-off specials.
Don't miss out...

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DISCOVER THE UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURES
THAT BANKS PENINSULA HAS TO OFFER

BOOK AN ADVENTURE

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DIAMOND
HARBOUR FERRY

Legend says Diamond Harbour was so named because one of the early settlers observed the sun reflecting on the water and thought it looked like a thousand shining diamonds. It remains one of the sunniest and most unspoilt destinations on Banks Peninsula.

More

PROTECT
HECTOR'S DOLPHINS

Conservation is embedded in our DNA. Protecting our unique dolphins isn't just an act - it defines us. We collaborate with industry partners and the community, continually advocating for enhanced protection of our rare native dolphin.

More

Tailored
Private Charters

Host your next gathering against the stunning backdrop of Lyttelton Harbour. Fully customisable charters for celebrations, corporate events, and family functions, complete with flexible vessel setups and catering options.

More

SPECIALS
AND PROMOTIONS

Discover our fantastic deals, promotions and special events. We host awesome events in Akaroa and Lyttelton throughout the year along with a mix of ongoing deals and one-off specials. Don't miss out...

More

AWARD WINNING ADVENTURES

For over 4 decades Black Cat has been recognised nationally and internationally with numerous tourism and conservation awards and are recognised as New Zealand's first true eco-tourism operator

Awarded by the Department of Conservation for our safe and sustainable practices with the environment and wildlife we work around

We partner with Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust to help protect our local environment and wildlife

Qualmark endorsed, the only Akaroa cruise operator with an Enviro-Gold award

We are Proud to be a Guardian Member of Sustainable Travel International. Together, we're creating a better future for destinations and the people who live there

Black Cat Cruises was voted the #1 experience out of the Top 100 Bucket List for Experience OZ + NZ

Consistently ranked in the top 10% of global attractions as a repeat winner of the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award.

Lonely Planet recognised our Swimming With Dolphins experience as one of the Top 10 Marine Mammal Experiences in the world

The New Zealand Tourism Award winners on multiple occasions as well being finalists as recently as 2025.

 
 
 
 
  EXCELLENT  
  
 Based on 1412 reviews 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Pierre S 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Very nice experience. We saw a lot of dolphins and we finally discover sea lions.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Jeni W 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
The crew were fun and informative! Thanks for keeping us safe (and warm! The hot chocolate and gingernut biscuit was welcomed) The Hector dolphins were playful, curious,  beautiful creatures, I loved being so close to them - quite surreal. The seals further out of banks peninsula harbour however, looked totally unimpressed by us!  Interesting facts about the volcanic rock formations we saw, topped off an already magnificent afternoon. 10/10 guys. Thanks
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Anna M 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
One of the best experiences of my 60 years on this planet. Elijah, Grace and Thomas, our crew and guides, were the perfect mix of business like, good fun and informative. The dolphins understood the assignment and kept us captivated so we didnt notice the cold water. I smiled so much, my face ached. Thank you Black Cat for a truly magical experience.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Luke r 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
The captain Greg, Abbie, Katie and Flo made our trip out to see the hector dolphin tour this morning very unforgettable. Our tour started at 10.45am and we took the Akaroa nature cruise which was a 2 hour cruise. We took a nice steady cruise out to where the Hector dolphins tend to hang out. Along the way our Captain Greg was amazing on the microphone 🎤 telling everyone about the history of Akaroa and how the mountains were formed from volcanoes and earthquakes. Greg was also going in to great details about the habitat of Hector dolphins and how they received their name. Flo gave us some great Commentary about New Zealand Fur seals and how they live and their mating season. Katie and Abbie were at the front speaking to us and other guests about the Dolphins and seals. We just found the whole crew were a delight to travel with and so helpful and friendly. I highly recommend giving Black Cat Cruises a go as even the booking process was easy from start to finish online. I would say from the overall experience i would give 10/10. Thank you for a great tour/cruise the family from the United Kingdom 😊
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Buddy J 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Very interesting. Sorry lots of dolphins and Seals. Thank you to the staff for a good time at sea.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Zak K 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
We had the most amazing experience on the boat tour! The crew were incredibly welcoming, friendly and full of knowledge, which made the whole trip even more enjoyable. The boat had plenty of space to move around and enjoy the views from every angle. We were lucky enough to spot dolphins and other wildlife, with so many great chances to capture photos of the beautiful surroundings. An unforgettable experience from start to finish. We couldn't recommend it more – a huge thank you to the entire team! 10/10!
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Megan K 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
We had such an incredible time on the boat tour. Super friendly and knowledgable staff, and lots of places to stand and look out on the boat. There were plenty of opportunities to see the dolphins/other wildlife, and take photographs of the stunning scenery. 10/10 would recommend to anyone. Thanks to the team!
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 Verified by Trustindex  
Trustindex verified that these reviews were published on Black Cat Cruises's Google Business Profile. Learn more
 
 
  
 
 
 

AWARD WINNING ADVENTURES

New Zealand's first true eco-tourism operator with over four decades of national and international awards

Awarded by the Department of Conservation for our safe and sustainable practices with the environment and wildlife we work around

We partner with Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust to help protect our local environment and wildlife

We are proud to be a Guardian Member of Sustainable Travel International. Together, we're creating a better future for destinations and the people who live there

We are proud to hold Qualmark Enviro-Gold award for sustainability

Black Cat Cruises was voted the #1 experience out of the Top 100 Bucket List for Experience OZ + NZ

Consistently ranked in the top 10% of global attractions as a repeat winner of the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Award

Lonely Planet recognised our Swimming With Dolphins experience as one of the Top 10 Marine Mammal Experiences in the world

The New Zealand Tourism award winners on multiple occasions as well being finalists as recently as 2025