What To Expect

What‘s Included

Reviews

• Wonderfull seals

  Yolliezanzi,,Jan 12, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Went on this tour and would highly recommend. Guides are so friendly and animals were gorgeous! Water colder than what we use to haha. But wetsuits works wonders!!! Amazing guys!

  

• Swimming with the seals and a few extra guests

  jenmA8928DI,,Jan 11, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  We had a wonderful experience. Ria and Ryan were excellent guides and captain. The entire team took care to make sure we were properly outfitted with all of the necessary gear before we got onto the boat. We had a nice ride out to the cove and we're given great instructions before getting into the water. Once in the water we to swam to the area where the seals were swimming. We had a surprise during our tour, two orcas surfaced in the cove. The orcas were busy eating rays and ignored our group. Ria made sure that everyone in our group stayed close to her while the orcas were in the area. They left the cove as fast as they had entered. Once the orcas had left the area we proceeded to continue to watch the seals. The seals were just as curious about us as we were about them swimming around us and getting a good look at us with their big curious eyes. They were very active swimming all around us and playing in the water. All we had to do was float and look down into the water and they were right there. It was an incredible experience.

  

  

• Fantastic operator

  Maryannhorne,,Jan 4, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Great operator. In time and full of enthusiasm for what they do. Saw lots of deals and got up and very close - including with babies. Fantastic experience and warmly recommend. Kayaks can go only so far and most seals are in rocks that boats can access. Wetsuits were great quality, as were the instructors. Thank you.

  

  

  

  

• Feed back

  Road44661271103,,Jan 3, 2026

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  feed back ? Well very great time and condition i really enjoyed my time over there! i didn't notice any bad point on this day to be honest just good day at snorkeling whit seals whit good crew ! Keep going✌️ seals are very funny and curious creatures they come very close sometimes ! what a good time 😁 Brendan

• Our Seal Swimming Kaikoura experience

  739jesso,,Dec 31, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  It was an amazing experience. We saw plenty of seals playing in the water and sitting up on the rocks. From the get go the staff made it a super easy time, with separate, big change rooms, to quick and easy fittings of wetsuit and other gear. It was a short van ride, then boat ride. I recorded the swim on my Garmin Dive watch and we were in the water for about 40 mins and swam about 750m. Keep in mind this is with thick wetsuits and fins on, plus I might of been getting a bit excited and trying to play and keep up with the seals. The group was small and we were able to spread out a bit. Its also not very deep but too deep to stand. I have dived with the seals in South Africa and Sea Lions in Western Australia. What stood out to me about the Kaikoura seals is that although there aren't as many in the water they are much nicer then the South African ones, and more playful the sea lions making this an awesome and funny experience for anyone. For the price this experience is definitely a must do if you have ever thought about it, also if you never have. Kaikoura was my partners favourite destination on our South Island road trip, and he only does experiences like this cause I want too and this tour was a highlight for him. If you've read this whole thing, go ahead and book! P.S be prepared for the cold water.

• Awe-inspiring

  Z1571XLjulieh,,Dec 29, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  It was such an awesome experience! Led by professional, patient, informative guides Ryan and Lucy, we had a spectacular day with heaps of seals. They swam near us and around us and on the rocks. The company fitted us in the day before we were booked due the weather forecast. They were so accommodating, we would recommend this to everyone who feels they can do it! Thank you Kaikōura Seal Swim!!

  

  

• Amazing experience

  Anika F,,Dec 28, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  This was one of the best experiences of our trip to New Zealand! Very well organized and in a pleasantly small group. The welfare of the animals is paramount and it was so much fun to swim with them.

• Highly recommend! A unique experience

  Algeriatours16,,Dec 22, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  I truly had a great experience with Ryan and Lizzie They are a highly professional duo who went above and beyond to deliver an outstanding experience. Their dedication and effort were clearly seen and genuinely felt. And being that close to seals was just once in a lifetime experience Highly recommended

• Amazing seal encounter - even better than pre-Covid!

  alisonbS2494NN,,Dec 19, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  I was excited to go for a second time on this tour (last time was 2019) and it did not disappoint - in fact it was even better than last time. There were only 6 of us and 2 guides which meant it felt super safe out in the sea and we got loads of direction for where to spot seals. We were lucky that it was a warm day and it didn’t take long for some playful seals to take a dip and cool off with us in the water. We were nose to nose and belly to belly with some particularly adventurous ones (of course staying a respectful distance and waiting to see if they came to us). As this had only just restarted after Covid their hot showers weren’t running yet so we were guided to a local spa for a free hot shower to help warm us up. For anyone who loves animals and wants to get up close in a way that is safe and sustainable I really recommend this tour and company. Thanks again to the team!!! :-)

• A memorable and amazing experience!

  Fearless48094868958,,Dec 18, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  I absolutely loved the tour. Communication was clear from the very beginning. The tour was delayed by an hour due to low tide, which actually increased our chances and I truly appreciated that this was taken into consideration. The team kept me well informed throughout and checked whether the change was okay. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful and the experience itself was truly unforgettable. I’m very grateful to have been part of such a special event in my opinion, this was far more meaningful and memorable than swimming with dolphins. I really loved it!!

• Load more reviews