Christchurch Whale Watching
:: Click Here For A List Of Accommodation
There's one thing you mustn't leave Christchurch without doing first – whale watching! Head up the coast 180kms north of Christchurch to the fascinating town of Kaikoura for some serious whale-spotting!
Kaikoura is one of the best places in the world for watching whales, dolphins and seals due to their close proximity to the shore and the fact that they can be seen all year round. Whale watching can be done by boat, helicopter or plane.
Kaikoura is a special place of lush pastures and towering, snow covered peaks that fall to the sea. This rare magic continues just offshore where a deep undersea canyon combines with unusual sea currents to attract an extraordinary abundance of marine life, the most famous being the Sperm Whale.
Kaikoura's resident Sperm Whales are the biggest of the toothed whales and the worlds' largest carnivore. They are equivalent in size to four elephants. Each of their teeth can weigh more than a kilogram and grow to 20cm long. Sperm Whales dive 2km into the dark abyss of the Kaikoura Canyon to hunt prey such as the Giant Squid. Many of Kaikoura's Sperm Whales wear battle scars from close encounters with this monster of the deep.
Depending on the season you may also see migrating Humpback Whales, Pilot Whales, Blue Whales and Southern Right Whales. Kaikoura often hosts the world's largest dolphin - the Orca - and is home to the world's smallest and rarest - the Hector's. Kaikoura also attracts the largest concentration and variety of seabirds on mainland New Zealand including Albatross, Shearwater, and Petrels.
If you have your own vehicle you can book a trip out on any one of the whale watching boats and drive up to Kaikoura for the day. Or you can arrange to go on an organised coach trip – there are many to choose from – one-day, overnight etc.
So organise your Christchurch accommodation – get settled – and plan your first adventure – let’s go whale watching!
