The 15 Sea Kayaking in New Zealand That Earn Their Price

1.Wildlife Sea Kayaking Tour – Kaikoura

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 467 reviews · from $99Our pick

Paddle the Kaikoura Peninsula with guides such as Loz, Cam, Brad, or Rosie, learning sea kayaking while watching fur seals and seabirds. Dusky dolphins and blue penguins are possible extras, but not guaranteed. The tour runs about three hours, with roughly 90 minutes on the water.

“This is an excellent paddling adventure with knowledgeable friendly guides. We paddled with Holt and Finn who had the answers to our questions about NZ history and Māori culture as well as many details about the various bird species that Read more”

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2.Shore Excursion Guided Sea Kayaking through Akaroa Marine Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 160 reviews · from $83

Join Akaroa Guided Kayaks for a two to three hour paddle through sheltered bays near the harbor. Guides such as Jake, Joey, John, and Allie lead beginners and experienced kayakers past volcanic rock, seabirds, and possible Hector’s dolphins. Kayaks, spray skirts, jackets, and instruction are included.

“This was a great tour. Allie was very kind and worked with us even when the ship’s tenders were late. John was our tour guide and was very patient and informative. Good for beginners and experienced kayakers. Had a wonderful time!!”

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3.Sunrise wildlife sea kayaking in Akaroa marine reserve

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 123 reviews · from $96

Meet at 7:30 am in Akaroa for a three-hour guided kayak safari across an extinct volcanic basin. You’ll receive a safety briefing, paddle tandem kayaks through the harbor and marine reserve, and watch for Hector dolphins, penguins, seals, birds, and possibly orca. Guides including James, John, and Peter share local knowledge.

“We got close to Hectors dolphins right in the beginning and discovered sea stars in a cave later on. The guide was very knowledgeable and even had tips for other experiences in nature - very warmly recommended!”

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4.Small group guided sea kayaking in Akaroa marine reserve

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 116 reviews · from $83

Join Akaroa Guided Kayaks for a 2 to 3-hour paddle through Akaroa’s marine reserve and volcanic basin. Guides such as Max, Adam, Lee, Jake, and Luan have led past groups, pointing out Hector’s dolphins, penguins, seals, and seabirds. Gear is supplied, but you must paddle and exit the kayak unaided.

“Was great fun! Lee was also a brilliant guide to have :D Allowed us to learn how to Kayak so fast :)”

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5.Akaroa: Akaroa Marine Reserve Sea Kayaking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 100 reviews · 2h 30m · from $80

Spend 150 minutes kayaking Akaroa Harbour and its marine reserve with a local guide such as Alex, Max, or Lucia. Expect calm bays, caves, volcanic scenery, wildlife spotting, safety instruction, and a small group of no more than eight people. Bring water, sunscreen, a hat, and a light jacket.

“Absolutely amazing, the dolphins swam around the kayaks for ages. Lucia was a brilliant quide.”

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6.Day sea kayak tour Rangitoto Island

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · from $152

Spend about six and a half hours sea kayaking from St. Heliers to Rangitoto, hiking to its summit, and sharing a Kiwi BBQ by the water. Guides such as Daniel, Eric, Chloe, and Bennett provide patient instruction for beginners. Small groups are limited to eight people.

“Our guide, Chloe, was AMAZING! She is super friendly, helpful and knowledgeable giving us detailed information and instruction. It was a perfect day for kayaking and hiking. She even grilled us steaks for lunch! This excursion was well thought out due to the amount of activity required. The schedule of kayaking, hiking, lunch, kayaking allowed enough rest between upper body and lower body activities! It’s truly a day of physical activity combined with beautiful views. Our group was small and perfect allowing everyone to get to know each other too!”

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7.Sunset & Night Sea Kayak Tour to Rangitoto Island

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 60 reviews · from $138

Paddle from St Heliers Beach to Rangitoto Island with a small group and English-speaking guide. Hike 2.5 km to the summit for sunset, enjoy a Kiwi BBQ with hot and cold drinks, then kayak back through the dark. Guides such as Daniel, Dan, Eric, and Kobey have led recent trips.

“I participated on 7/12/2024 I was very excited about this first experience I will never forget the Southern Cross More than anything, I was happy to be surrounded by nature and I envied the people who live there I will definitely come back”

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8.Akaroa: Guided Sunrise Sea Kayaking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 59 reviews · 3 hours · from $92

Start early from central Akaroa and spend three hours kayaking through the harbour’s marine reserve. Your English-speaking guide, including experienced leaders such as Peter, John, or Shaun, handles safety and wildlife interpretation while you paddle among seals, birds, and possible Hector dolphins.

“Alex provided us with lots of knowledge about wildlife culture and history of Akaroa Bay. Timi passed much too fast!”

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9.1 Day Sea Kayak Rental

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · from $74Best value

Rent a kayak from R&R Kayaks in Marahau for up to seven hours, then paddle the Astrolabe Roadstead toward Abel Tasman National Park. Stop at golden beaches, picnic, swim, watch for seals, and pass Split Apple Rock. This independent outing requires at least two people and moderate fitness.

“We had a beautiful day of kayaking in this gorgeous part of the world. We'd recommend this experience to anyone who loves kayaking and discovering beautiful, secluded beaches.”

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10.Motukorea / Browns Island Sea Kayak Journey

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · from $121

Set out from Parnell at 8:30 am for a relaxed four-hour sea-kayak trip to Motukorea, also called Browns Island. Your guide supplies safety instruction, kayaks, refreshments, and a short summit hike. No kayaking experience is needed, though moderate fitness helps.

“Everything was perfect. My sister and I had an amazing experience from the kayaking, snack, and hike around browns island.”

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11.Rangitoto Island: Sea Kayak & Summit Hike Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 31 reviews · from $144

Paddle from St Heliers Beach across Waitemata Harbor with an English-speaking guide, then hike Rangitoto’s summit for 360-degree Auckland views. Guides such as Tony, Ben, Daniel, and Eric lead the trip, with kayaking gear, refreshments, drinks, and a barbecue lunch included.

“Excellent trip, Ben our guide was great. We laughed and had a fun day., We were lucky with calm water for the kayak trip and nice walk up to the crater. There are other trails on the island so it would be nice perhaps with more time on the island to walk longer.”

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12.Browns Island (Motukorea) Sea Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · 4 hours · from $89

Join a four-hour guided sea-kayak trip from St Heliers Beach to Browns Island, also called Motukorea. You will learn basic paddling, cross calm gulf waters, walk around a dormant volcanic cone, and return by kayak. Guides such as Ryan and Legend are praised for clear instruction and steady support.

“I had a wonderful day on the water, the whole tour from the guides to the views was spectacular, 100% reccomend.”

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13.Guided Electric Mountain Bike & Sea Kayak Tour in Akaroa

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · from $192

Spend 5.5 active hours around Akaroa, riding an electric mountain bike from sea level to the crater summit before kayaking through the crater’s marine reserve. Guide Joey leads the kayak portion, with snacks, photos, ecology stories, and possible penguin and dolphin sightings included.

“Enjoying the peaceful and beautiful blue waters, kayaking into a cave…very cool! Then biking up and down 10-15%grade with absolute ease with the turbo feature on the e-bikes!”

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14.Browns Island Motukorea Sea Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $93

Paddle with a small group from St Heliers Bay to volcanic Browns Island, led by guides such as Chris. Expect Hauraki Gulf views, island history, native birds, volcanic features, and a two-hour stop ashore. Sea kayaking experience may help, as the crossing can be demanding for complete beginners.

“We did not make it to the Browns Island as plan. We were novice and inexperience with the kayak that were used. The tour is probably more suitable for people with some kayaking experience in the sea but the tour guide Chris was friendly and helpful.”

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15.Half-Day Sea Kayak Tour to Motukorea Island

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 4h 30m · from $116

Kayak from St Heliers Beach to Motukorea Island with an English-speaking guide, then walk to the summit of Auckland’s best-preserved volcano. Daniel, Marco, and Bennet have earned special praise for clear instruction and local stories. No previous kayaking experience is needed.

“Marco, our guide, was super friendly, knowledgeable, and well organized. He smoothly handled a participant showimg up late, who missed her kayak group, and ask our group if we minded taking a few extra minutes to get the newcomer set to kayak with us. Awesome service!! Definitely recommend!!”

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