Whale Watching Flight in Kaikoura: Experience Majestic Sperm Whales and Scenic Ocean Views

Experience the majesty of Sperm Whales and breathtaking ocean views on a Whale Watching Flight in Kaikoura. Book now for an unforgettable adventure in New Zealand!

Duration: 40 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 627 State Highway 1 - Gather for check-in and a pre-flight briefing about Kaikoura’s whales and other marine life.
  • Depart from the airport to the whale watching area just off the coast to observe Kaikoura’s whales from above.
  • Relish the stunning alpine and coastal scenery before returning to land.
What's Included
  • Live commentary from the pilot via headsets
Additional Information

Experience the world-famous sperm whales and marine life of Kaikōura with an unforgettable Whale Watching Flight. From the sky, enjoy the perfect vantage point to admire these magnificent creatures in their natural environment, fully appreciating their immense size and beauty.
During the journey, there may also be sightings of dolphins, humpback whales,…

Location
627 State Highway 1
State Highway 1
At Kaikoura Airport, 10min drive south of Kaikoura. Turn right on arrival, Free parking. Checkin 30min before your flight. Flight times may be adjusted to align with whale dive times, this may result in earlier departures. If you are not present at the checkin time, the flight may depart without you
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(198 Ratings)
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Ian_b
Mar 12, 2025
Kaikoura Flight over Whales - 😀-nice plane, good value, great staff from check in to pilot, good communication, staff keen to get us in air as sperm whale spotted 🙁-nothing
Review provided by Viator
611leeannb
Mar 11, 2025
Positive whale watching !!! - Great experience. Pilot was so good. Persistence was his game and he found a whale and flew the plane so all sides faced the water to get pictures. Made you feel safe for sure. Loved it and highly recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joyb418
Mar 11, 2025
Amazing viewings of sperm whale, orcas & dolphins - Incredible trip to see a sperm whale, 5-6 orcas and dolphins too - which we were up there longer! Breathtaking! Not sure how easy it is to see these magnificent creatures from a boat - long way out and no boats in site? Sooo pleased we did this trip from the air!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan_engelke
Mar 2, 2025
Great experience - It was an amazing flight across the sea and we saw 2 sperm whales. Size and dynamics are really good visible from the aircraft. We were 7 people/guests on board and everybody had a window seat. The flight took about 40 minutes.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Richard_m
Mar 1, 2025
Awesome day - Awesome experience, great pilot. Whale sightings well coordinated with ships also seeking whales. Made sure both sides of plane got great views
Review provided by Viator
Maddogsandcyclists
Feb 26, 2025
We came, we flew, we saw. - Great experience . To maximize the chances of seeing a whale (which we did), they delayed take off to synchronise with the animals diving/surfacing patterns.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kazlawson
Feb 20, 2025
Fantastic! - Our first flight was cancelled due to the weather but we were offered a Full refund or an alternative flight. We took the flight, thank goodness! A utterly breathtaking experience on a perfect day (the following one!). Very professional, well organised, fully briefed and our pilot Alex was informative and knew the area where the whale could be located and also the movements ie feeding then surfacing throughout the day to optimise our chance of seeing one. Visibility was excellent and we had plenty of time to take photos and watch the whale. I would imagine that the trip would be even more mind blowing when the humpbacks are in town too, but for now I was super excited to see a sperm whale. The scenery from above is also stunning.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sofia
Feb 19, 2025
Amazing whale watching from above - We were lucky to see two sperm whales swimming side by side before diving and showing off their beautiful tail fins. Watching these amazing animals from above was unforgettable! Multiple pods of dolphins added to the experience. We were warned about potential bumps and offered a refund or rebook, but that would’ve been a mistake—the views were incredible, and the flight was smooth.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
P6743nnelainec
Feb 18, 2025
Exceptional flight even though the whales were hiding. - It was touch and go with the weather, but we were kept up-to-date and I really appreciated how seriously they took our safety. Because of the wind, we didn’t see any whales although Alex , our pilot tried very hard to find them. We were offered a voucher to come back within the next two years with only a charge for the fuel to try again. Thank you, Alex for an exceptional experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cruiser48584506500
Feb 27, 2025
Caution - The staff is very friendly and the planes in good condition. But be careful with the publicity that is done the presence of cetaceans has absolutely not guaranteed. This is also true for boat cruises. Pay attention to the time of year.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $119
up to 7 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).