Seal Coast Safari: Wellington's Natural Wonders

Embark on a thrilling 4WD adventure along Wellington’s rugged south coast. Explore native forests, encounter iconic bird species, and marvel at stunning views of the Cook Strait. Get up close with New Zealand Fur Seals and learn about their history and conservation. Book now!

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Otari-Wilton’s Bush Native Botanic Garden - We begin our journey at Otari-Wilton’s Bush - one hundred hectares of ancient and regenerating forest and New Zealand’s only botanical garden dedicated solely to native plants. Designated a six-star Garden of International Significance by the New Zealand’s Gardens Trust of the Royal New Zealand Institute…
What's Included
  • Proud partner of the Capital Kiwi conservation project
  • Exclusive access to private farmland with stunning views
  • See Wellington’s hidden gems that even most locals don’t know about
  • Pick up and drop off available direct from cruise ships - we’ve never missed a drop off
  • Travel in style and comfort with our new fleet of 4WD Mercedes
  • NZ Fur Seals…
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embark on a unique and thrilling adventure to Wellington’s hidden coastline. With special access through private farmland, this journey unveils Wellington’s natural marvels in a region unfamiliar even to many locals. Just 20km from the city, this area offers a completely different world.
Travel in state-of-the-art 4WD Mercedes vehicles to explore a…

Location
Otari-Wilton's Bush Native Botanic Garden
160 Wilton Road
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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Mark_b
Feb 3, 2025
Wonderful Tour - This was an exceptional tour; very enjoyable and informative. We enjoyed the walk through the botanical garden and learning about the local birds, plants, and trees followed by the stunning coastal views and farmland on the way to Tongue Point where we had a pleasant visit with many fur seals enjoying the sun in their natural habitat. Blue was a gracious host, an informative guide, and a skilled driver. We highly recommend this experience.
Review provided by Viator
William
Feb 3, 2025
A GENUINE SEAL COAST SAFARI - This was morning of sheer enjoyment. Our visit to a native NZ botanic garden was enlightening and very interesting. This was hugely by the enthusiasm and knowledge of our guide Blue (not sure of the spelling, sorry). It was when we then made our way down to the coast over a rough and often corrugated gravel road over and down a mountain that the fun really started. We got lucky with a lovely sunny morning and were able to see a large number of seals sunning themselves and lolling about as they do. It was simply a wonderful half hour with these animals (from a safe distance, of course). Again, Blue’s informative commentary imparted knowledge of these creatures with a lovely dash of humour. I would wholeheartedly recommend this trip for a really enjoyable morning out. It was great value.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Charles_r
Feb 2, 2025
Good chance to see fur seals. - Gorgeous scenery. Great rollicking ride up over the hills and down to the beach. Hamish did a great job driving us safely to our fur seals vantage point.
Review provided by Viator
Pcob
Feb 2, 2025
This truly was an amazing... - This truly was an amazing trip. Our guide could not have been better. The van was pristine and extremely comfortable.
Review provided by Viator
Judith_h
Feb 1, 2025
We totally enjoyed the... - We totally enjoyed the Wellington Seal tour. Our driver was extremely knowledgeable and provided much information while we drove the difficult road out to the seals. It was great to be able to walk along the shore and see the seals in their natural habitat. I would recommend this tour over the similar cruise tour.
Review provided by Viator
Soflosofawny
Jan 31, 2025
A unique & wonderful day! - Our tour guide Blue, gave us a thorough and passionate education on conservation of the lands & nature surrounding Wellington. As he took us through a nature preserve we learned about many of the plants & trees and the non-native ones brought to NZ by various settlers. Blue gave a comprehensive explanation of the birds and wildlife currently in NZ and how the lifestyle of the Māori played into that. His knowledge and impressive driving skills got us up through the private farmland, past the fascinating wind turbine field, and safely to the rocky beach point, where we were able to walk along the shore a safe distance from many seals basking in the sun amongst the rocks and boulders. Exciting and exhilarating with a fabulous “up-close” view of this remote coast. Then we had a nice “breaky” with tea and biscuits, and were ready for the ride back, dropping us in town with ample time to catch the cruise ship shuttle. We even had some time remaining to visit the Te Papa Museum of New Zealand. Thank you Blue, for a truly wonderful and unique day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lr12fun
Jan 28, 2025
Worth doing in Wellington! - Fantastic way to see the local landscape and drive thru a working farm station! The guide Hamish was excellent and was so knowledgeable and gave a great overview on all parts of the trip! Enjoyed the walk thru the gardens and learning about the local flora and fauna!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mfgd61
Jan 28, 2025
Excellent off the beaten track tour! - This is an excellent tour that highlights a little known part of the Wellington area. Our guide, Hamish, was personable and full of relevant information about Wellington in general and the tour highlights in particular. Always ready to engage with us and also leave us to enjoy nature. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
529sindyr
Jan 26, 2025
What a last minute gem! - A fabulous way to spend a morning - great scenery, fascinating facts from Andrew and so many fur seals….not bothered by us standing on the beach near them!! This was an absolute gem…a last minute decision turned out to be one of our highlights! The 4WD experience was comfortable - but the very tight and windy roads could be an issue if you are prone to car sickness….. If you are unsure whether to go - Say YES…it was so worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lyn
Jan 26, 2025
Best safari - 110% Perfect. Gina is the best guide. Such a great driver and SO much local knowledge Seals very relaxed and accommodating for the camera. Views stunning Highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 10 guests
1 Adult
February 2025
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