Seal Swim Kaikoura
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Seal Swim Kaikoura
Swim with wild New Zealand fur seals in the shallow bays of the beautiful Kaikoura Peninsula. This is an experience you do not want to miss! No experience necessary.
Seal Swim Kaikoura's base of operation is conveniently located right in the main street of Kaikoura. It is here that you will meet and be introduced to your guides and the other swimmers on the tour. You will be provided with warm, buoyant wet suits and snorkeling equipment before being transported to one of Seal Swim Kaikoura custom seal swimming boats.
Your skipper and guide will then accompany you on a very short boat trip, around the stunning Kaikoura Peninsula, to one of SSK's favorite seal swimming areas. This is a treat in itself. Before entering the water your guides will tell you all about New Zealand fur seals and 'seal swimming etiquette'.
Upon entering the water, time will be allowed for you to familiarize yourself with equipment and instruction will be given on aspects of snorkeling. One to two experienced guides, equipped with large floats will then accompany each group, of max 11 swimmersin the water. This is of great benefit to swimmers who are not so comfortable in the water. Guides are trained to help you and make you feel more comfortable. They've even been know to hold swimmers hands!
Every tour is different but generally 1 to 1 1/2 hours is spent in the water. Seal Swim Kaikoura has a 96% success rate of travellers swimming with 3 metres of seals in the water. If you do not get to swim with seals at close proximity a 50% refund applies.
Many people have told us that there seal swimming experience was one of the highlights of their travel here in New Zealand. For more information visit our website.
Details
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Organisation |
Seal Swim KaikouraCommercial organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ Kaikoura Region ▷ Kaikoura |
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Coordinates |
Marine Animals
Seal Watching
Reviews
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5.0/5
I can't begin to describe how amazing this experience was.
The guides were super friendly and informative, the equipment was great and swimming with the seals was one of the best experiences of my life. You can relax and float around while seals swim right up and interact with you. When you turn away from them they are so playful and interested that they follow. There are hundreds of seals on the rocks surrounding you and I even saw some seal pups. I had gone swimming with the dolphins the day prior and if I were to choose between the two this would be my pick. If you can bring an underwater camera I'd absolutely recommend it because you will want to relive this experience over and over again.
EM![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(231,64,153)" /><path d="m 150 605 Q 187 113 -305 150 Q 187 187 150 -305 Q 113 187 605 150 Q 113 113 150 605 z" fill="rgb(166,205,127)" /><path d="m 150 442 Q 77 223 -142 150 Q 77 77 150 -142 Q 223 77 442 150 Q 223 223 150 442 z" fill="rgb(89,50,128)" /><path d="m 150 178 Q 229 71 122 150 Q 229 229 150 122 Q 71 229 178 150 Q 71 71 150 178 z" fill="rgb(24,191,102)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
This is a must do.
Such a surreal experience swimming up close and personal with so many beautiful seals. And what made it even better was it being a kiwi family run business, the hosts are fantastic; they're friendly, funny and educational. Loved this!
MF![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(230,223,105)" /><path d="m 150 698 Q 133 167 -398 150 Q 133 133 150 -398 Q 167 133 698 150 Q 167 167 150 698 z" fill="rgb(156,246,69)" /><path d="m 150 390 Q 108 192 -90 150 Q 108 108 150 -90 Q 192 108 390 150 Q 192 192 150 390 z" fill="rgb(99,9,186)" /><path d="m 150 295 Q 66 234 5 150 Q 66 66 150 5 Q 234 66 295 150 Q 234 234 150 295 z" fill="rgb(25,32,150)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
We came to Kaikoura specifically to do this seal swim and it was all that we had hoped for!
I highly recommend that even though the road from Kaikoura to Picton is closed, you should still come to Kaikoura and explore the town. It is a quaint ocean town and well worth the visit. I highly recommend the Seal Swim encounter as well! I took my 11 yr old and 13 year old daughters and they won't ever forget this experience!
SD![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(6,57,253)" /><path d="m 150 728 Q 267 33 -428 150 Q 267 267 150 -428 Q 33 267 728 150 Q 33 33 150 728 z" fill="rgb(69,26,155)" /><path d="m 150 330 Q 222 78 -30 150 Q 222 222 150 -30 Q 78 222 330 150 Q 78 78 150 330 z" fill="rgb(186,229,100)" /><path d="m 150 161 Q 54 246 139 150 Q 54 54 150 139 Q 246 54 161 150 Q 246 246 150 161 z" fill="rgb(249,198,2)" /></svg>)
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4.0/5
To swim with the seals with this company is really good.
Professional and small groups (10 people).
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5.0/5
Absolutely incredible!
You won't get any closer to wild seals in their native habitat! They are so cute!
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4.0/5
A professionally run tour business with the best for the animals in mind.
Was a lot of fun. Visibility up to 3 or 4 metres.
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4.5/5
Great family run business - however seems to be slightly abrupt and unwelcoming on booking.
Had a great day and swam with seals darting towards and around me.
Was great to be in the water with them!
E![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(132,55,105)" /><path d="m 150 676 Q 262 38 -376 150 Q 262 262 150 -376 Q 38 262 676 150 Q 38 38 150 676 z" fill="rgb(208,118,136)" /><path d="m 150 432 Q 50 250 -132 150 Q 50 50 150 -132 Q 250 50 432 150 Q 250 250 150 432 z" fill="rgb(47,137,119)" /><path d="m 150 117 Q 117 183 183 150 Q 117 117 150 183 Q 183 117 117 150 Q 183 183 150 117 z" fill="rgb(123,200,150)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
Perfect organisation, very professional, very friendly and helpful, funny.
Unfortunately we saw the seals just for seconds and only one time but anyway, its nature and its ok. We had a nice trip.
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5.0/5
I Washington on holiday With my friend looking for an ecofriendly activity and looking to swim with the seals .
This company offered us a great experience and a better understanding of the wildlife
We recommend it warmly and hope to go backbone day!
Thanks guys
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![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(28,180,221)" /><path d="m 150 617 Q 175 125 -317 150 Q 175 175 150 -317 Q 125 175 617 150 Q 125 125 150 617 z" fill="rgb(253,84,142)" /><path d="m 150 322 Q 244 56 -22 150 Q 244 244 150 -22 Q 56 244 322 150 Q 56 56 150 322 z" fill="rgb(2,171,113)" /><path d="m 150 195 Q 177 123 105 150 Q 177 177 150 105 Q 123 177 195 150 Q 123 123 150 195 z" fill="rgb(227,75,34)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
I can't begin to describe how amazing this experience was.
The guides were super friendly and informative, the equipment was great and swimming with the seals was one of the best experiences of my life. You can relax and float around while seals swim right up and interact with you. When you turn away from them they are so playful and interested that they follow. There are hundreds of seals on the rocks surrounding you and I even saw some seal pups. I had gone swimming with the dolphins the day prior and if I were to choose between the two this would be my pick. If you can bring an underwater camera I'd absolutely recommend it because you will want to relive this experience over and over again.
EM -
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5.0/5
This is a must do.
Such a surreal experience swimming up close and personal with so many beautiful seals. And what made it even better was it being a kiwi family run business, the hosts are fantastic; they're friendly, funny and educational. Loved this!
MF -
5.0/5
We came to Kaikoura specifically to do this seal swim and it was all that we had hoped for!
I highly recommend that even though the road from Kaikoura to Picton is closed, you should still come to Kaikoura and explore the town. It is a quaint ocean town and well worth the visit. I highly recommend the Seal Swim encounter as well! I took my 11 yr old and 13 year old daughters and they won't ever forget this experience!
SD -
5.0/5
I Washington on holiday With my friend looking for an ecofriendly activity and looking to swim with the seals .
This company offered us a great experience and a better understanding of the wildlife
We recommend it warmly and hope to go backbone day!
Thanks guys
-
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4.0/5
To swim with the seals with this company is really good.
Professional and small groups (10 people).
-
-
5.0/5
Absolutely incredible!
You won't get any closer to wild seals in their native habitat! They are so cute!
-
4.0/5
A professionally run tour business with the best for the animals in mind.
Was a lot of fun. Visibility up to 3 or 4 metres.
-
4.5/5
Great family run business - however seems to be slightly abrupt and unwelcoming on booking.
Had a great day and swam with seals darting towards and around me.
Was great to be in the water with them!
E -
5.0/5
Perfect organisation, very professional, very friendly and helpful, funny.
Unfortunately we saw the seals just for seconds and only one time but anyway, its nature and its ok. We had a nice trip.
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5.0/5
It was a great experience !
I never tought I could see seals from that close !
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5.0/5
This is a not to be missed experience in Kaikoura my girlfriend and I were lucky enough to swim with both dolphins and seals in Kaikoura and the seals won hands down for us.
The team at seal swim are friendly and relaxed but they are nothing compared to the seals, happy to hang in the water upside down staring inquisitively into your snorkel mask for hours, before playing hide and seek in and out of the rocks and kelp.
This is not just about the seals it is a complete underwater experience into the marine life around Kaikoura.
I hope you choose to take the trip and enjoy it as much as we did, good luck!
AM![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(8,44,159)" /><path d="m 150 663 Q 168 132 -363 150 Q 168 168 150 -363 Q 132 168 663 150 Q 132 132 150 663 z" fill="rgb(121,177,0)" /><path d="m 150 415 Q 65 235 -115 150 Q 65 65 150 -115 Q 235 65 415 150 Q 235 235 150 415 z" fill="rgb(134,78,255)" /><path d="m 150 231 Q 60 240 69 150 Q 60 60 150 69 Q 240 60 231 150 Q 240 240 150 231 z" fill="rgb(247,211,96)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
A great experince seeing and swimming with seals in their natural environment.
Superbly experienced guides; with natural ability to relate their passion about seals on to you;and to share their knowledge so you feel entirley comfortable through what can only be described as an awesome & delightfully unforgettbale experience.
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5.0/5
Awesome experience!
Saw lots of seals up close even bumped into a few times. Great guides and very playful seals.
K![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(230,200,126)" /><path d="m 150 637 Q 139 161 -337 150 Q 139 139 150 -337 Q 161 139 637 150 Q 161 161 150 637 z" fill="rgb(202,10,38)" /><path d="m 150 479 Q 284 16 -179 150 Q 284 284 150 -179 Q 16 284 479 150 Q 16 16 150 479 z" fill="rgb(53,245,217)" /><path d="m 150 137 Q 49 251 163 150 Q 49 49 150 163 Q 251 49 137 150 Q 251 251 150 137 z" fill="rgb(25,55,129)" /></svg>)
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5.0/5
A lot more fun than swimming with dolphins.
If I would have to devicide between these two, I would choose this.
Good organization, good spot, I would do this again.
M![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg width="300" height="300" viewBox="0 0 300 300" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><rect id="bg" width="300" height="300" fill="rgb(223,180,246)" /><path d="m 150 574 Q 148 152 -274 150 Q 148 148 150 -274 Q 152 148 574 150 Q 152 152 150 574 z" fill="rgb(244,160,10)" /><path d="m 150 541 Q 139 161 -241 150 Q 139 139 150 -241 Q 161 139 541 150 Q 161 161 150 541 z" fill="rgb(11,95,245)" /><path d="m 150 188 Q 103 197 112 150 Q 103 103 150 112 Q 197 103 188 150 Q 197 197 150 188 z" fill="rgb(32,75,9)" /></svg>)
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