Family Activities in Kaikoura

Family activities in Kaikōura

Kaikōura works well with children because the wildlife is close and many tours have a child fare. Prices are in New Zealand dollars and were checked in October 2026, so confirm before booking.

Boat trips with children

  • Whale Watch Kaikōura: children aged 3 to 15 pay about $60, and under-3s are not permitted. Motion-sickness VR goggles and bags are on board. Allow about 3 hours 15 minutes, with just over 2 hours on the water. If no whale is seen, the operator refunds 80%. See the Whale Watch FAQ .
  • Dolphin watching: a child (3 to 14) ticket is from about $95. Swimming starts at age 8, with child fares from about $240. Pods that contain juveniles are not swum with, so a swim is not guaranteed.

Seasickness is the main medical issue on any boat trip, and tours cancel in rough seas. Build a spare day into the plan.

Seals at Point Kean

Point Kean is a free place to watch fur seals from the shore. Keep at least 20 m away, stay behind any ropes and keep children close and dogs away. Never touch a seal, feed it or throw anything. Males near the Point Kean car park can bite, and the bite is infectious. Give seals a clear path to the water. If you see harassment, report it to DOC on 0800 362 468. See the DOC seal advice .

Rainy-day and short options

  • Kaikōura Museum (96 West End): open daily 10am to 4pm, closed on Christmas Day and Good Friday. Children pay $6 and preschoolers are free; adults pay $12. Its long-term exhibition is “New Normal”, about the 2016 earthquake. See the museum website .
  • Hinau Track: a loop of about 45 minutes through large hīnau trees, starting from the Mt Fyffe car park. It crosses an unbridged stream, so watch small children near the water.
  • Kaikōura Kayaks: a family kayaking tour is listed. Ask the operator about ages and prices.

Other options

  • Llama trekking: a taster trek of about 1 hour in the Kōwhai River valley, and a longer half-day trek with a seal colony visit. Prices vary between listings, so confirm the current price and whether the trek is running. The Kōwhai River flooded in July 2026.
  • EcoZip: children pay about $129 and must go with a ziplining adult. Ask the operator about the minimum age before booking. Adults pay about $199 and a family ticket is about $527. See EcoZip .

Seals from the roadside

The free Ōhau Point lookout on SH1, about 25 km north of town, overlooks a fur seal colony. The Ōhau Stream waterfall walk has been closed since the 2016 earthquake, and the shoreline below the lookout is a closed sanctuary, so watch from the lookout only.

Tips

  • Pack warm layers and a windbreaker.
  • Book early for peak-season sailings.
  • Boats and flights depend on weather, so keep activities flexible.

Read more: Animal activities in Kaikoura and walking tours in Kaikoura .

Compare family tours on GetYourGuide .