New Zealand wildlife tours for groups — for the trade.
Wildlife and nature experiences across New Zealand — whales, dolphins, albatross, penguins, seals and kiwi, region by region, with seasons, viewing rules and coach notes.
What wildlife can groups see in New Zealand?
Groups can see sperm whales and dusky dolphins at Kaikōura, royal albatross and yellow-eyed penguins near Dunedin, fur seals and gannets on both coasts, and kiwi in Rotorua, on Kāpiti Island and on Stewart Island. Explera arranges each with permitted operators at net rates, planned around seasons and DOC viewing rules.
Last updated: 23 October 2026
Wildlife & nature experiences: planned in detail, accountable end to end.
New Zealand’s wildlife is spread around the coast and the offshore islands rather than gathered in one park, so a wildlife programme is really a routing exercise. We arrange wildlife and nature experiences on request through permitted and licensed operators and DOC-managed sanctuaries, quoted as named lines: a whale-watching morning in Kaikōura, an albatross observatory on the Otago Peninsula, an evening penguin colony, a predator-free island by ferry. Marine trips depend on the sea, sanctuaries set their own days and limits, and no sighting can be promised, so we place each experience where a spare morning or an alternative exists.
Why New Zealand for this segment
New Zealand’s birds evolved without land mammals, so many species live nowhere else, and predator-free islands, fenced sanctuaries and a rich coast put them within a short transfer of good accommodation.
Who it's for: Agents, school and special-interest planners and incentive houses whose clients want New Zealand’s native wildlife seen responsibly.
Wildlife sells New Zealand to a particular kind of client, and it is the part of a programme most easily oversold. Marine trips sail only when the sea allows, sanctuaries open on set days, penguins come ashore at dusk, and no operator can promise a sighting. We build the route so each key experience has a spare morning or a worthwhile alternative, and we tell clients what is likely rather than what is possible.
Most native wildlife is protected under DOC rules that set distances and behaviour. In the Bay of Islands Marine Mammal Sanctuary nobody swims with the dolphins and boats keep 300 m away; on beaches DOC asks visitors to stay at least 20 m from seals and sea lions. Guests receive those rules before they travel.
Official sources, checked 22 October 2026:
- Bay of Islands marine mammal sanctuary rules (DOC)
- Sharing our coasts with marine mammals (DOC)
- Tiritiri Matangi Island (DOC)
- Kāpiti Island Nature Reserve (DOC)
- Cape Kidnappers / Te Kauwae-a-Māui Gannet Reserve (DOC)
- Ulva Island / Te Wharawhara (DOC)
Often planned with: Nature & wildlife · Stargazing & dark sky · Cruises & water experiences · Once-in-a-lifetime experiences · Kaikōura · Dunedin
- Whale, dolphin and seal watching with permitted operators
- Albatross, gannet and penguin colonies
- Predator-free sanctuaries and island reserves
- Kiwi viewing and conservation centres
- Viewing-rule briefings for every guest
- Spare mornings and wet-weather alternatives
How wildlife & nature experiences works with Explera — step by step.
Brief & season
Send the dates, party size and the species the client cares about. We check seasons and sanctuary days against the route.
Named-line quote
Each experience is quoted as a named line with the operator’s age policy and weather terms confirmed.
Guest briefing
Viewing rules, clothing and biosecurity checks go to every guest before travel.
On the day
If a boat cannot sail, the desk moves it to the spare morning or the agreed alternative.
New Zealand wildlife experiences, region by region.
What each experience is, the best season, notes for groups and coaches, the time to allow and where it fits on a route. Seasons and operator terms are confirmed at quotation.
Auckland & Northland
Bay of Islands dolphin-watching cruise
Island cruises from Paihia and Russell, where bottlenose dolphins are often seen. Swimming with the bay’s bottlenose dolphins has been prohibited under DOC permits since 2019, and in Te Pēwhairangi, the Bay of Islands Marine Mammal Sanctuary, people stay out of the water within 300 m of any marine mammal and boats keep 300 m away. We sell it as watching from the boat only.
Best season: Year-round; sightings are never guaranteed.
Groups and coaches: Larger cruise vessels take a full coach group; if dolphins come close the boat must stop, so allow slack in the day.
Time to allow: A half day on the water.
On the route: An overnight in Paihia or Russell, around three hours north of Auckland.
Tiritiri Matangi open bird sanctuary
A predator-free island in the Hauraki Gulf managed by DOC with the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi, home to takahē, kōkako, tīeke (saddleback), hihi (stitchbird) and tuatara.
Best season: The public ferry runs Wednesday to Sunday and can fill well ahead from November to April.
Groups and coaches: No food is sold on the island and there are no bins; DOC says commercial guides need a permit, so we confirm who guides a private group.
Time to allow: A full day from Auckland.
On the route: A day out of an Auckland stay, best at the start of a programme.
Muriwai gannet colony
A mainland gannet colony at Ōtakamiro Point in Muriwai Regional Park, run by Auckland Council, with viewing platforms a short walk from the car park.
Best season: The colony is busy from about August to March, with chicks from late spring.
Groups and coaches: A coach-friendly half day on Auckland’s west coast; track sections have closed for storm repairs, so access is confirmed at quotation.
Time to allow: Two to three hours with the beach.
On the route: Less than an hour from central Auckland, paired with the west coast beaches.
Goat Island Marine Reserve snorkelling
Cape Rodney–Okakari Point Marine Reserve, New Zealand’s first marine reserve (1975), where snorkellers swim among fish from the beach.
Best season: Summer and early autumn are the most comfortable months for snorkelling.
Groups and coaches: No-take rules apply and feeding fish is not allowed; wetsuit and snorkel hire and any guiding are confirmed at quotation.
Time to allow: A half day, or a full day with the Matakana Coast.
On the route: North of Auckland near Leigh, on the Matakana Coast.
Rotorua, Taupō & the Central North Island
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
A 45-minute guided cave tour that ends with a boat ride through the glowworm grotto.
Best season: Year-round; pre-booking is essential.
Groups and coaches: Tours depart several times a day; the Glowworm Cave has no wheelchair access, and the nearby Ruakuri Cave is the accessible alternative.
Time to allow: Half a day with the drive.
On the route: On the road between Auckland and Rotorua or Taupō.
Kiwi in Rotorua: National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa and Te Puia
The National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa, now at the Agrodome site in Rotorua, shows kiwi in a nocturnal house and explains incubation and chick-rearing; Te Puia’s Kiwi Conservation Centre has a nocturnal enclosure where kiwi forage during opening hours.
Best season: Year-round.
Groups and coaches: The hatchery experience is for ages 5 and over and a behind-the-scenes option for ages 12 and over; cameras are not allowed in Te Puia’s kiwi enclosure.
Time to allow: Allow up to 1.5 hours at the hatchery, including transport from the Agrodome.
On the route: A Rotorua stay, beside geothermal and Māori cultural days.
Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre
A conservation centre near Ngongotahā, Rotorua, focused on the kārearea (New Zealand falcon), with a flying display.
Best season: Open Tuesday to Sunday in late morning; display times are confirmed at quotation.
Groups and coaches: Best for small groups; meet-and-greet sessions with a falcon are offered.
Time to allow: A late-morning visit.
On the route: A Rotorua stay; it sits under a kilometre from State Highway 5.
Hawke's Bay & Wellington
Cape Kidnappers gannet colony
Te Kauwae-a-Māui, a headland with large gannet colonies; the best viewing is at the Plateau colony, on private land.
Best season: Gannets nest from about September to December; DOC closes the track from the beach to the Plateau colony from July to the week before Labour Weekend.
Groups and coaches: The beach walk is around low tide only, about five hours return under unstable cliffs, so groups go on an overland four-wheel-drive tour through a private farm from Te Awanga; tour dates are confirmed at quotation.
Time to allow: A half day.
On the route: A Napier or Hastings stay, alongside Art Deco and the wineries.
Zealandia ecosanctuary, including night tours
A fenced ecosanctuary close to central Wellington where native birds such as tūī, kākā and kererū thrive, with day visits and guided night tours.
Best season: Year-round; night tours start around dusk, so times move with the season.
Groups and coaches: Night tours run in small guided groups and are not suited to young children; private tours on request.
Time to allow: Around 2.5 hours for a night tour.
On the route: A Wellington city stop, before or after the Cook Strait ferry.
Kāpiti Island Nature Reserve
An island nature reserve off the Kāpiti Coast reached only with DOC-approved tour operators; private boats may not land.
Best season: Year-round, weather permitting; summer books out early.
Groups and coaches: Bags are inspected before boarding; overnight stays are not allowed in the reserve itself, and the only overnight option, with a guided kiwi-spotting walk, is on private land on the island.
Time to allow: A full day, or an overnight on private land.
On the route: Boats leave Paraparaumu Beach, north of Wellington.
Cape Palliser fur seal colony
A New Zealand fur seal colony on the Wairarapa coast near Ngawi, below the Cape Palliser lighthouse.
Best season: Year-round.
Groups and coaches: DOC asks visitors to stay at least 20 m from seals and never get between a seal and the sea.
Time to allow: A long day out of Wellington.
On the route: Paired with Martinborough and the Wairarapa.
Nelson Tasman & Marlborough
Abel Tasman seal-colony kayaking
Guided sea-kayak days in Abel Tasman National Park that paddle to the Tonga Island Marine Reserve, where New Zealand fur seals rest on the rocks.
Best season: Departures and seasons are confirmed at quotation.
Groups and coaches: Full-day guided trips leave Mārahau with water-taxi transfers; they are generally not for children under 12, and marine life must not be touched.
Time to allow: A full day.
On the route: A Nelson or Mārahau stay at the top of the South Island.
The West Coast & Glaciers
Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and blowholes
Layered limestone formations and blowholes at Dolomite Point in Paparoa National Park, on a 1.1 km all-weather loop.
Best season: Year-round; the blowholes are best near high tide with a south-westerly swell.
Groups and coaches: Wheelchair accessible with assistance, apart from an optional stepped section.
Time to allow: About 20 minutes on the loop; allow an hour with the stop.
On the route: On the coast road between Westport and Greymouth.
Ōkārito and the rowi kiwi
Ōkārito, near Franz Josef, is home to the rowi, the rarest kiwi. The West Coast Wildlife Centre in Franz Josef raises rowi and Haast tokoeka chicks and offers a guided backstage tour.
Best season: Year-round.
Groups and coaches: Evening wild-kiwi spotting at Ōkārito has run in small numbers under DOC concession; current availability is confirmed at quotation.
Time to allow: An hour at the centre; an evening for wild spotting.
On the route: A Franz Josef glacier stay.
Christchurch, Canterbury & Aoraki / Mount Cook
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve
A wildlife reserve in Harewood, Christchurch, where guests can see kiwi and other native species, with guided native tours.
Best season: Open daily, closed Christmas Day.
Groups and coaches: An easy first or last afternoon in Christchurch.
Time to allow: Two hours.
On the route: A Christchurch stay.
International Antarctic Centre
An attraction in Christchurch with a little blue penguin rescue area, Hägglund rides and a storm experience, plus guided tours.
Best season: Year-round.
Groups and coaches: An all-weather option for a wet Christchurch day.
Time to allow: Two to three hours.
On the route: A Christchurch arrival or departure day.
Kaikōura whale watching, fur seals and albatross
Whale Watch Kaikōura’s boats look for the sperm whales that are year-round residents off the coast; fur seals rest around the Kaikōura Peninsula; Albatross Encounter takes guests out on a short boat trip among great and smaller albatross species.
Best season: Year-round, subject to sea conditions.
Groups and coaches: Each operator sets its own child age policy and cancellation terms, confirmed at quotation; DOC asks visitors to stay at least 20 m from seals.
Time to allow: One night at least; two mornings if whales are the reason for the stop.
On the route: On the coast road between Christchurch and Picton.
Kaikōura dusky dolphin swim
Dolphin Encounter takes guests to swim with, or watch from the boat, wild dusky dolphins off Kaikōura.
Best season: All year, subject to weather and sea conditions, with one trip a day in winter and three in summer.
Groups and coaches: Swimmers must be at least 8 and watchers at least 3, and the skipper can raise the age limit on the day.
Time to allow: A morning.
On the route: The same Kaikōura overnight as the whales.
Akaroa Hector’s dolphin cruise
A harbour nature cruise on Akaroa Harbour to look for Hector’s dolphins, one of the world’s smallest dolphins, with seals and seabirds.
Best season: Year-round; the six permitted operators keep their permits under DOC’s 10-year moratorium on new ones.
Groups and coaches: Cruises run about two hours; swimming with dolphins is also offered by permitted operators, confirmed at quotation.
Time to allow: A half day, or a full day from Christchurch.
On the route: Akaroa on Banks Peninsula, about 90 minutes from Christchurch.
Pohatu Penguins evening tour
An evening tour from Akaroa over the crater rim to Pōhatu / Flea Bay to see white-flippered little penguins (kororā) coming ashore, with a guided walk through the colony.
Best season: Departure times move with daylight; the season is confirmed at quotation.
Groups and coaches: A small-group four-wheel-drive tour; guests should eat first, as restaurants may be closed on the return to Akaroa.
Time to allow: About 3.5 hours.
On the route: An Akaroa overnight.
Dark Sky Project, Lake Tekapo
Guided stargazing at the summit of Mount John, home of the University of Canterbury’s Mt John Observatory, and a daytime indoor astronomy experience in Tekapo.
Best season: Year-round; clear skies and the moon decide what is seen.
Groups and coaches: The summit tour is outdoors in the evening for about 1 hour 45 minutes; the indoor experience is family friendly.
Time to allow: An evening.
On the route: A Lake Tekapo overnight between Christchurch and Aoraki / Mount Cook or Queenstown.
Tasman Glacier lake boat tour
A guided boat trip on the terminal lake of the Tasman Glacier, among floating icebergs, run by Glacier Explorers from The Hermitage.
Best season: Seasonal: closed in winter, with opening dates set by the lake ice and confirmed at quotation.
Groups and coaches: Includes a walk of about 1.5 km each way to the lake edge.
Time to allow: About 2 hours 45 minutes.
On the route: An Aoraki / Mount Cook Village overnight.
Queenstown, Fiordland & Otago
Ōamaru blue penguin colony
A colony where little penguins return from the sea after sunset, with evening viewing and a daytime discovery centre.
Best season: Year-round.
Groups and coaches: Evening viewing suits groups staying the night in Ōamaru.
Time to allow: An evening.
On the route: On the coast road between Christchurch and Dunedin.
Royal Albatross Centre, Otago Peninsula
The only mainland breeding colony of northern royal albatross in the world, at Pukekura / Taiaroa Head, viewed from a glassed observatory.
Best season: Open daily except Christmas Day; the birds return in September and lay in November.
Groups and coaches: The classic tour is 60 minutes, with about 30 minutes in the observatory; private tours on request.
Time to allow: An hour, or half a day on the peninsula.
On the route: A Dunedin stay.
Sea lions and yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho)
New Zealand sea lions and hoiho, the yellow-eyed penguin classed by DOC as Threatened–Nationally Endangered, on the Otago Peninsula and in the Catlins.
Best season: Year-round; penguins are more likely in the early morning or evening.
Groups and coaches: View from hides or with guides; DOC asks visitors to stay at least 20 m from seals and sea lions, and its Curio Bay guidance is at least 10 m from hoiho, never blocking their path.
Time to allow: An evening or early morning.
On the route: A Dunedin stay or a Catlins day.
Orokonui Ecosanctuary
A 307-hectare fenced biodiversity sanctuary near Dunedin, with night tours.
Best season: Open Thursday to Monday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Groups and coaches: Last entry is an hour before closing.
Time to allow: Half a day.
On the route: A Dunedin stay.
Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound marine life
Fur seals on the rocks, bottlenose dolphins and, at times, Fiordland crested penguins (tawaki) in the fiords.
Best season: Year-round; wildlife is never guaranteed.
Groups and coaches: Doubtful Sound is reached by a boat across Lake Manapōuri and a coach over the Wilmot Pass, so it is a full day.
Time to allow: A full day.
On the route: A Te Anau base.
Ulva Island and Stewart Island kiwi
Ulva Island / Te Wharawhara, a pest-free open sanctuary in Paterson Inlet with saddleback, yellowhead, Stewart Island robin and kiwi, and evening wild-kiwi encounters on Stewart Island.
Best season: Year-round; night visits to Ulva Island are not allowed.
Groups and coaches: Ulva is reached by water taxi from Halfmoon Bay or Golden Bay; wild-kiwi evenings run in small groups and sightings are not guaranteed.
Time to allow: Two nights on Stewart Island.
On the route: Ferry from Bluff or a short flight from Invercargill.
The Catlins
The petrified forest at Curio Bay, where hoiho nest nearby, and Porpoise Bay, where Hector’s dolphins play in the surf in summer.
Best season: Summer for dolphins and penguins.
Groups and coaches: People entering the water stay at least 50 m from any dolphin; much of the road between Otara and Curio Bay is unsealed.
Time to allow: A full day.
On the route: The Southern Scenic Route between Dunedin and Invercargill.
Ready itineraries built from these: South Island Wildlife and Stars · North Island Nature and Culture · Bucket-List New Zealand
What is included in wildlife & nature experiences — in detail.
Whale, dolphin and seal watching with permitted operators
Whale, dolphin and seal watching with permitted operators — marine mammal trips run under DOC permits that set how close boats and people may go. In the Bay of Islands sanctuary that distance is 300 m and nobody swims with the dolphins; at Kaikōura and Akaroa, permitted operators also offer dolphin swims. Each operator’s age policy and cancellation terms are confirmed at quotation.
Albatross, gannet and penguin colonies
Albatross, gannet and penguin colonies — viewed from observatories, platforms, hides or on guided tours, never by walking into a colony. Seasons matter: gannets nest from about September, royal albatross return to Taiaroa Head in September, and penguins come ashore at dusk or early morning.
Predator-free sanctuaries and island reserves
Predator-free sanctuaries and island reserves — Tiritiri Matangi, Kāpiti Island, Zealandia, Orokonui and Ulva Island each set their own access days, ferry operators and biosecurity checks. Bags are checked for pests and seeds before boarding, and guests take their rubbish home.
Kiwi viewing and conservation centres
Kiwi viewing and conservation centres — kiwi are nocturnal, so most groups see them at kiwi centres in Rotorua, Christchurch and Franz Josef, and smaller parties look for wild kiwi at night on Kāpiti Island or Stewart Island, where sightings are never certain.
Viewing-rule briefings for every guest
Viewing-rule briefings for every guest — DOC asks visitors to stay at least 20 m from seals and sea lions, to keep away from penguins on the beach, and not to feed wildlife. Guests receive the rules for each site before they arrive, so the guide is not the first person to explain them.
Spare mornings and wet-weather alternatives
Spare mornings and wet-weather alternatives — a second morning in Kaikōura for the whales, an indoor kiwi centre when a boat cannot sail, a land walk when the sea is rough. The alternative is planned and costed before travel, not improvised on the day.
Where we run wildlife & nature experiences in New Zealand.
Wildlife & nature experiences in Kaikōura
Kaikōura sits on the coast between Christchurch and Picton, where mountains drop to a deep offshore canyon. That geography is why whale watching and marine-wildlife trips run here year-round, subject to sea conditions on the day. It is a core base for wildlife & nature experiences on our New Zealand programmes. Days in Kaikōura are sequenced around the weather and opening hours, with weather-dependent elements given buffer time and a worthwhile alternative. Entrance fees and inclusions are itemised in the net rate — no surprises on the day.
Wildlife & nature experiences in Dunedin
Dunedin — Ōtepoti — is a university city with Scottish heritage and its own airport, best known to visitors for the Otago Peninsula, where wildlife tours visit albatross and penguin colonies. It extends a southern circuit beyond the lakes. For wildlife & nature experiences, it is one of the places we plan around most often. Days in Dunedin are sequenced around the weather and opening hours, with weather-dependent elements given buffer time and a worthwhile alternative. Private versions of every programme quote on request.
Wildlife & nature experiences in Stewart Island / Rakiura
Rakiura / Stewart Island lies south of the South Island and holds International Dark Sky Sanctuary status, confirmed in January 2019. It is reached by ferry from Bluff or a short flight from Invercargill, and winter gives the longest nights. It features regularly in the wildlife & nature experiences files we quote. Days in Stewart Island / Rakiura are sequenced around the weather and opening hours, with weather-dependent elements given buffer time and a worthwhile alternative. Each weather-dependent element carries an alternative that is genuinely worth doing.
Wildlife & nature experiences in Rotorua
Rotorua sits on the central North Island’s geothermal plateau, about three hours’ drive from Auckland. Geysers, mud pools and lakes share the town with some of the country’s best-known Māori cultural experiences, including Te Puia at Whakarewarewa. It is a core base for wildlife & nature experiences on our New Zealand programmes. Days in Rotorua are sequenced around the weather and opening hours, with weather-dependent elements given buffer time and a worthwhile alternative. Entrance fees and inclusions are itemised in the net rate — no surprises on the day.
Anywhere in New Zealand, in every season
These bases are where we plan wildlife & nature experiences most often, but they are not the limit. The same desk quotes this service anywhere in New Zealand a brief requires — Northland to Stewart Island, single-region stays or both-island circuits. If your client’s brief names a place you do not see here, send it anyway; the answer will come back with a costed plan or an honest alternative.
Seasons run opposite to the northern hemisphere. Summer (December to February) is the long-daylight peak, and Christmas, New Year and the January school holidays are the busiest domestic weeks — book accommodation, campervans and popular activities well ahead for those dates, and allow for added pressure around Chinese New Year. Autumn (March to May) brings settled weather, vintage in the wine regions and good value; winter (June to August) brings snow to the Southern Alps and the ski season; spring (September to November) brings lambs, blossom and waterfalls in full flow. Mountain weather can change quickly in any season, which is why we plan alternatives rather than hoping for sunshine.
Kaikōura
Whales, dolphins and seals beneath snow-capped mountains on the coast north of Christchurch.
Agent guide
Dunedin (Ōtepoti)
A Scottish-founded university city with Victorian architecture and Otago Peninsula wildlife.
Agent guide
Stewart Island (Rakiura)
New Zealand’s third island — mostly national park, and one of the best places to see kiwi in the wild.
Agent guide
Rotorua
Geysers, boiling mud and living Māori culture — the geothermal heart of the North Island.
Agent guideOur operating standards for wildlife & nature experiences.
Permitted operators only
Marine mammal trips run with operators holding DOC permits.
No promises on sightings
Wildlife is wild; we say so in writing before the client books.
Rules before arrival
Distances and behaviour at every site are briefed in advance.
A spare morning
Weather-dependent trips never sit on the last morning of a stay.
Who books wildlife & nature experiences — and how to sell it.
Nature-focused FIT
Couples and families who choose New Zealand for its birds and marine life.
Special-interest groups
Birders, photographers and conservation groups who need early starts and small numbers.
School and university groups
Sanctuaries and conservation centres that link to biology and environmental studies.
Incentive groups
A whale-watching morning or a penguin evening as the shared moment of a programme.
Wildlife & nature experiences pricing — what drives the quote.
Wildlife experiences are priced per person on each operator’s published sessions, with private charters priced separately. The main drivers are group size, season and whether a trip needs a boat, a guide or a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Operators set their own cancellation and weather terms, so a quote is reliable only for confirmed dates. We quote net in NZD or your working currency and state each operator’s terms at quotation.
For a live number, send the dates, party size and the shape of the file. The quotation comes back itemised, valid for a stated window and rate-locked when you confirm.
Wildlife & nature experiences — trade terms, quick reference.
Open sanctuary
A predator-free island or fenced area open to visitors, such as Tiritiri Matangi or Ulva Island, where native birds can be seen close up.
Marine mammal permit
A DOC permit that lets a tour operator view or swim with marine mammals under set conditions. Around Banks Peninsula no new permits are being issued for ten years.
DOC
The Department of Conservation — manages national parks, Great Walks, huts and public conservation land, and issues the concessions commercial operators need to work there.
Wildlife & nature experiences — asked by agents.
How do agents book wildlife & nature experiences with Explera?
Send the brief from the contact page, by email or on WhatsApp with dates, party size and requirements. An itemised, client-ready quotation comes back, typically within one business day for straightforward files; complex MICE programmes take longer.
Are rates net or commissionable?
All trade rates are net — your margin is yours to set. Quotations are itemised in NZD or your working currency and rate-locked at confirmation.
Who looks after our clients on the ground?
Our operations desk and the suppliers we contract, backed by a 24/7 support line on New Zealand time. The emergency contact is printed in every set of travel documents, and delivery is white-label.
Can this service combine with other Explera products?
Yes — most programmes combine accommodation, transport, guides and experiences under one itinerary, one invoice and one coordinator.
Can clients swim with dolphins in the Bay of Islands?
No. Swimming with the bay’s bottlenose dolphins has been prohibited under DOC permits since 2019, and boats keep 300 m from marine mammals. Dolphin watching is from the boat only.
Where can groups swim with dolphins?
At Kaikōura, Dolphin Encounter offers swims with wild dusky dolphins for guests aged 8 and over, and permitted operators in Akaroa offer swims with Hector’s dolphins, all subject to sea conditions.
Where can groups see kiwi?
At the National Kiwi Hatchery Aotearoa and Te Puia in Rotorua, at Willowbank in Christchurch and at the West Coast Wildlife Centre in Franz Josef, and in the wild at night on Kāpiti Island or Stewart Island, where sightings are not guaranteed.
Is whale watching at Kaikōura seasonal?
No. Sperm whales are year-round residents off Kaikōura, but trips depend on sea conditions, so we plan two mornings when whales are the main reason for the stop.
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Learn moreRelated trade briefings
Explera DMC New Zealand is the B2B New Zealand DMC for Wildlife & nature experiences. We contract the accommodation, transfers, licensed guides and experiences at net rates, so you sell Wildlife & nature experiences with one accountable ground partner and your own branding. Send the brief to our New Zealand DMC desk for a net service quotation.
