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Dolphin Encounter and Wildlife Tours - Dolphin Seafaris

4.9
78
Experience the magic of a wild dolphin encounter on this 5-hour tour!

Experience the magic of a wild dolphin encounter on this 5-hour tour!

Highlights

  • Experience the magic of watching dolphins in their natural habitat
  • Get up close views of other marine life such as whales, seals and penguins
  • Spacious and comfortable catamaran
  • Swim with the dolphins - conditions permitting
  • 95% dolphin sighting success rate!

This is the trip of a lifetime for nature and animal lovers! Get up close to magnificent dolphins, whales and seals on board our state of the art catamaran.

Enjoy watching huge pods of common dolphins as they play and swim in their natural environment from the spacious deck. Our experienced wildlife guides have a wealth of knowledge and will ensure a fun and informative tour.

Our trips are highly successful with dolphins being spotted majority of the time and we offer a "Dolphin Guarantee" which allows you a return trip for free on another day if there were no sightings.

The Bay of Plenty is home to a spectacular array of marine life and we often see orca whales, fur seals, blue penguins and albatross during the winter months..

You may get the opportunity to swim with the dolphins but this cannot be guaranteed due to regulations by the Department of Conservation. We swim with them about 85% of the time when it is legal and ethical to do so. We always respect the dolphins space but as they are naturally curious they do like to come and say hello. Wetsuits and snorkelling equipment will be provided.

Book today to secure your spot on this not to be missed tour!

Adult $165.00 (Aged 15+)
Child $125.00 (Aged up to 14 years)
Family $550.00 (2x Adults + 2x Children)

What's included

  • 5-hour dolphin watching cruise
  • Swimming with dolphins - conditions permitting
  • Hot drinks

Duration

  • Allow approximately 5 hours for the whole experience

Location

  • Tauranga Bridge Marina, Berth D1, 101 Te Awanui Drive,
  • Tauranga, Bay of Plenty.

Restrictions

  • Minimum age for swimming with dolphins is 7 years old and subject to sea conditions.

Child Friendly

  • This experience welcomes families with children.

Bad Weather Refunds

  • If your experience is cancelled by the operator (because of the bad weather, safety concerns, unscheduled maintenance etc) you will be entitled to a full refund.

Notes

  • All our tours are weather dependent and a minimum number of 10 passengers is required.

    Our Winter Tours (June to October) meet at 10am for departure.

    For our Summer Tours (November to May) please arrive at 8.45am for your Dolphin Encounter which will depart at 9am promptly.

  • Dolphin Guarantee - Our guarantee is that if we do not find any dolphins for you, will give you a free return trip out with us. This offer has no expiration date, but can only be used by you and you will need to call to pre-book your tour.

Available Bookings from 22 Jan to 4 Feb 2026

All prices are shown in NZD ($)

Change Dates
Thu 22 Jan
Fri 23 Jan
Sat 24 Jan
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  • Adult$105.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$105.00
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$132.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$132.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$105.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$132.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$105.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$105.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$105.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$105.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$105.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$105.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

  • Adult$105.00 Less than 6 at this price!
  • Child$125.00
  • Family$550.00

Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme

Authenticated Reviews & PhotosAll of our reviews are from people who have booked and paid for this activity thru Bookme

4.9

78 reviews

Showing all 78 authenticated Bookme reviews

Christian Horvath from Austria wrote on 10 April 2025

Schöne Erfahrung!

Nach einigen Versuchen, mit Delfinen zu schwimmen, ein neuer Versuch. Die Konstruktion, hinter dem Boot geschleppt zu werden, finde ich nicht optimal, da es zu hektisch wird. Obwohl das Boot den Delfinen nachfuhr, erreichte es sie nicht. Außerdem gab's auch ein paar Schluck Dieselwasser. Ansonsten sehr schöne Delfinbegegnungen während der Fahrt am Bug.

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Nora from Germany wrote on 11 March 2024

Highlight des Urlaubs

Wir hatten bedenken, ob man wirklich mit Delfinen schwimmen kann und es für uns entspannt wird, obwohl wir ein Baby dabei hatten. Zu Beidem ein klares JA! Die Crew ist unglaublich und hat diesen Tag für uns zu einem Highlight gemacht. Tausend Dank dafür!

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christinak11 from Austria wrote on 24 November 2023

Hervorragend

Die Delfintour war perfekt organisiert, sehr freundliches Personal und kleine Gruppe von 10 Personen. Es wurde für Snacks und Getränke gesorgt ohne Aufpreis! Spitze :) würde ich sofort wieder machen

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Patty Carlson from New Zealand wrote on 15 January 2025

So much fun!!

Our time in the water was excellent with Dolphin Seafaris! We saw lots of dolphins, and even though we couldn’t swim with them, we got to see so many babies which was very special. Great tour, awesome Skipper and crew, and I felt it was great value for the money! Highly recommend! Thanks guys!

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Lisa Decker from Germany wrote on 12 January 2026

Great tour!

Very good tour. Amazing team, we got many information. Saw 4 pods of dolphins, one with about 400 animals. Absolutely crazy. The team makes sure that the dolphins are being respected. Swimming is only possible under certain conditions, which shows that animal welfare is the top priority!

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This award identifies a business with a high level of professionalism, a keen awareness of the impact it has on the environment and a commitment to a customer centric approach.

This award is evidence of a sophisticated tourism business that consistently exceeds visitor expectations. Their proactive leadership and management ensure the business's focus on continuously improving their economic, social and environmental performance to create genuine, constantly evolving and sustainable tourism experiences.

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When you see the Qualmark logo, your activity of choice is endorsed by New Zealand Tourism's official quality assurance organisation and backed by leaders in the industry. It's your trusted guide to iconic activities and experiences that are awarded for their exceptionally high level of quality, safety and sustainability.

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