Akaroa French Village & Hector's Dolphin Swim
Christchurch, New Zealand
About This Activity
Akaroa sits 84km from Christchurch in a spectacular harbour formed by an extinct volcano on the Banks Peninsula. French colonists settled here in 1840 — just weeks after the Treaty of Waitangi — and the town retains French street names and Gallic-influenced architecture. The harbour is one of the few places on Earth home to Hector's dolphins, the world's smallest marine dolphin at just 1.4 metres. Swim-with-dolphins tours operate year-round; Black Cat Cruises charges NZ$210 per adult to swim or NZ$125 for a nature cruise as spectator. The Summit Road drive over Banks Peninsula offers outstanding crater rim views. Allow a full day from Christchurch.
Seasonal note: Tours run year-round; summer (Dec–Feb) has the best weather and water conditions for swimming with dolphins
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