The seals have incredibly inquisitive and playful natures making swimming with them a hugely fun experience.   Lonely Planet in fact recently listed this activity as one of the worlds “Top 10 Marine Encounters”.

Snorkelling with wild New Zealand Fur Seals, in the shallow waters of the beautiful  Kaikōura  Peninsula, truly is a unique experience.

A family owned business, Seal Swim Kaikoura have been operating   tours to swim with the seals since 1987 and the owners are still jumping in the water every day to be your guide.

Tours are licenced by the New Zealand Department of Conservation and they work hard to ensure that they do not disturb the natural behaviour of the seals. The seals are totally free to come and go as they please.

There are high populations of New Zealand Fur Seals on New Zealand’s South Island.   They are also also found on the Sub-Antarctic islands, the Chatham Islands, as well as parts of Australia. In many areas Fur Seals were hunted to the brink of extinction   however due to conservation measures, the population is now estimated to be 200,000 and increasing every year.

The small group tours depart every morning and afternoon and usually last for 2 ½ hours.   They include a 15 minute boat trip during which time there is a briefing on the seals, snorkelling, safety and seal swimming etiquette.

You will swim around the shallow waters of the beautiful Kaikoura Peninsula, with the opportunity of getting within metres of these wild, cheeky, and graceful mammals.

  I am so glad we used you because it provided us the opportunity to go so many places without the hassle of making all the arrangements ourselves and worrying about all the details.   It was very stress free and that helped us enjoy the trip even more.   We did text Rebecca Gill when we arrived in Auckland and she responded right away, but everything went so smoothly that we never had to contact her at all during the trip.    Thanks!    Joyce & Phil