Top Akaroa Outdoor Activities

Travel from Akaroa Harbour on this shore excursion through the Banks Peninsula to Christchurch, whose city center was devastated by the 2011 earthquake. Drive past city landmarks in the old CBD and stroll the Christchurch Botanic Gardens with a knowledgeable guide. En route, take in the scenic splendor of the Southern Alps and the Canterbury Region.

Spend your time in port in Akaroa on a small-group shore excursion, sea kayaking around the harbor. Bask in the scenery of remote bays and inlets, and catch a glimpse of local marine life, including penguins, orcas, and endangered Hector’s dolphins. You’ll paddle for three hours with a guide through the basin of an extinct volcano and stop for a snack and swim at a coastal beach. This tour departs within walking distance of the cruise port.

This Akaroa shore excursion takes you sightseeing in Christchurch via a scenic drive through the Banks Peninsula. See the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and other city highlights before a visit to the International Antarctic Centre, Christchurch's top attraction. Feel arctic winds at the Snow and Ice Experience and observe New Zealand wildlife at the Penguin Encounter. Finish with an all-terrain adventure on a thrilling ride by amphibious Hagglund vehicle.

Spot Akaroa Harbour’s rare Hector’s dolphins on a catamaran wildlife cruise that includes fresh-baked cookies and a drink. The 2-hull catamaran offers more stability and deck space than a single-hull boat, ensuring a comfortable spot as you scan for fur seals, white-flippered penguins, and other wildlife.Trained, dolphin-spotting dogs are on board for the best possible chance of encountering dolphins.

If you're pulling into port in Akaroa, this shore excursion is designed to show you some of the sights of New Zealand's South Island. You'll explore the Banks Peninsula and the city of Christchurch, plus take a guided tour of the Giant's House. See how the city has rebuilt since the 2011 earthquake, and stop by places such as the Botanical Gardens. This tour allows you to relax on a pre-planned adventure instead of trying to find your own way around the area from the cruise ship port.

While your cruise ship is docked in Akaroa port, take a guided shore excursion to Christchurch and nearby Canterbury via the scenic bays and coves of the Banks Peninsula. Explore the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and other highlights during a city sightseeing tour, then see sheep dogs and a sheep-shearing demonstration as you get a feel for rural life on an authentic New Zealand sheep farm. Afternoon tea and round-trip port transport are included.

Enjoy a local 3 hour guided sightseeing shore excursion of Akaroa exploring the beautiful township, harbour, and this portion of the Banks Peninsula. After being picked up from the Akaroa Wharf, your coach will travel through township and the inner bays of the Akaroa before arriving at a local cheese factory, for tastings, and travelling along the old volcanic crater rim for some magnificent views of the harbour and peninsula. Afterwards, head back into Akaroa for a guided tour of the famous Giants House, with its beautiful gardens and mosaic sculptures. This tour is perfect for those looking for a short tour of the local sights and attractions!

Spend your shore excursion in Akaroa on a 2-hour nature cruise around Akaroa Harbour. Your professional skipper points out abundant wildlife that may include Hector’s dolphins — the world’s rarest and smallest dolphins — New Zealand fur seals, blue penguins and yellow-eyed penguins. You’ll motor past volcanic cliffs and remote sea caves by luxury catamaran en route to Seal Bay and a salmon farm in Lucas Bay.

When your cruise ship docks in Akaroa, take a shore excursion to Christchurch for a sightseeing tour, followed by an adrenaline-charged jet-boat ride on the Waimak River. Escorted by a knowledgeable guide, you’ll combine a drive through the Banks Peninsula with the city landmarks of Christchurch and an exhilarating jet-boat ride. Round-trip port transport is included.

The rarest dolphins in the world live in the waters around Akaroa, and you can get up close to them on this eco-friendly sailing tour. Feel like you’ve stepped back in time as you board the vintage wooden sailboat. Glide quietly through the waters, leaving the dolphins, penguins, seals, and albatross relatively undisturbed. This is a private tour, so grab your friends for a fun day on the water, or your significant other for a romantic experience.

A 2.5 hour shore excursion which combines a guided local tour of Akaroa township and harbours with a tour of a working sheep farm. After being picked up from the Akaroa Wharf, your coach will travel through township and the inner bays of the Akaroa before arriving at a local cheese factory, for tastings, and travelling along the old volcanic crater rim for some magnificent views of the harbour and peninsula. Following a great photo opportunity, your driver will take you to a nearby local sheep farm where you'll be able to enjoy sheepdog work, a sheep shearing demonstration, and afternoon tea, all before returning reuniting you with your cruise ship.

Swap your cruise ship for a kayak on this 3-hour shore excursion from Akaroa and enjoy a thrilling close encounter with native wildlife. Paddle your way around remote bays, inlets and sandy beaches; admire the dramatic scenery of the once-active volcano basin; then cool off with a swim. Along the way, keep a lookout for some of New Zealand’s rarest wildlife sightings, including Hector Dolphins, penguins and orca whales.

Discover remote bays and native marine wildlife in New Zealand on this 3-hour sea kayak tour from Akaroa. Following an orientation session, paddle out onto the waters around Akaroa’s extinct volcanic basin with your guide. Test your newfound sea kayaking skills in the shallows of the harbor. Then, head out onto the gently rolling waves and enjoy panoramic views over the rugged coastline. Watch the skies for native birdlife such as heron, egrets, oystercatchers and bitterns, and keep an eye on the waves for sightings of playful seals and dolphins.

This Akaroa shore excursion takes you on a scenic journey into Christchurch via the Banks Peninsula with a visit to the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. Your tour of the ‘Garden City’ includes a stroll through the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and a look at earthquake recovery efforts in the city center. You’ll find exotic critters such as wallabies, gibbons and lemurs at the wildlife reserve, and meet the elusive but iconic kiwi, New Zealand’s national bird.