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Swimming with dolphins and viewing them in their underwater world is the adventure experience of a lifetime and one that you'll never forget!!!

Join our highly qualified staff on a dolphin swimming or viewing cruise in the sheltered calm waters of the scenic Marlborough Sounds. Help search for dusky dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins and even rare Hector's dolphins that frequent this amazing area.  Whether it's watching a group quietly cruising along or marveling at their high leaps, back-flips, somersaults and side-slaps during social bouts, dolphins are sure to please all.  Our Dept. of Conservation permit allows us to seek out and interact with all species of marine mammals that live in the Sounds.  During the cruise, we're likely to see NZ fur seals, a variety of seabirds (like gannets, shearwaters and penguins) and may even be fortunate enough to encounter orca as they occassionally pass through the area.

Once spotted, we’ll cruise with the dolphins and get the swimmers ready if conditions allow.  As a permitted operator, we abide by the rules and regulations established for dolphin swimming and viewing activities.  If conditions are good, then we’ll place swimmers in the water for the adventure of a lifetime!  Unlike other dolphin swimming operations around New Zealand where several boats are on the same group of dolphins, we are Picton's only Dolphin Swimming operator - that means we're the only boat with swimmers in the water with a group of dolphins - THAT'S IT....NO OTHER SWIMMERS.....NOBODY ELSE!!!  We're also fortunate enough to operate in an area of little to no sea swell - meaning seasickness is rarely an issue for our guests.  Wetsuits, fins, masks and snorkels are provided free of charge.  If you're not keen on swimming with the dolphins, then join this tour for some fantastic dolphin viewing from above. 

Swimming with Dolphins Tour Highlights

• The opportunity to interact with wild dolphins!
• Fantastic photo opportunities
• A scenic cruise in the sheltered Marlborough Sounds 
• Expert knowledge of the wildlife that lives here
• One boat with a group of dolphins
• High-quality gear for swimming
• Dolphin Viewing success rate is 98%
• Dolphin Swimming success rate is 80%
• Dolphin Swimming Guarantee - see below
• Free tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cookies

Departs 9:00 am (April, October & November)
Departs 8:00 am (December, January, February & March)

Dolphin Swimming $150.00     Dolphin Viewing $100.00

***Ask about our family discounts for Dolphin Viewing*** 

General Information:

• Dolphin Swimming Guarantee - If you aren't able to swim with dolphins, go again for free (conditions apply) or convert your fare to dolphin viewing!  Success rate (all year) for viewing dolphins is currently 98%!  Success rate (all year) for swimming with dolphins is currently 80%!  Please keep in mind that like all dolphin swimming tours in New Zealand, there is always the rare chance that you will not be able to get in the water with wild dolphins and there is a very slim chance that you will not see any dolphins during your tour (50% refund or go again for no dolphins seen - conditions apply). For an update on what we've been seeing and swimming with recently, please click here. 
• A portion of every fare goes into funding dolphin and whale research in the Marlborough Sounds.
• Wetsuits, masks, snorkels and fins are provided free of charge. You will need to bring a swimsuit, towel, camera and sunscreen. Hot deck showers are available on our larger vessel immediately after swimming to warm you up. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits are provided free-of-charge after swimming/viewing.
• Each dolphin swimming tour lasts approximately 2 to 5 hours. Tour times depend on where we find the dolphins.
• Viewing dolphins in their underwater world is truly a magical experience and one not soon (if ever!) to be forgotten. It should be noted that open water dolphin swimming operations are not like that of an aquarium type atmosphere. Dolphins are generally very interested in swimmers, however, these are wild animals that are in total control of the situation and we are simply guests in their world. If the dolphins are not in the mood to interact with people, they may simply move on and swimmers should be aware there is the chance that they will not interact with them in the water. If that is the case, we will bring the swimmers back onboard for some awesome viewing from the boat. Please understand that it is the dolphins choice whether to interact with the swimmers and refunds can not be given if the dolphins are "not interested" for whatever reason.
• Like all swim with dolphin operators in New Zealand, this is an open water experience - not an aquarium setup. Although the Sounds are extremely sheltered from the wind and we rarely experience any sea swell, conditions may cause motion sickness for a very small number of passengers each year. If sea conditions are deemed too severe, all dolphin swimming tours will be cancelled for matters of passenger safety. Your safety is paramount to us and we will not put swimmers in the water if the conditions are unsafe for you to disembark or climb back aboard the vessel. If dolphins are viewed, but weather is not good enough to put swimmers in the water then your fare will be converted from ‘dolphin swimming’ to ‘dolphin viewing’. Although the weather is completely out of our hands, we’ll give you the option to join us again for free (space permitting & valid for one year) until you get the opportunity to swim with the dolphins. Click here for additional terms and conditions.
• We are a Department of Conservation (DOC) permitted swim with dolphins operator with qualified marine biologists and our highly-trained staff operating multiple aspects of each tour. It is our years of experience operating around both dolphins and whales that provides our guests with important and relevant information during each dolphin swimming or viewing experience. Not many, if any, of the other marine mammal tour operators around the world can lay such claims.