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Before Your Tour

Everything you need to know about your Albatross Watch Tour

KAIKŌURA
  • How long do the tours last?

    STANDARD SCHEDULED TOURS:

    • Albatross Encounter tours are approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, from check-in time, to the time you return to our booking office.

     

    EXTENDED SPECIALIST TOURS:

    • We can schedule extended tours of 4 hours in duration on request subject to availability. These tours require a minimum of 4 people or the equivalent minimum fare to operate. Email the Customer Service Team for more information.

    SEE IF ANY EXTENDED 4 HOUR TOURS ARE SCHEDULED

    • We occasionally run half day 6 hour tours once or twice a year, if you would like to be on our mailing list for this option please email the Customer Service Team with your contact details.
  • How long will I be on the boat?

    Time on the water during the standard Albatross Encounter tour is around about two hours.

  • Am I guaranteed to see an albatross?

    Our success rate for the albatross is very high at around 99%. But due to weather restrictions such as low fog and hot calm days when flying conditions for the larger birds are not ideal, there are times we might not be able to view the normal array of seabirds. In such situations when tours are affected by fog or sudden weather events, we do have a partial refund policy.

  • What should I bring?

    It’s always a good idea to bring some warm clothing, a hat, sunglasses, and of course a camera with full battery and lots of memory space for those fantastic photo opportunities! A variety of lenses for your camera is an advantage, with the wide angle for close ups and zoom for the more distant shots. 

  • When is the best time to go?

    We tend to recommend our morning tours as the sea conditions are generally calmer and the commercial fisherman usually are out on the ocean which helps attract the seabirds. If possible we like to take advantage of this by stopping near fishing boats as they will often have a good selection of birds waiting around their boats.

    With regard to time of year, we tend to have more varied sightings in late spring/early summer and autumn - October/November and March through May.  These are the cross-over months when both winter and summer species are either coming or going, so can offer the greatest diversity of species.  We see a wide variety of pelagics year round, and can never guarantee specific sightings of individual birds as they are completely wild and every tour is unique.

     

  • What am I going to see?

    Lots! There's a wide variety of seabirds in the area, including many species of albatross, shearwaters and petrels. This link will give you an indication of what you might see on our tours and when you're most likely to see particular species. We also have daily sightings reports for recent tours.

  • Are reservations essential?

    We highly recommend you make a reservation, especially in the summer season when demand is high.

    CHECK AVAILABILITY AND BOOK

  • Can my children go?

    Absolutely! But as an open-ocean experience, we do require that children be at least 3 years of age to participate. Our Skippers also reserve the right to increase the minimum age requirements on the day of the tour if there are adverse sea or weather conditions.  In this instance a refund is available.  Children under 3 years are not permitted aboard.

    Albatross Encounter Child Policy

  • What is the cancellation policy?

    If you need to change or cancel your reservation if you notify us before 4pm on the day prior to your scheduled tour date there will be no penalty. If you don't let us know, or let us know after that time, full fare penalties will apply.

  • Can disabilities be accommodated aboard?

    We try our best to make this experience available for everyone. However, due to our robust health and safety procedures, and the prevailing sea conditions on any given day, we do have a few restrictions.

    As a general rule our boats are unable to accommodate wheelchairs, but we can accommodate passengers who are unable to sit unaided.

    Before your booking, please drop our Customer Service manager a line about what you would need from us to facilitate your tour experience. We will always do our best to help.

Our Boat: Encounter II

Our Boat: Encounter II

Meet Encounter II. It's a 9.7-metre monohull built in 1993 by Stabicraft in Bluff, New Zealand. It can take up to 13 passengers and is powered by a 370HP Yanmar jet unit. It has an enclosed cabin with open deck that sits low to the water offering superb viewing and photo opportunities.

On board facilities include a marine toilet, but it's in a very small enclosed space so it's preferable that you make use of bathroom facilities before departure. A field guide of Birds of New Zealand is available on board as well as a spare pair of binoculars.

 

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