when is the best time to go?
We tend to recommend our morning tours as the sea conditions are generally calmer, and the commercial fishermen are usually 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.
We tend to have more varied sightings in late spring/early Summer (October/November) and Autumn (March-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 pelagic birds year-round and can never guarantee specific sightings of individual birds as they are completely wild, and every tour is unique.
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 four people or the equivalent minimum fare to operate. Email the Customer Service Team for more information.
ALBATROSS ENCOUNTER 4 HOUR TOUR SCHEDULE
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 2 hours.
am i guaranteed to see an albatross?
Our success rate for the albatross encounter is very high at around 99%. However, 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.
are reservations essential?
We highly recommend you make a reservation, especially in the summer season when demand is high.
