Whales and seals in Kaikōura

A small town between mountains and canyon

Kaikōura sits on the east coast of the South Island, 180 km north of Christchurch. The name means “to eat crayfish” (kai is a meal, kōura the crayfish), and stalls on the coast road still sell it. Behind the town stands the Seaward Kaikōura Range. According to the Department of Conservation these mountains rise by about 10 mm a year, faster than any other range in New Zealand.

The reason most visitors come lies offshore. The Kaikōura Canyon, a side branch of the Hikurangi Trench, drops to more than 1,000 m close to the coast, and sperm whales hunt there in every month. Dusky dolphins travel the same waters in groups of 100 to 800. Boats, small planes and helicopters all head out from town; our page on whale watching compares them.

On land, the Peninsula Walkway starts in the township and follows the cliffs from Point Kean to South Bay. Fur seals lie around the car park at Point Kean; keep at least 20 m away. The coast here changed in a single night: the magnitude 7.8 earthquake of 14 November 2016 pushed parts of the shore up by several metres, and State Highway 1 only reopened around the clock in April 2018. Kaikōura town shows where to see the traces.

After dark the district is an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, covering 2,039 km² since September 2024. In December the sun sets after 21:00, while in June it is gone before 17:00, which makes winter the better season for stargazing. The month-by-month guide sets this against whale seasons and water temperatures.