I have been out on this trip four times now and loved it every time - you get to see an amazing variety of birds - the people who guide it are excellent and informative and go to a lot of effort to show you the birds and other things too - dolphins and seals - we saw hector dolphins... More

Despite some rough water, this trip never fails to please. Nowhere else can you see so many albatross species and other seabirds so close you can almost touch them. Captain Gary is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. We were 9 from the U.S. and this was one of the highlights of our 21 day birding trip to New Zealand. More

We went on the Albatross Encounter tour while in Kaikoura and it was great even in rough seas. The boat ride out to the bird watching location was very rough but the staff were great in that they told us this in advance and gave us the option to cancel and receive a refund if we didn't want to go.... More

Fortunately the day was calm and clear and I had booked the morning trip as these are usually the calmest. Saw at least 18 species of birds as well as Dusky Dolphins and NZ Fur Seals. This was the highlight of my time in NZ and my thanks to Skipper Gary Melville. More

We booked this tour through the Encounters centre for an afternoon trip and drove down from Blenheim. We received a phone call asking us how far away we were as the weather was turning and they would like to start the tour early - luckily we were only about 5 mins from base by that time. There were only 4... More

The Albatross Encounters with Ocean Wings was a highlight. To see these amazing birds real close is a birdwatchers dream. Although I've enjoyed every second of the trip, I am unsure if there was really a need to throw fish into the water to attract the birds. On our way back, we have also seen dusky dolphins, seals, terns, shags... More

We went on a bird watching tour with Albatross Encounter straight after our Dolphin swim on the same day. I had never seen Albatross before and it was breathtaking to see these huge birds so close. More

I went on a 9 AM trip in early March 2007. We saw dozens of birds, of many different species: royal and wandering albatrosses, several types of mollymawks, many different species of petrels and shearwaters, and a few gulls, gannets, and penguins. Many of the birds come in very close to the boat, so you really get a good look... More

We took the first trip out in the morning. It was a dull and not too warm day in late December. Warm clothing was essential, and waterproofs useful for keeping the spray off clothing. The boats are quite small - there were only about 8 people on ours - and travel at speed when necessary. There was quite a swell,... More