Dolphin Swimming Tour
Swim with Wild Dolphins in the Calm Waters of Marlborough
Welcome to the only place in New Zealand where you can swim with wild Bottlenose Dolphins โ the largest, most intelligent, and most social dolphins on the planet. These incredible animals love to interact with us because weโve earned their trust over 15 years of respectful, regenerative tourism.
This is a true once-in-a-lifetime encounter with playful dolphins โ safe, small-group, and guided by experts who care deeply about marine life.
Why Youโll Love This Tour:
- ๐ฌ Swim with wild dolphins โ a bucket-list experience in their natural habitat.
- ๐ฌ Bottlenose, Common, Dusky, Hectors Dolphins and Orca
- ๐จโ๐ซ Certified Marine Guides trained in animal welfare and conservation
- ๐ฅ GoPro hire available โ capture your underwater moments yourself.
- ๐ Calm, sheltered waters โ no seasickness with our exclusive guarantee.
- ๐ Support conservation โ your booking helps protect local marine life.
Tour info in brief
| 2 – 4 hours | |
| Daily Departures: |
9.00 AM |
| Pricing: | Adult: $218 (16+ years) Child: $175 (12 – 15 years) Infant: N/A |
| Location: | 1 Wellington Street, Picton |
| Briefing: | 8.30 AM |
No Seasickness Guarantee
Relax in the knowledge that youโll be with the only NZ operator that guarantees you will not get seasick.
HELP Save the Endangered Species (Taonga)
See how your money gets used for Local Conservation
About the Tour
Swim with Wild Dolphins in the Marlborough Sounds
Join us on New Zealand’s best dolphin swimming experience in the shimmering, flat waters of the scenic Marlborough Sounds. Swimming with wild dolphins is a genuine bucket list activity – we never get tired of seeing the joy and wonder on the faces of our swimmers! We’ll be searching for Dusky, Bottlenose, Common, Orca and the rare Hector’s dolphins that frequent this unique area.
When can you experience swimming with Dolphins?
December to June: Wednesdays and Saturdays only – to protect the dolphins.ย While dolphin swimming is restricted at this time of year you can still book our popular Motuara Island Sanctuary and Dolphin Watching Tour – which still lets you get close to Dolphins as well as experiencing a predator free island Sanctuary.
June to December: Dusky Dolphin season – playful, acrobatic encounters, where dolphins often circle the boat, inviting you in.
Note that regardless of when you swim, there is a 30 minutes in-water time limit –ย these are NZ Department Of Conservation and WCA standards.
When a Dolphin Chooses You
When a dolphin comes close and looks you in the eye, itโs more than an adventure, itโs a reminder that nature flourishes when we care.
This is travel with purpose – and itโs only possible when humans and wildlife meet on equal terms.ย We reduced our tours so the dolphins could choose to meet you. Thatโs the magic of E-Ko.
While other companies chase quantity, we chose quality and care. We voluntarily reduced our tours by 80 % to ensure our dolphins stay healthy, relaxed, and genuinely curious about you. Thatโs why our interactions feel so real – itโs their choice, not ours.
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Swimming with Dolphins: The Ultimate Nature Experience
Anyone who has ever taken to the water with a mask and snorkel may have seen sea creatures up close in their natural habitat, but fish are not interested in meeting humans. Watch an underwater wildlife documentary and you will see a school of brightly coloured specimens scattering in all directions when the camera comes along.
Dolphins, though, are not fish but mammals – they have to surface to breathe, just as we do – and they are sociable mammals that seem to enjoy company.
If you swim with dolphins, it can be a magical experience, and we are proud to be able to let you swim with dolphins in New Zealand waters.
Safety and Respect in a Dolphin Encounter
If you come on one of our swimming with dolphins expeditions with E-ko Tours, you will find the whole thing very organised, because your safety is paramount for us, as is the welfare of the dolphins. It’s a genuine bucket list item to swim alongside a Dolphin, but it’s also an incredible privilege, which we take very seriously.ย There are rules and regulations to be observed and our friendly guides will make sure you are fully aware of them.
Ours will often be the only vessel out there on the calm, peaceful water and we restrict group numbers, so there will never be too many of you vying for a place near the dolphins. When we spot a group (or pod) of dolphins, we will get close enough and, assuming the conditions are good โ which they usually are โ we will help you into the water so you can enjoy the time in complete safety.
If other members of your party donโt want to swim, thatโs fine. They can stay on board and take pictures and video. After all, if you can take home some visual evidence that you did this wonderful thing, how cool would that be? If you prefer to watch these beautiful creatures, our dolphin watching tours offer a unique outing for dolphin and nature lover alike.
How Do We Know the Dolphins Enjoy this?
Dolphins are sociable, fun-loving creatures, that much is obvious. They appear to be perfectly happy having a few humans around, which is why the authorities allow swimming with dolphins in New Zealand.
Our Qualifications to Organise Dolphin Swims
Our captains are experienced and careful, and our guides are WCA-accredited marine guides. We have a special Department of Conservation permit to interact with dolphins and other marine mammals. We expect those who join our dolphin cruises to behave respectfully and responsibly both on the vessel and in the water. Swimming with dolphins in New Zealand is fun for our guests and we are determined the dolphins will enjoy it too. Read less
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What to expect
Ready, Set, Swim (with dolphins!)
Once spotted, weโll cruise with the dolphins and get you ready to swim if conditions allow. As a permitted SMART (Department Of Conservation) and WCA operator, we abide by the rules and regulations established for dolphin swimming and viewing activities. If conditions are good, then weโll place you in the water where you will experience a real adventure for your soul – an experience you’ll never forget. Whether it’s watching a group quietly cruising along or marveling at their high leaps, backflips, and somersaults during social bouts, dolphins are a truly magnificent sight!
Guides and Permits
Our WCA qualified guides are there to make sure you (and the dolphins) have the best and safest experience possible. Our special Department of Conservation permit allows us to seek out and interact with all species of marine mammals that live in the Sounds. We’ll take you there and provide respectful interactions with these amazing creatures.
Youโll see more than just dolphins.
During the cruise, we’re also likely to see NZ Fur Seals and a variety of seabirds (like Gannets, Shearwaters and Penguins). We pride ourselves that on an E-Ko tour, we will show you a wider variety of wildlife species than on any other NZ marine tour. Once you come out of the water, your guides will be waiting with hot drinks and cookies which you can enjoy while we cruise back to Picton.
Dolphin Swimming or Viewing?
It’s worth noting that you don’t have to swim with dolphins – we have our Motuara Island tour (our most popular) – which not only takes in dolphins, but has the added bonus of spending an hour on a wildlife sanctuary – so you have the opportunity to see a much wider variety of wildlife.
Why Choose E-Ko?
Unlike other dolphin swimming operations around New Zealand where several boats are around 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. And of course, donโt forget our โno seasickness guaranteeโ – our waters are so calm that in over 10 years of operation we have never had a guest suffer from seasickness – no one else is willing or able to offer this guarantee! All equipment is provided for you. Just bring your swimwear, a towel, your camera and a sense of adventure.
Prices
Prices include all equipment and gear – just bring your swimwear and a towel.
- Adult: (16+ years) $199
- Child: (12-15 years) $175
Tour Times โฐ
- Briefing: 08:15
- Departure: 09:00
- Duration: between 2 – 4 hours
Your Safety
Even though this tour is in the sheltered waters of the Marlborough Sounds, it is still an open ocean experience and in order to swim with the dolphins, you should be confident in the open ocean.
You’ll need to sign a declaration stating you are medically fit and healthy and also a liability disclaimer if you are participating in the swimming experience. If you have any concerns please call us and chat to us about your suitability to participate in this tour.
What to bring
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Water
- A towel
- A sense of adventure!
Where are we?
We are located conveniently on Pictonโs main waterfront with car parking close by and only a 1-minute walk from the main street.
Just look for the Dusky Dolphin outside our shop.
Before your tour starts feel free to take a seat inside the shop or outside on our sun drenched deck and enjoy the stunning views.
Customers can also get online with our free WiFi, and purchase a tea or coffee to enjoy on the deck.
You will Never Miss your Ferry
Our tour schedules are integrated with the Interislander – so there is no chance that you’ll miss your ferry.