Akaroa Harbour and Banks Peninsula Eco Marine Harbour Cruise Small Group Tour

Discover the historic town of Akaroa and the magnificent natural beauty of the Banks Peninsula on this small group tour from Christchurch. Be amazed by the spectacular views of Akaroa Harbour and the Canterbury Plains on the high scenic drive from Christchurch, visit a cheese factory to taste locally made cheese and explore Akoroa's French influenced streets. You'llll have the choice to join a nature and harbor cruise to see the rich variety of marine and bird life or to swim with Hector's Dolphins, the world smallest and rarest dolphins only found in New Zealand waters.

Depart Christchurch and travel to Akaroa over the beautiful Banks Peninsula, formed following violent eruptions of two ancient volcanoes. The high summit route gives glorious views of Akaroa Harbour, the Canterbury Plains, the distant Southern Alps and the remote bays and farmlands. The Akaroa crater nurses the picturesque harbor and Akaroa village, the only French settlement established in New Zealand.

Visit the Barry's Bay Cheese Factory for a cheese tasting of locally made cheeses, the only remaining cheese factory on the peninsula from a bygone era. Next you can enjoy the quaint colonial architecture and wander around the charming 150 year old French harborside village of Akaroa with its museum of settlers' history, art and craft shops and studios and al fresco cafes and wine bars.

Join a nature and harbor cruise on the Canterbury Cat. As the well appointed Canterbury Cat gently slices through the aqua blue waters of the harbor you'll experience a rich variety of marine and bird life in their natural habitat, including the unique and playful Hector's dolphins.

Alternatively choose to join "Dolphins Up Close" where you can watch dolphins just feet away, get fantastic photos and go dolphin swimming. From the unique, specially designed boats you will enter the water and the private domain of one of nature's most loveable sea mammals, the Hector's Dolphin. Found only in New Zealand, usually around the South Island. The Hector's Dolphin is the world's smallest oceanic dolphin.