Wings Over Whales - Private Whale Watching Flight

Learn more about Kaikoura’s resident Sperm Whales and other marine mammal species during a 15 minute pre-flight information and safety briefing.
Flight time is 30 minutes
Whales and dolphins are orbited at a height of 150 metres giving passengers the opportunity to clearly see and photograph these incredible creatures.
View the entire whale from head to tail as he breathes on the surface of the ocean.
All whale watching flights are carried out in accordance with Department of Conservation Marine Mammal Regulations.
Our aircraft are all equipped with emergency life rafts, personal locator beacons and each passenger carries their own life jacket.

CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY
Flights are subject to weather conditions, and minimum numbers. In the event of a cancellation by Wings Over Whales and South Pacific Helicopters the team will work with you to reschedule your flight for another day, or provide a full refund.

Wings Over Whales and South Pacific Helicopters reserves the right to amend tour times or cancel trips at any time due to inclement weather, safety concerns, maintenance requirements, or any other reason.

To make a change to your flight time, you are required to contact our friendly team at least 48 hrs in advance and we will reschedule your flight/tour at no cost. Flights canceled between 48 hrs-24 hrs will incur a 50% cancellation fee. No refund will be given for no-shows or changes you make to bookings within 24 hours of the tour.

Due to whales being wild animals in their natural environment Wings Over Whale and South Pacific Helicopters cannot guarantee a whale sighting. For this reason no refunds are given on completed flights. We do offer a second tour discount so please talk to the team if you would like to discuss this option

CHILDREN AND INFANTS
There is no minimum age for children or infants to travel on our tours, however children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. All children and infants are given ear protection and life jackets at the time of check-in.

Infants under the age of 2 years of age can travel free of charge if they can sit comfortably on the adults lap and weigh under 18 kgs. On some aircraft there is a limit of 1 infant per trip, contact the team if there are any questions.

SHUTTLE TRANSFER TO AND FROM AIRPORT
The airport is located an 8 minute drive south of Kaikoura township. We offer complimentary shuttle service from the town centre which must be arranged in advance.

Contact the reservations team to book the shuttle. Space is limited, and parents/caregivers assume the responsibility for car seats and child restraints for infants and young children.

GROUP BOOKINGS AND CHARTER FLIGHTS
We can cater to group bookings and charter flights with prior arrangement with our Reservations Team. All group bookings and charter flights will be subject to the Group and Charter Cancellation Policy, which will be determined at the time of the booking. Please contact our reservations team to organize.

ADDITIONAL FLIGHT TERMS
Smoking is not permitted in or around any aircraft, and only in certain locations at outside our airport terminal. No food or drink is permitted on board the aircraft unless permitted by the pilot.

There are no Dangerous Goods permitted on board the aircraft, a list of these will be shown at the time of check-in

All cameras/phones/personal equipment are brought onto the aircraft at the passengers own discretion and risk. Wings Over Whales and South Pacific Helicopters take no responsibility for items lost or damaged during the tour.

ON THE DAY OF YOUR BOOKING
Check in time for all flights is 30 minutes prior to the tour time down at the Airport Terminal. All passengers and gear will be weighed at the time of check-in, and are required to attend the pre-flight information session and safety briefing.

Large bags and backpacks will not be permitted on the flight, and any baggage will be assessed and weighed at check-in and subject to weight and space availability. There are lockers at the Airport Terminal for personal use.

All passengers are to conduct themselves in a manner that does not endanger any person, damage any property, or obstruct the crew from performing their duties. Passengers are required to comply with any instructions given by the pilot.

RESTRICTIONS
All our flights are subject to minimum numbers to operate. If minimum numbers are not met, South Pacific Helicopters and Wings Over Whales reserves the right to move the bookings around in order to meet the minimum number requirements.

All passengers must be weighed at the time of check in for our flights in accordance with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Regulations.

Passengers may be moved to different flights in to satisfy the weight and balance of the aircraft.

PRICES AND PAYMENT
All prices are quoted in New Zealand Dollars and include the NZ Goods and Service Tax of 15%. Prices and tour times are subject to change at any time without prior notice. Pre-payment must be made at time of booking in order to guarantee your trip.

South Pacific Helicopters and Wings Over Whales reserves the right to amend tour times or cancel trips at any time due to inclement weather, safety concerns, maintenance requirements, or any other reason.

To make a change to your flight time, you must contact our reservations team at least 48 hours prior to your trip. If a refund is made, the amount must be refunded the same way it was paid, and to the same credit card.

HEALTH AND SAFETY
All of our pilots hold a Commercial Pilot License and are regularly subjected to stringent performance checks under New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requirements.

Safety is our main priority. Before all flights, passengers are fully briefed on safety procedures before entering the aircraft.

During flights our pilots may, at their own discretion, change flight paths and landing locations due to safety and weather conditions. Passengers will always be kept fully informed of any changes.

MAINTENANCE
Our fleet are subjected to regular maintenance checks as safety is paramount.

Our helicopters are maintained by Argus Aviation in Motueka and our aeroplanes are maintained by Sounds Aero Maintenance.

If you need help with an existing booking please email us at [email protected] if your enquiry is urgent please follow up your email with a quick call on +61 2 5633 1149 so we can help you.

Absolutely, we understand that paying off a big trip in one go isn’t always that easy. We offer flexible payment plans to suit all types of travellers with zero interest or fee’s (minimum $100NZD deposit required).

We endorse the recommendation that all travellers take out travel insurance. If you already have Travel Insurance please understand that it is your responsibility to ensure that your Travel Insurance covers you for all of the adventure style travel you have booked with us.

Absolutely, just let us know your preferred start and finish location and we’ll make it work.

There is definitely no wrong way to travel New Zealand. Depending on what type of traveller you are, you might enjoy a Campervan road trip over the Hop On Hop Off Bus Packages. We recommend booking a free consultation with one our friendly team and they can tailor their recommendation to your personality and  travel plans.

We get it. Life is all about the unexpected, especially when you are travelling. If you are unable to make your pre-arranged tour you will need to reach out to our [email protected] so we can give you a helping hand. In all cases we strongly recommend having a valid travel insurance policy which covers you for unexpected cancellations.

Yes. All of our packages are customisable so if you would like to make any changes please contact our team under [email protected] or our WhatsApp (+64) 3409 0617