The 13 Best Pelican & Seabird Tours

1.Gannet Safaris Overland tour to Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 942 reviews · from $61Our pick

Drive across private Cape Kidnappers Station in a rugged, air-conditioned minivan, stopping at viewpoints before reaching the gannet plateau. Guides such as Marcus, Jan, Mick, and Tony add stories about farming, wildlife, and local history. The three-hour tour includes tea or coffee and very little walking.

“Fabulous trip. The guides were so knowledgeable….we learnt so much about the gannets but also about farming in the area. To see so many birds together in one place was amazing.”

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3.Pelican Point Kayaking Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 349 reviews · from $79

Start at 8:00 am near Walvis Bay’s waterfront and ride by 4x4 across the lagoon and salt works to Pelican Point. Paddle a tandem kayak beside thousands of Cape fur seals on protected water. Guides such as SJ, Jasmine, JD, and Francois add wildlife knowledge, photos, breakfast, and practical help.

“Our guide SJ was fabulous, kind, caring, and knowledgeable. Could not have been better. Every detail covered. Once in a lifetime experience with the seals. Excellent communication before meeting. We were up close to the seals, watching the males, morhers abs pups. A must magic moment!”

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4.Napier: Cape Kidnappers Gannet, Nature & Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 317 reviews · 3 hours · from $59

Ride across Cape Kidnappers in a comfortable 4x4 with guides such as Jan, Marcus, or Trevor, then stand a few feet from thousands of gannets. Expect striking cliffs, Maori stories, forest and conservation stops, light refreshments, and no required walking.

“excellent tour. Our guide grew up on the farm and was full of fascinating stories of the past as well as interesting facts about the present - the wildlife, the lodge, the pest control and of course, the gannets”

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5.Albatross, seals, and sea birds-Wildlife Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 189 reviews · from $105

Join Rachel on a small-group wildlife cruise from Port Chalmers, or Portobello for a longer outing. The custom-built Sootychaser has a heated cabin, open deck, binoculars, and identification sheets. Expect harbor history, sea birds, fur seals, possible penguins, dolphins, and royal albatross.

“The captain- Rachael, was very friendly and knowledgeable. Even though the seas were a bit bumpy, she tried very hard to identify the wildlife while trying to make it as comfortable for the passengers as she could, while we bounced around”

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6.Pelican Point Kayaking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 171 reviews · 4h 30m · from $76

Ride by 4x4 along Walvis Bay Lagoon and the salt mines, stopping for flamingos and seabirds before kayaking beside Cape fur seals at Pelican Point. Guides such as SJ, Denzel, and Schalk add local insight. The half-day tour includes gear, breakfast, hot drinks, and waterproof camera photos.

“This half day activity was a highlight of our Namibia tour. Ever part was excellent including the arrangements, the chatty guide, and seeing seals and Wales alongside the Kayak. 100% recommendation, and maybe a suggestion to take the PM tour to Sandwich harbour.”

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8.Dunedin Wildlife Cruise-Albatross, seals and harbour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 115 reviews · from $105

Join Rachel of Port To Port Cruises for a 90 to 120 minute wildlife cruise on Otago Harbour. From Port Chalmers or Portobello, you’ll look for albatross, seals, sea lions, penguins, shags, dolphins, and other sea birds, with binoculars, warm jackets, and live commentary provided.

“The arrangement via viator was well organized. Rachel, the captain, was on time and very personable and gave a great tour. She also provided us with a great photo sheet with all the possible birds and animals that could be observed in the area and we were able to check off quite a few of them seeing them first hand. We really appreciated the attention to detail by Rachel who contacted us and provided us better planning options for us to meet her at a better location which saved us considerable time and money.”

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9.Half Day Original Seal Kayak Adventure, Pelican Point, Walvis Bay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 56 reviews · from $72

Join Kevin and Graham for a 4.5-hour eco-friendly outing from Walvis Bay. A 4x4 ride crosses wetlands and salt pans to Pelican Point, where you kayak from the lighthouse toward seal colonies, with birds and possible bottlenose dolphins nearby.

“This was an absolutely phenomenal activity. While the kayaking was the highlight, there was so much more to this day. Pick up was conveniently close to the cruise port. Our hosts were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about so much iRead more”

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10.Mola Mola Marine Dolphin Cruise from the Walvis Bay Waterfront to Pelican Point

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 52 reviews · from $90

Join Mola Mola Safaris for a three-hour catamaran cruise from Walvis Bay Waterfront to Pelican Point. Guides such as Nick, Michael, Johnnie, and Wian have hosted trips featuring seals beside the boat, pelicans on deck, dolphins, birds, oysters, lunch, and drinks.

“10 Personen, damit eine kleine Gruppe, damit kein überfülltes Boot, unsere Erwartungen wurden erfüllt.”

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11.Singapore: Albatross Speedboat Adventures Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 22 reviews · from $31Best value

You’ll spend 60 minutes on an Albatross speedboat from the Singapore Oceanarium, covering 23 kilometres past Dragon’s Teeth Gate, Lazarus Island, St John’s Island, Sentosa, and the city skyline. Expect a fast, sweeping ride for up to 50 passengers, with life jackets, raincoats, and mineral water provided.

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12.Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 3 hours

Ride across the 2,500-acre Cape Kidnappers Station on a private three-hour tour with an English-speaking guide. See sheep and beef farming, native bush, Kiwi and tuatara, then stand a few feet from nesting gannets. Guides include Richard, Lesleigh, and Jo.

“Our Gannet Colony Private tour was great. Our guide, Lesleigh, was excellent. The tour was fun and informative. Lesleigh shared her knowledge of and love for the flora and fauna of New Zealand. She answered all of our questions. I would recommend Lesleigh and this tour to anyone.”

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13.Cape Kidnappers: Gannet Colony Exclusive Sunrise Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 3 hours

Set out before sunrise from Te Awanga in a private Range Rover with an English-speaking guide. Cross a working farm, pause for Hawke’s Bay views, then reach Cape Kidnappers’ gannet colony as adults and chicks stir for the day.

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