World-Class Wildlife & Nature Tours in New Zealand

Here at E-Ko Tours, we are passionate about providing world-class tours in New Zealand in a responsible and sustainable way. Our focus is on showing you what treasures our amazing local environment has to offer, and to give back to nature through ethical tourism.

We have obtained the highest environmental certification endorsements both nationally and internationally, and have partnered with the World Cetacean Alliance, making us the only tour operator in Picton to be dual certified as both a DOC SMART Operator and WCA Responsible Whale and Dolphin Operator. Our Exclusive DOC Permits allow for our guests to swim with wild dolphins, swim with seals and view all species of dolphins on our Picton cruises, or join us on our whale island tours. With our WCA-certified marine guides and our experienced skippers, we can provide you with a highly educational and thoroughly enjoyable experience you will never forget!

There Are So Many Nature Tours in NZ to Choose From

It can be tricky deciding which nature tours in NZ are best suited to you. Are you looking for educational tours, specialized birding experiences or winter whale tours? Perhaps you have your heart set on a private tour or a cruise ship tour in NZ? No matter, here at E-Ko we've got it covered with a wide range of tours from Picton.

We pride ourselves in offering great customer service, and with our focus on conservation and the local environment, our guests can have a top-quality experience up close with nature. If it's marine mammals you want to see and encounter nature on a cruise then our sturdy boats and skilful captains will navigate you through the tranquil waterways of the Marlborough Sounds where you can mix with endangered Hector's dolphins, dusky and bottlenose dolphins, orcas, New Zealand fur seals, and seasonal cetaceans like southern right and humpback whales.

If you are more of an avian admirer then you must join one of our daily nature and wildlife tours to Motuara Island. The area provides a safe haven for many endangered species that are no longer found anywhere else in New Zealand due to evasive predators. We are the only tour operators to provide fully guided tours on the predator-free island, where you can spot rare and endangered birds such as saddlebacks, melodic bellbirds and yellow-crowned parakeets.

What Makes E-Ko Tours the Best Nature & Wildlife Eco Tour Around New Zealand?

Wildlife holidays in New Zealand can evoke images of wild seas, huge icebergs and crashing whale flukes all around creating an unstable boat and nauseous inclinations. Marlborough Sounds is different. Found on the north-easterly tip of the South Island and thanks to its eternally calm and well-protected crystal blue waterways, seasickness is something we guarantee against - or your money back! Never in the 10 years we've been operating has this guarantee ever been challenged.

Marlborough Sounds is a hive of biodiversity, and thanks to its lush green mountainsides and swell-free waters you will be able to learn about its unique inhabitants and see them up close in their protected environment through our guided Queen Charlotte Tracks and Marlborough walks. Feel free to check out all the best things to do in Picton while you're at it.

What Makes a Dolphin Cruise New Zealand’s Most Special Outing?

There is something about dolphins that makes people happy, and it has a lot to do with the fact that they appear to be happy too. Dolphins are playful creatures that enjoy their own agility. They are the acrobats of the sea, demonstrating the sheer joy of being alive, and that rubs off on all who join a wildlife and dolphin cruise with us. We have been taking people to see dolphins for more than 25 years and all our guides are WCA-certified marine guides. That means they are nature lovers first and foremost, but also extremely knowledgeable and they can answer all your questions.

Is a Dolphin Cruise as Much Fun as it is Educational?

This is one of those wonderful situations where people can learn while they enjoy themselves, and the beauty of it is, that it is ideal for all age groups. Children just love being out on the water – and our no-seasickness guarantee is a testament not just to the placid nature of the sea around here but also to the design of our craft. We want everyone to have a great time and always feel comfortable.

For parents, while they enjoy the experience hugely for themselves, there is the added good feeling of seeing the youngsters happy and engaged out in the fresh air, learning, and having good, healthy fun.

Our Dolphin Watching Tours are a great outing for the whole family, but those who like getting up close with these beautiful creatures, swimming with dolphins might be a lifelong dream come true.

For seniors, a dolphin cruise in New Zealand is a relaxing, non-strenuous way to spend a few hours. Our encounter nature tours are conducted in small groups and lasting friendships are made all the time. There is free chocolate, tea, coffee and yummy biscuits, and you won’t miss anything because your experienced captain and guide will keep up an entertaining commentary, so if there is something you should get over to one side of the boat to see, you will know about it.

For everyone, it is a refreshing experience they will remember forever, and with a camera or a phone with which to capture the sights and sounds, not just of nature but of people having fun, this really is what memories are made of. We also provide FREE high-quality images on our website if you want to just embrace to moment and download our images after the tour, they are yours for FREE. Wherever you live, on a farm or in a sophisticated city, you will find yourself showing everyone what a great time you had.

What Exactly Will We See on a Dolphin Cruise?

We will see some dolphins, that’s 90% sure. Lots of other animals also and we supply FREE Seabird and Dolphin Species Identification cards onboard for you to identify through the expenses binoculars we give you to use. Yes the FREE Autofocus AI binoculars have been a major success as NOW you can see the animals up close, we even give away a FREE t-shirt if you find the Dolphins before us. We just can’t guarantee which Dolphins will favour us with their presence on any given day: Hector’s dolphins, common dolphins, bottlenose or dusky dolphins. There will also be seals around the place and many seabirds going about their business in the air.

What to expect on our Dolphin and Wildlife Cruises?

Every wildlife tour is different from the one before and the one after wether you are going on Dolphin Watching or a Whale Island Tour, but they are all happy and fascinating as you use our FREE equipment to become a Wildlife Expert. Many Endangered Species and nurtured in this sheltered coastal environment with 20% of New Zeland coastline and warm shallow sheltered waters and NO Seasickness.

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