New Zealand
New Zealand is one of the world's premier pelagic birding destinations, offering encounters with an extraordinary diversity of albatrosses, petrels, and shearwaters. Trips depart year-round from ports like Kaikoura, Tutukaka, and Dunedin, with winter months bringing large numbers of subantarctic species to nearshore waters. Key targets include Antipodean Albatross, Westland Petrel, Hutton's Shearwater, and the endemic New Zealand Storm-Petrel.
Sub-regions
All Trips in New Zealand
Albatross Encounter — Kaikōura Pelagic
Albatross Encounter
- Kaikōura Harbour, Canterbury, New Zealand
- Year-round (except Christmas Day). November–April (high season): departures at 6:00am, 9:00am, and 1:00pm daily. May–October (low season): 10:00am daily. See albatrossencounter.co.nz for current schedule.
- NZ$185 adult / NZ$80 child (~2.5 hours)
Kaikoura Pelagic
Albatross Encounter
- Kaikoura, Canterbury
- Daily, year-round (weather permitting)
- NZD 160–220 per person
Hauraki Gulf Pelagic — Wrybill Birding Tours
Wrybill Birding Tours
- Marsden Cove, Northland
- Selected dates, October–March; additional dates via custom booking
- NZD 250 per person
The Petrel Station — Tutukaka Shelf Pelagic
The Petrel Station
- Tutukaka Marina, Northland, New Zealand
- Year-round with peak season September–December (Spring). Double and Triple Header consecutive-day tours scheduled during peak season. See thepetrelstation.nz/upcoming-trips for scheduled dates; trips require minimum 7 participants (surcharges may apply for smaller groups).
- NZ$375 per person (9–10 hours on the ocean)
Tutukaka Pelagic — The Petrel Station
The Petrel Station
- Tutukaka, Northland
- Year-round; multiple dates per month across all seasons
- NZD 375 per person
Stewart Island Pelagic Bird Tour — Rakiura Charters
Rakiura Charters
- Halfmoon Bay Wharf, Stewart Island / Rakiura
- Year-round; on-demand scheduling, book via online calendar
- NZD 160 per adult, NZD 130 per child
Stewart Island Pelagic Birding — Ruggedy Range
Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience
- Golden Bay Wharf, Stewart Island / Rakiura
- Year-round; morning departures year-round, afternoon departures October–March
- NZD 190 per adult, NZD 150 per child
New Zealand Subantarctic Islands Expedition
Heritage Expeditions
- Port of Bluff, Southland (guest assembly in Queenstown)
- Annual departures November–January; 12–17 day expedition voyages
- NZD 9,500–22,000 per person (voyage and cabin type dependent)
Further Reading
Best Pelagic Birding Trips in New Zealand
A guide to New Zealand's top pelagic trips, from Kaikoura's daily albatross runs and the Petrel Station's rare North Island seabirds to Dunedin's subantarctic specialists and Stewart Island's Foveaux Strait.
Read article →When to Go Pelagic Birding in New Zealand
A seasonal guide to New Zealand's pelagic calendar: when NZ Storm-Petrel peaks off Northland, when the Subantarctic expedition season opens, and when Royal Albatrosses are closest at Kaikoura.
Read article →Where to See Albatrosses on Pelagic Birding Trips
A guide to where to see albatrosses on pelagic trips worldwide, headlined by New Zealand's Kaikoura — the world's best single location, with 14 of the 22 species recorded and the Kaikoura Pelagic producing albatrosses on virtually every trip.
Read article →Explore Other Regions
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pelagic birding trips are there in New Zealand?
New Zealand has 8 pelagic birding trips listed in the directory, spanning 4 sub-regions.
Where do pelagic trips depart from in New Zealand?
Pelagic trips in New Zealand depart from Golden Bay Wharf, Stewart Island / Rakiura, Halfmoon Bay Wharf, Stewart Island / Rakiura, Kaikōura Harbour, Canterbury, New Zealand, Kaikoura, Canterbury, Marsden Cove, Northland, Port of Bluff, Southland (guest assembly in Queenstown), Tutukaka Marina, Northland, New Zealand, and Tutukaka, Northland.
Which operators run pelagic trips in New Zealand?
Albatross Encounter, Heritage Expeditions, Rakiura Charters, Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience, The Petrel Station, and Wrybill Birding Tours operate pelagic birding trips in New Zealand.
What are the main pelagic birding regions in New Zealand?
New Zealand's pelagic trips are spread across Canterbury, Northland, Southland, and Subantarctic Islands.