Whale Watching and History Cruise

Seasonal Tour. During Humpback migration May - August.

Join us for a fascinating Whale Watching and History Cruise! We cruise to the historic Perano Whaling Station through the calm, beautiful and majestic Queen Charlotte Sound to the Tory Channel, seeing a variety of marine wildlife on the way. 

The Perano Whaling Station is the only restored whaling station in New Zealand. You will be able to see and touch actual machinery used during New Zealand’s whaling era. You will experience a specially commissioned audio-visual presentation that tells the stories of the whaling era in the whalers' old recreation building.

See how whalers and their families lived and worked back in those days at this beautiful but isolated location. How they changed from hunters to conservationists and became part of the Department of Conservation whale migration survey for 10 years. 

You will have time to wander the station to touch and feel the artefacts, go to the station working floor and actually touch the winches and machinery. Measure out a whale and hear the stories and read the Department of Conservation information on display at their facility.

You will get a genuine feel for what it was to be a whaler two centuries ago.

In addition, you will see a display on current whale research; learn about the increasing migrating whale population and the Cook Strait Whale Survey.

Every year more Baleen Whales migrate and you can be one of the very few people able to observe this.

Head into Cook Strait to Look for Whales.

Get your own set of binoculars and Whale ID cards and help to find a whale while on board the fully covered and stable vessel. We stay inshore within 2km of the coastline as this is where the whales travel.

This area historically is where whaling began in 1829 as it was prolific and is the best place in New Zealand to see migrating whales over the winter months.

This area had 10 operational Whale Stations as it was hugely prolific in Whales. Now the whales are returning to their traditional migration route, directly passing the old restored Perano Whale Station at Tory Channel entrance.

This is your opportunity to experience New Zealand history and our new focus on Ocean Conservation.