• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer

ZigZagonEarth

Plan unforgettable road trips!

  • FRANCE
    • CORSICA
    • NORMANDY
    • PARIS
  • EUROPE
    • ANDALUCIA
    • CANARY ISLANDS
    • CRETE
    • ICELAND
    • ICELAND WINTER
    • MADEIRA
    • MALLORCA
    • MENORCA
    • PORTUGAL
    • SANTORINI
    • SCOTLAND
    • SLOVENIA
  • REST OF WORLD
    • NEW ZEALAND
    • OMAN
  • TIPS
  • EBOOKS
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • English
    • Dutch
    • Italian
    • Danish
    • Portuguese (Portugal)
    • Swedish

The Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway (New Zealand)

Last updated on December 16, 2023 by Claire Robinson - this article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I get a small commission (more)

​The Kaikoura Peninsula walk walkway is one of the best activities in town, with impressive views from both the bottom and top paths. 
Below is my guide to help you plan your trip and enjoy your Kaikoura peninsula walk.

Kaikoura peninsula Walkway New Zealand Travel
Content
Why do a Kaikoura Peninsula Walk?
Planning tips and Map – Kaikoura peninsula walkway, New Zealand
Kaikoura peninsula walkway map & Times
Point Kean seal colony
Short walk to Point Kean viewing platform
The cliff walk at Kaikoura peninsula to Whalers Bay
Staircase at Whalers Bay
Sea level Kaikoura coastal walk – photos
Geology of Kaikoura Peninsula – pre and post earthquake
Other things to do in Kaikoura

Why do a Kaikoura Peninsula Walk?

If you are stopping in Kaikoura to see the whales or swim with wild dolphins, I recommend blocking half a day to walk around the peninsula, just South of the town:

  • It is home to the seal colony of Point Kean
  • It offers a walk at sea-level around beautiful white rocks and cliffs
  • Or you can head to the top of the cliffs for amazing views of the peninsula, the bays and the mountains.
  • You can walk as little or as long as you want, even with just 10min you can have great views
  • If you bring binoculars, you may spot dolphins or whales in the distance

Below are 2 of my pictures to show you what I mean.

View from Kaikoura peninsula walkway
View from Kaikoura peninsula walkway
Kaikoura Peninsula Walk coastal

Video of the Kaikoura peninsula walkway

Below is a short video to help you understand what to expect.

Many more photos after the practical information.

Planning tips and Map – Kaikoura peninsula walkway, New Zealand

Where is Kaikoura located?

  • Located in South Island, East coast
  • Picton (ferry) to Kaikoura = 2h drive
  • Christchurch to Kaikoura = 2h30
  • Below is a map to help you locate Kaikoura
Kaikoura in New Zealand Map
Need to rent a car in New Zealand?

My tips:

  • Compare prices on my favorite platform:  Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
  • Prefer a car with enough power for the mountain areas
  • Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind! 
  • Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!

See all my tips

See available cars

Start of Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway

  • Located in South Island, East coast
  • The walk starts from the Point Kean car park, about 5 km south from the town centre
  • Easy drive to the carpark – a good stop on your South Island itinerary
  • There are no public transport from Kaikoura’s centre

The Kaikoura peninsula is included in my eBooks, to help you plan an unforgettable road trip:

Plan your dream trip to New Zealand with my guides!
  • 12 easy-to-plan maps
  • 200+ pre-selected locations
  • GPS coordinates 
  • Useful planning tips
  • 285+ large photos 
Discover it
  • 6 easy-to-plan maps
  • 110+ pre-selected locations
  • GPS coordinates 
  • Useful planning tips
  • 190+ large photos 
Discover it

Time to Complete the Kaikoura Peninsula Walk

You can walk from 10 min to 3 or 4 hours.
There is a variety of walks possible.

For example , below are some short ones:

  • Carpark to Point Kean viewpoint – 5min / 200m
  • Point Kean viewpoint to Whalers Bay viewpoint – 25 min / 1.5km
  • Whalers Bay viewpoint to South Bay viewpoint – 20min / 1.1km
  • South Bay viewpoint to South Nay carpark – 15min / 600m

Other tips

  • Free access
  • Toilets at the Point Kean carpark  and at the South Bay carparks
  • Difficulty: If you take the top walk – once you climbed to the top very easy walk. Climb was a little steep but not too long ; If you stay at sea level: it is rockier and not as easy to walk around
  • Safety: Always leave some distance between you and the seal: They seem lazy but the can be fast!
  • There many information points along the way to point out interesting features.
  • Here you can find their very detailed brochure of the Kaikoura peninsula walk
View over the Point Kean carpark
View over the Point Kean carpark
Need to rent a car in New Zealand?

My tips:

  • Compare prices on my favorite platform:  Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
  • Prefer a car with enough power for the mountain areas
  • Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind! 
  • Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!

See all my tips

See available cars

Accommodations in Kaikoura

Kaikoura is a great place to spend at least a couple of nights.
The mountains are dropping almost directly into the sea. Plus, this is the best place to see dolphins and whales.
Check out the best rated accommodations in Kaikoura

You can find accommodations at sea level, or others higher with great views.
If you want something really close to the walkway, consider:

  • The point B&B – check out pictures and availability
  • Futuna rocks motel – check out pictures and availability
  • a little further away, above town, I stayed at Barnacle Bills and had a wonderful time – check out pictures and availability
accommodation in Kaikoura - Barnacle Bills
accommodation in Kaikoura – Barnacle Bills

Kaikoura peninsula walkway map & Times

Below is the map you can find at the beginning of the peninsula walkway.
The official walkway is the one at the top of the cliffs:

Kaikoura peninsula walkway map
Kaikoura peninsula walkway map

Walking times

Next to the map the walking times and distances indicated are :

  • Carpark to Point Kean viewpoint – 5min / 200m
  • Point Kean viewpoint to Whalers Bay viewpoint – 25 min / 1.5km
  • Whalers Bay viewpoint to South Bay viewpoint – 20min / 1.1km
  • South Bay viewpoint to South Nay carpark – 15min / 600m
Kaikoura peninsula walking track

Walking options

Option 1 – Short walk – climb to Point Kean viewpoint and back down

Option 2 – Walk the cliff walkway and back the same way (what I did the first time)

Option 3 – Half loop – Sea-level walk at low tide up to Whalers Bay, climb the 130 stairs up the cliffs and come back via the cliff walking track (what I did the second time  – It took me 3 hours but with lots of photos and with me being a slow walker) – or you can do the opposite

Option 4 – Long Loop – Sea-level walk at low tide walk along the shore all the way to South point car park and return via the cliffs at higher tide

You can also download the brochure for the walk

Below is a short video of my half loop walk starting on the sea-level and coming back on the cliffs:

Point Kean seal colony

At the beginning of the walk, you can head towards the sea on the large flat area you see in front of you. This is Point Kean.
A seal colony lives in the area, so there is a great chance that you spot some seals resting on the rocks.
However they are wild animals, so I can’t guaranty it…

Point Kean
Point Kean seal
Point Kean seal colony

About the New Zealand fur seals:

  • Remember to stay at a distance, their flippers are strong and they can go fast on land even if they don’t look like it!
  • They are great swimmers (they are able to cross to Australia)
  • They have 2 layers of fur
  • They can dive deeper than 250m
  • They can dive for up to 10min
  • Males are massive around the neck and shoulders while females carry their weight around the lower body
  • In Kaikoura they feed in the off-shore canyon. They enjoy lantern fish, squid and octopus

You can read more information on the signs at the carpark.

Seal colony at Kaikoura peninsual photo 2

Best time to see the seals at Point Kean, Kaikoura

They can be seen all year but their numbers vary.

  • You can see many males during Winter
  • During the breeding seasons (Spring and Summer) they head to larger colonies such as Ohau Point
Seal colony at Kaikoura peninsual photo 3

Short walk to Point Kean viewing platform

If you have a little big more time, you can climb the 5min to the Point Kean viewing platform.
If offers great views of the peninsula and the mountains dropping into the sea.

Below is the start of the Kaikoura peninsula walkway. As you can see there is to way to miss it 🙂

The path is well maintained:

And it offers great views of the mountain plunging into the sea:

Once at the viewing platforms, you can learn more about:

  • The summits
  • The land
  • The geology with the uplifted sediments
  • The history

From their you can walk back down to the carpark, or keep walking the peninsula walkway. From there it is easy and rather flat (but not paved).

The cliff walk at Kaikoura peninsula to Whalers Bay

Below are a few pictures of the views that you can have as you walk towards or from Whalers Bay:

Kaikoura peninsula walkway to Whalers Bay 1
2Kaikoura peninsula walkway to Whalers Bay 2
Kaikoura peninsula walkway to Whalers Bay 3

View from Whalers bay viewpoint: 

Kaikoura peninsula walkway to Whalers Bay 4

About the whales in Kaikoura – 

  • Some sperm whales are resident
  • You can also see migratory whales: Humpbacks, Blue whales…
  • They enjoy the feeding ground that is the deep canyon off the coast

Note

If you decide to not complete the cliff walk and use the stairs at this point to go up or down, make sure you walk just a few more minutes South on the cliffs for views of the neighboring bay. It is my favorite!

Kaikoura peninsula walkway to Whalers Bay 5
Kaikoura peninsula walkway to Whalers Bay 6

Staircase at Whalers Bay

From the sea-level walk, the staircase is not well indicated.

Just find the single pointy hill at the end of Whalers bay and head behind it towards the cliff.

access to Staircase at Whalers Bay

It starts as a track and ends as a staircase with 130 stairs.

Staircase at Whalers Bay 2
Staircase at Whalers Bay 3
I don’t drink coffee

But I also like other drinks and sweets!
Do you like the free content you find on my blog? All my tips and practical information, without intrusive advertising…

Claire, I pay you a coffee!

Sea level Kaikoura coastal walk – photos

If you opt to walk at sea level, know that:

  • There is some walking on rocks and in pebbles. It is not a flat easy path. The pebble sections are particularly tiring
  • It is better to do it at low tide (especially for the second half), as some of the points must be walked around close to water and waves can come crashing
  • But it allows you to see up close the sculpting of the limestone by the elements – twisted, layered…

Below are pictures of my Kaikoura coastal walk:

Kaikoura Coast Walk
Kaikoura Coast Walk
New Zealand Kaikoura coastal walk 2
New Zealand Kaikoura coastal walk 3
New Zealand Kaikoura coastal walk 4
New Zealand Kaikoura coastal walk 5
New Zealand Kaikoura coastal walk 6
New Zealand Kaikoura coastal walk 7

Geology of Kaikoura Peninsula – pre and post earthquake

Geological introduction

  • The land you are walking on used to be the sea bed. 
  • 15 millions year ago the earth curst movement, raised them up out of the sea.
  • The Kaikoura peninsula used to he an island hundreds of thousands of years ago.
  • But gravels rom the mountain filled the sea and it became a peninsula.

Between major earth movement and uplifts the wave shape and erode the land creating platforms.
At the top of the peninsula you are on the oldest platform and at the sea-level you are on the newest.

2016 earthquake

The crust keeps being lifted and it was significantly raised during the last big earthquake in 2016 revealing new land (note you can learn more about it at the Kaikoura museum in town)

Below are photos take before and after – however it is not possible to compare – the tide is different and the new land clearly identified in in the North shore of the peninsula (see difference here)

Photo pre-earthquake
Photo pre-earthquake
Photo post-earthquake
Photo post-earthquake

Other things to do in Kaikoura

Whale and dolphin watching

Not far from the coast of Kaikoura is a very deep canyon underwater.
Therefore whales love coming here, since it is a perfect feeding ground for them.
The top activity to do in Kaikoura is to go whale watching by boat or by plane / helicopter.
Check out the many options

Swimming with wold dolphins

Another unique experience is the opportunity to go in the water once a pod of wild dolphins is found.
It is an experience you will never forget!

Check out details

Or see my photos and video.

Kaikoura Swimming with wold dolphins

Kayaking

Another great way to appreciate how the mountain drop into the sea is to go kayaking and see it as you glide on the water!

Check out options

And also…

  • Watch the seal colonies
  • Walk on the beach
  • Look for albatross
  • Visit the Kaikoura Museum
  • …

Want to see more of New Zealand?

  • New Zealand North Island vs South Island – read article
  • New Zealand in 50 photos – read article
  • 20 Best waterfalls in New Zealand – read article
  • 15 most beautiful beaches in New Zealand – read article
  • Things to do in New Zealand North island – read article
  • Things to do in New Zealand South island – read article
  • New Zealand hidden gems – read article
  • How to plan a New Zealand road trip – read article
  • New Zealand 2 week itinerary – read article

Planning a trip to NZ?

Check out my travel guide to help you plan:

Plan your dream trip in New Zealand thanks to my guide
Small Mainland Portugal Algarve ebook cover
  • 12 maps to easily plan your itinerary
  • 200+ pre-selected locations
  • GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
  • Winter tips to make the most of your time
  • 285+ original photos to help you choose
Discover it!

And keep track of your own trip!

New Zealand travel journal road trip

Want to see more of NEW ZEALAND?

PREVIOUS LOCATION: 

MOTUKIEKIE BEACH PHOTOGRAPHY WONDERLAND

NEXT LOCATION: 

SWIM WITH WILD DOLPHINS – old article

Tourism New Zealand Travel Guide

Inspired? Share it on your favorite platform!

Footer

  • English
  • Nederlands
  • Italiano
  • Dansk
  • Português
  • Svenska

Par Claire Robinson
Region Lovers SARL
76600 Le Havre
FRANCE
VAT FR21845103191

CONTACT ME

Search

Follow ZigZag on Facebook

Follow ZigZag on Pinterest

Website in French: ZigZagvoyages.fr

Website in German: ZigZagreisen.de

Website in Spanish: ZigZagviajes.com

And discover the French regions:

Normandielovers.fr
LoireLovers.fr
CorsicaLovers.fr
Provencelovers.fr

 

Privacy / Terms of Use / Disclosure Policies / Refund policy

Become an affiliate for the ZigZag road trip guides

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. ZigZagOnEarth.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.uk and Amazon.ca

Copyright © 2025 ZigZag On Earth · Log in

If you continue browsing this site you agree with the use of cookies in this website.