South Pacific Helicopters

South Pacific Helicopters offers whale watching and scenic helicopter flights in and around Kaikoura, on the South Island of New Zealand. The company is a local, family owned and operated business. It says its flights let guests see nature from a new point of view.

The company opened in October 2016. A few weeks later, a major earthquake cut off road access to Kaikoura. The website says the company and its employees helped with the recovery and relief effort. Roads reopened after a year and a day, and tourism returned to the town.

Whale watching flights are a core product. The Discovery flight lasts 30 minutes. The Ocean Safari lasts 45 minutes and includes a coastal landing. A 60 minute flight adds a landing on Mt Fyffe, and the Ultimate Adventure lasts 80 minutes with an alpine landing. The website lists a sperm whale that lives off Kaikoura.

Scenic flights include Pacific to Peak, a 30 minute trip with an alpine landing where guests can play in snow in winter. The Scenic Adventure lasts 45 minutes and passes alpine waterfalls and wild terrain. Prices are shown per person on the website, and tours can be booked online.

The company also sells special experiences. The Heli-Picnic is a 1.5 hour flight with an alpine landing, a gourmet platter and local drinks. The Heli-Gin experience runs for 90 minutes and includes a tasting with Mt Fyffe Distillery. Heli-weddings and heli-hunting are priced on request. Heli-hunting is an all day trip for up to six hunters, and dogs are allowed. Gift vouchers are also available.

The website shows one helicopter type, the Eurocopter EC130. It has six passenger seats, a single turboshaft engine and a three-bladed rotor. The cabin is spacious with large windows all round. The company describes it as a light utility, multi-mission helicopter.

The company has an office in Kaikoura town and a terminal at Kaikoura Airport. It also has a commercial page for business work, and pages about sustainability and giving back to the community.

Services

• Whale watching flights
• Scenic flights
• Heli-picnic
• Heli-gin experience
• Heli-weddings
• Heli-hunting
• Commercial helicopter work
• Gift vouchers