Daniel was born and bred on a large
farm in southern New Zealand, which
cultivated his curiosity with helicopters
when they were used for various tasks on
the farm. Daniel started his flying career
taking people on whale watching tours
by helicopter in Kaikoura in 2004. Three
years later he furthered his career by
flying extensively overseas. During this
time he flew in many varied roles from
mineral exploration, fire-fighting, remote
telecommunications support in Canada
and Indonesia, humanitarian aid relief
and supporting recovery of WW2 aircraft
wrecks in the jungles of Papua New
Guinea. With flying well and truly in his
blood, he jumped at the opportunity to
return home and start a whale watching
business in Kaikoura with his family. Keen
to share his passion and knowledge for
the local areas and wildlife, South Pacific
Helicopters NZ was born!
Their wide array of services includes scenic
flights, whale watching and marine life
experiences, heli-hunting, heli-freshwater
inland fishing, and heli-fishing; in season
- snow landings, kayaking and rafting
access, filming, and photography; research
- geological or conservation enthusiasts;
special occasions – weddings, anniversaries
and honeymoons; plus commercial work.
Their packages offer exclusive landing
sites available only to South Pacific Whale
Watch as New Zealand’s Department of
Conservation-permitted operator offering
whale watching experiences by helicopter.
Recently purchasing Wings over Whales,
Monique and Daniel have now added
another unique option to their flying
experiences available. Wings Over Whales
Kaikoura operate high-winged aircraft,
which allows each person their own
window seat and optimal, unobstructed
viewing and covers whale watching,
Kaikoura scenic viewing and charter flights.
South Pacific Helicopters, and now
incorporating Wings over Whales, are
available for charter. They offer many
exciting tours with Aftershock Adventure
now adding to the diversity available.
This tour enables Daniel and his team
to showcase different areas of Kaikoura,
not just the fantastic marine life, but
also the beautiful Kaikoura Ranges and
the rugged coastline. A truely mesmerising
opportunity to experience.