There are a number of ways to explore the park, each option provides a slightly different perspective on the park. All trips depart from Marahau and finish in Marahau. Guided trips are catered or partially catered, rental trips are self catered and most overnight trips* include camp passes which we book on your behalf.
Tips:
- Camping or overnighting in the park is magic, so if you time we highly recommend it – you will come back recharged and rejuvenated.
- Choosing a water taxi assisted trips means exploring more of the park. Our dedicated support vessels leave our base earlier than others and we often reach the beach before anyone else.
- The sea breeze runs from North to South in summer and South to North in Summer.
Our trips are set up with naming conventions, like trip types and they vary in the length of time exploring the park.
Guided – Choosing a guided kayak option means choosing passion, knowledge, and stories! Our guides’ love of adventure and people is invigorating, they return to the Abel Tasman year after year to share this unique coastline with you. Our world-class guides ensure high safety standards and deliver a first class experience.
Rentals – Do you want to explore the Abel Tasman at your own pace, on your own time, and truly absorb the serenity of this beautiful park? Then renting/hiring a kayak is the option for you and best of all no prior experience (for most trips) is required, just a love of adventure. Before you depart our base we provide a comprehensive safety briefing ensuring you are confident. As part of your briefing we focus on pointing out special spots and provide detailed interpretation so you can get the most out of your trip. Launch your double sea kayak from one of the many golden sandy beaches, float on clear turquoise water and explore the park your own way.
Walks – The Abel Tasman Coastal track is part of New Zealand’s great walk network. Its’ famous for its access to it’s many golden beaches and the native forest fringing the granite coastline. It is the only great walk with multiple access points which allows plenty of flexibility to explore in either direction. From lush tropical crops to regenerating native forest the well formed track scenery varies, it’s the glimpses of the turquoise water, tidal estuaries, side walks and access to the beaches that make this such a memorable walk. The mild climate means any time of the year it is good to visit.
Classics serve up everything that is special about the Abel Tasman National Park. These trips are fully guided/hosted catered camping experiences. We are the only company to explore the northern reaches of the park so we make the most of having that part of the park to ourselves. We have a two, three and five day kayak option and a three day walking option. These trips create memories you’ll cherish for life.
Tikis, tiki tour is kiwi slang for looking-around, or tripping (and was originally derived from an old New Zealand tourist company of the same name), our tiki tours offer the advantage of exploring with a guide and then on your own allowing all the benefits of being hosted and then exploring the park independently, choose a two or three day tiki
Our rentals are named in the following ways:
Freedom 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 day hires provide the versatility for you to go out and back so you get to see the coast in both directions. These trips all start and finish at Marahau and are at your own pace.
We pioneered Park Starts in the early 2000’s. They are designed to travel one way and as the name suggests, start in the park. The beauty of these trips is that you paddle in the same direction as the sea breeze rather than going against it. You complete our safety briefing and then catch the 11.00 am water taxi up to your destination of choice (as far North as Onetahuti) and then paddle back over a number of days to Marahau. We offer trips from 2, 3 & 4 days to explore the park.
Kayak and Walk trips provide the flexibility to experience the Abel Tasman on both land and sea. Our trips start off with kayaking and then you continue by foot to explore the Abel Tasman great walk coastal track. We have trips that walk both North and South and from 1 2, 3, 4 & 5 days that are packaged with everything included.
*excludes 1 day kayak and walk
Water Taxi pricing
Water taxi retrieval for single kayak $20 per transfer
Water taxi retrieval for double kayak $41 per transfer
Per transfer Bag/Pack transfer $47 per bag
Passenger transfer from Marahau – Anchorage/Torrent Bay $48 pp
Passenger transfer from Marahau – Bark Bay $52 pp
Passenger transfer from Marahau – Onetahuti $54 pp
Passenger transfer from Marahau – Awaroa $48 pp
Passenger transfer from Marahau – Totaranui $50 per person
