• Preparation & Planning

    Preparation & Planning

Base Facility

Our purpose built kayak base is ideally placed to prepare you for your trip and relax afterwards. We have the most comprehensive base facilities in the park

  • GPS safety tracking for rentals
  • free Wifi
  • hot showers
  • secure parking
  • lock up for personal belongings
  • purpose built transfer vehicles to get you and your kayaks to the water’s edge regardless of weather or tide

Base facilities

Guided briefing

Safety is our priority and there is nothing safer than having a trained guide with you.  As you are not going it alone, the need for an extended version of our rental safety briefing is not required.  On our guided trips we start with a short group briefing covering the essentials and then we get into our trip leaving more time to explore and experience the beautiful Abel Tasman coastline.

Preparation & Planning - Abel Tasman Kayaks

Rental safety briefing

As the only company specialising in kayak rentals, we provide a comprehensive safety briefing. This covers everything: from packing, kayak technique, weather and planning/modifying the journey, stowage and sea-conditions, map interpretation, to those important emergency procedures plus the added advantage of our secrets of the park that we let you know about before you leave. That’s where we know we add value to your trip.  We also run through information from looking after the top quality gear to enjoying the purpose built base facilities.

1 Day allow 1 – 1.5 hrs for the briefing

2+ Days allow 2-3 hrs for the briefing

Once packed and briefed on land, your instructor will initially accompany your group on the water to cover the last part of the briefing and will ensure you are feeling comfortable and competent before waving you off on your adventure.

We have a few requirements which you must meet before we can allow you out on your own:

  • Minimum group size 2 (no solo hires)
  • Age Limit: 18 years +
  • Younger participants may be considered provided that all 14+ years participants are accompanied by an adult (18+)  on a 1:1 ratio
  • Must demonstrate your ability to kayak before leaving our instructor

Passed this? Congratulations!

If you have not met our requirements don’t worry, we will be delighted to show you around the breathtaking sights of Abel Tasman on one of their exciting guided tours!

In the unlikely event you need to self rescue we have put together an instructional video. These steps are covered off in your rental briefing which you practice on land before you head out onto the water.

Kayaks

For Classics and rentals of two days or more, we use Paddling Perfection double fibreglass kayaks with a built-in rudder system. These purpose-built boats have 3 water-tight chambers for gear storage (approximately 300 litres). Specially designed for expedition paddling, these kayaks are stable, comfortable and fast.

For 1 day  guided and 1 day rentals, we use Dobbe Eco-Niizhdouble kayaks. These plastic moulded kayaks have three hatches, the middle being a watertight centre “pod” for gear storage (approximately 80 litres). With a built-in rudder system, these stable kayaks are perfect for one day trips, or shorter multi-day adventures.

Check out packing and gear storage tips for both the Paddling Perfection or Dobbe Eco-Niizhdouble.

Preparation & Planning - Abel Tasman Kayaks

Checklist

Checklist

Learn More

What our customers say

One day walk and 2 days kayaking. Lucky enough to have Dez as a guide - genuinely the best guide I’ve had. Funny, intuitive and so knowledgable. Really cares for his work. Learnt loads. Had a great time doing so and even saw a penguin. The glamping is with an incredible couple who love hosting - definitely buy their pizzas! And the Aquapackers is another amazing couple doing what they... read more


Tomclowes22

We opted for a half day freedom (unguided) rental as we just wanted a taste of kayaking this beautiful area and didn't have a huge amount of time.
We started our day with a very professional safety briefing which covered all aspects of kayaking, use of equipment, how to get in and out safely, righting the boat if you capsize etc. We were fitted with spray skirts which was great...
read more


AucklandWiz

Absolutely brilliant team at Able Tasman kayaks. Alex was our leader and was full of enthusiasm and knowledge - impressive rattling off of species, flora and fauna. Weather was pretty rough but she led us safely in swelling seas. Great lunch. There was a slight mishap with a personal T shirt but the company more than made up for it. Great bunch of people . I heartily recommend them


Philip S

this was our first stop in NZ, and we were very impressed. All the guides we met on our 2-day overnight were excellent. The company was well run, the food was great, and Nathan in particular was a very friendly, knowledgeable and capable guide. I totally recommend this company.


rico36461

We had the day tour remote coast. The weather was a little bit cloudy whcih we appreciated - otherwise you have really take care about getting sun burned. Only a small group 4 kajaks and Kai from UK as our guide. He did a great job - explained a lot and was always teking care about all of us. Had lunch at Bark bay with nut steeling kaka`s. Have seen... read more


Sigrid H

My wife and I just returned from a 2 day trip with ATK - we started our adventure in Marahau and took a 40 minute water taxi up the coast to Awaroa. We’d have loved to do the 3 day trip which covers the same coastline but includes a few nature walks a however, we were NOT disappointed by the truncated experience. We were paired off with one other... read more


Tim R

#ABELTASMANKAYAKS

Camping in the Abel Tasman ❤️
The Abel Tasman coastline has a lot of variety.  In some spots, the lush bushline is down to the sea, while in others, it steps back. No matter where you are, it’s always spectacular. ✨🏞️
Help out this great project @projectjanszoon  are running.

Robin (kakaruai or toutouwai) are making a comeback in the Abel Tasman National Park. After an absence of about 30 years they’re now being seen occasionally on the coast track. 
 
Project Janzoon have just launched their citizen science project – Report a robin – in order to get people telling us about their robin sightings, and talking about the wonderful birdlife in the Park.
 
If you have been or about to go in the park report your sightings via the Abel Tasman App – Have you seen this section ; or via www.janszoon.org/reportarobin ;  Jot down the nearest trap number, looking for the numbered triangles.
Waking up on a beautiful beach - what's not to love, especially if someone has made you a cuppa!
The Abel Tasman National Park is teeming with wildlife, from the playful NZ fur seals to the charismatic kākā. 🐦🦭 Head to the northern section of the park for a chance to encounter these unique, endemic New Zealand treasures in their natural habitat!
We're nearly a quarter of the way through the century—2025 starts tomorrow! 🎉 Is exploring the stunning Abel Tasman on your bucket list for the year ahead?
Did you know there are two main islands in the Abel Tasman to explore, Adele Island & Tonga Island but there are a few more unknown one's that are fun to kayak past.
Merry Christmas from the team at Abel Tasman Kayaks. 🎄
Marahau boasts one of the largest tidal ranges in New Zealand! 🌊 This unique feature adds an extra layer of adventure to every kayak trip that includes a water taxi as you experience the dynamic rhythm of the tides during your landing and departure.
Embracing that 'yes' moment .... ❤🛶
top