4 Day Abel Tasman Kayak & Walk South

Price

$278 NZ pp

Duration

4 Days

Kayak north to the Marine Reserve and then return to Marahau via the coastal track.

Spend four day (2 kayaking/2 walking) so you can explore Marahau to Onetahuti.

This trip will see you kayaking the diverse and stunning coastline between Marahau and Onetahuti beach over two days and then retracing your footsteps via the Abel Tasman Great Walk coastal track back to Marahau. We make all this possible by collecting your kayak for you on day two at Onetahuti and leave you to walk South through what Lonely Planet describes as the most beautiful section of track in the park. Spend your last night at Anchorage before heading back to our base in Marahau for a hot shower.

Recommended campsites: Night 1: Observation Beach or Te Pukatea Bay. Night 2: Onetahuti. Night 3: Anchorage. Camp passes included in price which we book on your behalf.

Start paddling at Marahau and finish at Onetahuti.
Don’t paddle the same coastline twice!
2 days of kayaking allows plenty of time to explore all the way up the Marine Reserve.
Walk over the 47m suspension bridge across Falls River.
On your kayaking days, choose to stay at the smaller campsites in the park that you can only access from the water.

Hut accommodation is available for an additional cost, please contact us to arrange and camping gear can be hired at time of booking if required.

Minimum group size 2 (no solo hires).

Print Itinerary

Check-in: 8.15 am
Open: 1 Oct – 31 May
Age: Minimum age is 14 years old. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult on a 1:1 ratio
Includes: Kayak hire, kayak transfer, passenger transfer and camp pass (Abel Tasman Kayaks books on your behalf)
Food: Self catered
Paddling: Approximately 4 – 5 hours per day interspersed with breaks. No prior experience required
Water Taxi: No water taxi cruises
Bus: $80 Nelson return, $40 Motueka return operating 1 Oct – 30 Apr. On request outside of these times

Adele Island Bird Sanctuary

Adele Island / Motuareronui is a predator free sanctuary and home to species such as the South Island Robin/Toutouwai and Saddleback/Tieke.

NZ Fur Seal/Kekeno

NZ fur seals Kekeno can be seen at the northern end of the island.

Astrolabe

Paddle the sheltered waters of the Astrolabe exploring 12 beautiful beaches, caves and rocky outcrops.

Kaka

Kaka New Zealands native parrot have been reintroduced to Bark Bay. They are often heard before they are seen, listen out for their call a harsh, repeated, rhythmic ‘ka ka’.

Falls River Swing Bridge

Cross the 40-meter swing bridge and enjoy the elevated views over the falls river.

Onetahuti & Surrounds

Explore the Tonga Island Marine Reserve and its surrounds you can go as far as Shag Harbour.

Lagoons

Torrent Bay Lagoon, Sandfly Bay, Frenchman Bay & Shag Harbour (marker) are all great places to explore on a high tide.

Bark Bay - Anchorage

Lonely Planet describes this section of track as the most beautiful section of track on the Abel Tasman Great Walk coastal track.

Lookout

Enjoy the views from the lookout.

Marahau causeway

Black Beech

Lookout for black beech around the headlands, hard beech on the lowlands & red beech on inland hills. The black beech has a honeydew scale insect which feeds on the sap of the tree you might see birds feeding on the honeydew.

Onetahuti kayak pick up

No rental kayaking past this point (shag harbour)

Night 1

Observation Beach Campsite (marker) (6 sites) (water access only) or Watering Cove Campsite (5 sites).

Night 2

Onetahuti Bay Campsite (20 sites)

Night 3

Anchorage Campsite (50 sites)

Full Park Map

Departure Times

Your trip includes an Environmental Access Fee which goes directly towards preserving the Abel Tasman National Park.

Note the Department of Conservation applies a pricing system that varies depending on residency status.

Risk Disclosure: For an understanding of the potential risks please click here and read before you book.

Itinerary

Day 1

8.15am

Check in and start your kayak rental briefing. The briefing highlights areas of interest in the Abel Tasman National Park, weather forecasts and local conditions, hazards, safety and self rescue.

10.00am

On water assessment with guide.

10.30am

Continue on your own to explore the Abel Tasman.

Spend the night at Observation Beach or Te Pukatea Bay.
Day 2

Kayak to Onetahuti.

3.15pm

Kayak pick up at Onetahuti.

Spend the night at Onetahuti or Tonga Quarry.
Day 3

Walk from Onetahuti to Anchorage (high tide route approx 6hrs, 17.9km, low tide route approx 5hrs, 14.8km). Spend the night at Anchorage.
Day 4

Walk from Anchorage to Marahau 3.5hrs, 12.4km.

4.00pm

Return to Abel Tasman Kayaks’ base.

*Please note this is an estimate of timings base on a 8.15am check-in.

Preparation

Camp pass: Provided at check in.

Kayaking clothes: You’re bound to get wet when kayaking bring some quick drying clothes to paddle in. Shorts, t-shirt (long sleeves are preferable), warm top (wool/fleece), hat, sunglasses and shoes. Don’t forget your swimsuit and a towel!

Campsite clothing: Warm campsite clothing is essential for the evenings. Long pants, t-shirt, long-sleeved shirt, warm top (wool/fleece), trainers and socks, sleeping clothing, rainproof jacket.

Personal items: Such as medication, toiletries, camera (with plenty of film or memory space!), personal drinking bottle, first aid kit, torch, sunscreen and insect repellent.

We provide: Buoyancy vest, spray skirt, paddle jacket, paddle, safety emergency flares, waterproof map, water pump and a spare paddle. Additional items in the winter: wetsuits, wetsuit booties.

Food & water: Be sure to bring enough food for your whole journey, food tips can be found here. We recommend purchasing this before you get to Marahau. Make sure you bring plenty of fresh water with you. Filtered water is available at our base and hut sites, untreated water is available at the campsites.

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast
Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
Dinner	Lunch	Dinner
Snacks	Snacks	Snacks	Snacks

Cooking equipment: If you plan to cook a hot meal ensure you bring a cooker and fuel as fires are only permitted in certain parts of the park, at certain times of the year. Pots, pans, utensils, cutlery, plates and cups will also come in handy.

Camping equipment: During the evening it can become quite cool in the park so please make sure you pack a tent, camping mat and a warm sleeping bag.

FAQS

Are camp passes included in overnight trips?

Yes, camp passes are included in the package price for all overnight accommodation. We take care of booking and paying for the campsites on your behalf and provide the passes when you check in. If you wish to upgrade to stay in hut please contact us separately there will be an additional cost.
Can we hire/rent single kayaks?

No. Due to the safety procedures in place, you cannot hire or rent single kayaks. The exception is if your group size is an odd number where there will be one single kayak provided along with double kayaks. E.g For a group of 3 – 1 x double kayak, and 1 x single kayak, group of 5 – 2 x double kayaks and 1 x single kayak.
Environment Access Fee

Your trip includes an Environmental Access Fee which goes directly towards preserving the Abel Tasman National Park.

A portion of your ticket price goes directly towards preserving the unique environment you will enjoy on your trip in the Abel Tasman. This includes the compulsory concession fees paid to the Department of Conversation as well as voluntary contributions to local organisations and projects to improve the environment, ecology and access to the National Park. Fees are adjusted according to your trip, you can see your contribution when you purchase a ticket.

Find out more on how we are looking after this special place including our commitment to the Mārahau Pledge.
What is the minimum age for renting a kayak?

Rental customers need to be 14+ and anyone under the age of 18 needs to be accompanied by an adult.
Is food included?

All kayak rentals & kayak & walk rentals are self catered (unless you have opted to add lunch for day 1 at time of booking) the trip description provides suggestions of meals. Be sure to bring enough food for your whole journey, food tips can be found here. We recommend purchasing this before you get to Marahau. Make sure you bring plenty of fresh water with you. Filtered water is available at our base and hut sites, untreated water is available at the campsites.
If I am on my own can I rent a kayak?

It’s possible to join a guided trip if you’re a solo traveller. We will pair you with another guest or a guide. No rentals are available to solo kayakers due to safety.
Do I need any previous kayaking experience to rent a kayak?

While past kayaking experience is desirable, a reasonable level of camping and outdoor skills and water confidence is essential. Before you go out on a kayaking trip you are briefed by a qualified sea kayak guide who is very familiar with the park and will provide you with information about places to go, how far you are likely to get in the time you have and information on safety, weather and sea conditions.
How much gear/equipment can we store in our kayaks for an overnight trip?

You can easily fit the equivalent of approximately two large packs full of equipment in the dry storage areas of a double sea kayak. This needs to be put inside large plastic bags to fit into the hatches. Check out our video on tips for packing your kayak.
Do you hire camping gear?

Yes, from gas bottles to a full set of gear. It can be booked online at time of booking or over the phone a full list can be found here. These items are subject to availability.
More FAQ’s

A full list of our FAQ’s can be found here.

What our customers say

Arguably one of the best day activities in NZ! Really enjoyed the full day kayak tour! Delicious vegetarian lunch: healthy but real tasty!! And what a incredible scenery!!

Marloes Bloemhof

As someone who has never kayaked before I felt super safe and felt like I was sailing off with heaps of knowledge after the safety briefing. Our guide was awesome and down to earth, it was easy to ask him questions. We even ran a little bit late and we were stressed we would miss a bit of the info but they were really understanding and gave us plenty of time to get ready.

NZeater

We went on a kayak trip and then hike. Everything was extraordinarily beautiful and service was fantastic and perfect from beginning to end. Our guide was Hayley and she was friendly, knowledgeable, easy-to-chat with, and made everyone feel safe and secure. She shared interesting facts along the way about the park (and New Zealand generally), provided flexibility around where we paddled based on group preferences, took us to a quick beach stop before our lunch beach stop, recommended a great burger place for after, and made us all laugh. ❤️

Amy H

Had a lot of fun on our all day kayaking trip. Our tour guide was fun and chatty. We got to see some dolphins on our boat ride out to our starting point too. The provided lunch was delicious. Would highly recommend going on a kayaking tour! It was one of the highlights of our trip.

Ella Bruce-Barrios

Lovely kayak trip with some good info of the area. Water was calm which was really nice! Hike is reasonable, some climbs although followed by flat spurts.

Melissa

My wife and I wanted to hire a kayak to see the coastline of the southern part of Abel Tasman NP and walked into the office of Abel Tasman Kayaks and were greeted by a friendly face that explained to us our options.We decided to book a Park start, 2 day trip, for the following day. We have some camping gear, and they provided what we did not have.
They provided a comprehensive safety briefing and gave us good boats and equipment for our trip.
They provided us with a map and recommendations of sights to see, coves to visit,and beaches for landing and swimming.
We were a bit concerned with the distance to cover on our day to return to the pick up and they reassured us, and gave us some info for a back up plan.
We had a wonderful time! We camped in a beautiful cove and were able see to parts of the park only visited by boat.
Great team of folks here!! The vibe is most high!!
Highly recommend a trip like this and booking it with this outfitter.
Thanks!!

David Cisneros

4 Day Kayak & Walk South

Price

Duration

Kayak north to the Marine Reserve and then return to Marahau via the coastal track.

Adele Island Bird Sanctuary

NZ Fur Seal/Kekeno

Astrolabe

Kaka

Falls River Swing Bridge

Onetahuti & Surrounds

Lagoons

Bark Bay - Anchorage

Lookout

Marahau causeway

Black Beech

Onetahuti kayak pick up

Night 1

Night 2

Night 3

Departure Times

Itinerary

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Preparation

FAQS

Kayak Rentals

4 Day Park Start

Guided Kayak Tours, Walking Tours

Three Day Tiki Tour

What our customers say

#ABELTASMANKAYAKS

4 Day Kayak & Walk South

Price

Duration

Kayak north to the Marine Reserve and then return to Marahau via the coastal track.

Adele Island Bird Sanctuary

NZ Fur Seal/Kekeno

Astrolabe

Kaka

Falls River Swing Bridge

Onetahuti & Surrounds

Lagoons

Bark Bay - Anchorage

Lookout

Marahau causeway

Black Beech

Onetahuti kayak pick up

Night 1

Night 2

Night 3

Departure Times

Itinerary

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Preparation

FAQS

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4 Day Park Start

Guided Kayak Tours, Walking Tours

Three Day Tiki Tour

What our customers say

#ABELTASMANKAYAKS

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