Price
$121pp
Duration
1 Day
- Adult: $121.00
- Child (up to 14): $60.50
- Child (4 & under): $0
Catch a water taxi and independently walk the track between Bark Bay to Awaroa before cruising home at the end of the day.
Highlights include: the Kaka population, Tonga Quarry, views of Tonga Island, Onethauti Beach, Onetahuti board walk and Awaroa wetlands.
Catch a water taxi to Bark Bay. Explore beautiful Bark Bay estuary and its forest fringed banks. Listen and look out for the distinctive call of Kaka. Kaka love to play and swoop across the valley, catch a glimpse of them up close or in the distance. These birds are a real testament to the conservation work being undertaken in the Abel Tasman.
Enjoy views from the top of the saddle before heading back down to the coast to learn about Tonga Quarry. A few minutes on from the Quarry set foot on Onetahuti Beach, this expansive semi circle beach offers stunning views of Tonga Island and the Tonga Island marine reserve.
Cross the impressive boardwalk before climbing Tonga Saddle which provides views back South. At the top of the saddle the track splits into two. Staying right on the non-DOC track takes you down to Awaroa Beach and Awaroa Lodge. Stop in at the Lodge to experience the beautiful lounge or courtyard for a drink or bite to eat before heading out to the beach (any food or drinks purchased are at your own cost) to catch your water taxi.
- We provide a map and a briefing outlining track highlights.
Side trips:
Explore Tonga Quarry and learn what famous New Zealand landmarks used Tonga granite in their construction.
Stop at Awaroa Lodge for a drink or snack (at your own cost).
The Abel Tasman is part of New Zealand’s great walk network and this premier track is designed for all levels of fitness. An outline of the journey is below in the itinerary section. DoC’s full track brochure can be downloaded here.
A guided walk option is available, please contact us to discuss.
Print Itinerary- Check-in: 8.15 am
- Open: 1 Oct – 30 Apr
- Age: Any age, under 18’s need to be accompanied by at least 1 adult
- Food: Lunch can be provided for $25pp or bring your own
- Abel Tasman Great Walk: Approximately 3 – 4 hours
- Water Taxi: One water taxi cruise
- Bus: $70 Nelson return, $30 Motueka return operating 1 Oct – 30 Apr. On request outside of these times
Departure Times
Your trip includes an Environmental Access Fee which goes directly towards preserving the Abel Tasman National Park.
Risk Disclosure: For an understanding of the potential risks please click here and read before you book.
Itinerary
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Day One
8.15amCheck in. One of our team will provide tips and a map for your days walk.8.45amWater Taxi to Bark Bay
Highlights: Marahau wetlands, views of Adele Island,Yellow Point, and the lookout at top of Anchorage.
9.25amArrive Bark Bay -
Onetahuti Bay to Bark Bay (high tide track), 2 hr, 6.4 km
Onetahuti Bay to Bark Bay (low tide crossing, Bark Bay estuary), 1 hr 45 min, 4.6 km
Awaroa to Onetahuti, 1hr 30min, (4-5km)2.30pmWater taxi from Awaroa to Marahau. -
What to bring
Please bring personal water bottle, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, towel, swimsuit, warm top (wool or fleece), wind jacket, walking shoes, cameras and any medication.
*Please note: These are an estimate of timings.
FAQS
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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.
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Do I need hiking boots?
For walking the track, firm footwear is required, but boots are not essential, walking sandals or sports shoes are fine.
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More FAQ’s
A full list of our FAQ’s can be found here.
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What our customers say
Great trip with Reed. All the equipment is very good quality, we were well briefed and looked after. We saw lots of birds and seals and even a ray. Our instructor Reed was excellent and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend
sfw_giggles
Would 100% recommend the seal sanctory tour. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and made sure that we enjoyed our day. We had plenty of time to get photos and have breaks. The lunch provided was super delicious! Everyone I dealt with was really helpful and friendly.
Makamaylaaa
We rented a kayak for a day. Amber, who was very professional and friendly, gave us a safety demonstration and showed us routes to go. Kayaks were in great condition and the scenery was amazing. We saw seals and one swam under the kayak!
LF363
Awesome trip!!! Our guide was very funny, friendly and knowledgeable. We spended 2 days in Abel Tasman and were overhelmed by the beautiful nature. I can only recommend this experience.
christian_onroad
Such a great way to spend a day! The hike to Observation beach was great with lots of spots to view the ocean and beaches along the way. Lunch was excellent; I am so impressed with how tasty it was, especially since it was so simple. Our guide Louisa was helpful, knowledgeable and clear in her instructions and was also super friendly, really enjoyed chatting to her along the way.... read moreSuch a great way to spend a day! The hike to Observation beach was great with lots of spots to view the ocean and beaches along the way. Lunch was excellent; I am so impressed with how tasty it was, especially since it was so simple. Our guide Louisa was helpful, knowledgeable and clear in her instructions and was also super friendly, really enjoyed chatting to her along the way. The wind was in our favour so it was a nice easy kayak and we could really enjoy the views. Equipment provided was excellent and well cared for and instructions on its use were clear and helpful. Please give the staff a hand loading and unloading the kayaks if asked, my friend and I were really disappointed that most of our group ignored this request and left straight away. With a few sets of hands it’s not difficult!
Highly recommend this as a great way to see the National Park from a few different perspectives. read less
Sophielouwho
We did this day in early October and had a fabulous time. The whole process was smooth and hassle free, the gear was good and the packed lunch (with coffee!) was delicious.Our guide (Awatea) did a great job of briefing us, getting us going out on the water, and sharing information about the area. The seals were an unexpected bonus.We were then shuttled to the start of our walk on... read moreWe did this day in early October and had a fabulous time. The whole process was smooth and hassle free, the gear was good and the packed lunch (with coffee!) was delicious.Our guide (Awatea) did a great job of briefing us, getting us going out on the water, and sharing information about the area. The seals were an unexpected bonus.We were then shuttled to the start of our walk on a super speedy boat where we strolled the 6+km north to our pick-up point.After that it was a quick trip back to base, with a few more pick-ups, along the way.Thoroughly recommend this option if you only have one day.We were trio of 50+ women and had a blast.Thanks guys :) read less
NParley
