Bark to Anchorage Great Walk - Abel Tasman Kayaks

Catch a water taxi and independently walk the track between Bark to Anchorage before cruising home at the end of the day.

Highlights include: the Kaka population, Pou whenua of Hohaia Rangiauru, Falls River suspension bridge and the Torrent Bay lagoon.

Wander 10 minutes from Bark Bay beach to experience the spectacular viewing platform overlooking Medlands beach. A pou whenua of Hohaia Rangiauru, past Maori chief of Te Ātiawa, is located at the platform, take the time to learn the relationships Māori have with the area and be awed by the first of many inspiring views of the day.

Listen and look out for the distinctive call of Kaka. Kaka love to play and swoop across the valley catch a glimpse of them in the distance or up close. These birds are a real testament to the conservation work being undertaken in the Abel Tasman.

Continue along the track checking out viewpoints and lookouts before crossing Falls River swing bridge. The 47-metre suspension bridge is sure to bring a smile when crossed, take a sneek preview below, video produced by Bare Kiwi. Enjoy the gentle descent down into Torrent Bay with expansive views of the tidal lagoon. Take the high or low tide route through or around Torrent Bay lagoon before arriving at Anchorage to catch the taxi home.

We provide a map and a briefing outlining track highlights.

Side trip:

Cleopatras Pool
A natural rock pool is a great place to explore and also has a beautiful swimming hole.

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.

Price

$108pp

Duration

1 Day

Adult: $108
Child (up to 14): $54
Child (4 & under): $0

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 $20pp 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

Full Park Map

Departure Times

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

Itinerary

Day One

8.15am

Check in. One of our team will provide tips and a map for your days walk.

8.45am

Water Taxi to Bark Bay.

9.25am

Arrive Bark Bay.
Walk from Bark Bay to Anchorage (high tide track), 4hr, 11.5km
Bark Bay to Anchorage (Low tide Torrent Bay estuary), 3hr, 8.4km

4.00pm

Water taxi from Anchorage to Marahau.

4.30pm

Arrive back in 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

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.
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.
More FAQ’s

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

What our customers say

We had an amazing day out on the water, exploring the coast and Islands of the national park. Well worth the trip, our guide Micah was amazing with lots of information about the area. We did so well went also include Spilt Apple Rock. A very weary but happpy group got back to Marahau

Tracey

Wir haben eine Kayak und Walk Tour gemacht. Unser Tour-Guide war extrem nett und hat einen sensationellen Job gemacht. In unserer kleinen Gruppe mit 4 Kayaks haben wir ein paar schöne Stunden verbracht, während der wir durch den wunderschönen Nationalpark gefahren sind und einiges über den Park sowie die einzigartige Artenvielfalt dort erfahren haben. Nach der Kayak-Tour bekamen wir am Strand ein leckeres Mittagessen und danach ging es auf eigene... read more read less

Mi-Nadine

Friend and I did a two day kayak and walk. Started with kayak on day one. The kayak was all packed with our overnight camp gear we hired from the place. Location and parking was easy. Good safety demonstration and a short ride to launch site on back of tractor/trailer. Site had a good setup with shower and toilet facilities. Staff were very helpful on arrival and departure. Camp gear... read more read less

L7624ZLadrianm

We had a fantastic day , superbly organised from start to finish. Our guide was excellent , felt really safe but was also an adventure and really good fun. Opportunity to see wildlife up close, time to swim, explore remote little bays.
A fantastic day.

KarenSharpe

Had the very best time out there today! Amazing foggy completely still and quiet morning! Then some baby seals playing around our boat, amazing! And best of all was our guide - Tom! Thank you so much for this adventure

theaaa1234567

Had the most amazing trip on the two day classic tour. Kyle was an awesome guide who showed us lots of hidden treasures and made sure we had a great time (and were well fed!) A stunning way to experience Abel Tasman National Park, even for a non-experienced kayaker, would highly recommend ☺️

adamszentes_nz

Great Walk Bark to Anchorage