Remote Marine Reserve - Guided Kayaking - New Zealand

Overview

Available languages

English

24 hours

Mobile ticket

Our best one day kayak trip using the tide to explore the best of the park on any given day.

Abel Tasman Kayaks is one of only three operators authorised to undertake marine mammal viewing from sea kayaks at Tonga.

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

In accordance with New Zealand legislation, we are obliged to inform a person seeking to participate in our adventure activity of any serious health and safety risks they may be exposed to by participating in the activity. We therefore include our Risk Disclosure Statement for you to read prior to booking, so you are aware of the risks of participation. Risk Disclosure In any outdoor adventure activity, participants are exposed to variations in weather conditions and therefore there is an element of risk involved. Risks in undertaking this water-based activity include but are not limited to; Personal Injury (sea sickness, heat stroke, hypothermia, drowning) and Property Damage. Abel Tasman Kayaks mitigate this risk through thorough preparation and adherence to a detailed Risk Identification and Management System. This includes providing you with the necessary information, training and safety equipment to participate in our activities. You are personally responsible for listening to our directions, adhering to our advice, and making responsible decisions to keep yourself safe. Additionally, we reserve the right to modify, alter or cancel activities at any given time if we feel your safety, or the safety of others may be compromised.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Dietary requirements catered for. Lunch is a freshly baked roll filled with local produce, a sweet snack, fruit, fresh plunger coffee and local juice.

Return transport from Nelson needs to be booked separately from the tour.

What To Expect

We have tailored our start and finish points around the tide timetable, it means on any given departure we offer the best part of the park to explore the marine reserve to the fullest. Start Awaroa/Finish Bark Bay Starting at Awaroa, courtesy of our water taxi transfer, we visit Shag Harbour*, a hidden inlet like nowhere else in the Abel Tasman.We then paddle south, focusing on the Tonga Island Marine Reserve and its playful inhabitants - the NZ fur seal.After a picnic lunch on one of the beautiful beaches we'll visit Tonga Arches, exploring south along the carved granite coastline through to the tranquil lagoons and golden sand to Bark Bay. Start Onetahuti/Finish Anchorage Paddle from Onetahuti out to Tonga Island where you'll have your first encounters with New Zealand fur Seals.Paddle south with the breeze, exploring sculptured granite headlands, tranquil lagoons and everything that's special about the heart of the Abel Tasman.Finish at Anchorage and return by water taxi. On this trip covering the Tonga Island Marine Reserve coastline you have a professional guide with you for around 8 hours sharing their knowledge and passion of the Abel Tasman.*Start & finish tide dependent

Options

Remote Marine Reserve - Guided Kayaking - New Zealand

Reviews

4.79

14 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Great Experience!
anthouard,
Feb 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Amazing way to learn about the history, geology, fauna and wildlife of the marine reserve and New Zealand in general.
A highlight of our New Zealand trip
Rorinho,
Jan 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Beautiful scenery, great guides. Full day of sea kayaking with several stops on beaches for snack and bathroom breaks and lunch. It was windy and the water was very rough so we weren't able to go as far north as is advertised for this tour. Still it was worth it. Very well organized and instructions were provided. Be advised that launching and landing kayaks were done by the kayakers, not by the guides, so some experience would be helpful. We were fortunate to see kakas fly over twice (rare parrots that have been reintroduced into the national p) and it was gratifying to see how excited the guides were about seeing them. Guides provided excellent information about the park and the ongoing environmental restoration activities. Lunch was very good.
Just book it!
Sillymommy2003,
Jan 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
LOVED this tour! Our guide was knowledgeable, safe, and funny. He guided us to beautiful lagoons, outcroppings with fur seals, and pointed out lots of birds. Perfect trip with our young adult and teen kids!
Perfect way to see Able Tasman
meganf419,
Feb 21, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was a great experience! I loved all the secluded beaches we stopped at and all the wild life we saw! Darrel was an awesome guide and had a lot of wonderful information about the area and New Zealand as a whole. Would highly recommend this kayak company!
First class experience.
anneh631,
Oct 5, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Can absolutely recommend this company. They organised a tramping trip combined with a kayak trip. Did all the bookings, answered endless emails and were so helpful. All the staff were incredibly friendly. The marine tour itself was a highlight. Our guide was brilliant and it was no problem that I'd never kayaked before. The equipment was great and all in all just a fabulous experience. Thanks guys!
Fabulous scenery, Super Experienced Guide - just brilliant!
Alison J,
Jan 14, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We loved this trip and I cant recommend it enough. We did a 3 day kayaking adventure. Our guide, Whitey was just brilliant. Super experienced and really good with my 12 year old. He was incredibly knowledable and also a great cook. The food and provided alcohol were just exceptional. I felt safe taking my two daughters , aged 12 and 14. The scenery was just stunning and we were so lucky with weather Saw heaps of seals. The camping equipment was easy to use . We did a few side walks which were great. I would 100% do this again!
Remote marine reserve Kayaking amazing experience and would recommend it as must do 👍❤️
Smita and Sachi... S,
Dec 22, 2021
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Absolutely loved it❤️ I had never ever done Kayaking and got into it as my birthday gift from Sachin, my husband. Amazing, spectacular and must do !! Excellent well organised and fantastic location with great guides like Whitey and Georgia who were patient and skilled. Loved all the local stories Whitey shared with us…. Would rate this is the best adventure to date I have done❤️❤️
What guide ?
JASPER72,
Mar 9, 2021
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00
I chose the full day guided tour hoping to get an overview of the marine life and surrounding areas. From the start the introduction from the guide was about as interesting as a wet paper bag.. All the other guides were enthusiastic about their upcoming day but ours was more interested at looking at his phone. We will call him Gee as I found it hard to remember his name let alone understand him. There was no clear guidance very little information and when we went to his favourite spot he sat back and read his phone. By then I was over it. Come lunch time we pull into a beautiful sandy bay. our small group pulls in to the furthest point from tables bathrooms whilst groups from the same company land within a few mins walk. There were no other kayaks on the beach. Our stroll to the bathroom was over 20 mins return. I dont expect 5 star by any means but we shouldnt expect to pee behind a bush if the bathrooms are located nearby. DOCS really dont appreciate it either. The beauty of the park made ot for a great day. But the lack of enthusiasm by the guide was such a disappointment. Take nothing away from the other guides they were the highlight of our day getting a ride back in the water taxi.
great place
eaterofallthingsgood,
Mar 23, 2020
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
we had a great time with this company on the ocean and when we camped . before you go i would check what you are going to eat .
Amazing day with Nathan!
Jade B,
Mar 18, 2020
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The Abel Tasman coast is absolutely beautiful to kayak but Nathan really made our day - he was friendly, enthusiastic, extremely knowledgeable about the local area and its history and really funny! We all had a great day! Delicious lunch on the beach, stunning scenery and we saw seals and penguins!! Highly recommend, one of our highlights of New Zealand :)