New Zealand · KAYAKING TOURS IN ABEL TASMAN
New Zealand leaves you fewer spare days than you planned for. These 15 kayaking tours in Abel Tasman justify one, priced and timed so the choice takes a minute.
Spend a full day in Abel Tasman National Park, walking to Observation Beach and kayaking back to Marahau. Guides such as Sam and Emily provide the kayak briefing and support. Expect white-sand beaches, forest trails, ocean views, a beach lunch, and possible sailing if conditions allow.
“Kajak tour is well prepared even for participants, who have never to do with this sport. The assistance given by the guieds is fantastic.”
Set out from Marahau with an English-speaking guide, paddling a double kayak toward Observation Beach past golden beaches, rock formations, and seal habitat. After lunch, walk the southern Abel Tasman Coastal Track back toward Marahau. The order may reverse, and guides such as Ed, Mitchell, Zoey, and Hillary bring local insight to the kayaking portion.
“No changes are necessary. Our guide Ed was fantastic and he was very knowledgeable and helpful. Lunch was terrific.”
Start in Marahau with a safety briefing, then paddle a double kayak through Abel Tasman’s Astrolabe area without a guide beside you. Visit Adele and Fisherman Islands, drift into caves on a high tide, walk from Watering Cove, and use the waterproof map to plan your return. Winter rentals include wetsuits and booties.
“De dag begon met goede uitleg over het gebruik van de kajak. Het is fijn dat er een groot waterdicht opbergvak in de kajak zit. Ideaal voor een rugzak met lunch. Vervolgens werden we naar het water gebracht en na een kleine instructie mochten we volledig zelfstandig aan de gang. De kaart die we mee kregen was fijn om de weg te weten op het water. Leuke toevoeging was het zeehonden spotten.”
Set out from Marahau with R&R Kayaks for an approximately eight-hour guided trip through Abel Tasman National Park. Paddle to the Tonga Island Marine Reserve and its New Zealand fur seal colony, explore quiet lagoons, then reach Anchorage Beach for a water taxi ride back. Guides may include Pandy or Quinn, and the group is limited to eight.
“Our guide Pandy was excellent. The all day trip included three spectacular lagoons. The weather can be rough and the water taxi ride, very exciting.”
Rent a kayak in Marahau for up to seven hours and paddle independently along the Astrolabe Roadstead. R&R Kayaks supplies the kayak and required equipment. Stop at golden-sand beaches, visit offshore islands, watch for seals, pass Split Apple Rock, and return to the Marahau meeting point.
“We had a beautiful day of kayaking in this gorgeous part of the world. We'd recommend this experience to anyone who loves kayaking and discovering beautiful, secluded beaches.”
Start at 8:30 am in Marahau for a full day in Abel Tasman National Park. R&R Kayaks supplies the kayaking gear, then your group of up to eight paddles toward Adele Island before hiking back through the park. Expect about two hours on the water and three to four hours on a mostly flat trail.
“Très bonne organisation et les endroits explorés avec le Kayak ou la marche étaient superbe. Les deux parties ne sont pas difficiles. c'est accessible à tous.”
Spend eight hours kayaking Abel Tasman National Park with a professional English-speaking guide and up to nine other participants. Paddle from Awaroa or Onetahuti toward Bark Bay or Anchorage, visit Tonga Island Marine Reserve, watch New Zealand fur seals, stop for a beach picnic, and return by water taxi.
“We had a wonderful day on the kayaks. Ed was a fantastic host who provided us with a lot of interesting information about the national park We would definitely recommend this tour”
Set out from Marahau for about eight hours of guided sea kayaking in Abel Tasman National Park. Your tide-based route may run from Awaroa to Bark Bay or Onetahuti to Anchorage, with Tonga Island fur seals, granite coves, a picnic lunch, and water-taxi transfers.
“Amazing way to learn about the history, geology, fauna and wildlife of the marine reserve and New Zealand in general.”
Spend a full day in Abel Tasman National Park, cruising from Kaiteriteri past Split Apple Rock, kayaking along the Adele Island coast, and hiking to Anchorage. Local guides such as Alan, Carter, Jeremy, and Lucy lead small or private groups, with lunch, gear, refreshments, and Nelson pickup included.
“Wir hatten das Glück alleine mit Alan unterwegs zu sein. Mit seiner wundervolle, lockeren, humorvollen und lebensfroher Art hat er uns empfangen und durch den Tag begleitet. Danke auch an Carter für die super geführte Kayaktour mit Kayaksailing. Ein unvergesslicher Tag mit tollen Eindrücken, leckerem Lunch, tollen Menschen und wunderbarer Tiersichtung in der schönen Natur !”
Spend three days kayaking from Totaranui or Awaroa to Marahau through Abel Tasman National Park. Your guide leads you past Tonga Island, seal colonies, beaches, lagoons, and Māori pā sites, with catered meals and camping included. Guides such as Mitchell, Whitney, Awatea, Lou, Darryl, and Louisa have led this trip, though your guide is assigned by departure.
“From the first email to the shower at the end of our trip our experience with ATK was exceptional. Every team member was professional, friendly, helpful and great to deal with and our guide, Awatea, was fantastic. I can't recommend the ThrRead more”
Meet your guide at 8:15 am in Marahau for a water-taxi ride toward Adele and Fisherman Islands. Paddle the Astrolabe coastline for up to 1.5 hours, watch for New Zealand fur seals and little blue penguins, then enjoy a fresh beach lunch. Guides such as Ed and Whitney are calm, attentive, and good at adapting to conditions.
“We had a great half day kayak tour out at Abel Tasman! Ed was a superb guide who did a great job spotting seals and sea life while we were out on the ocean. Lunch was delicious. The company also did a great job of accomodating my spouse's neoprene allergy. Book with confidence - you will enjoy it immensely!”
Travel from Marahau toward Anchorage by kayak, on foot, and by water taxi during an eight-hour Abel Tasman day trip. A guide leads the kayaking for about four hours, sharing local knowledge along the Astrolabe coast. Your lunch includes a fresh roll, fruit, a sweet snack, coffee, and juice. The walk is unguided.
“An amazing day out – one of the highlights of our time in New Zealand. A fantastic way to explore Abel Tasman in one day. Our guide was knowledgeable and cheerful. Only thing I'd flag up is that we could have done with some more info rRead more”
Start in Marahau with a safety briefing, kayak test, weather update, and water taxi to Onetahuti Bay. Then paddle south for three days, stopping at beaches for swimming, picnics, and rest. Kayaks, safety equipment, maps, and a national park camping pass are included, but you bring or hire your own camping gear.
“They have a very long safety discussion prior to going out, so we felt very safe. The water was extremely blue and overall conditions were great. When it did downpour, the anchorage bay hut/campsite had plenty of space to hide from the rainRead more”
Start in Marahau with a safety briefing, then paddle your own double kayak through Abel Tasman’s Astrolabe area. Visit Adele and Fisherman Islands, look for fur seals, drift into caves on a high tide, and stop at Watering Cove for a view. Ben’s clear briefing and the included safety gear help you set off with confidence.
“We had an amazing experience! We just booked 15 min before the start it is was still possible. Fast and efficient security briefing and drop off and pick up service from the store to the beach included. There are also showers which was awesome. We definitevly recommend!”
Collect your kayak in Mārahau, complete a safety briefing and on-water assessment, then paddle independently through Abel Tasman National Park. Camp at Observation Bay or Te Pukatea Bay, visit Adele Island and its seal colony, explore caves and lagoons at high tide, and return by 4pm on day two. Bring camping gear or hire it locally.
“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 Read more”
Pick a coast, a crater or a cellar door.
