Hiking - Walking time: approx. 4 hours
Pick from your hotel / airport in Nelson from 10:15am (from *7.00am) or Motueka from 11:15am (from *8.15am). If you are self-driving please meet at 409 High St, Motueka by 11.30am (*8.30am). *Early times apply to all trips during our shoulder season (before December 20 and after 31 March).
You will have time for last-minute luggage organisation at the Motueka office before the launch departs Kaiteriteri for a leisurely cruise north along the Abel Tasman National Park coastline to Totaranui. You can enjoy hot drinks on covered or open deck areas and there are bathroom facilities on board.
When you arrive at Totaranui, you can relax on the beach or walk north to Anapai Bay (or further if you are energetic). Walk south approximately two hours from Totaranui to Meadowbank Homestead - Awaroa, through rainforest with magnificent specimens of Nikau palm and rata. Cross the Awaroa estuary and be introduced to its fascinating history. Tonight you spend the night on the beachfront at Meadowbank Homestead - Awaroa.
Once a homestead in the late 1800’s, Meadowbank has been refurbished into an eco lodge which has minimal impact on the environment. Meadowbank provides all the comforts of modern living with stunning views of the beachfront from the spacious shared lounge. After a day of walking, sit back and relax with pre-dinner drinks while a delicious kiwi meal is prepared for you in the modern kitchen and dining area. Enjoy a morning coffee and home cooked breakfast outside on the sunny verandah to start your day.
Wake up to a home-cooked breakfast and sweeping views across Awaroa inlet, the largest tidal estuary in Abel Tasman National Park. Enjoy the comfortable surroundings of the lodge and perhaps a coffee on the verandah watching the movement of the tides over golden sand. Then, let your guide design your day to be as active or relaxed as you wish with another night at Meadowbank Homestead - Awaroa.
Options include:
Hiking - Walking time: approx. 7 hours/17km
This morning on your guided walk you depart Awaroa to walk over the Tonga Saddle to Onetahuti. Relax on the golden sand beach flanked by impressive granite headlands. Visit Tonga Quarry historic site. The lunch stop at midday is at Bark Bay, where you can relax, explore, swim or sunbathe on the golden sand beach. In the afternoon, enjoy a succession of magnificent views of headlands, estuaries and beaches, walking through native forest and crossing the swing bridge at Falls River. Continue on to Torrent Bay Lodge on the beachfront.
Kayaking option - Walk to Onetahuti 1.5 hours/4kms, Sea Kayak to Torrent Bay 4 hours/10 kms
This morning on your guided Kayak and walk you depart Awaroa for the scenic walk over the Tonga Saddle to Onetahuti. Here, your guide will settle you into your kayaks with full training and safety brief (if you are travelling on your own, your Guide will find a suitable paddling partner for you). Weather permitting, there is the opportunity to visit the Seal Colony on Tonga Island where New Zealand fur seals breed. It's often possible to spot new-born pups here in December and January. Enjoy the sensation of paddling through the clear turquoise waters of the Abel Tasman National Park as we cruise past Tonga Quarry and the Tonga Arches, where your guide will explain the history of this granite area, pointing out some of the unusual natural features and relics from the historic quarry. Midday, stop for lunch at sheltered Bark Bay, where you can take time out to explore, swim or relax on the golden sand. After lunch, you continue your paddle, beach hopping along the coast with picture-postcard views, including the Falls River and Frenchman's Bay. Paddle into Torrent Bay to be welcomed with refreshments and a hot shower in your ensuite room.
Experience pure tranquility during your stay at Torrent Bay; the lodge is isolated from urban facilities and far from the meandering crowds. Relax on your private golden sand beach or take a dip in the warm ocean water out your bedroom door. Your hosts will prepare a home cooked meal while you soak in the relaxed atmosphere of your surroundings.
A day of choices! Let your Guide plan a day to be as adventurous or relaxing as you like with another night at Torrent Bay Lodge, right on the beach.
Options include:
Hiking - Walking time: approx. 4 hours/13km
The well-graded track provides lovely views of the bays as you follow the coastline on the last day of your guided walk in the Abel Tasman National Park. Rediscover the pristine bays and beaches named by French Explorer, Du'mont Durville in 1827. You may stop for lunch at any one of the bays, and then walk the last leg to Marahau, where a coach awaits to return you to Motueka or Nelson.
Kayaking option - Sea Kayak Torrent Bay to Kaiteriteri 4.5 hours/12 kms
Wake up to morning light on the golden sands of Torrent Bay and perhaps a coffee on the deck before a hearty home-cooked breakfast to set you up for another day of scenic paddling on your guided kayak and walk trip. Around 9.30 am you leave Torrent Bay by kayak and glide southwards along the coast, to discover the pristine bays and beaches named by French Explorer, Dumont D'urville in 1827. Paddle the idyllic waters of Te Pukatea Bay. In the sheltered Astrolabe Roadstead, paddle along the picturesque coast of Adele Island, now a predator-free sanctuary ringing with birdsong. If the wind is with you, your guide will help you hoist a specially designed sail so you can ride the sea breeze. You'll stop for lunch and a rest at any one of the bays, before you continue your journey through azure waters to the famous Kaiteriteri beach, where your driver will be waiting to meet you for the return journey to Motueka (4.30pm) or Nelson (5.30pm).
