We chose a three day tiki tour and the whole family loved it! It includes a bit of everything: walking, kayaking, camping and glamping for a treat. And everything is thoughtfully provided! The forecast was for inclement weather, we were thrilled that Abel Tasman kayak’s knowledge and experience meant they came up with a safe option to let us paddle and explore. With two quite different overnight stays,... read moreWe chose a three day tiki tour and the whole family loved it! It includes a bit of everything: walking, kayaking, camping and glamping for a treat. And everything is thoughtfully provided! The forecast was for inclement weather, we were thrilled that Abel Tasman kayak’s knowledge and experience meant they came up with a safe option to let us paddle and explore. With two quite different overnight stays, we had a chance to get personal and close with the park, to take in the beauty, the sounds, to touch the water and the sand, and to lose some of our food to the park “owners” - the wekas. We had one day of guided kayaking with a fantastic guide teaching us useful skills and telling insightful stories. The highlights were raft sailing and silence in Shag Harbour. And a box of biscuits, my 12 year old would add! It has been a great introduction revealing how much is still left for the next visit. read less

These guys are amazing. They made everything so easy. We hired kayaks for the first day, then they organised bag drops to near the huts for subsequent nights, and the water taxi out at the end. They really went the extra mile. We forgot an essential item, and they arranged for it to be dropped off at the next hut. Absolutely brilliant!!!!!!

We booked the half day kayak tour to Observation Beach and everything was fantastic. Our guide Darryl was great- super knowledgeable about the area, funny and full of stories. We saw loads of sea lions, birds, golden beaches, sea caves and had fun exploring the coastline. Had a relaxing snack and tea/coffee on the beach before continuing on our self-guided trip back down the Abel Tasman track to Motueka. The... read moreWe booked the half day kayak tour to Observation Beach and everything was fantastic. Our guide Darryl was great- super knowledgeable about the area, funny and full of stories. We saw loads of sea lions, birds, golden beaches, sea caves and had fun exploring the coastline. Had a relaxing snack and tea/coffee on the beach before continuing on our self-guided trip back down the Abel Tasman track to Motueka. The track back is about 3 hours, but allow extra time for viewpoints, photos, and to enjoy the incredible beaches! Highly recommended as a daytrip.. would love to do a longer trip as well. read less

We all knew that the trip would be special when we needed more coffee and salami on the first day, and our humble guide Roy (or “Lolli” in Australian) announced that we would be getting “better than average” salami after being grilled about the quality. Our 3-day classic was completely brilliant, with excellent company, excellent food, excellent weather, excellent adventures, and better than average salami (which was excellent too). Roy... read moreWe all knew that the trip would be special when we needed more coffee and salami on the first day, and our humble guide Roy (or “Lolli” in Australian) announced that we would be getting “better than average” salami after being grilled about the quality. Our 3-day classic was completely brilliant, with excellent company, excellent food, excellent weather, excellent adventures, and better than average salami (which was excellent too). Roy knew his stuff, and willingly shared his knowledge of all aspects of the history, the aquatic and marine life, the birds, the flora, the geology, and much more.

Shag Harbour was an absolute highlight, though so too was Cleopatras Pool (and the extra climb/canyoning trip beyond), but the entire coastline made it all pretty special, especially with Roy’s inside knowledge of the best places to go. Throughout the journey we were fed exceptionally well, with plenty of tasty food and drink, and the efficient organisation from start to finish reassured us all that we were not only in safe hands, but above average hands. A big shout out to Bal for the first two days (with the larger group), too.

In summary: a very professional adventure with plenty to see and do, and with expert knowledge to add greater value to the whole trip, and which made it very memorable. Highly recommended. read less

Luisa was a fantastic guide! She was not only informative with the history & sites, she was fun to be with.
Also turned our kayaking adventure into a sailing one!

What a bummer it happened to be the only day of the week that rained the whole day of the tour. A change of dates was offered but we had a bus to catch the next day. Still getting to see so many seals also made the time worthwhile. Our guide Nadia has been an absolute gem :) She tried her best to make the positives out of the day,... read moreWhat a bummer it happened to be the only day of the week that rained the whole day of the tour. A change of dates was offered but we had a bus to catch the next day. Still getting to see so many seals also made the time worthwhile. Our guide Nadia has been an absolute gem :) She tried her best to make the positives out of the day, being patient as it was our first time kayaking, v informative abt the various islands and native animals and sensitive to our needs as it got cold in the rain. Goofy brownies was a good call, well done Abel Tasman Kayaks! read less