Providing walking packages since 2008
Four Day Classic Package
Experience the best of both worlds with our exclusive 4-day package, combining three days of invigorating track exploration with a day of relaxation amidst the stunning beauty of Abel Tasman.
The Abel Tasman Coast Track is a true marvel of nature, offering breathtaking vistas and unparalleled experiences. By spreading the journey over four days, you have the luxury of immersing yourself in the crystal-clear waters, feeling the soft sand beneath your feet, and embarking on remarkable hikes at your own leisurely pace. This allows you to savor every moment of hiking one of New Zealand's renowned Great Walks, while also indulging in a day of pampering and rejuvenation at the luxurious Awaroa Lodge. For those seeking further adventure, a guided kayak excursion is also available to explore the surrounding area.
Our meticulously crafted self-guided package ensures that you can fully enjoy the track at your preferred speed, while providing essential support and services. We tailor custom itineraries that include crucial tidal crossing schedules and manage a range of logistical details, such as arranging transportation to the Abel Tasman Coast Track, securing accommodations (tailored to your preferences), and handling luggage transfers. Additionally, comprehensive notes containing tide schedules, maps, packing recommendations, and optimal walking times will be supplied to enhance your journey.
With our personalized trip plan, you can maintain your independent spirit while maximizing the richness of your experience. Let us elevate your Abel Tasman adventure to new heights, ensuring a seamless and unforgettable exploration of this remarkable destination.
The Abel Tasman Coast Track is a true marvel of nature, offering breathtaking vistas and unparalleled experiences. By spreading the journey over four days, you have the luxury of immersing yourself in the crystal-clear waters, feeling the soft sand beneath your feet, and embarking on remarkable hikes at your own leisurely pace. This allows you to savor every moment of hiking one of New Zealand's renowned Great Walks, while also indulging in a day of pampering and rejuvenation at the luxurious Awaroa Lodge. For those seeking further adventure, a guided kayak excursion is also available to explore the surrounding area.
Our meticulously crafted self-guided package ensures that you can fully enjoy the track at your preferred speed, while providing essential support and services. We tailor custom itineraries that include crucial tidal crossing schedules and manage a range of logistical details, such as arranging transportation to the Abel Tasman Coast Track, securing accommodations (tailored to your preferences), and handling luggage transfers. Additionally, comprehensive notes containing tide schedules, maps, packing recommendations, and optimal walking times will be supplied to enhance your journey.
With our personalized trip plan, you can maintain your independent spirit while maximizing the richness of your experience. Let us elevate your Abel Tasman adventure to new heights, ensuring a seamless and unforgettable exploration of this remarkable destination.
Includes:
- Transport from your Nelson accommodation to Marahau and back to Nelson
- 3 nights accommodation
- Bag transfers between your accommodations (you only carry a daypack)
- Water taxi transport from Totaranui to Marahau
- Dinner and breakfast at Anchorage camp (breakfast only for B&B option)
- Continental breakfast at Awaroa Lodge (2 mornings)
- 3 packed lunches
- Personalised itinerary and maps for your trip
- Arrival briefing from our team in Marahau before your trip
- A single supplement will apply if single occupancy is required
Itinerary:
Day 1 – Mārahau to Anchorage
Approx. 4 hours – 12.4kms
Pickup from your accommodation (or nearby) in the Nelson area at approx. 7.00am.
Road transport to Mārahau arriving at the AquaTaxi base there at 8.30am. Or drive yourselves to Mārahau and receive a NZD$40 per adult/NZD$20 per child discount.
Here one of our team will meet you and help check-in bags for luggage transfers, hand out your lunch and give you a briefing before you head off.
Spend the day hiking, swimming and exploring the forest, the track, and the golden sand beaches on your way to Anchorage.
Accommodation in the Abel Tasman is limited and in high demand, so for this night we have two options that depend on availability and your preferences. Let us know which option works best for you:
Day 2 – Anchorage to Awaroa Inlet
Approx. 7.5 hours - 21.9kms or 6.5hrs - 18.8kms with available tidal shortcut at Torrent Bay
Begin walking along the wonderful beach at Anchorage, pass civilised Torrent Bay before heading up and over to the iconic Falls River swing bridge and further on to Bark Bay. From this lovely bay the track heads up one of the largest ascents on the trip ending up back at sea level at Tonga Quarry. A lovely walk along the crescent shaped Onetahuti Beach follows and then the last saddle sees you over to wonderful Awaroa Lodge. This is the biggest day.
Stay at Awaroa Lodge and enjoy dining in their restaurant for both dinner & breakfast (dinner not included in package).
All of our guests have the option of halving the walking distance on this long day by catching a water taxi from the half-way point of Bark Bay to your accommodation for the night. The additional water taxi is NZD$50 per adult & NZD$25 per child under 14 years of age.
Awaroa Lodge
Surrounded by pristine waterways and native forest, the Lodge has been constructed to make the most of its secluded location. The main lodge is warm, inviting and full of character with a comfy lounge, library, bar and restaurant. The rooms here are all hotel style and nestled in among native forest with plenty of local flora and fauna around. Each room has its own private ensuite bathroom and outdoor deck for you to enjoy while you soak up the magic that is out there.
Day 3 – Rest Day at Awaroa Lodge
Today you could explore the area on foot or you could join a guided kayak trip – see description below. There are also paddleboards for hire if you’d like to explore the neighbouring tidal estuary.
The wonderful facilities and restaurant should feature in your day.
Stay another night at Awaroa Lodge.
Wonderful Kayak Trip for your rest day at Awaroa Lodge – this would be a add on to the trip cost.
Our trips are run daily from Awaroa Lodge. We always operate return trips which start and finish at Awaroa Beach. Being based at Awaroa Lodge and having all of our gear on site means we can run trips which make the best of the conditions on any given day. Awaroa is an exciting and dynamic marine environment. We like to keep our trips flexible to ensure your guide can use their local knowledge of the tides and weather patterns to run the best possible trip for you.
All of our guided kayak trips last for 3-3.5 hours, including a pre-trip safety briefing and a 20 - 30 minute stop on a secluded beach. We break up the trip by the guide providing interesting commentary at notable points of interest along the way.
All trips cost NZD$175 per person and include hot drinks and snacks on the beach. No experience is required for any of our trips, but we do enforce a minimum age of 12 years.
Day 4 - Awaroa Inlet to Tōtaranui and water taxi return to Mārahau
Approx. 3 hours - 8.1kms
About 30 minutes from Awaroa Lodge is a wide tidal crossing then it is into some wonderful podocarp forest before bursting out on the golden sand of Waiharakeke bay and Goat Bay. Make the final ascent over to the popular camping spot of Tōtaranui, then the AquaTaxi will pick you up and return you past all those golden sand beaches to Mārahau.
Our land transport to Nelson departs conveniently from the AquaTaxi base at 4.15pm, arriving at Nelson Airport around 5.45pm/Nelson City around 6pm.
Day 1 – Mārahau to Anchorage
Approx. 4 hours – 12.4kms
Pickup from your accommodation (or nearby) in the Nelson area at approx. 7.00am.
Road transport to Mārahau arriving at the AquaTaxi base there at 8.30am. Or drive yourselves to Mārahau and receive a NZD$40 per adult/NZD$20 per child discount.
Here one of our team will meet you and help check-in bags for luggage transfers, hand out your lunch and give you a briefing before you head off.
Spend the day hiking, swimming and exploring the forest, the track, and the golden sand beaches on your way to Anchorage.
Accommodation in the Abel Tasman is limited and in high demand, so for this night we have two options that depend on availability and your preferences. Let us know which option works best for you:
- A comfort camping experience in our large Kathmandu Retreat 280 tents at Anchorage Campground, complete with our own camp guide to look after you and prepare your meals. Sleep in comfort on our Kathmandu Cabana 75mm self-inflating air mattresses and Kathmandu Retreat Camp Stretchers complete with all bedding including a duvet and pillow. The camp site doesn’t have hot showers, just a cold water outside shower, but the location is simply stunning.
- A short water taxi ride back to Mārahau and stay in modern, comfortable & stylish B&B style accommodation. Requires a water taxi back to Anchorage again in the morning to continue your walk (included). No dinner is included in this option, with 2 local restaurants to choose from.
Day 2 – Anchorage to Awaroa Inlet
Approx. 7.5 hours - 21.9kms or 6.5hrs - 18.8kms with available tidal shortcut at Torrent Bay
Begin walking along the wonderful beach at Anchorage, pass civilised Torrent Bay before heading up and over to the iconic Falls River swing bridge and further on to Bark Bay. From this lovely bay the track heads up one of the largest ascents on the trip ending up back at sea level at Tonga Quarry. A lovely walk along the crescent shaped Onetahuti Beach follows and then the last saddle sees you over to wonderful Awaroa Lodge. This is the biggest day.
Stay at Awaroa Lodge and enjoy dining in their restaurant for both dinner & breakfast (dinner not included in package).
All of our guests have the option of halving the walking distance on this long day by catching a water taxi from the half-way point of Bark Bay to your accommodation for the night. The additional water taxi is NZD$50 per adult & NZD$25 per child under 14 years of age.
Awaroa Lodge
Surrounded by pristine waterways and native forest, the Lodge has been constructed to make the most of its secluded location. The main lodge is warm, inviting and full of character with a comfy lounge, library, bar and restaurant. The rooms here are all hotel style and nestled in among native forest with plenty of local flora and fauna around. Each room has its own private ensuite bathroom and outdoor deck for you to enjoy while you soak up the magic that is out there.
Day 3 – Rest Day at Awaroa Lodge
Today you could explore the area on foot or you could join a guided kayak trip – see description below. There are also paddleboards for hire if you’d like to explore the neighbouring tidal estuary.
The wonderful facilities and restaurant should feature in your day.
Stay another night at Awaroa Lodge.
Wonderful Kayak Trip for your rest day at Awaroa Lodge – this would be a add on to the trip cost.
Our trips are run daily from Awaroa Lodge. We always operate return trips which start and finish at Awaroa Beach. Being based at Awaroa Lodge and having all of our gear on site means we can run trips which make the best of the conditions on any given day. Awaroa is an exciting and dynamic marine environment. We like to keep our trips flexible to ensure your guide can use their local knowledge of the tides and weather patterns to run the best possible trip for you.
All of our guided kayak trips last for 3-3.5 hours, including a pre-trip safety briefing and a 20 - 30 minute stop on a secluded beach. We break up the trip by the guide providing interesting commentary at notable points of interest along the way.
All trips cost NZD$175 per person and include hot drinks and snacks on the beach. No experience is required for any of our trips, but we do enforce a minimum age of 12 years.
Day 4 - Awaroa Inlet to Tōtaranui and water taxi return to Mārahau
Approx. 3 hours - 8.1kms
About 30 minutes from Awaroa Lodge is a wide tidal crossing then it is into some wonderful podocarp forest before bursting out on the golden sand of Waiharakeke bay and Goat Bay. Make the final ascent over to the popular camping spot of Tōtaranui, then the AquaTaxi will pick you up and return you past all those golden sand beaches to Mārahau.
Our land transport to Nelson departs conveniently from the AquaTaxi base at 4.15pm, arriving at Nelson Airport around 5.45pm/Nelson City around 6pm.
Experience the beauty of the Abel Tasman Coastal Track with a selection of accommodation options tailored to your preferences. Discover the renowned highlights of this iconic track as we handle the logistics, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the journey. Delight in leisurely strolls along pristine golden beaches, tranquil walks through lush native forests, and visits to some of New Zealand's most picturesque locations.
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For those seeking an immersive experience of the breathtaking Abel Tasman Coastal Track, look no further. Embark on a journey to explore the entire length of this iconic New Zealand Great Walk in just 4 days! Treat yourself to exceptional accommodations and savor delectable dining options throughout your adventure. Delight in traversing both the well-known segments of the track and the lesser-traveled northern section.
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Wide Range of Packages Available
T E S T I M O N I A L S
Happy People
I would highly recommend Natural Encounters. Greg was so professional and very responsive. It was all organised for me, down to the fine details of luggage transfers, water taxis and lunch. The trip itself was unforgettable with beautiful accommodation along the way. I did the upgraded - all the relevant information was provided in an information pack and I had no issues. The walk was amazing, this part of NZ is so beautiful and there are so many photo opportunities! Go and book, you won't regret it. 
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Paddy Vine
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