Wilderness Guides
Picton, Marlborough
Marlborough Sounds Hike-Bike-Kayak

Hike the Queen Charlotte Track

You will be collected from your Picton accommodation this morning. Meet your Wilderness Guide and board the water taxi, journeying from Picton to Ship Cove past salmon farms and sea birds on a beautiful voyage to Ship Cove (approx. one hour). This fascinating and remote historic and scenic reserve was visited by Captain Cook several times in the 18th Century as well as being a significant historical site of early Maori occupation.

Your guided walk along the Queen Charlotte Track begins at Ship Cove and ends at Endeavour Inlet. Bush is mainly a mixture of stunning podocarp and beech forest with punga ferns and other New Zealand native foliage. This day is regarded as the premier section of the Queen Charlotte Track.

Many beautiful views are to be had across the Queen Charlotte Sound. Your informative local guide will talk about the European and Maori history of the area as well as provide detailed information on the birds and plants you encounter along the way.

Wilderness Guides will supply a freshly packed lunch and you can enjoy a cup of plunger coffee or tea along the trail while taking in the views of the beautiful Marlborough Sounds.

At the end of the walk, take the opportunity to purchase a cold drink or warm beverage at the historic Furneaux Lodge while you await collection by water taxi.

Return to Picton late afternoon.

Kayak the Marlborough Sounds

Guided Sea Kayak Trip

Experience the beauty and seclusion of the Marlborough Sounds with this awesome little one-day guided sea kayak trip. This tour takes in the western end of Queen Charlotte Sound with its sheltered coves, beautiful beaches, azure blue waters and lush native bush – stopping at a secluded beach for a yummy lunch. Learn about the history of the area from our knowledgeable, relaxed and friendly guides.

What makes our trip different? Well, everything really - our awesome guides who genuinely enjoy spending time with visitors to our region, our great food, great music in the van while we travel and our more relaxed approach to the route we take each day. We pick the best direction to have the breeze at our backs wherever possible - and we take you where the wildlife is whenever we can!

Departs 08:30 | Duration 7 hours 30 minutes

Guided Kayak & Day Walk on the Queen Charlotte Track

Our adventure combos are without a doubt the best way to experience the Marlborough Sounds if you only have a few days - with either our 1 Day Kayak & Walk or the 1 Day Kayak & Bike, you can experience all the iconic activities of the spectacular Queen Charlotte Sound in just one day!

Of course, we'd love you to stay longer - and you really should to truly experience the Marlborough Sounds - but if a day is all you have, then our adventure combos are the trips for you. These unique day trips combine the best of sea kayaking with walking or mountain biking on the popular Queen Charlotte Track - all completed at day's end with a boat ride back to Picton. Awesome! NB. Of the two adventure combos, the mountain biking option is the more adventurous of the two and is more suited to people who have done some biking before.

Departs 08:30 | Duration 8 hours

Mountain Bike on the Queen Charlotte Track

The Queen Charlotte Trail is widely rated as the best single track in New Zealand - with its wide, benched surface, spectacular views, native bush and, in parts, technical difficulty, the track offers bikers an exhilarating challenge. And, of course, you don't have to carry a heavy pack as while you ride from place to place, one of the many water taxi companies will transport this for you to your accommodation.

The 70 km walking track has been purposely built to cater to both walkers and bikers. It is the longest piece of continuous single track in the country and is suitable for novice riders while being challenging enough for the experienced mountain biker. 

Two days are needed by most riders of reasonable fitness to complete the entire track comfortably. Those with time restrictions or longer to spend can choose to do particular sections or spread the ride over a leisurely three to four days.

In winter the entire track is open for biking but between the peak summer times from December 1 to February 28, only the last two sections from Camp Bay to Anakiwa can be cycled. 

Departs flexible | Duration 4 - 5 hours

Additional Information

Full day guided, packed lunch supplied.

Approx 15kms.

Price: $135 to $370