B&B in Mārahau
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Abel Tasman and Queen Charlotte Self-Guided Walk
9 days / 8 nights
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The two classic coastal walks at the top of the South Island in one trip: beaches and a lodge inside the park first, then four lodge-to-lodge days along Queen Charlotte Sound.
The two classic coastal walks at the top of the South Island in one trip: beaches and a lodge inside the park first, then four lodge-to-lodge days along Queen Charlotte Sound.
The two classic coastal walks at the top of the South Island in one trip: beaches and a lodge inside the park first, then four lodge-to-lodge days along Queen Charlotte Sound.
Highlights
- Walk two classic coastal tracks in one trip, about 110 km with a day pack
- Wade the Awaroa Inlet at low tide and sleep two nights at the lodge beside it
- Cross from Nelson to Picton on the one day you do not walk
- Start the Queen Charlotte Track by boat at Ship Cove, where Cook anchored
- Follow the ridge between two sounds from Punga Cove to the Portage
- Finish on the Picton wharf with the ferry to Wellington across the strait
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Accommodation levelComfort
Carefully selected B&Bs, hotels and lodges, all with private en-suite rooms. Breakfast is included on the Abel Tasman nights; on the Queen Charlotte Track every lodge has its own restaurant and bar, where meals are paid on the spot.
These are examples of the type and standard you can expect. Actual properties may vary depending on availability.
What to bring to the tour
- Hiking shoes/boots
- 25 to 45-liter backpack
- Base layer
- Sports T-shirts
- Hiking shorts
- Hiking water-repellent pants
- Waterproof jacket
- Midlayer
- Sports socks and underwear
- Leisurewear for evenings
- Down jacket
- Gloves
- Shade hat/cap
- Warm headwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Headlamp
- Hiking poles
- ID card or passport
- Snacks
- Cash
- Water bottles or hydration pack
- Sleeping liner
- Toiletries
- Toilet paper
- Small first aid kit
The top of the South Island has two famous coastal walks an afternoon apart, and most people only get to one. This trip does both. Abel Tasman first: three days of golden beaches and forest between Mārahau and Tōtaranui, with a water taxi to each day's start and two nights at Awaroa Lodge inside the park. Then the Queen Charlotte Track: four days from Ship Cove to Anakiwa along the Marlborough Sounds, a lodge with a restaurant at the end of each.
The two halves suit each other. The first week is easy, warm and short on climbs, with a swim at every bay; the second is longer, two days of it over 20 km on the ridge between two sounds. By then your legs are ready.
Between them is one travel day. The noon boat out of Awaroa, a shuttle to Nelson, and the road over the hills to Picton, where the next boat leaves early the following morning. We book every leg.
Bags go by boat on both coasts, so you walk the whole 110 km with a day pack. Each night has a bathroom of your own and a restaurant or a village within reach; the lodges sell out months ahead in summer, which is why we hold them before anything else.
Distances and climbs here are approximate, measured on our own route lines and rounded. The one fixed appointment is the Awaroa Inlet, which you cross on foot at low tide on day 4, at the hour in your guidebook.
Fly into Nelson, walk out to the Picton wharf, and take the ferry across Cook Strait to Wellington. Two coasts, no car.
Frequently Asked Questions
HASSLE-FREE
We handle itineraries, accommodations, and anything else you prefer not to deal with, so you can enjoy a carefree hike.
BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE
We are a financially protected company, fully bonded and insured, keeping your money safe and allowing you to travel with confidence.
TRIED & TESTED ADVENTURES
We picked each walk only after checking it stage by stage, from the boat timetables to the lodge at each stop.
SUPPORT ON THE TRACK
Our support number is in the guidebook we give you, for a missed boat or a change of plan. In an emergency, dial 111, free from any phone.
