Abel Tasman Private Yacht & Hike

A specially tailored private guided trip using either our 46ft Beneteau yacht Miro or 46ft Leopard Catamaran Te Harinui as our base. Each enable you to explore with us and enjoy the best Abel Tasman National Park has to offer in a day.

We provide walking and hiking sections of the Abel Tasman Track in the Park, which can be combined with sea kayaking. Every trip is personalised to suit you and what you prefer to see and do. Abel Tasman National Park has wide variations in tide times, levels and weather. We therefore plan each day to suit, or spontaneously change on the day, depending on your preferences to walk, kayak or just enjoy the scenic splendour of the Park.

If you are into cruising, Te Harinui may be best for you, or if you enjoy the chance to sail Miro is a good option. As the sea breeze gets up in the afternoon during summer, the best sailing is on the return to Kaiteriteri in the afternoon, so a walk or kayak in the morning, and sail home.

Our trip provides our private yacht, Guide and skipper for the day, which enables you and our Guide to be landed near the beginning of sections of the Abel Tasman Track you would like to walk, and met later at points along the Track.

The Guide has a radio for contact with the yacht and can easily change the pickup point if you are tired, or if you wish to walk for longer. It also means we are never fixed to a schedule, and the day can be quite spontaneous. We provide a delightful platter lunch, which you’ll enjoy aboard the yacht or catamaran, both of which have areas to relax and enjoy the day.

We can also combine hiking and walking with sea kayaking. We schedule the sea kayaking for morning or afternoon depending on the tide. If it is a morning high tide we kayak from Anchorage to Bark Bay. If it is an afternoon high tide we kayak from Bark Bay to Anchorage. This enables paddling into Torrent Bay and Falls River on the tide, and if it’s an afternoon paddle, paddling with the sea breeze back to Anchorage.

All our Abel Tasman trips originate from our base in Nelson, and the price includes collecting you from your lodge or hotel accommodation and return by luxury vehicle. Our trips are all hosted by your friendly and knowledgeable Simply Wild Guide, and we provide a fresh gourmet platter lunch prepared by our Simply Wild Chef.

Timing of the day is to suit you, but we are usually in the park for around 5 hours.

We also have a number of overnight packages, where you can spend a night in the Park aboard.

Luxury vehicle pick up and drop off from your accommodation, private Guide, yacht or catamaran, gourmet platter lunch with wine or beer, park fees.

How far are the walking sections?

Because the yachts travel more slowly than our private launch, and clients prefer to spend more time aboard the yacht, we walk shorter distances in the lower (south end) of the park, more often between Watering Cove and Anchorage, and occasionally between Torrent Bay and Bark Bay. These walks tend to be around an hour.

What is the track like and what kind of footwear do I need?

The track is well formed with a firm surface, at least a metre wide in most places. It climbs from sea level with short climbs over low coastal ridges at times, providing great views of the Park. Light walking shoes or trainers are ideal footwear. Boots are not necessary. Teva or similar sandals are fine, although the fine granite sand can be a little irritating when it gets between the sole of your feet and the surface of your sandal.

What else do I need for the day?

Shorts or light quick drying trousers, light wool or polypropylene travel shirt or T shirt, light fleece jacket, light windproof jacket, cap or hat, sunglasses, day pack, swimming costume, towel, camera, suntan lotion, and insect repellent. We have plenty of spare clothing in our vehicle and can provide most items for the day such as day packs if you require them. We do not have shoes.

Where do we sea kayak from and how long does it take?

If we are combining walking and sea kayaking, we tend to sea kayak from Anchorage to Bark Bay in the morning. We have lunch on board in Bark Bay, then sail back to Pukatea Bay, walk over to Watering Cove (about 3/4 hour) to meet the yacht, then sail back to Kaiteriteri. The kayaking takes around 2 hours. If you prefer to spend more time sailing (and less walking or sea kayaking), that’s also an option.