FAQ's

The Abel Tasman Track - 3 Days / 2 Nightsxx xxx

Frequently Asked Questions

To help plan your overnight guided walk or sea kayaking trip here are some of the most commonly asked questions:

When is the best time to travel?

Abel Tasman National Park is a great place to visit any time:

Highest number of sunshine hours in NZ year round
Rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year
Most NZ trees are evergreen, so the native forest is colourful in all seasons.
The busiest time is January/February. Outside of these times the Park is just as spectacular. During the cooler months (April to September) days are often sunny and calm. This is the best time for photography and viewing the wildlife. The Beachfront Lodges have open fires and are centrally heated, so are cozy year-round.

What will the weather be like?

NZ Met Service puts the Nelson/Motueka area amongst the sunniest places in the country with over 2,350 bright sunshine hours per year. Average rainfall in the Nelson region is 988 mm (38 inches) per year. This rises to about 1800mm as you travel north to Totaranui.

	Mean Daily Max. Temps (C/F)	Mean Daily Min. Temps (C/F)	Average Rain Days (>1mm)
Summer(Dec/Jan/Feb)	22/72	13/55	6
Autumn(Mar/Apr/May)	18/64	8/46	8
Winter(Jun/Jul/Aug)	13/55	3/37	10
Spring(Sept/Oct/Nov)	17/63	7/45	10

What time do we start on the first day?

Trips usually start at Kaiteriteri or Marahau around 10am. The coach picks you up from your accommodation in Nelson between 7.30am and 8.00am. If you are not able to stay in the Nelson area the night before your trip, contact us to arrange a later time for you to meet your group.

What time do we finish on the last day?

The coach picks you up from Marahau or Kaiteriteri to return to our Motueka office by about 4pm. The coach always gets to Nelson by 5.30pm. This ensures you will be able to catch flights out of Nelson. If your travel plans require an earlier arrival in Motueka or Nelson, it can easily be arranged.

What is the size of a guided group?

Torrent Bay Lodge has 13 twin/double rooms. Meadowbank Homestead - Awaroa has 12 twin/double rooms and 2 self-contained cottages. There is a ratio of 8 kayakers to one guide, and 12 walkers to one guide

What type of shoes should I take?

For overnight trips with you will need three sets of footwear:

Comfortable walking shoes - the Abel Tasman Coastal Track is well formed and heavy hiking boots are not necessary. Some people walk the track in sport sandals, but that is only recommended if you know you are comfortable with minimal support for your feet.
Estuary crossing shoes - there will be some tidal estuary crossings where your feet will get wet. Rock and shells in the estuary sand can be very hard on bare skin. Wet sand sucks onto shoes, making it very difficult to walk in loose fitting footwear. Recommended: rubber water shoes, light sneakers, sport sandals. Not recommended: bare feet or any footwear not firmly fixed to your foot (eg. flip flops, scuffs, jandals, slides, slip-ons etc.)

What is supplied?

As well as a wonderful holiday experience, with skilled, friendly guides, chefs and boat crew, the following is supplied: - ALL food (from lunch on the first day, breakfasts, dinners, morning and afternoon teas) - All linen (bedding and towels) at the lodges - 750ml water bottle - Waterproof plastic liners for bags - For kayakers, all technical and safety equipment is provided, including stable double kayaks, water resistant paddling tops, buoyancy vests, dry bags. – You are given you a Lodge Luggage Bag to keep and Daypacks are available to borrow

What meals are included?

From morning tea on Day 1 to lunch on your final day, all meals are included: full breakfast, morning and afternoon teas, packed lunch (including snack bars and chocolate) and dinner created by the chef and prepared by fully trained staff. Fresh fruit is freely available.

Will I need to take any cash?

You will not need any extra money at the lodges. Local beer and wine is available to purchase so an account can be kept for you to be paid at the end of your trip when you return to the office. There may be time to visit a local bar or cafe on the edge of the National Park at the end of your trip. You will need a small amount of money if you wish to buy anything there. Tea and coffee on board the Vista Cruise is free of charge for our overnight guests. Soft drinks are available to purchase on board.

How fit do I have to be?

Walking and kayaking are physical activities, but paddling requires very little skill or strength (see next question) and the Abel Tasman Coast track is very well formed with long flat sections and a few easy grade uphill and downhill sections (the highest point of the track is around 150 metres - 500 feet). You are welcome to travel on one of the boats to shorten your day's paddling or walking. The five-day itineraries include an extra day at the two beachfront lodges where you can relax and do nothing or allow your guide to plan further exploration of the National Park at a level of activity to suit you.

How much experience do I need to kayak?

When conditions are calm, sea kayaking is easy and very little skill or strength is required. Abel Tasman is renowned for its protected coastline but it is impossible to guarantee the conditions. It might be necessary to paddle against the wind to the nearest beach. Kayak guides provide full training and if their instructions are followed kayaking is safe and fun. Double kayaks are used for stability and the advantage of having two people sharing the paddling effort. If you find you do not enjoying kayaking, you are welcome to join the guided walk or travel on one of the boats.

Should I book the kayaking or the walking option?

If you book the walking option, it is not always possible to change to the kayaking option at short notice because kayaking requires more organisation of specialist equipment. If you are unsure about kayaking, but would like to give it a try, book the kayaking trip remembering that kayaking each day is optional. You can join the guided walkers or travel on one of the boats if you find that kayaking is not for you. The five-day guided walks can include optional sheltered water canoeing on days 2 and 4 - a good introduction to kayaking.

Can I kayak on my own?

Double kayaks are used for their ease of handling, stability, carrying capacity and advantage of having two people sharing the paddling effort. Single travellers will be matched with a suitable paddling partner, or a guide. As single kayaks are more difficult to control and much less stable, guests are not usually permitted to use them unless prior arrangements have been made. To use a single kayak, a guest must show kayak logbooks proving previous sea kayaking experience in all weather conditions, and ability to self-rescue.

Where is the best place to stay the night before our trip with you?

If you let us know where you will be staying the night before you travel with us, we will drop off pre-trip information and your overnight luggage bag at most accommodation providers between Nelson and Motueka. If you choose to stay north of Motueka, in Kaiteriteri or Marahau, we ask that you call into the office to pick up your pre-trip package before your departure day. the bus starts in Nelson and picks up all guests on the way to Motueka on the morning of your departure.

What happens to my luggage?

Your overnight luggage is transported to the lodges by launch. Therefore we do require you to re-pack your luggage into the overnight bag we supply for you to keep (a sports bag 47cm x 35cm x 25cm). Any luggage not required on your trip (including valuables) can be left in secure storage at the office in Motueka. If you let us know where you are staying in the Nelson/Motueka area the night before you travel, we will deliver your overnight bag, plastic liners and clothing list to your accommodation. On the morning of your departure, we stop at the Motueka office where you can store luggage (there is time to repack your bags) and we can lend you a daypack if required.

What To Bring: Overnight Trips Abel Tasman National Park

What to Wear

We enjoy glorious weather, summer and winter. Temperatures can be crisp in the mornings and cool in late afternoon with summer sea breezes. Bring a warm layer of wool or polar fleece and a light rain jacket to ensure your comfort. The Coastal Track is well formed and mostly shaded by native forest. The track comes down onto golden-sand beaches fringed by lush native forest and protected azure waters - ideal for swimming.

* Cotton clothing (especially denim) is not recommended. It is very heavy and cold if it gets wet, and takes a long time to dry. Thermal, quick-dry fabrics are best, Polypropylene, polar fleece or wool. For kayaking, we provide a spray jacket and buoyancy vest that will keep you warm on most days when paddling. Bring a spare set of clothing and warm layer to be stored in the kayak so you can change into dry gear if necessary. Always bring some shoes you can walk in, in case weather causes you to land on a beach where some walking might be necessary.

Sun protection

Abel Tasman National Park enjoys the highest number of sunshine hours in the country. Our clear skies with no pollution result in a very high risk of sunburn, even on a cloudy day. Bring sunglasses, hat and sunscreen.

Footwear

We recommend cool, light, comfortable footwear.

Not recommended: any shoes with no heel attachment, eg. jandals, flip flops, scuffs, slides etc.

For walking: Light, comfortable walking shoes are suitable to walk the track. If you have hiking boots, wear them if you prefer but they are not necessary. Depending on tides and conditions, you can usually keep your feet dry. On rare occasions, you might have to remove your shoes and roll up long trousers when you are embarking or disembarking from our boats. Please wear suitable clothing and footwear to allow for this. There will be time to rinse feet and put shoes back on when necessary.

For kayaking: Weather conditions might require pulling into a beach for shelter and some walking may be required. You might like to do some exploring on foot. Therefore, please bring some footwear, suitable for walking. Footwear in the kayak is optional. Many people find it more comfortable to wear some foot cover to prevent their heels rubbing against the kayak. Rubber water socks are ideal.

Day Pack

Bring your own or borrow one of our 30 litre daypacks. Please use a plastic liner inside the daypack to ensure your day requirements stay dry. (Kayakers only: the daypack will be stored in watertight holds in the kayaks. For important items, such as cameras and spare clothes, we will supply a special watertight "dry-bag").

Please Note: We cannot guarantee to keep camera or electronic equipment dry.

Any essential personal medication must be carried with you each day.
Sandshoes, water-socks or sports sandals for tidal crossings (they will get wet). Jandals (flip-flops, scuffs, thongs etc.) are NOT suitable.
Good sports/hiking shoes. You may prefer hiking boots, but they are not necessary on the well-formed track.
Swimwear and towel (optional). Beach towels can be purchased at the office.
Sun hat, sunscreen and insect repellent (available to buy at the office)
Sunglasses
Hand steriliser (please no wipes)
Lunch and water bottle (supplied by us)
Waterproof parka with hood (disposable rain coat available to buy at the office)
Camera and film (waterproof disposable cameras available to buy at the office)
Please do not bring tissues or paper towels. They add to litter in the Park. Bring cotton handkerchiefs.
Kayakers will need a change of clothing including a warm sweater or polar fleece.
Thermal underwear (even in summer) is highly recommended. Bring quick-dry clothing, if possible: thermal fibres, polar fleece or wool. Avoid cotton, especially denim (very cold and heavy when wet).

Lodge Luggage Bag

Sports bag 47x35x25cm supplied by us and carried by launch to the Lodges. All clothing should be put in waterproof plastic bags that we provide for extra protection during the boat transfers:

Underwear, including socks and sleepwear
Spare set of hiking clothes
Casual evening clothes
Light lodge shoes (slippers)
Personal toiletries
Flashlight/torch (can be purchased from the office)

NO HAIRDRIERS PLEASE. Our generated electricity cannot power them. Battery chargers and electric razors are O.K.

PLEASE DO NOT TAKE INTO THE PARK valuable jewellery, wallets, (travel documents, passports etc) can be left in safe storage in the office.

CELL PHONES: Coverage is intermittent south of Awaroa. There is no coverage north of Awaroa Bay.

We Supply

As well as a wonderful holiday experience, with skilled, friendly guides, chefs and boat crew, we supply:

ALL food (breakfast, lunch, dinner, morning and afternoon teas)
All linen (bedding and towels) at the lodges
750ml water bottles
Waterproof plastic liners for bags
For kayakers, all technical and safety equipment is provided, including stable double kayaks, water resistant paddling tops, buoyancy vests, dry bags
A Lodge Luggage Bag to keep and Day packs are available to borrow