Things to do in Picton, South Island: The Best Outdoor Activities

Diving the world famous Mikhail Lermontov wreck since 1986, we have very experienced guides who know the wreck inside and out. We also offer an Inner Sounds Tour out of Picton. We offer SSI, PADI & TDI/SDI SCUBA Training, technical, retail and logistical support to divers from all over the world.

Personal customised boat trips in the Queen Charlotte Sound for bird/wildlife watching,diving, fishing and enjoying nature at its best.

Wilderness Guides is an outdoor adventure company based in Picton, owned and operated for the past 20 years by Steve and Juliet Gibbons, New Zealanders and Marlborough people with a passion for the outdoors. The owners are hands-on and have a background as outdoor guides in the area and with their close-knit team and dedicated team, offer a truly personalized service for all guests. Tours offered are quality and authentic New Zealand wilderness experiences with an emphasis on education, conservation, local history and culture as well as New Zealand native flora and fauna. This is combined with the finest of local food and wine. These include guided and independent walks on the Queen Charlotte Track from one day to many days in length, mountain bike hire and packages for the Queen Charlotte Track (one of NZ’s Great Rides) and a wide variety of sea kayaking options in the Marlborough Sounds. This is where your adventure begins!

Natural Encounters Walks, have been providing walking holiday packages of the Queen Charlotte Track for many years. A uniquely different multi day walk, with a wide range of accommodation options and daily luggage transfers combined with restaurants or bar meals plus having your overnight luggage waiting for you when you arrive each day makes this walk perfect for a holiday in comfort. We are locally based in Picton, New Zealand and have a huge amount of knowledge in creating the perfect walking holiday for our guests. Our walk packages on the Queen Charlotte Track have been designed to create the maximum walking holiday in style making your experience as enjoyable as possible.

Do you want a friendly and personable diving experience? You'll find it here. We have professional staff who care about your comfort. Enjoy the beauty of the Marlborough Sounds on our sturdy ex-commercial marine farming boat as you travel to your dive site. The boat has a cozy cabin allowing you to change after the dive and we can supply you with hot drinks and soup to keep you warm.

Marlborough Sounds Adventure Co are based on the Picton waterfront, with a large base where sea kayaks and bikes can be hired from, and all our guided trips depart. Sara and Dave have owned the business for 24 years and their mature, experienced staff enjoy providing the best adventure activities possible every day. Our sea kayaking trips are designed to give you as much time as possible on the water. Sharing the special parts of the Sounds is what our guides love to do everyday or if hiring a sea kayak and exploring on your own is your preferred option, then we can help you do this safely and with quality equipment. Hire a mountain bike and ride all or part of the Queen Charlotte Track on one of our quality mountain bikes. Serviced daily, our bikes are set up for the rugged terrain of the track. Our walking package options are designed for both the independent and guided walker and ensure that your walk on the QCT is as hassle free and enjoyable as possible.

Cruise departure from Picton Marina at 1.30pm daily for an afternoon scenic cruise in the Queen Charlotte Sound. Enjoy local seafood including Regal salmon, Cloudy Bay Clams and Greenshell mussels with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for the definitive wine/food match. ​ Discover the natural beauty of the Queen Charlotte Sound, departing Picton, while cruising aboard our luxury launch that departs from daily, all year round. Cruise near a King salmon farm, learn about aquaculture in the Marlborough Sounds and take in the picturesque scenery.

For the past 25 years we have been heavily involved in conservation, it’s what we are passionate about!  We run tours, by arrangement only, which give you an insight and close experience of NZ native species and our conservation efforts to protect them. It will be an interesting and fun way to learn more about conservation in New Zealand.

We are a Picton based Helicopter company offering Scenic flights throughout the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. We can tailor our flights to meet the needs of your group, carrying up to 4 passengers at any one time. We also work in with many other local businesses and can offer packages including; fishing, mountain biking, boat tours, gourmet meals and many others. Do you need accommodation? Outside of scenic flights we also have permits to land in many of the national parks. We perform agricultural spraying, fire fighting, hunting and other general lifting tasks.