What to do and see in Marlborough Region, South Island: The Best Outdoor Activities

KAYAK NEW ZEALAND'S MOST BEAUTIFUL RIVER. Are you looking for a fun and easy way to discover spectacular New Zealand’s scenery? Do you want to spend a great day out with your family or friends? Are you a Hobbit fan and you don’t want to miss any of the famous filming locations? Then, the Hobbit Kayak Tour is for you!

A very warm welcome from Steve and Jo. "This is self-guided biking at its best!". Starting from our base in Renwick, where the highest concentration of cellar doors is found, you will have the freedom to set the pace & decide how far you want to bike, who you want to visit, & all without the pressure of having to keep up with others. FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE TO & FROM YOUR ACCOMMODATION (within 15km of our base in Renwick) so you don’t have to risk drinking & driving. Full emergency back-up service in case you have an issue with your bike (eg. puncture or chain falling off), hi-vis helmets & a detailed cellar door map, a briefing at the start to help you get orientated with the area & to tell you about the different cellar doors & what they offer. Up to date menus for lunch ideas & help to book a table. Free collection of any wines bought on the day. Range of step-thru bikes, tandems, trikes & 4 wheeled bikes (roadsters) & kids bikes. Tow-alongs & trailers (FOC) for families.

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.

Enjoy an afternoon scenic cruise on the Greenshell Mussel Cruise from the Havelock Marina into the Marlborough Sounds. Departing daily at 1.30pm this cruise visits a Greenshell Mussel Farm for freshly steamed mussels and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, a wonderful wine and food match in a beautiful part of Marlborough.Greenshell Mussel Cruise operates daily. Please check our Website for seasonal information, daily departure information, availability and pricing. Bookings are essential so please book online, email or phone our reservation team.

An all day cruise through the beautiful Marlborough Sounds delivering mail and groceries to remote and secluded properties. The Pelorus Sound is the largest of the Sounds and the Mail Boat is a lifeline to the people living in this boat access wonderland. You will hear a great selection of stories about life in the Sounds, its history, and how the mail has been delivered like this since 1918. You will also get to experience the marine and bird life in the area including 5 types of dolphins, Australasian gannets, rare shags, seals and many more. A full mussel farm tour is also included and there is usually an opportunity to see the mussel boats operating during harvesting or seeding. We will stop off at a local lodge and passengers are able to buy lunch or bring your own lunch and come with us to a local farm for a tour. You will also be able to enjoy a bush walk or swim if you would like. We operate 7 days in summer, which is November to April.

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.

The perfect way to do a self-guided wine tour of the Marlborough wine region. Hire a bike from Bike Hire Marlborough and wine tour by bike for the day around Marlborough's world class wine region. Flat, easy biking and beautiful scenery mean cycling the vineyards is the only way to tour the wineries. Within 3km of our home base at the Vines Village there are over a dozen wineries and river trails, giving you the best location in Marlborough to start riding from. Full day hire includes free pick up from Blenheim or Renwick accommodation. Three hour hire can be picked up from our base or the gelato shop at the The Vines Village. We have ample free parking,toilets and an on-site cafe. We are the only bike hire company in the area to be based on the original Golden Mile and the only company with a winery cellar door onsite. Ride the Golden Mile with us.

Pelorus Sound Water Taxi & Cruises Havelock Water Taxi in the Marlborough Sounds for fast, comfortable & efficient water transport throughout the Pelorus & Kenepuru Sound. Take a water taxi to your bach or holiday accommodation, enjoy a boat tour and a walk, mussel cruise, sightseeing tours in the Marlborough Sounds. We offer Scenic boat cruises all year round. If there is something you want to see in the Sounds, or if you just want to see 'around the Point'. We can take you on a guided tour and share many stories relating to the history of the area. As you travel through the spectacular Marlborough Sounds on our water taxi you will pass stunning native bush. We could stop for walks on tracks following the coastline, through beautiful bush and untouched forest.