What to do and see in Picton, South Island: The Best Things to do Good for Big Groups

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

New Zealand Walks is your online travel guide to walking in New Zealand. We have hand-picked the best of New Zealand’s hikes for you. As NZ’s specialist online travel agency dealing only in New Zealand walking holidays, we know these walks intimately and can share our knowledge with you when planning and booking your trip.

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.

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.

This unique centre provides an opportunity for nature-lovers to interact with, learn about and appreciate the unique flora and fauna of the Marlborough Sounds. The centre includes wild bird recovery, endangered bird and gecko breeding enclosures, and a self guided ecotour among native bush. Day/half-day trips include a boat cruise from Picton (Lochmara can easily arrange boat transport for you) on the stunning Queen Charlotte Sound, and an optional walk on the Queen Charlotte Track.