Best Abel Tasman Day trip
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Nelson, New Zealand
- 6 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
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Overview
If you’re pressed for time and can’t spend multiple days hiking in Abel Tasman National Park, this small-group tour packs a lot into a day. Cruise around Split Apple Rock, then anchor at Tonga Island Marine Reserve. Take the opportunity to explore the park on your own terms: go snorkeling at the beach, paddle a kayak, or disembark and take a bush walk to enjoy the views from another angle.
- Look out for wildlife, including fur seals, penguins, and dolphins
- Lunch with alcoholic drinks plus snacks and refreshments are provided
- Take advantage of the free-to-use snorkels and kayaks
- Meet at Kaiteriteri starting point for easy access
What's Included
- LunchWe provide a platter style lunch with fresh local ingredients to cater for a range of diets.
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Soda/Pop
- Alcoholic BeveragesWine and Beer are offered with lunch
- Bottled water
- SnacksA fruit bowl is kept fully stocked with fresh local produce for our guests to help themselves
- Use of kayaks, snorkels and flippers
- Restroom on board
- Bus service payableNZ$50.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
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End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.10:00 am
Itinerary
1
Tonga Island Marine Reserve
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
Split Apple Rock
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Abel Tasman Coast Track
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Kathryn_W
We had the most incredible day trip with Abel Tasman charters. The views were stunning, what a truly beautiful national park. Lots of wildlife including baby seals and rare birds. Tim and fleur were brilliant and really looked after us. The stops were fantastic, gorgeous little bays with plenty of time to swim, walk or kayak. Delicious healthy freshly prepared lunch, also plenty of refreshments and snacks. One of our favourite excursions on our trip to Nz, you must take this trip!
Reviews
5.0
based on 250 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
James_S, Apr 2026
What a wonderful day! Capital Tim and Ella were amazing! This was our highlight visiting Nelson and so glad we booked it... Our kids (10, 8, 4) had a blast and said it was their favorite tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thanks, James, for your review
We are thrilled to hear we not only got the day right for you but that the kids had a great time too.
Ginger_J, Mar 2026
Todd a d Fluer were just incredibly kind and informative hosts. The trip and sites were just incredible with seals, and little blue footed penguin to boot! Got to do a little kayaking- hike with gorgeous views and the lunch and treats were scrumptious!
Highly recommend!!!
Julie_C, Mar 2026
It’s the best court out there. Crew was amazing, we saw beautiful beaches and learned all about the area. The lunch was so tasty. I loved our time on one of the beaches. We had a great hike around one of the coves.
Christina_W, Mar 2026
Everything was fantastic! Good food, drinks, company. Fantastic day exploring Abel Tasman with amazing staff! Definitely recommend it!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thanks for your really great review! Absolutely fantastic and to the point.
We appreciate your recommendation to others and are so pleased you had an amazing day.
Jeanette_B, Mar 2026
Highly recommend this day trip! Every detail was excellent! Very skilled, knowledgeable, and helpful crew. They worked to make the day perfect! Very tasty lunch! Would definitely do again next time we’re in New Zealand.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for your lovely review. We are thrilled to hear that every detail of the day hit the mark for you. Our crew will be delighted to know their knowledge and care helped make the experience feel perfect. We look forward to sharing another Abel Tasman Day with you on your next New Zealand adventure.
Mark_B, Mar 2026
This was a great experience. The hospitality of our guide/hosts, Emma and Ella, coupled with the natural beauty of the park made for a perfect day. We’re in our 70’s and worried a little about keeping up, but we did fine.
Joy_M, Mar 2026
such an absolutely perfect day on the water. From the kindness of the staff to the views to the lunch everything was great!
Baruch_B, Mar 2026
Wonderful day at Abel Tasman. Friendly and knowledgable crew, great experience, the best we had so far on our trip. excellent lunch and service. Wonderful sites and great plan.
Helen_C, Feb 2026
Fantastic boat trip with great scenery. The boat was very comfortable and the crew were super friendly and knowledgeable. Two stops with opportunities to walk, kayak and swim - beautiful beaches. Saw dolphins. Slightly strange transfer arrangements. You get in 2 hours before the boat trip (As suggested I did the pretty walk from Kaiteriteri to kill a bit of time was still very early). Not really a problem on a sunny day. Other people on different tours did the same boat trip so you may be able to find same trip with better transfer arrangements.
Wibo_W, Feb 2026
You really get value for money, the crew on board, this time Britt and Ella take really good care of you. Fun to be with them.
Donna_A, Feb 2026
The boat trip was fab. The crew were great and nothing was too much trouble. It’s a great way of seeing the coast of Abel Tasman.
Amanda_D, Feb 2026
A great day out with spectacular scenery, kayaking, swimming and walking opportunities.
Small group was perfect with room for everyone.
Food and drink provided were local and fresh.
Staff were warm relaxed and welcoming.
Kristy_L, Jan 2026
SO fantastic! It was a nice luxurious experience, where we didn’t have to worry about anything. Food and drinks were delicious. It was great to have kayaks, towels, sunscreen ready for us. Tim and Ella were our crew, and they were phenomenal. Ella was so sweet, very attentive, and promptly took care of service, cleaning, etc. and she’s a great conversationalist. Tim was full of fun facts and thoughtfully answered questions. He also anticipated all of our needs (especially as we had a toddler and infant), helping us every step of the way! No detail was too minor, like he noticed me having trouble with kiwis and asked Ella to help, or planning to discreetly offer dessert away from my toddler (even without us asking!!). He took extra boat trips to give us more time to get off the boat without slowing the other guests down. Tim took us to the seal area twice to ensure we would see them. Boat itself was very nice and clean - thanks to Tim and Ella constantly tidying up and wiping things down. Kayaks and amenities were great! Both were just class acts, and I wish we had more trips with them!!
Salvatore_R, Jan 2026
Great way to explore the coast of Abel Tasman National Park. About an hour drive from Nelson area. Brett and Emma were extremely personable and welcoming. They shared a bit of the history of the area which was very informative. Hike was a nice break from the boat while providing them with time to prepare lunch and the views were terrific. It was about 1.4 miles and not difficult. The lunch was quite good and very tasty. Local wines and beer were a nice touch as well. Fur seals while kayaking for about 25 minutes was great as well. Highly recommend this trip if you are in the area. It was a great way to spend 6 hours. Small group was nice as well. We had 4 in our party and there were 8 people in total. A must do!!
Leah_S, Jan 2026
It is optional to snorkel and kyak. Those who want to will have about 45 minutes to do so, the rest of the time you are on a beach or the boat. The food was supurbe. The two staff members who were with us, Brett and Ella were fantastic and kind. The boat itself was beautiful and comfortable. Bring sunscreen!! We enjoyed our day and it was well worth the time and money. Some members of the group elected to stay on the boat all but one hour of the activity, and that was no problem. Abel Tasman was gorgeous and I hope to return soon for a longer visit.
Emily_D, Jan 2026
This was without doubt the best day trip I’ve ever done. We sailed on the most beautiful boat exploring Abel Tasman. There were only 7 people on my trip so it was very intimate. Brett and Ella who led the trip were so informative and gave us interesting snippets of information throughout the day. We had time to stop and enjoy the beaches or the sea either swimming, kayaking or snorkelling - I managed time for all 3! The lunch was delicious all from local suppliers and drinks were served all day at your request. In the afternoon we stopped and had time to go for a short 2km hike with stunning views before heading back on the boat. It really was a perfect day and made even more perfect by Brett and Ella - thank you!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Wow! that is high praise Emily. It is fantastic to hear that your day with us made such an impression on you.
Brett and Ella are passionate about the Abel Tasman National Park and ensuring that you have the best possible day, so they are thrilled to know that they got it so right.
Thank you so much for sharing your review and we hope we might get the chance to welcome you back onboard one day again soon.
Paul_G, Jan 2026
Excellent itinerary, fantastic crew, boat, food and service. Enjoyable and unforgettable day! Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your fabulous review. It means a lot to us that you enjoyed you day so much and appreciate you taking the time to share this with other travellers.
Kathryn_W, Jan 2026
We had the most incredible day trip with Abel Tasman charters. The views were stunning, what a truly beautiful national park. Lots of wildlife including baby seals and rare birds. Tim and fleur were brilliant and really looked after us. The stops were fantastic, gorgeous little bays with plenty of time to swim, walk or kayak. Delicious healthy freshly prepared lunch, also plenty of refreshments and snacks. One of our favourite excursions on our trip to Nz, you must take this trip!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for sharing such a lovely review. We’re delighted to hear your day in Abel Tasman was a highlight of your NZ trip and that Tim and Fleur's care made your experience so memorable. It’s wonderful that you enjoyed the wildlife, the beautiful bays, and the freshly prepared lunch. We really appreciate the recommendation and hope we can welcome you back again one day.
Amy_T, Dec 2025
Fantastic experience with stellar guides. Our guides, Tim and Flor were friendly, professional and knowledgeable.The boat was impeccable, the food, delicious and the variety of available activities suited everyone aboard. We were even able to watch a Little Blue Penguin swimming in the bay. My family and I highly recommend this tour.
Millie_S, Dec 2025
Absolute luxury from start to finish , wildlife, stunning scenery, kayaking, swimming and walking with the loveliest of expert staff - just wonderful .
Elisabeth_S, Dec 2025
Highly recommended for anyone who, like us, has limited time on their New Zealand trip.
As promised, I only just got around to it now!
Blue skies, perfect service from Tim and only 5 people on the boat... simply a perfect day.
The bus transfer from Nelson also went perfectly.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you. We’re delighted to hear the day worked so well for your travels and that Tim helped make it such a memorable experience. With perfect weather, a small group on board, and smooth transfers from Nelson, it sounds like everything came together beautifully. We really appreciate you joining us and taking the time to share your review.
Cassandra_W, Dec 2025
We had a wonderful time exploring the beauty of Abel Tasman in the best way possible. We were lucky enough to see some dolphins and seals and enjoyed some memorable hiking and kayaking experiences. Many thanks to Tim and Fleur - our very generous and gracious guides! I can not recommend them highly enough!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We’re thrilled to hear Tim and Fleur helped create such a memorable day and that you had the extra joy of experiencing dolphins and seals. It’s great to know you will remember the hiking and kayaking and time out exploring those beautiful beaches.
Gregory_S, Nov 2025
Great day with great people!
Captain Tim and Fluer are fabulous hosts offering a fun filled day of activities! And the lunch is fantastic!
Definitely recommend the experience.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed our fantastic team - Tim and Fleur and that you had a great day exploring the beautiful Abel Tasman National Park with our company.
Thanks for you great review
Caz_S, Nov 2025
A magical day in Abel Tasman with our skipper Tim and host Flo who ensured that our day was really special and even provided towels to dry our feet.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thanks for your fantastic review
We are glad to hear you felt well looked after and had a magical day
Karen_S, Nov 2025
our skipper was Britt and together with him was Fleur. Both were welcoming, warm and extremely knowledgeable. We were only 4 couples who were very nice and we all had a good time at the amazing Abel Tasman National park. Highly reccomended.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
So glad to hear you had a great time and you enjoyed our trip.
We appreciate your lovely review.
Karina
Cindy_W, Oct 2025
Great day on the water in Abel Tasman! From the tea or coffee in the morning to the terrific lunch and afternoon brownie and hot drink, the tour and staff were all terrific. The staff were all very friendly, professional and knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thanks for sharing how much you enjoyed your day with us. It means a lot.
Thank you
Nerida_J, Apr 2025
This was well organised with the guide being very knowledgeable & professional. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting a relaxing day which included a very yummy lunch.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
"Thank you so much for your kind words, Nerida! We're thrilled to hear that you had a relaxing and enjoyable day with us. Our team takes pride in creating a well-organized and memorable experience, and it's wonderful to know that our knowledgeable guide and delicious lunch contributed to your trip. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Abel Tasman!"
Ross_F, Apr 2025
The tour was absolutely fantastic - I cannot recommend highly enough. Our skipper was brilliant, incredibly knowledgeable and looked after us fantastically during the day. This tour gives you the option to Kayak, Hike and / or Swim in the stunning scenery of the Abel Tasman National Park. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the tour if you are in the area.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Thanks for your fantastic recommendation, we appreciate you taking the time to let others know about your experience and we are so glad you enjoyed your day
Paul_B, Mar 2025
Absolutely no one should miss this one. It was 100% satisfaction from the time we left to the end of the tour. Tim was fantastic!! Personable, attentive, provides excellent service and care. The time we had to hike, swim or just be lazy were planned just perfectly. And the food and beverages were delicious and a great choice.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
"Thank you so much for your glowing review! We are thrilled to hear that you had a 100% satisfying experience from start to finish. Tim will be delighted to know that his attentiveness and service made your day even more special. It’s fantastic that the balance of hiking, swimming, and relaxation suited you perfectly, and we’re so pleased that you enjoyed the delicious food and beverages. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Abel Tasman!"
Ryan_M, Mar 2025
This was a wonderful day out on a boat with the opportunity to swim, kayak, and hike, or simply hang out on the boat and take in the scenery while enjoying delicious food and drinks. Our skipper, Brant, was amazing and we learned a lot about the history and the wildlife of the area. We even saw several seals. The lunch was amazing! They also had a good variety of local beers, wines, and non-alcoholic options. One of the highlights of our trip to New Zealand!
From $310.06
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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