Activity

Sea kayaking

Guided half-days to multi-day trips, or hire a kayak and go, from the London Quay waterfront.

Photo: Oren Rozen / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Two long-established Picton operators — Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company and Wilderness Guides — run guided paddles and self-guided hire in Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru Sounds.

On the water
No car needed
Near the ferry
Wildlife

Show on the Picton map Open in OpenStreetMap Directions

At a glance

Cost: See each operator
Departs from: London Quay, Picton waterfront
Formats: Guided half-day, full-day and multi-day trips; kayak hire; walk-and-kayak combinations with the Queen Charlotte Track

A succession of bays and forested headlands in Queen Charlotte Sound — Bays and headlands folding into one another along the sound. Krzysztof Golik / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

About Sea kayaking

The Sounds are sheltered, indented water — exactly what sea kayaks are for — and Picton's two kayak companies are both on the waterfront, so a half-day paddle fits into a day in town without transport. Longer guided trips combine paddling with sections of the Queen Charlotte Track and overnight stays in the bays.

Operators

Listed alphabetically by category, with no ranking implied. Each was confirmed as trading from its own website on the date shown at the foot of this page; prices, departure times and seasons change, so follow the link for current detail.

Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company — Describes itself as the region's oldest sea-kayaking company (over 30 years). Guided half-day to four-day trips, self-guided hire, plus bike hire and track support. 3a Town Wharf, London Quay. marlboroughsounds.co.nz
Wilderness Guides — Guided half- and full-day paddles and self-guided hire, alongside track walking and biking support. The Waterfront, corner of London Quay and Wellington Street. wildernessguidesnz.com
Marlborough Tour Company — Kayak-and-cruise and kayak-and-winery day combinations. marlboroughtourcompany.co.nz/tours-and-cruises