3 Day Ultimate Sounds Adventure

Home 3 Day Ultimate Sounds Adventure

Come experience an incredible 3 day multi-adventure hiking, sea kayaking and biking the Queen Charlotte Track and Kenepuru Sound in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand.  This is an independent trip, we provide everything for you, including a guide for the day sea kayaking.

 

$1030 per personNZ per person
Package Includes:
  • all your water transfers
  • your guide for the sea kayaking day
  • all your equipment
  • twin/double share ensuite room at Portage Resort Hotel
  • a packed lunch each day
  • Queen Charlotte Track Land Co-op Pass
  • Single supplements do apply to single travellers wishing to stay in ensuite accommodation.

Trip Departure Time: 8.00am

Trip Return Time: 4.30pm

Duration: 3 days

On the 3 Day Ultimate Sounds Adventure you will spend one day hiking, one day sea kayaking, and another day mountain biking in the beauty and magic of the Marlborough Sounds. At night, rest and relax in the peaceful surroundings of The Portage.

With the hiking & mountain biking components being independent, and the sea kayaking guided, this trip provides the best of both worlds.

Day One – Independent Walking (approximately 5 hours)

Catch the 8.00am water taxi from Picton to Ship Cove in the outer reaches of Queen Charlotte Sound and the start of the Queen Charlotte Track.  Ship Cove is one of the most historically important areas in the Sounds in that it was one of James Cook’s most popular destinations on his many world travels. The area is surrounded by bountiful virgin bush and the walk to the top of the ridge provides spectacular views.  The track travels from Ship Cove/Meretoto through native virgin bush, over two saddles and down into Resolution Bay and then Endeavour Inlet.  As you arrive at Furneaux Lodge, you catch a water taxi down the Queen Charlotte Sound to Torea Bay and over the hill to Portage Hotel.

Day Two – Guided Sea Kayaking

Today our guide will meet you for a leisurely day sea kayaking in the Kenepuru Sound.  The Kenepuru Sound is the smallest of the three sounds that make up the Marlborough Sounds, but is a stunning paddling area, with bush clad shorelines and sandy beaches to explore.  No experience is necessary to enjoy this trip and your guide will ensure that you have a fun, safe sea kayaking experience.

Day Three – Independent Mountain Biking (approximately 4 hours)

Today you will ride independently from Portage Hotel to Anakiwa. The section of the track from the hotel to Mistletoe Bay is very steep, and you may opt to ride the road for this section. The track from Mistletoe Bay to Anakiwa is regarded as one of New Zealand’s “sweetest” mountain bike rides.  Travelling around Onahau Bay the track is narrow and undulating.  From the headland, you descend into a wider, more moderate section through magnificent beech forest, before a long descent into Anakiwa. At the end of the ride, return by water taxi to Picton.

It is recommended that you do have a moderate amount of mountain biking experience, preferably on single track, to enjoy this ride.  If you lack single track experience, then you may like to ride the Kenepuru road from Portage to Anakiwa.

Departures

Departures are available on any day between October and April each year, dependent on accommodation and equipment availability.

Once you know your preferred departure date, contact us and we will check availability. It is helpful if you can also indicate other dates that are suitable around your preferred date, in case your first choice is not available.

FAQs

How fit do I need to be?

You should be of moderate fitness to enjoy this trip. Each day you will be undertaking about four or five hours’ activity. The pace is gentle and you can go as fast or as slow as you wish.

How much mountain biking experience do I need?

We recommend that you have at least ridden some single tracks before. Just being able to ride a bike will not be sufficient experience to negotiate the track. Your guide will assist you with how to ride this section of the track, but they cannot prevent you from falling off and hurting yourself, therefore you do require some mountain biking experience to enjoy this part of the trip.

What is the accommodation like?

The rooms are twin/double share with ensuite. The standard rooms are ‘Weka’ rooms and the sea view rooms are ‘Korimako’ rooms, and the upgrade rooms are ‘Tui Terraces’.

What cooking facilities are there?

The hotel rooms have tea and coffee making facilities only. You can dine in either the bar or the restaurant for each meal. A packed lunch is included each day as part of the package.