Top Nelson Walking Tours

Great tour. Very knowledgeable guide and lasted a full 3hrs.

We LOVED our 3 days with Wilsons. Our total group had 18 people, 12 of which did the guided walk (the other 6, whom we saw for meals, did the kayak or self-guided walk). We were the only Americans in the group, which we loved as it was fun to talk to get to know travelers from Australia, NZ, and Europe. Our guides were very knowledgable and kind. All of the logistics of the trip were very well managed. The food was very good. The lodges were attractive and quite comfortable (but not super luxurious) with absolutely amazing beach front locations. We did 30 miles of walking across 3 days and had a lovely boat ride back at the end. The pace of walking was good for us (we are 4 fit outdoorsy people in our early 60s). I really don't have any complaints at all and I would like to do this walk again with my adult kids, although I'd probably try the kayak/walk combo next just for the variety. Do know that most of the walking is in the forest, not along the beaches, although each day you do spend time on the beaches and there are some great views. But it is mostly a forested hike. Also, our weather was absolutely fantastic, which had a big impact on our experience. I know weather cannot be predicted, but do schedule this trip when it is likely to be dry. We went the 3rd week of March.

Enjoyable and educational walk around central Nelson. Visit included the cathedral, shopping area, Queen’s Park and Matai river walk. Thank you James!

We enjoyed a wonderful tramp along this beautiful coast. Wilson’s two lodges (there is only one other along the 32 kms stretch of coastline) are perfect, with communal eating, a two- choice menu, comfortable en-suite rooms with cotton sheets, and easy-to-use showers. The views are magnificent, the tracks well groomed, swimming off golden beaches. The big plus, however, are the staff, who are friendly, clear in their advice/instructions, professional but also fun. They clearly enjoy working together. Sarah led our group brilliantly; she is a hugely competent young woman. We enjoyed the company of Chilean Chris at Meadowbank. We will be back!

We had a wonderful tour of the coast between Nelson & Abel Tasman, with enough ground time for a short walk on the beach & a light meal at the Awaroa Lodge. Quite a different perspective than when I last hiked the trail many years ago :-)Pilots were professional yet friendly, offering local color commentary & patiently answering questions - would love to return on a future visit!

Everything was great. The guide on time and easy to find. James, the guide was very competent and we learned a lot about Nelson earlier and today. We can only recommend the tour.

James showed us the city at its best. With a lot of knowledge and an easy to understand English accent, a lot of it, easy for us to listen to him. Thank you, James.

What a brilliant three days. Organisation was exceptional, accommodation and food top class. Our guide Sarah was so well informed and clearly passionate about the environment. Steady pace with plenty of breaks for photos, snacks and drinks. Group size was ideal (12 hiking) with the chance to chat with the kayakers over dinner. A fascinating family story too.

We have just completed the 3 day guided walk. Expert guiding by Sophie and Emma (the dream team). Beautiful surroundings, stunning scenery brought to life by Sophie’s enthusiasm and knowledge of Abel Tasman and the natural world. Great lodges with delicious food. Also great company on our walk and at dinner. Would highly recommend

James (our guide) was friendly,knowledgeable and engaging. A very enjoyable and educational experience.

We were staying for one night in Nelson, whilst travelling round NZ from the UK and my sister booked the walking tour with James before we got there. We had a fantastic morning and the tour lasted 3 hours and extremely informative. James was the perfect host and took us to some lovely shops too. We learned so much in those 3 hours, would definitely recommend this tour and James ! Thanks again James, hope you have a good season 😎

An exellent way to learn about the history of Nelson and discover the city sights. Much better than doing it on your own. Our guide, James, was engaging and personable. He pointed out many sights that we had walked by and missed on our own.

James pointed out things about Nelson’s you would normally walk past and miss. He was great in explaining everything and in a way making things interesting.

We had a great tour with James who is very knowledgeable on Nelson and the area. It's a great way to start a stay at Nelson.

This walking tour was excellent. Guide James was so chatty and friendly, and an absolute font of knowledge about Nelson. We saw so many places we would never have found ourselves, and learnt a lot about Nelson and its history. The tour lasted close on 3 hours. Sadly it was Sunday when we did the tour, so many shops were closed. But that was a minor thing, and we greatly enjoyed the morning, and especially appreciated James who did a marvellous job as the tour guide.

James was a first class guide. Without him we would not have seen and learnt so much about Nelson. The length of the wall was ideal and he kept it at a good pace for us all. Thank you James for a great morning walk.