Top Nelson Sailing Trips

This was the BEST experience! Frank and Martin were so knowledgeable and happy to share plenty of history and fun anecdotes about the national park and surrounding areas. They gave an amazing blend of Māori and European history which really gave a full understanding of New Zealand. They even let guests drive the boat! The lunches were wonderful and there was never ending tea and coffee as well as biscuits. Not only did we learn heaps, but they slowed down to show us penguins and seals and all kinds of life around the park. If you want to see Abel Tasman this is the way!! My dad also is a bit mobility impaired and the entire staff including the front desk agent came down to help him onto the boat. They also made such a point to always make sure he was able to move around the catamaran and off safely. Truly a magical experience for the whole family!

We had a super day. It was very well organized and an easy relaxed day with beautiful scenery. Highly recommend. You won't be disappointed. Book it.

It was a lovely way to experience Abel Tassman Park. We were able to do some open ocean sailing, see the beautiful golden beaches, do a small hike and even the fur seals were out enjoying the day. The crew was funny, knowledgeable and a blast to be around. We highly recommend this tour if you are looking for a relaxing way to see more of the park.

A walk, hike and sail along the coast in Abel Tasman National Park. A true natural treasure for international visitors too. Allow a full day for the tour including to and from Nelson.

We really enjoyed our day sail. We were able to see the highlights of the park from the coast. Staff were helpful and informative. Catamaran was comfortable and a nice lunch provided.

Superb experience. Very relaxing and a lovely captain who had lots of knowledge. Plenty of room to move around the boat once we had set sail. Lunch was a delicious wrap with an apple and a couple of sweet treats to finish with. Coffee and tea available throughout the trip and a biscuit or two if you so desire. Lots of photo opportunities of places of interest. Stunning views around the coast line. Would highly recommend.

Excellent taxi boat ride to Abel Tasman Anchorage bay followed by a nice trail hike and a 3 hours sailing on a lovely catamaran with a charming pilot and his partner. We truly enjoyed the tour.

A perfectly organized excursion to get a sense of the beauty of the Abel Tasman NP. The walk to Pitt Head Outlook was quite nice and not difficult. The picnic we ordered was nice. The explanation of the skippers was interesting.

Well organized. There was no wind so the sailing was slow. With that would’ve been nice to hike more. Also, the boat was crowded as I was expected 20 people closer to 30.

Relaxing full day trip on catamaran with friendly helpful crew . You are given a decent packed lunch to eat on the hour long beach stop at Anchor Bay . The stop allows time for a swim there too . The skipper ensured we used the sails as much a the winds would allow and was knowledgable and entertaining about the national park . The day trip states maximum 19 people however , we had 27 passengers up the coast and more on the return trip - although we could find a seat , I feel it was a little crowded .

A great sailing experience but the lack of organisation and poor communication almost spoilt it. We booked our ticket, down loaded it and read the information, arriving half an hour before departure because we were not told exactly where to go or at what time. On arrival, there was no sign of a boat and no one manning the Abel Tasman Sailing Adventures office. We thought we’d missed our boat, and lost our money, by not arriving early enough. After ten minutes the office opened. Initially, no record of our booking could be found and our ticket was apparently not valid for the first part of the experience: the drop off at Anchorage Bay. Thankfully, the person in the office was willing to go the extra mile for us: she tracked down our booking, obtained an additional ticket for the water taxi, and gave us very specific instructions on where to go and how to ensure we were picked up later by the catamaran team. The experience itself went without further problems and we had a fantastic time.

More exclusive tour with few people on board. We received a well-prepared snack. Tea and coffee were served at will. The walk is pretty and comfortable.

The 2 crew members were very good. The captain had so much local knowledge. He was so easy to talk with and he had a great sense of humour. Enjoyed his jokes😂🤣. The lunch was delicious, especially the home made ginger chocolate crunch it was to die for

This trip was amazing, and the skipper was great. I went with my two children and this trip was the best trip to do in the Abel Tasman National Park. The sailing boat was really cool with outside seating and great comintery on the local history of the area. Tania

Lovely slow down boat trip, sailing when possible. Plenty of space on board and crew who know the environment, the animals and the history and tell stories about it. Lunch was very tasty and more than adequate. Despite the fact that it was a sunny day, the temperature varied greatly and dressing accordingly is very nice.

If you come in on a cruise, the activity is 60 minute drive from the port and the transport is not included. There is no public transportation to the area, so you need to preplan your transportation! Once we got there, the water tour and activities were great.