Water Sports in Marlborough

Marlborough water sports start with paddling, and the region offers two very different places to do it: a river that guided trips reach from Havelock, and the bays and inlets of the Marlborough Sounds. Kayaking tours in Marlborough are the way in, and they sit comfortably alongside the cruises, tours and walks that make up the things to do in Marlborough.

Paddling out of Havelock

Guided kayak trips on the Pelorus River set out from Havelock. Trips such as the Hobbit kayaking tour on the Pelorus River follow the river past locations used in The Hobbit films, on Grade 1 and 2 rapids, with a guide on hand to point out the filming spots.

River levels change what suits a given day, which is why operators ask for the ages of any children in the group at the time of booking.

Paddling and boating in the Marlborough Sounds

Queen Charlotte Sound and Pelorus Sound are the other half of Marlborough's water. Their bays and inlets are reached by boat from Picton and Havelock, and a few outings pair a cruise with time to paddle. Havelock is also where the Pelorus Sound mail boat leaves from on set days each week, which makes the town a handy base for a few days on the water.

A lunch cruise to Punga Cove Resort in Endeavour Inlet, for example, leaves time after the meal to take out a paddleboard or kayak, then returns to Picton on the scheduled water taxi. The Marlborough Sounds cruise and lunch at Punga Cove Resort works that way.

More ways onto the water around Marlborough

Cruises cover the rest of the water. Marlborough Sounds cruises include mail boat runs from Picton and Havelock as well as seafood and lunch cruises, and Marlborough tours add cruise-and-walk days and winery days. For days that stay on dry land, Marlborough activities take in the Queen Charlotte Track and the wildlife of Motuara Island.

Frequently asked questions

Where can you go kayaking in Marlborough?

Kayaking in Marlborough is centred on the Pelorus River, with guided trips setting out from Havelock, and on the waters of the Marlborough Sounds, where some lunch cruises leave time to paddle.

What are the rapids like on the Pelorus River?

Guided Pelorus River kayak trips run Grade 1 and 2 rapids, with wetsuits and safety equipment supplied. River levels can affect which trips suit younger paddlers, so operators ask for the ages of children at booking.

How long does a Pelorus River kayaking trip take?

Pelorus River kayaking tours such as the Hobbit tour are around a 4.5-hour outing from Havelock, including a 2.5-hour paddle.

What should you wear kayaking on the Pelorus River?

The Hobbit tour on the Pelorus River asks for closed waterproof shoes, a T-shirt and shorts or swimmers, sunglasses, a towel, a water bottle and a warm change of clothes. Wetsuits and safety equipment are supplied.

Can you paddle in the Marlborough Sounds?

Some Marlborough Sounds cruises include time to paddle, such as the Punga Cove Resort lunch cruise, where guests can take out a paddleboard or kayak after lunch.

Paddling is where Marlborough water sports begin, from the Havelock end of the region out into the bays of the Marlborough Sounds.