Abel Tasman Canyons

Colton and Emma did an amazing job in everything, they ensured our safety and prepared a lot of small surprises along the way. I never thought that canyoning is this fun and honestly just lifted our day. Thanks again Colton and Emma!

Isaac C. · March 2026 · via Google

The canyoning trip with Abel Tasman Canyons was amazing! We had so much fun and enjoyed the tour to the fullest. Jono was a wonderful and very enthusiastic guide! He always made sure that everyone felt comfortable and safe. The river is beautiful and the canyoning was a lot of fun. We can only recommend doing this tour!

Eva · February 2026 · via Google

SO much fun and excellent tour guides. The day starts in town where you meet the guides and they give out all the necessary gear. Then you take a water taxi out to a beach, then walk uphill ~1.5 hours and then have sandwiches for lunch at the top of the canyon. Then, it’s ~3.5 hours full of abseiling, zip lining, jumping off rocks, sliding down waterfalls and swimming, before a short walk back to the water taxi. Emma and Johnno were both incredible guides - I felt very safe the whole time and had full confidence in their canyoning skills and they were both very fun, easy to talk to and did a great job of making sure everyone had a good time.

Rebecca J. · February 2026 · via Google

This was an adventure of a lifetime! Thanks to Jono and Emma for all of their hard work! I had so much fun and overcame a lot of my fears (mostly thanks to the excellent guidance and reassurance from Jono and Emma). The trip not only took you into the beautiful Abel Tasman park, it also took you down one of the most spectacular canyons in the park! Great way to experience Abel Tasman, 10/10 and would definitely do it again!

Amy H. · February 2026 · via Google

It started of course with the Abel Tasman Canyons’ “Torrent River” adventure. This would be the second time me and Kimberley had done this – and Kieran’s first. Meanwhile Sashi remained behind in Marahau enjoying some peace and quiet on the beach. We were bumped from the 8am to the 9:30am start, meaning twelve of us would embark on the journey with two guides. It also meant a slightly longer sleep in 🙂 We always knew this would be a challenge, especially for Kieran who is at minimum weight for his age and such a commitment. And his Father (at 58) ain’t no spring chicken now either, although my abilities certainly still shone on the day even surprising myself for “staying power”. The adventure of course begins with a visit to ATC’s shipping container where wetsuits and equipment are doled out by size and try fitted. This is then all bundled up into bags ready for the aqua taxi journey from Marahau to Anchorage beach, in the heart of the Able Tasman National Park. Just getting into the park is an adventure. The Aqua Taxis consist of a fleet of 18 pax power boats on trailers which are then pulled down onto the beach (complete with passengers aboard) using Ford tractors, specially reconstructed to withstand the rigours of constant salt water use. This is necessary because there’s no jetty facilities at Marahau. Arrivals and departures are fully at the mercy of the tides, often requiring the tractors and trailers to drive out into waist deep water in order to retrieve the boats and drag them ashore. What looks to us to be a dangerous and risky practice fraught with the possibility of failure, is done dozens of times every day by these Kiwis who make it look like shopping at Woolworths and probably done it this way for the past 60 years. Once we get to Anchorage, our excess gear is stowed and the wetsuits, metal gear, ropes and helmets are unpacked and handed out. It will now be our job to carry our own kit up the mountain track – a 90 minute moderate –to-heavy uphill hike that certainly sorts the men from the boys, especially with each carrying upwards of 6kg additional weight. By one third way up it was clear that Kieran was struggling with this task and that he probably wouldn’t make it safely. Our guides step aside to quietly discuss. Sufficed to say Kieran’s load is lightened to Daddy’s frame, now carrying for two. We both struggle up a bit slower than the rest of the group but we get there in one piece and are determined that the only way we’re going down again – is through the canyon. Once at the top, roast beef salad rolls are handed around for all and dutifully consumed. Then it’s on with the wetsuits and gear and after some safety briefings, its a canyoning we go. Getting the twelve of us down the canyon full of flowing water via a series of abseils, repels, ziplines, slides and water jumps is the order of the day. Kimberley takes on every challenge, Kieran backs out of most where he can, but particularly enjoys the abseiling and fearlessly takes it all on. Me? I did everything except the 8m jump. Maybe next time. Halfway down, hot thermos tea is handed around along with energy bars. Three hours later we’re down and wading through the pool where other swimmers are paddling, enjoying a chocolate treat and stripping off our top layer for the walk back to Anchorage beach. While nowhere near as challenging as the walk up, by now we’ve been on our feet and in action pretty much for five hours straight. This means we’re pretty much exhausted – especially Kieran who barely makes it back to the beach without falling over and needed my assistance to walk the last 300m or so. Just as back in 2017, the staff at Abel Tasman Canyons (Andy & Emma) had delivered in spades the premium NZ experience we craved. It was fun, exciting, challenging and safe. These people know how where the sharp edge is and how to stay on the good side. I'll be back. Again, and again. Until I can do it no longer!

Paul M. · February 2026 · via Google