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E-Ko

Wildlife, Beach and Wine Cruise

Features:

    • Cruise Calm Sheltered Waters of Queen Charlotte Sound
  • See a 1000 year old Totara Tree
  • Experienced Guide and Captain with Fun and informative commentary
  • Personalised Small Fully Guided Group Tour (1-15 ratio)
  • FREE use of Binoculars and Species ID Cards
  • Amazing Photo opportunities so close you only need a phone
  • FREE High-Quality Wildlife Photos available on request
  • Family Friendly Boats with Children Toys and education
  • Complimentary Local Wine Sample
  • Travel with E-Ko and Support local Conservation efforts
  • Kumutoto Beach, Bay and Bush
  • HELP Save the Endangered Species (Taonga)

    See how your money gets used for Local Conservation

    Tour info in brief

    2 Hours
    Daily
    Departures:
    Departs Hourly
    Pricing: Adult: $90 (16+ years)
    Child: $44 (5 – 15 years)
    Infant: $20 (0 – 4 years)
    Location: 1 Wellington Street, Picton
    Briefing: 30 mins before departure

    No Seasickness Guarantee

    FREE Photos

    About the Tour

    On this Tour, you get the BEST 2-hour Cruise in Marlborough 🙂 stunning scenery, wildlife, water, a beautiful beach, pristine native bush, easy fun activities and samples of local Wine 🙂 

    Cruise with your Skipper and experienced Guide to Kumutoto Bay to enjoy a beautiful beach or a short stroll through the beautiful regenerating native bush. This DOC Reserve has native bird species, a pristine native forest and a stunning beach.

     A coastal walk in a beautiful beach forest – Self-guided. Guided options to a 1000-year-old Totara Tree where you can sit and embrace her serenity.

    Spend an hour in the bush or at the beach with fun options you can choose from. Swim from the Beach or you can also just sit and relax, soaking in the Marlborough Magic. It is possible to see many species of Sea Birds or Mammals such as Penguins, Seals, Dolphins, King Shags, Shear Waters, Gannets, Spotted Shags which can be seen on the way there or back during the 1 hour Journey. This Tour also provides samples of Yealands award-winning local wine. A portion of each Tour is given back to Conservation locally. 🙂

    NZ Fur Seal on rock in Picton little blue penguins Queen Charlotte Cruise Guide and Guests Pied Shag Fur Seal Kumutoto Bay Kumatoto Bay Reserve Wharf

     

    What to expect

    Wildlife, Beach and Wine Tour

    Stunning wildlife and scenery with world-renowned wines. Now you can enjoy both on the BEST two-hour Marlborough Sounds cruise which features our ‘no sea sickness guarantee’

    Got a Cruise Ship or Ferry to catch?

    This short tour has been designed with our partners at the Interislander Ferry to coordinate perfectly with their ferry departures – so this tour is perfect if you have a few spare hours in Piton before your ferry leaves.

    For Cruise Ship passengers this Short tour means you get to see the BEST and be back in time for Departures. We can also take Group Bookings and pick up from the Ship 🙂 

    Tour Overview

    • Depart Picton waterfront and learn from the experienced Guide and Skipper about the local Geography, History and Wildlife as you cruise to Kumutoto Bay – a DOC Reserve in a Pristine sheltered location.
    • A portion of each Tour FEE is given back to Conservation locally. 🙂
    • Many species of Sea Birds or mammals can be seen on the way there or back during the 1 hour Journey. Help us to spot Penguins, Seals, Dolphins, King Shags, Shear Waters, Gannets, and Spotted Shags.
    • Take up-close photos with NZ Fur Seals, Little Blue Penguins, Sea Birds and much more with just your cell phone…
    • Get comfortable in our purpose-built boats with inside and outside seating with stairs to get on and off at the Wharf at Kumutoto Bay.
    • Enjoy a beautiful beach or a short stroll (easy, coastal bush walk) through the beautiful regenerating native bush
    • You can also just sit and relax, soaking in the Marlborough Magic. 
    • Back on board for a glass of Yealands Award Winning local wine and soak in the ambiance of the majestic Marlborough Sounds.
    • Use our ID cards and binoculars to search for and learn about marine wildlife on a cruise to idyllic Kumutoto Bay.

    About Kumutoto Bay, Department of Conservation Reserve

    This area is maintained by the Department of Conservation and E-ko has the Concession to Offer Guided Walks here. The area has many old native species like Totara , Rimu , Beach Trees and was not extensively logged. The coastal track goes through some beautiful examples of the bush right up to the water’s edge which give you amazing photos. A basic DOC Tiolet is at the main Wharf in Kumamoto Bay. 

     

    What you can See:

    Sea Birds

    • Little Blue Penguins
    • Fluttering Shearwaters
    • White Fronted Tern
    • Spotted Shag, Pied Shag, Little Black Shag
    • Australasian Gannets

    Marine Mammals

    • New Zealand Fur Seals 
    • Hectors Dolphins, occasionally  
    • Dusky Dolphins, Winter and Sring months  
    • Bottlenose Dolphins, occasionally  

    Land Birds

    • Fantail
    • Grey Warbler
    • Tui
    • Bellbird
    • New Zealand Wood Pigeon
    • New Zealand Robin
    • Weka

    Plant Species 

    • Punga
    • Nikau Palm
    • Kahikatea – White Pine 
    • Totara 
    • Flax
    • Black Fern 
    • Silver Fern
    • Matai 

    We depart from Picton Waterfront which has a carpark 200 metres from the E-Ko shop 🙂

    • Bookings essential
    • Tour requires a minimum of 6 to operate
    • Tour may be cancelled due to weather or safety at our discretion / Full refund
    • 24 Hours notice of customers cancellation required for a refund

    What to bring

    • Camera
    • The footwear you can walk in
    • Swimming clothes and Towel 
    • Sunscreen
    • Sunglasses
    • Light jacket if overcast
    what-to-bring

    Where are we?

    We are located conveniently on Picton’s main waterfront with car parking close by and only a 1-minute walk from the main street.

    Just look for the Dusky Dolphin outside our shop.

    Before your tour starts feel free to take a seat inside the shop or outside on our sun drenched deck and enjoy the stunning views.

    Customers can also get online with our free WiFi, and purchase a tea or coffee to enjoy on the deck.

    You will Never Miss your Ferry

    Our tour schedules are integrated with the Interislander – so there is no chance that you’ll miss your ferry.

    What people are saying about us

    “Worth it at twice the price”

    Trip advisor – 5 STar ***** Worth it at twice the price. Outstanding job. Showed us all there was to see due to expert knowledge of the wildlife and their locations

    “Totally awesome Eco Tour”

    Facebook –5 Star ***** Totally awesome Eco tour, i so loved seeing all the amazing bird life It was truly the best day ever 🙂 ohh and to see the Hectors too was just icing on the cake. Only sorry that I couldn’t stay longer but i,ll be back 🙂 Bless

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