3 Night Luxury Spectacular Sounds Cruise

marlborough-sounds

Once upon a time, many millions of years ago, a mountain range tipped in the sea and the Pacific Ocean flooded into its valleys. And so the Marlborough Sounds were born. This intricate geological sculpture of coves, bays and beaches is one of New Zealand’s most magical places. As you can imagine, it’s best appreciated from the water.

The Marlborough Sounds lie at the South Island’s north-easternmost point, between Tasman Bay in the west and Cloudy Bay in the south-east. The almost fractal coastline has 1/5th of the length of New Zealand’s coasts. The steep, wooded hills and small quiet bays of the sounds are sparsely populated, as access is difficult. Many of the small settlements and isolated houses are only accessible by boat. This is one of the most beautiful and tranquil places in New Zealand, endowed with natural beauty, this intricate maze of waterways with its attractive beaches and lush greenery provides for the perfect nature experience

Day 1 - Okiwi Bay

Island Passage departs mid-afternoon for Okiwi Bay, which is located within beautiful Croisilles Harbour. In 1827 this area was explored by Dumont D’Urville on his ship Astrolabe, who named the harbour after his uncle the Abbot of Croisilles. Daylight saving ensures there will be plenty of time to explore before dinner - catch a tender to the beach or paddle a kayak around the shore. Dinner at seven is your chance to get to know the other guests.

Day 2 - French Pass to Admiralty Bay

Next morning there’s time for a refreshing swim before breakfast. Then we’ll carefully time our passage through French Pass, because at certain points of the tide the water races through here creating whirlpools and fierce currents. This pass is feared and respected by mariners – D’Urville clipped the reef twice.

Beyond French Pass lies Admiralty Bay – a great place for wildlife watching. We’ll anchor here for the night, so that you can explore the area in kayak or tender. Look for king shags, blue penguins, gannets, white-fronted terns, molly hawks, petrels and shearwaters. With any luck you’ll also see fur seals and dolphins – maybe even an orca or two.

Day 3 - D’Urville Island, Tasman Bay to Nelson

Today is devoted to D’Urville Island. Here the predator-free forest is alive with tui, bellbirds, native robins, weka and kaka. Follow the walking tracks to discover waterfalls, river pools and huge views. After a magnificent dinner, hosted by the captain, take your favourite night cap to a steamer chair and enjoy the night sounds of this magical place.

There’ll be time for a final morning swim or kayak before Island Passage raises her anchor and begins the journey across Tasman Bay to Nelson. Watch for dolphins and orca while you enjoy glorious views of the coast and Tasman Sea. You’ll disembark at 11am.

VIRTUAL TOUR & DOSSIER

Please take the time to view our “Virtual Tour” for the 3 Nights Marlborough Sounds or download or print the detailed “Tour Dossier”. Both can be found on the right hand column of this page. Alternatively you can simply contact us. For a comprehensive  list of  all activities available in each location featured in this tour, please refer to the "Destination Guide" found at the top of this page.