Rakiura Adventure

Here at Rakiura Adventure we endeavour to make your stay an authentic Stewart Island adventure. We offer true blue Stewart Island activities to make your stay unforgettable.

Our company believes local knowledge and passion is the key to providing this experience. To bring this to our visitors we partner with and promote small, local operators who are are a real part of the Island you are coming to explore.

Travel around Stewart Island’s coast by water taxi,  tramp through Rakiura National Park, get close to the wildlife with local guides, cruise our township by e-bike, learn about our history, flora, and fauna, embark on a hunting expedition, catch your own blue-cod, or go for a dive, and don’t forget to see a kiwi! All on picturesque Stewart Island – Rakiura.  

So, if you’re planning a trip – check out our range of tours and destinations that keep this ethos at the heart.

Outdoors Activities – On The Water

Expand your horizons with a pelagic or scenic tour to encounter our marine wildlife see our coastline from a different angle. Luxuriate on an evening or overnight cruise aboard our new vessel – MV Wairangi.

Get closer and go snorkelling with Ollie & Johnny and let the natural abundance and water clarity mesmerise you. Try your hand at catching your dinner with one of our classic local characters. Hire a sea-kayak from Phil or go on a guided paddle to really get close to nature and explore secluded coves at your own pace.

Outdoors Activities – Land Lubbers

Visit Ulva Island and let the birdlife knock you off your feet, and open your eyes to what the New Zealand bush should be like! Walk at your own pace, or take a guided walk to learn about our Island, its flora, fauna and history in more depth.

Take a hike and tramp your way to some of the most wild, beautiful and remote locations in the country with the North-West and Southern Circuits. Book a hunting block and spend some time enjoying the simple solitude of nature.

Or, enjoy many of the shorter village based bush walks. Combine water taxi, land taxi, and flights to create the perfect leisurely one, two, or three day tramping experience. For example – fly to Mason Bay and walk back, or take the water taxi to North Arm or Port William and walk back to the village or road end where you could get an Aurora Cab.

Hire an E-bike for a day and get around all of the many beaches and bays accessible by the road network.

Once the dusk is over and darkness falls, take a stroll and search for the famous Stewart Island Kiwi. You might get lucky and get up close and personal with perhaps one of the world’s funniest and most elusive birds.

Stroll outside to catch unimpeded views of the Milky Way – and on the right night, perhaps even the Aurora Australis. (Keep a lookout for geomagnetic activity in the vicinity 7-9 for a chance to see it with the naked eye).

Stewart Island Activities – Indoor Days

Join locals and fellow travellers for a great night out at the infamous South Sea Hotel weekly pub quiz on a Sunday night.  Teams are limited to 6 people, and be in by 6pm latest to register your team as it’s always extremely popular!

On a day when the weather is less than ideal – head on over to see our friend Dave the master carver for a chance to design, create and finish your own greenstone memento.

Enjoy an evening out at our quaint local cinema and watch a screening of ‘A Local’s Tail’ – some great viewing giving you a deeper appreciation of the Island, and the Islander’s love for their home.

New to our fleet!

We are exited to be adding another classic vessel to our operation. Wairangi is now available for scenic, day, and overnight charters.

If you fancy yourself cruising between bays, beaches, coves and islands, watching the albatross soar, exploring verdant native bush tracks, reading books in the saloon, or even diving in crystal clear waters rich with sea-life (followed by a warm deck shower of course) then a trip aboard Wairangi is for you. 

Wairangi can cater for groups of up to six people on overnight charters, and groups up to twenty for day charters.

Charters can be fully tailored to each specific group and their particular interests, budgets, timeframes and group sizes.

We recommend
On a budget? – We recommend opting for the bed and breakfast accomodation package and pairing this with a scenic evening cruise.

With a group? – Book out the boat for a half day charter, or evening cruise. Rally your friends together and cruise in style. Enjoy lunch and drinks afloat. Dare a swim, explore ashore and sunbathe on deck.

Diving enthusiasts? – Opt for a full day charter to allow time to visit multiple dive sites in the day, relax for some lunch in between and enjoy the hot showers on deck!

Wanting to explore? – Enquire about fully catered overnight cruises where we stop at different anchorages each day, and organise all the adventures and activities your heart desires.

Shorter Cruises

Evening cruises – starting from $100 per person, minimum two people.
Nibble nibbles and sip beverages amidst music, sunsets, conversation and scenery as we cruise through Paterson Inlet. Self catered or catered options available. Duration 1.5 hours.

BOOK NOW BOOK NOW

Half day charter – starting from $250 per person, minimum two people.
Our 4 hour day charters are available from 9am-1pm, or 1.30pm-5.30pm. Stop off at beaches, go for a walk, visit historic sites, take a picnic – even a swim! Self catered or catered options available.

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Full day charter – starting from $500 per person, minimum two people.
A full day charter allows you to enjoy the island at a more leisurely pace – or stop in at more locations along the way. Snuggle up in the snuggery (a cosy anchorage), throw off the paddle boards, go for more than one walk, explore a piece of coastline in depth, focus on spotting wildlife or jump in at multiple dive sites. Full day charters start at 9am and run until 5pm. Self catered or catered options available.

Overnight Options

Bed and Breakfast – starting from $280 per night

Choose this classic vessel as your floating accommodation. Your home port of call from which to explore Oban, Stewart Island and the surrounds.

The boat will be situated on it’s secure mooring in Golden Bay – a one minute tender ride, and a 10-15 minute walk from ‘downtown’ Oban. We can also organise you a taxi ride into town, and there is plenty of parking available if you have a rental car needing to be parked overnight. Transport to and from the vessel via tender is fully included at any hour of your stay to allow you the flexibility of stretching your legs.

A generous continental breakfast is included each morning of your stay. The galley may be used to prepare light lunch and snacks but is not available for cooking evening meals.

Tack on an evening, or day cruise to enjoy the boat under motion and different scenery out the window.

Other things to note
A warm reminder: We can only accept guests with no mobility issues, as you will need to be able to board and disembark the vessel by tender and also access your accommodation/bedrooms via stairs/ladders.

Fully Catered Overnight Charters – starting from $4200 per day for up to six people (within Paterson Inlet) Up to four adults recommended for overnight charters.

A full time skipper and crew person will join you onboard to ensure catering and activities are available throughout the day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks/refreshments generously catered.

Two paddle boards and a six person tender are available by which to explore deeper into coves and bays, and set ashore for walks, picnics and other excursions.

Areas of interest and potential anchorages include Kidney Fern, the Norwegian Whalers Base, Millar’s Beach, Little Glory and adjoining walk to Ocean Beach, Bravo Islands, the Snuggery (Ulva Island), Papatiki bay and many more.

We’re in Ship-Shape!

Layout

Above Deck:

This upstairs level is a comfortable, stylish place to enjoy company, a meal, a beverage, a book and the view out the sizeable cabin windows.

The Wheelhouse and Coachhouse are a cosy space with small dining area next to the kitchen (home to a 4 burner gas stove and oven, mini double sink, plenty of bench/prep space, and a fridge and freezer). The large chart-table forward in the wheel house can serve as standing office area for those that need to attend to business matters. This area can be heated if need be.

Below Deck:

Our vessel has three bedrooms, 2 of which we make available for our guests. The aft master cabin is separated from the bunk room and offers a full size double bed and even has its own private ‘head’/ensuite. In the bunk room there are five single bunks, the full headroom indoor shower and another ‘head’/toilet. These cabins can be heated if need be.

The crew quarters are located forward and are separate from the passenger accomodation, giving you the space to enjoy your own private quarters.

Outside:

The foredeck is a good spot for the sun-chair and deckchairs to enjoy views of the surrounds.

On the aft deck we have more seating and a lounge area which can be fully enclosed to provide a winter-garden effect. This spot is perfect for an evening meal and glass of wine with a view of the surround whilst being protected from the elements. There is also an outdoor shower here for anyone who is feeling adventurous and wants to go paddle-boarding (2 provided with the stay) or swimming (dive ladder provided).

All round you’ll feel a very solid little ship below your feet when you’re aboard Wairangi.

Historic MV Wairangi

If you are interested in history and/or historic boats then you will find Wairangi truly special as a charter vessel. 

She was built in Dunedin by highly esteemed boat builders – Miller & Tunnage – in 1934. Her construction was somewhat unorthodox for the shipyard, as she was the first pleasure craft they ever produced. Their usual specialty was in work boats, pilot boats, tug boats and the like. So rest assured you’re on a very seaworthy and solidly built old vessel. Material/construction – Kauri carvel plank.

In the years following she found herself commissioned as a Pilot vessel for the Lyttelton harbour board, a wardroom in the second world war, again a pleasure boat, a dive charter boat out of Tutukaka, to name a few! We’ll save some stories for when we have you aboard though…

A rugged, pristine jewel, set in the Deep South.
A snippet of what you can enjoy in Stewart Island’s pristine natural environment. Browse through our vibrant photo gallery to inspire your travels

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