Reviews and travel ratings on Driftwood Ecotours in New Zealand (97% from 22 reviews)

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  1. Blenheim
  1. TimJ's avatar

    Tim

    New Zealand

    Molesworth Road, Hamner to Blenheim: Amazing experience, set off early and do it justice, (take your bug balm).

    01 June 2010.

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Reviews for Driftwood Ecotours

Driftwood Ecotours
JBuckman's avatar

JBuckman

New Zealand

Ranking: 9/10

We both had an excellent kayaking adventure. Even the stiff wind on the paddle out dropped away completely after dusk fo…

We both had an excellent kayaking adventure. Even the stiff wind on the paddle out dropped away completely after dusk for the homeward leg and didn’t dampen our enjoyment. The return leg started with a full moon rising over the horizon and lighting up the estuary water, a sight we’ll never forget. As newish residents in Marlborough we learned a great deal of the local history and enjoyed Will’s enthusiasm for and knowledge of the wildlife of the Wairau Lagoon area. We got so close to the birdlife, wonderful photo opportunities. Will bakes a great cake and was the perfect host; even the dinner napkins had a bird print! A thoroughly enjoyable evening out on the water.

Reviewed 18 January 2012

Driftwood Ecotours
suemarcusshaun's avatar

suemarcusshaun

New Zealand

Ranking: 9/10

THANK YOU Will for an excellent afternoon with Kiwi Conservation Club and your Driftwood Ecotours yesterday afternoon. …

THANK YOU Will for an excellent afternoon with Kiwi Conservation Club and your Driftwood Ecotours yesterday afternoon. You made us all feel safe and confident with our kayaks and your local knowledge/ stories were great :) Loved info about local Moriori burial sites, the shag colonies (spotted chicks!), mid river maimai, oyster catchers and the SS Waverley...AND we were back in time for the rugby!!!! Thanks :)

Reviewed 10 October 2011

Driftwood Ecotours
bhurst's avatar

bhurst

New Zealand, Aotearoa

Ranking: 10/10

Fantastic experience for our family. Warm welcome, lots of knowledge of area and history, very patient with our chatter…

Fantastic experience for our family. Warm welcome, lots of knowledge of area and history, very patient with our chattersome kids and in using kayaks. Good weather, great food and coffee (including Will's muffins). Our children were able to stop and learn about different birds, crabs, spiders and plants. Totally recommend this tour and would love to do it all again sometime.

Reviewed 17 March 2011

Driftwood Ecotours
coriolis effect's avatar

coriolis effect

United States

Ranking: 10/10

This was a very worthwhile tour. Originally, we were schduled to do the evening kayak/bird watching. However, due to u…

This was a very worthwhile tour. Originally, we were schduled to do the evening kayak/bird watching. However, due to unusually windy conditions Will improvised. We took a 4WD Tour over to the coast and explored in the deep rocky chasms. I had never been in such a place and we had it all to ourselves. He had a light dinner prepared which was very wholesome. Will definitely enjoys what he does.

Reviewed over 1 year ago and experienced in March 2010

Driftwood Ecotours
greenscribe's avatar

greenscribe

United States

Ranking: 10/10

This tour was a definite highlight of our two-week honeymoon in New Zealand. We found Will by happenstance -- a fellow v…

This tour was a definite highlight of our two-week honeymoon in New Zealand. We found Will by happenstance -- a fellow visitor at a local winery mentioned that he had just received a flyer. We had been looking for a low-key kayaking experience, so this fit the bill perfectly. Will was completely accommodating of our schedule, booking the trip on Good Friday, and made sure we had plenty of time to explore before our ferry ride that evening. And the trip itself was truly wonderful. Paddling along the lagoon, taking in the birdlife and enjoying the scenery -- Will was a great, laid-back guide, who obviously takes great pride in the area that surrounds his home, and who has a clear ecological ethic, too. A delightful homemade lunch was an added bonus. Definitely a great way to see a part of New Zealand that most visitors miss. And a delightful way to spend an afternoon in any case!

Reviewed 20 April 2010

Driftwood Ecotours responds:

Thank you so much for all these wonderful reviews. God created this absorbing arena of nature, history and wildlife it gives me great pleasure to share it with others.

On a sadder note our logo dog "Tommy" passed away on the 20th of April and it was he who gave so much confidence too many on our tours.

Driftwood Ecotours
JohnandSue's avatar

JohnandSue

United Kingdom

Ranking: 10/10

We both met up with Willin the"I" carpark for what turned out to be a memorable evening. Having then joined up with Les …

We both met up with Willin the"I" carpark for what turned out to be a memorable evening. Having then joined up with Les and Yvonne from Belfast we proceeded to Will's house. A short history lesson and explanation as to what he hoped we would see and then down to the river. Niether of us had kayaked before so a certain measure of concerned expectation. However, a short lesson from Will and off we paddled on this beautiful river. We saw wonderful birds, paddled all the way down to Bar and back in the dark. Will has a fund of knowledge that he is delighted to impart and is a delightful companion making it all a memorable evening for us all.

Reviewed almost 2 years ago and experienced in February 2010

Driftwood Ecotours
sontie's avatar

Dennis Robinson

United States

Ranking: 10/10

This was truly an outstanding experience! We did the 4WD tour and hike, complete with a fabulous lunch. Will, the tour…

This was truly an outstanding experience! We did the 4WD tour and hike, complete with a fabulous lunch. Will, the tour guide, has a tremendous knowledge of not only the birds, but also other wildlife, as well as the history of the area. He was very friendly and entertaining and made the day thoroughly enjoyable. We would highly recommend this tour to not only tourists, but local Marlborough people. This is such a surprising landscape.

Reviewed almost 2 years ago and experienced in January 2010

Driftwood Ecotours
carolcahill's avatar

Carol

United States

Ranking: 10/10

This tour was phenomenal. Will is very knowledgable about the wildlife, the flora and the history of the country. His de…

This tour was phenomenal. Will is very knowledgable about the wildlife, the flora and the history of the country. His delicious food makes for unforgettable stops after kayaking on beautiful waterways. We enjoyed tea and cakes just feet from a c tree full of Pied Shags feeding their young. We paddled on, never seeing another human, just a large variety of birds.The piece de la resistance was a casual dinner at sunset. We were witness to hundreds of black swans floating on the golden/pink water. Truly magnificent!

Reviewed 11 March 2010

Driftwood Ecotours
everlmi's avatar

Mike Everly

New Zealand

Ranking: 10/10

We had a great trip with Will Parsons, the owner and guide for this outing. Will took time to explain to us about the h…

We had a great trip with Will Parsons, the owner and guide for this outing. Will took time to explain to us about the history of the area we would be seeing, which helped set the stage for a great Kayak trip. We went out in the evening which was perfect in terms of low wind, no bugs, great light for photos, and a lot of bird life. Will served us tea and then an evening meal in a beautiful setting out on the lagoon. We saw heaps of birds and came back in the dark. It was magical.

Reviewed 17 February 2010

Driftwood Ecotours
acjammo's avatar

Andrew

Australia

Ranking: 10/10

This tour was superb! Friendly welcome, nice kayaks, easily navigable waterways, plenty of birds, intelligent and inform…

This tour was superb! Friendly welcome, nice kayaks, easily navigable waterways, plenty of birds, intelligent and informed commentory by Will, delicious muffins and real coffee, a bit of history of the river, more kayaking and birds, amazing cloud formations at sunset, more great food and a spectacular kayak home by moonlight. Highly recommended.

Reviewed 15 February 2010

Driftwood Ecotours
versi124's avatar

Simon

New Zealand

Ranking: 9/10

We found this tour provided entertainment on multiple levels: history, birdlife, scenery and WIll himself. On a brillian…

We found this tour provided entertainment on multiple levels: history, birdlife, scenery and WIll himself. On a brilliant summer night, the light transforms the landscape continuously throughout your sojourn into the lagoons! Fantastic trip- thank you Will and Rose

Reviewed 14 February 2010

Driftwood Ecotours
LisaB's avatar

LisaB

New Zealand

Ranking: 10/10

An afternoon with Will from Driftwood Eco tours is highly recommended if you would like to learn more about birdlife and…

An afternoon with Will from Driftwood Eco tours is highly recommended if you would like to learn more about birdlife and the history of the land in Marlborough. We spent a great afternoon paddling down the Opawa River while listening to Will's stories and admiring the beautiful scenery. Being on a kayak can get you very close to the birds for amazing photo opportunities! We stopped at the river mouth for great home baked scones and sandwiches and even our gluten free companion's dietary needs where catered for by Will. We paddled back at sunset & the last 20minutes where enjoyed watching the stars - a great & very humbling experience.
This is not hard work like sometimes the case might be with sea kayaking, and is highly recommended for people of all fitness levels and ages. Thank you Will for an unforgettable afternoon!

Reviewed 11 February 2010

Driftwood Ecotours
miriamm's avatar

miriamm

New Zealand

Ranking: 10/10

Driftwood Ecotours gave us a wonderful half day, kayaking gently through the Wairau Lagoons. Highlights were seeing a wi…

Driftwood Ecotours gave us a wonderful half day, kayaking gently through the Wairau Lagoons. Highlights were seeing a wide variety of birdlife from water level, taking photographs, paddling through waterways not easily accessible in any other way, finding out what is really down there in the maze of the Wairau Lagoons; stopping for a delicious home-baked snack; learning some of the history of the river; and all at the pace we chose. It is a treasure to be explored and i loved every minute of it.

Reviewed 21 January 2010