Okarito Lagoon Kayaking

Okarito Nature Tours is a small family owned kayak business offering freedom rental and guided kayaking trips on the Okarito Lagoon.

Kayaking is by far the best way to enjoy the flora, fauna and scenic grandeur of New Zealand’s largest unmodified coastal wetland. Previous experience is not necessary.

Okarito Lagoon covers more than 3240 hectares of shallow open water and is well known for its outstanding avifauna (over 70 species of birds have been recorded here). The lagoon is a common feeding ground for kotuku (white heron) and royal spoonbill, both of which breed in the nearby Waitangiroto Nature Reserve.

The lagoon also has a diverse and fascinating flora both in the saltmarsh and other wetland communities of the lagoon, as well as in the adjacent shrublands, forest and sand dunes.

Exploring the open water and river channels that lead you deep into the heart of the rainforest is like stepping back in time to pre-European conditions. A clear day offers magnificent views of Mount Cook and the Southern Alps.

There are three different types of rentals options: Freedom Rentals, Overnight Rentals or Guided Kayak Trips.