Wellington Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

Wellington Harbour and Matiu/Somes Island

Board at Chaffers Marina by mid-morning – five minutes from Te Papa and the waterfront. Spend the morning exploring Te Papa (the national museum, free entry, world-class Māori exhibitions), then board the yacht for a harbour cruise. Anchor at Matiu/Somes Island for the afternoon: walk the loop track among native bush and WWII remnants, spot native birds and snorkel off the island’s rocky shore. Cruise to Days Bay for a late-afternoon swim in calm, sheltered water. Your chef prepares dinner on the aft deck as the city lights flicker across the harbour: local rock lobster, Wairarapa lamb and a selection of Wellington craft beers. Overnight at anchor or berth at the marina for an evening ashore – Logan Brown, Hippopotamus or Cuba Street’s bar scene.

South Coast and Red Rocks

Cruise south through the harbour entrance and along the wild south coast. Pass Owhiro Bay and the exposed headlands to Red Rocks and Sinclair Head (roughly 12 NM) for the fur seal colony – dozens of seals basking on the volcanic rock, pups playing in the rock pools, the open Cook Strait stretching to the South Island beyond. The landscape is raw, dramatic and unlike anything in the harbour. Continue further along the coast (conditions permitting) to Palliser Bay for views of Cape Palliser lighthouse (253 steps to the top, the most dramatic lighthouse approach in the country) and the Putangirua Pinnacles – surreal geological rock formations used as the Dimholt Road in Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Cruise back to the harbour for an overnight anchor, your chef serving dinner as the Southern Cross appears overhead.

Kapiti Island and Return

Depart early for the cruise north to Kapiti Island – roughly 50 kilometres along the coast, 2–3 hours depending on conditions. Your crew has arranged the DOC landing permit in advance (limited daily numbers). Step ashore on one of New Zealand’s most important nature reserves: 1,200 little-spotted kiwi (extinct on the mainland), stitchbirds, kōkako, takāhe, kaka and tūī thrive in the predator-free bush. Walk the island’s tracks through dense native forest, listening for the distinctive calls of birds you will not encounter anywhere else. Your chef prepares a farewell lunch on the aft deck as the yacht cruises back to Wellington, arriving by late afternoon.

Wellington Harbour

Board at Chaffers Marina by mid-morning. Spend the morning ashore at Te Papa and the waterfront, or start with a Weta Workshop tour in Miramar (props and costumes from Lord of the Rings – the geek factor is high and the craftsmanship is genuinely impressive). Board the yacht and cruise to Matiu/Somes Island for an afternoon of birdwatching and harbour views. Continue to Oriental Bay for a sunset swim at Wellington’s most iconic beach, then back to the marina for dinner ashore: Logan Brown (pāua ravioli, the dish that has defined Wellington fine dining for 30 years) or Charley Noble (wood-fired chargrill in a heritage building).

Cook Strait Crossing to the Marlborough Sounds

This is the headline day. Depart Wellington in the morning, timed for favourable tidal conditions through Cook Strait (your captain plans this meticulously – currents run up to 6 knots, and timing the passage for slack water at the Karori Rip between Sinclair Head and Cape Terawhiti is essential). The crossing is roughly 52 nautical miles and takes 3–4 hours on a motor yacht. The open-water section is dramatic: the tidal rips churning, the South Island rising from the horizon, and (in season) the possibility of orca, whales or dolphins in the strait. As you enter Tory Channel on the South Island side, the mood shifts entirely: narrow, bush-lined waterways, birdsong replacing wind, and the first silent anchorages of the Marlborough Sounds opening before you. Cruise through to Queen Charlotte Sound and anchor in a sheltered bay for an evening of absolute peace.

Queen Charlotte Sound – Ship Cove and Motuara Island

Cruise to Ship Cove – Captain Cook’s favourite New Zealand anchorage. Walk the DOC historic reserve and the first section of the Queen Charlotte Track through ancient beech forest. After lunch, cruise to Motuara Island – the predator-free bird sanctuary with rowi kiwi, saddlebacks and an extraordinary dawn chorus. Walk to the summit for 360-degree views, snorkel the rocky coastline, and anchor overnight in a bay so quiet you can hear the bellbirds from your cabin.

Kenepuru Sound, Vineyards and Disembark at Picton

A leisurely morning cruise into Kenepuru Sound for a final swim and kayak in the most intimate of the three sounds. Your chef prepares a farewell brunch – green-lipped mussels, smoked salmon, local cheeses and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc – as the yacht cruises back to Picton. Disembark by early afternoon and transfer to the Marlborough wine region for a tasting at Cloudy Bay, Dog Point or Brancott Estate. A long vineyard lunch is the perfect final act. Fly home from Blenheim airport (20 minutes) or return to Wellington by ferry.

Wellington – City, Culture and Harbour

Board at Chaffers Marina. Morning at Te Papa and the waterfront. Afternoon harbour cruise to Matiu/Somes Island and Days Bay. Dinner at Logan Brown or Hippopotamus.

South Coast, Seals and Kapiti Island

Morning cruise south to Red Rocks and the fur seal colony. After lunch, cruise north along the coast to Kapiti Island (DOC permit arranged by crew). Spend the afternoon among 1,200 little-spotted kiwi and rare native birds on this predator-free sanctuary. Anchor overnight off the Kapiti coast.

Cook Strait Crossing

Depart Kapiti coast in the morning for the crossing to the Marlborough Sounds. Through Cook Strait (roughly 50 NM from Kapiti to Queen Charlotte Sound), watching for orca and whales in the tidal rips. Enter Queen Charlotte Sound in the afternoon and anchor in a sheltered bay for an evening of total silence.

Ship Cove, Motuara Island and Pelorus Sound

Captain Cook’s anchorage in the morning, Motuara Island birdwatching at midday, then cruise west into the remote reaches of Pelorus Sound for an afternoon of blue-cod fishing and an overnight in one of the most secluded anchorages in the country.

D’Urville Island, Havelock and Marlborough Vineyards

Morning at D’Urville Island among the fur seals and untouched bush. Cruise to Havelock for the mussel experience, then drive to Cloudy Bay and Brancott Estate for a farewell vineyard lunch. Disembark at Picton.

Guests looking for the ultimate New Zealand charter can combine the 3-day Wellington harbour and Kapiti route with the 4-day Cook Strait and Marlborough Sounds route for a comprehensive 7–8-day voyage that covers the capital’s culture, the drama of Cook Strait, the silence of the Sounds and the vineyards of Marlborough – without repeating a single stop.