Wondering what to bring on your adventure? You don’t need a lot of gear to enjoy the Park, and what you don’t have can be rented from the Abel Tasman Centre in Marahau.
If you’re going anywhere at all in the great New Zealand outdoors, take a warm outer layer. Our weather gods just love messing with people. There are no pharmacies in the park so you need to take your own personal medication if required. There is only one café in the Park, at Awaroa, and that is only open during the summer, so you need to take your own food. There is fresh water available at various spots along the Abel Tasman Coast Track but you shouldn’t count on this being available. Much of the water available needs to be boiled before it is safe to drink so you should take your own water for the day.
DAY TRIPS – What to bring
If you’re on a day trip, your gear check list is as follows…
* Shoes or open-toed shoes (we call ‘em jandals)
* Hat
* Sunscreen
* Insect repellent
* Water bottle
* A warmer outer layer and/or a raincoat
* Any personal medication
* Towel and swimwear if you fancy a swim
MULTI-DAY TRIPS – What to bring
If you’re on a multi-day trip that includes overnight stays
at camp sites, your gear should include:
- The stuff you’ll be wearing: sturdy shoes or tramping boots, shorts and a t-shirt
- Long pants
- Tramping pack (50-70lt)
- Pack liner (to stop your gear from getting wet if it rains)
- Medium size dry bag for sleeping bags & things
- Sleeping bag
- Bowl
- Spoon
- Cup
- Camp shoes – jandals – optional
- Spare pair of socks
- Polypropylene or wool base layer, short or long sleeved
- Fleece or woollen pullover
- Bullet-proof rain jacket
- Woolly hat
- Sun hat/cap
- Gloves/mittens – wool or fleece
- Sunglasses – optional
- Torch or headlamp
- Toiletries
- Water bottle – at least 1lt
- Cooker, fuel and something to light it with
- Food
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen
If you’re not staying in a hut you’ll also need:
- A sleeping mat (huts have mattresses)
- A tent
Carrying a 20kg pack is quite tolerable for most people, although it will tire you out eventually. But if your pack weighs more than that, start taking stuff out! If you haven’t got your own outdoor gear then you can rent gear from the Abel Tasman Centre which is located at the start of the Park, on the Marahau waterfront. They have:
- Sleeping bags
- Tents
- Sleeping mats
- Gas cookers
