Driftwood Ecotours Limited

749 Dillons Point Road, Blenheim 7273, New Zealand

64 3 5777 651

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Will's kayaking Jack Russell Terrier was an added treat.

67 visitor photos

Ranked #2 of 9 attractions in Blenheim

47 Reviews

Type: Nature/ Wildlife Areas

Owner description: Driftwood Eco-tours is operated by Will Parsons, whose family has farmed in Marlborough since the 1870s. Will has extensive local knowledge and... more » Owner description: Driftwood Eco-tours is operated by Will Parsons, whose family has farmed in Marlborough since the 1870s. Will has extensive local knowledge and personal contacts allowing you access to a 2200 hectare wildlife park. Tours are by 4WD vehicle, kayaking or hiking and cater your party exclusively.

Useful Information: Activities for older children

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47 reviews from our community

Sarola

Rotorua, NZ

Senior Contributor

37 reviews

13 attraction reviews

Reviews in 15 cities

12 helpful votes

“Superb tour of Malborough, magnificent scenery”

Reviewed 14 April 2013

Will lead our tour through the Molesworth and Awatere Valley. It was magnificent scenery, every corner had another new view. Will engaged us with his local knowledge and wealth of flora information. He added to an already wonderful region. This is my first time to explore this area and I hope it won't be my last.

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Jasmine5755

Blenheim, New Zealand

Contributor

17 reviews

11 attraction reviews

Reviews in 4 cities

1 helpful vote

“An amazing secret!”

Reviewed 9 April 2013

Had ocassion to visit on business and took the opportunity to look around, ask and listen to one of the most knowledgable people I have ever spoken to about Marlborough, it's history (of which there is a considerable amount not known to most including locals) the eco system at the doorstep, the bird life (including some very rare species) and... More

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Jamie H

Adelaide, Australia

Reviewer

4 reviews

Reviews in 3 cities

1 helpful vote

“Truly Memorable”

Reviewed 3 April 2013

Aaron and I spent a fantastic late afternoon/evening on the water with Will and Vex (the dog). Our stay in the retreat accommodation was supurb, but this kayaking tour was simply stunning. Will is very knowledgable about the area and Vex is very entertaining, jumping from kayak to kayak. I can't recommend this highly enough!! If you want a relaxed,... More

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This was a lovely evening with amazing light with a couple of fascinating clients who wanted to know history, wildlife and who were very complimentary. More

Bestofcase

Balikpapan, Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia

1 review

“Wetlands Kayak”

Reviewed 2 April 2013

We spent 8 days in New Zealand. We swam with wild dolphins, biked mountain passes, kayaked on the ocean, hiked and tasted wine. This was our last stop and it was a perfect end to an amazing trip. Will's knowledge of the wetlands, birds, the local ecology and history reflected years of curiosity and passion. We were so happy to... More

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It's always rewarding to share a special place with clients who have an empathy with the environment. This family were so much fun and pleasure to guide. More

Nancy D

Washington, Pennsylvania

Senior Reviewer

6 reviews

3 attraction reviews

Reviews in 5 cities

3 helpful votes

“Two days with Will”

Reviewed 6 March 2013

We were fortunate enough to spend two days touring with Will. The first day we visited a lagoon, seashore and hiked back into a canyon. Will is extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, history and geology of the area. The second day we visited back country and rode bikes, and hiked to the KT boundary. Again, we had a fantastic day... More

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I always enjoy taking clients to do what they want to see in sharing the treasures of Marlborough. This was a enjoyable tour with two knowledgeable people who wanted to learn, experience and just soak up the atmosphere. More

Rachael T

Brooklyn, New York

Contributor

11 reviews

Reviews in 8 cities

6 helpful votes

“Enlightening and memorable experience”

Reviewed 25 February 2013

What a day we spent with Will in the back country of Marlborough. We drove through the mountains for hours and saw sights that we could never have seen otherwise. Will was extremely professional, hospitable and informative. It was a great way to see Marlborough and learn about the history of the area. Worth checking out!

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This was a back country tour to the KT boundary with a group from a wine company from the USA. It was great fun and most enjoyable for myself and rewarding for our clients. Thank you for your compliments. More

Susiemck

1 review

“A taste of Marlborough!”

Reviewed 6 February 2013

I enjoyed a wonderful morning visiting a local wine farm, chocolate factory and eating a delicious dish of fresh mussels. A fantastic plan B in the pouring rain! Thanks to Will's extensive knowledge of the area, I learnt about the history, geography, flora and fauna of Marlborough. It was such a pleasure to be with someone who truly loves their... More

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A most enjoyable trip for a member of the cruise ship staff who was looking for connections to ancestry here in Blenheim. A visit to archives at museum gave us a contact that was rewarded a few weeks later. It was a pleasure to share some of Marlborough's treats. Cheers More

cantalgal

Wellington, New Zealand

1 review

“serenity”

Reviewed 30 January 2013

I came as a single 33yo french female tourist and happened to join a group of middle aged kiwis, travelling as friends+family. We all had an amazing time. We sere blessed with an awesome sunset, plenty of birds, a bit of current in the Wairau to give a wee challenge. Will had cooked a delicious dinner that we enjoyed on... More

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Catherine J

Blenheim, New Zealand

1 review

“Magic evening”

Reviewed 21 January 2013

After Will and Rose introduced us to their home and the history behind Driftwood Ecotours we heading down the Opawa River on our adventure. The wind soon disappeared and we were delighted with stories from Will, both past and present, cooking from Rose, and an abundance of birds. It seems we were the only humans about making our tour that... More

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It's always special to have some old Marlborough families on the water so that we can share stories and then I can pass onto others. This tour was delayed several times due to weather conditions however the wait was more than worthwhile with a stunning return upstream amongst birds and fading light. More

Guida L

Auckland Central, New Zealand

2 reviews

“Thunderstorm in Paradise”

Reviewed 10 January 2013

We booked for a sunset and full moon kayak experience. We got thunder, lightning and raindrops! And it was still fantastic - we were a group of three and were welcomed and hosted in a friendly supportive manner along with the other four; given lots of interesting local history and mysteries which was great considering two of us were locals... More

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This was a fun trip with 4 seasons in one day making a true New Zealand experience. Lovely people sharing the tranquility of this unique environment. More