The road that heads west along the South Island’s northern shores comes to an end at the sleepy town of Collingwood.
This tiny settlement receives a fraction of the visitors who throng to nearby Nelson, but provides access to one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets — Farewell Spit. This expanse of protected beach and natural wetland is home to thousands of migratory wading birds.
Thankfully, due to its worldwide importance, it is a strictly protected sanctuary and accessible only on a guided tour.
Eco tours to Farewell Spit
On a tour to the Spit you get the chance to visit the only sea-level gannet colony in the world; Cape Farewell Eco Tours have the only license which allows this kind of access. Along the way you stop at the Spit lighthouse, to learn how it worked and explore the lighthouse keeper's century old house.
Finally you reach the Cape. Cape Farewell is the northernmost point of the South Island and the clifftop views of the Tasman Sea and rugged coastline are spectacular. The coastal cliffs are sliced through with fault lines, vertically walled slashes where streams run inland rather than to the sea creating fascinating rock patterns.
There is time on the tour to climb the Barchan Dunes or walk along the wind-driven beaches, and the more adventurous can try a bit of dune-surfing. Throughout the tour you are provided with a comprehensive commentary from the passionate, enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable guides, and your transport comes in the form of RL Bedfords — rather hefty looking but very comfortable four wheel drive vehicles that can tackle the stunning sand flats.
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Places near Collingwood & Farewell Spit
- Abel Tasman National Park 36 kilometers away
- Kahurangi National Park 58 kilometers away
- Nelson 83 kilometers away
- Marlborough Sounds 130 kilometers away
- Picton 131 kilometers away
- Blenheim 142 kilometers away
- Wellington 189 kilometers away
- Punakaiki 195 kilometers away
- The Kapiti Coast 197 kilometers away
- Hanmer Springs 206 kilometers away
- Kaikoura 209 kilometers away
- Taranaki & New Plymouth 217 kilometers away
- Whanganui National Park 218 kilometers away
- Greytown 238 kilometers away
- Martinborough 242 kilometers away
- Wairarapa & surrounds 243 kilometers away
- Hokitika 268 kilometers away
- Arthur's Pass National Park 270 kilometers away
- Tongariro National Park 293 kilometers away
- Christchurch 318 kilometers away
- Waitomo 340 kilometers away
- Akaroa & Banks Peninsula 349 kilometers away
- North Island 357 kilometers away
- Lake Taupo 366 kilometers away
- Hastings 373 kilometers away
- Fox & Franz Josef Glaciers 381 kilometers away
- Napier 384 kilometers away
- Hawke's Bay 387 kilometers away
- Mount Cook National Park 402 kilometers away
- Waikato 408 kilometers away
- Lake Tekapo 412 kilometers away
- Rotorua 417 kilometers away
- South Island 432 kilometers away
- Tauranga 449 kilometers away
- Twizel 452 kilometers away
- Bay of Plenty 458 kilometers away
- Auckland 464 kilometers away
- Thames & Kauaeranga Valley 466 kilometers away
- Devonport 466 kilometers away
- Waiheke Island 478 kilometers away