🚶 Included in Your Adventure: Exclusive Activities
The experiences below are all part of your Chatham Islands adventure. By partnering with trusted local experts, we offer exclusive activities you won’t find with any other operator—crafted to be seamless, authentic, and unforgettable, ensuring your journey is nothing short of outstanding.
🦞 Seafood Extravaganza – Savour the Chathams’ ocean bounty with daily tastings of crayfish, blue cod, pāua, kina, hāpuku, and more—each day a new seafood delight!
🍲 Gourmet Island Lunches – Enjoy a rustic picnic feast of freshly hot-smoked blue cod chowder, and a special pop-up lunch showcasing local Chatham Island ingredients, lovingly prepared by Chef Kaai Silbery and Kopi Bush Retreat’s Bridget Preece—an unforgettable taste of the islands!
🧶 Woolshed Morning or Afternoon Tea
Visit the south coast’s Durham Farm for a heartwarming country-style tea, stories of rural life, and a taste of true island hospitality.
🌳Tommy Solomon Memorial & Foreshore Walk – Hear moving stories shared by descendants of Tommy Solomon, the last known full-blood Moriori, and explore a living cultural and environmental restoration site – this experience includes our exclusive pop-up lunch and a visit to the nursery where you can see first hand the work that goes into the regeneration of the shoreline.
🍽️ Seafood Degustation Farewell Dinner – Indulge in a multi-course seafood dining experience at Kopi Bush Retreat—the daring, off-the-grid home of John & Bridget Preece, as seen on Grand Designs New Zealand. Your unforgettable finale is prepared by Chef Kaai Silbery, showcasing the very best of Chatham Island flavours.
🎣✈️ Your Choice of Adventure – Enjoy a 2–3 hour fishing trip on Chatham’s pristine waters or take a breathtaking 30-minute scenic flight over the islands for a bird’s-eye view of their rugged beauty.
🧭 Unique Island Experiences
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- Waitangi West Beach – Search for rare pink paua shells
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- Basalt Columns – Marvel at dramatic volcanic formations and giant kelp
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- Hapupu Dendroglyphs – See ancient Moriori tree carvings in a sacred forest
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- Ocean Mail Reserve – Visit a historic shipwreck site
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- Blind Jim’s Lagoon – Wade through shallow waters in search of fossilised shark teeth and kina spines
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- 14th September– Air Chathams departs Wellington at 2:00pm, arriving at Tuuta Airport on the Chatham Islands at approximately 4:30pm local time (note the 45 minute time difference).
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- Please meet your Travel With Lesley Whyte representative at the Air Chathams check-in counter by 12.30pm for group check-in and to receive your personalised itinerary. It’s essential that you do not check in individually, as we will be attaching luggage tags that ensure your bags are correctly identified and delivered directly to your accommodation on the Chatham Islands.
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- 21st September – Your return flight with Air Chathams departs Tuuta Airport at 9:30am, arriving in Wellington at approximately 10:45am local time. Please note that delays can occasionally occur when departing the Chatham Islands, so we strongly recommend allowing at least two hours between arrival and any onward connecting flights.
