🌊🎶 Chatham Islands Adventure & Seafood Extravaganza | Fully Escorted Tour | 14th September 21st September 2026
The September Seafood Extravaganza Tour is perfectly timed to coincide with the Forget-Me-Not flowering season, one of the most magical times to visit the Chatham Islands. These delicate blue blooms, unique to the islands and provide a stunning natural backdrop to your journey.
Combined with the freshest daily seafood experiences, this tour offers not only a feast for the palate but also a feast for the eyes—an opportunity to witness one of the Chathams’ most iconic floral displays at its peak. Get ready for an unforgettable week exploring the rugged beauty, vibrant culture, and adventurous spirit of the Chatham Islands!
✨ All our tours include your own room with ensuite at no extra cost—making them the perfect choice for solo travellers who love their space and comfort.
But that’s only the beginning…
Every day brings a new taste of the Chathams with our Seafood Extravaganza. Indulge in freshly caught crayfish, blue cod, pāua, kina, hāpuku—and more—prepared with local flair. Each meal celebrates the island’s incredible bounty of the sea, giving you a true “ocean-to-plate” experience that’s as authentic as it is delicious.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or returning to this one-of-a-kind destination, this immersive tour blends adventure, culture, fine food and warm island hospitality—all wrapped into one extraordinary package.
🔑 Tour Highlights
🏨 Waterfront Accommodation
Stay seven nights at one of Hotel Chatham’s charming Waitangi properties, offering coastal views and comfort just steps from the sea.
👤 Solo Traveller Friendly
Enjoy your own private room at no additional cost—perfect for those travelling independently!
🍽️ Meals & Dining
- Daily Meals: Enjoy daily cooked or continental breakfasts, delicious lunches, and hearty dinners.
- Welcoming Seafood Dinner: Kick off your stay with a banquet of fresh, local seafood.
- Wines Included: A selection of complimentary wines are included.
- Degustation Farewell Dinner: Curated by Chatham Islands’ own fine dining chef, Kaai Silbery, this finale meal, held at Kopi Bush Retreat, the home of John & Bridget Preece, is one to remember.
- Chef-Created Lunches: Includes a gourmet pop-up and a picnic-style outdoor lunch.
🚶 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
- Waitangi West Beach – Search for rare pink paua shells
- Basalt Columns – Marvel at dramatic volcanic formations and giant kelp
- Hapupu Dendroglyphs – See ancient Moriori tree carvings in a sacred forest
- Ocean Mail Reserve – Visit a historic shipwreck site
- Blind Jim’s Lagoon – Wade through shallow waters in search of fossilised shark teeth and kina spines
✈️ What’s Included
- Return flights with Air Chathams (Wellington–Chatham–Wellington) – valued at $1,300
- 7 nights accommodation at Hotel Chatham properties
- Daily breakfast, lunch & dinner
- Selected alcohol with meals
- Airport transfers (Chatham Islands)
- Full-time escort and local guide
- Department of Conservation & landowner concession fees
- Chatham Island Visitor Levy
👜 From the moment you check in for your flight in Wellington, everything is taken care of. Just bring your bag, gumboots, and sense of adventure!
Your Accommodation
- Hotel Chathams – Bayview and Executive Suites
- Hotel Chathams – Forget Me Not Suites
Rooms are allocated upon confirmation of your booking – you can view the rooms here.
📝 Booking Information
- Cost: $6,700 per person
- Deposit: $1,500 secures your place
- Balance Due: 8 weeks prior to departure
- Solo Travellers: No extra charge for your own room
- Cancellations:
- Deposit non-refundable unless your place is filled
- Full payment non-refundable after due date unless we can reallocate
- If WE cancel, you’ll receive a full refund or credit for a future tour
- Travel Insurance: Strongly recommended upon paying deposit
Fitness & Health Requirements
This tour requires a moderate level of fitness:
- Walks of up to 45 minutes across uneven farmland and rocky paths
- Ability to climb stairs to board the fishing boat
- Ability to manage your own luggage at airport check-in
If you experience a medical event in the six weeks before departure, you must inform us of the medical event and medical clearance may be required. The hospital on island is a small 3 bed hospital and should you require hospitalisation while on tour, evacuation to mainland New Zealand may be necessary via air ambulance.
📍 Flight Information
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
| Ticket Type | Price | Cart |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 Chatham Island Tour - deposit per person | $1,500 |