Kayaking down Middle-Earth with Pelorus Eco Adventures

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experience the hobbit up close during this beautiful kayak trip

Have you seen the second Hobbit movie “The Desolation of Smaug”? Ever wanted to stand on the same rocks as Bilbo Baggins? Float down the same river, albeit not in barrels? Get the feeling you are right in a Middle-Earth adventure? Then you should definitely experience the Hobbit Kayak Tour offered by Pelorus Eco Adventures!

And even if you don’t know who the hobbits are, be sure to head over to the Malborough region and enjoy a trip down this river! Nature is at its best here in New Zealand!

The Bluemoon Lodge Accommodation

Family Accommodation Pelorus Bluemoon Lodge Apartment — Our amazing family room at the Bluemoon Lodge apartment in Havelock.

The night before our kayaking trip, we stayed at the Bluemoon Lodge Accommodation. It’s at the same place where the office of Pelorus Eco Adventures is and where the tours start. How convenient can it be ?? What a cool place! They offer all kinds of rooms, with some very cozy communal areas such as a kitchen, outside terrace, and lounge room.

Family Accommodation Relax Pelorus Bluemoon Lodge Apartment — The girls relaxing on the ‘big’ bed in our room.

But we were so lucky to stay in the apartment on the top floor. A beautiful room, with a nice bathroom and a private terrace with the most amazing view!! Do we need to say how much we enjoyed the place, especially since we have been camping in a tent in New Zealand?

We booked our kayaking trip the next day, so we could relax in the afternoon. The kids found a monopoly game downstairs, and we’re so glad to be able to play it again after many months!

Bluemoon Lodge Apartment Family Accommodation Monopoly — Having fun with a monopoly game during our stay at the Bluemoon Lodge apartment.

As we were in Havelock, the capital of the green mussels in New Zealand, we decided we had to try those! So after some cooking in our kitchen, Jurgen created a delicious dish of green mussels with french fries, accompanied by a glass of white Malborough wine!

Local Meal Mussels Wine Bluemoon Lodge Pelorus — Our delicious homemade meal of green mussels and Malborough wine!

Although we were in New Zealand, enjoying the local food and drinks, we almost felt as if we were back in Belgium for just a moment. After a great night, we woke up the next day, all ready for our kayaking adventure! We had an amazing stay here and can definitely recommend this apartment to every family!

Terrace Apartment Family Accommodation Bluemoon Lodge Pelorus — We had a great time enjoying our meal on the terrace of our apartment at Bluemoon Lodge.

Our Hobbit Kayak Tour with Pelorus Eco Adventures

On the morning of our tour, we assembled in front of the office. We and the rest of our group got our life jackets, a short explanation, and off we were! After a short 30 min drive, we arrived at our starting spot. Excited to start our adventure together with our very friendly and helpful guide Ben.

First, we got a short briefing. The inflatable kayaks are very stable, but you never know of course so safety first! And then we were ready to go with our two-person kayaks! The kids were so excited, especially Hanne who has been dreaming of doing a kayaking trip for quite a while now!

Safety Briefing Kayak Trip Pelorus Eco Adventures — Getting ready for our kayaking trip after our safety briefing.

From the moment we took off, the scenery was beautiful. The tranquillity of the river, the sound of the water, and the lush green environment made all stress go away!

Hobbit Kayak Tour Pelorus River Relax Family Scenery — Taking in the beautiful scenery and tranquillity of the Pelorus River.

The kids were in front of us in the kayak, with their own paddle and they loved it! They paddled as if their lives depended on it ?! We (mum and dad) had kayaked before, but we forgot how relaxing it is and how much more you can enjoy the scenery floating along the river. A good reminder we should do this more often!

Pelorus Eco Adventures Hobbit Kayak Family Scenery — Kayaking along the Pelorus River while enjoying the scenery and experience…

Along the way, Ben, our amazing guide, pointed out all the spots where ‘The Hobbit’ movie was filmed. He brought a leaflet that showed some shots out of the movie so we could compare where we were. It is crazy how much detail Peter Jackson put into the movie!

And even more amazing that we are now on the same river, enjoying the same beauty. I remember watching the Lord of the Ring and Hobbit movies, and thinking how fantastic New Zealand must be where they were filmed! Being here and seeing all those locations is a dream coming true.

Hobbit Movie Kayak Pelorus River Eco Adventures — Our great guide Ben showed us the places where the Hobbit movie was shot.

In the middle of the trip, we stopped for a nice swim and dive into the water from some rocks. The water was a bit cold, but we enjoyed it very much. Even the kids jumped from the rocks into the water.

Dive Pelorus River Hobbit Kayak Tour — Take a refreshing dive into the somewhat cold water of the Pelorus River.

Because our youngest one, Hanne, had always dreamed of kayaking, she really wanted to try it for herself. So she could peddle in her kayak all on her own just for a short time. Another child’s dream coming true… After enjoying the water a bit more and getting some nice pictures we kayaked further down the Pelorus River.

Pelorus River Eco Adventures Kayak Child Kid — Hanne discovered a little piece of the Pelorus river on her own.

It was so nice and quiet… The only sound you heard was the moving water and of course, the kids having fun! After passing the Pelorus bridge, we went through a small canyon with a nice little waterfall. This waterfall was used in the Hobbit film for the barrel scene. So picture time again!

Waterfall Hobbit Kayak Tour Pelorus River Eco Adventures — The beautiful little waterfall used in the Hobbit movie.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end as we reached our final stop. We got all our kayaks out of the water and took some nice pictures of the stunning landscape behind us. Tired but satisfied we got on the bus to go back to their head office in town.

Kayaking Tour Pelorus Eco Adventures River Family — Our family picture in front of the Pelorus River after our kayaking tour.

Our experiences with Pelorus Eco Adventures

We had an amazing two days with this tour company. First, we got to stay in their nice apartment, and on the second day we took off for our kayaking adventure. The lovely thing about this experience with Pelorus Eco Adventures is they offer a kayaking trip that is suitable for kids from 6 years old.

So you get some rapids, but nothing dangerous. You see some beautiful nature and all the spots Peter Jackson used to film are pointed out. We had lots of fun and would definitely do it again!