Weather
Sign up for our Newsletter
You're going to love Marlborough:
Long known for the stunning Marlborough Sounds and our famous Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough is a region of spectacular scenic beauty, where the sunny skies, turquoise waters, and gourmet delights provide a blissful escape. Whether you want adventure or indulgence, Marlborough can oblige.
Its easy to discover Marlborough from your base at THE PORTAGE RESORT HOTEL.
The region is an outdoor paradise, with native forests, trout-filled rivers, coastal tracks, sheltered bays for cruising and fishing, mountains and high backcountry – all easily accessible from its towns. Whether you love wine or wildlife, sea-kayaking or cruising, native bush walks or formal garden rambles, under clear sunny skies Marlborough is a great place to unwind. Throughout the province there are galleries, museums, shopping, craft studios, food and wine specialities to discover.
Marlborough Sounds
The Marlborough Sounds is a network of fjiord-like waterways, sheltered by steep hills, most clad in native and timber forests. Geologists would describe the Sounds as ‘drowned valleys’, where in past millennia, the mountains sank in earth movements and the sea flooded into the valleys. Maori legend tells a more exotic story of their creation, how as Kupe wrestled with a giant octopus he grasped at the South Island for support, his fingers digging deep and carving out the waterways.
The Portage is the closest resort to Picton and is located at the heart of the Marlborough Sounds bridging both Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru Sound. We have been welcoming guests for 100 years. We are the 3rd and last night stay on the Queen Charlotte Track, one of the great drawcards to Marlborough. We work closely with guided tour companies, boat operators and other lodges to ensure a seamless experience for you walking the track. Read more about the Queen Charlotte Track at the Marlborough Sounds.
Picton
The gateway to the Queen Charlotte Sound is the lively seaside town of Picton, with a vibrant café scene, historic and marine attractions, and walking trails. Once a Maori settlement, Picton is now a bustling town rich in local history. Museums and historic places provide a glimpse of the past, such as Edwin Fox, the 9th oldest ship in the world. Our central location makes it easy to reach Picton by water or road. It’s just 15 minutes by boat or 1.25 hours by sealed road to The Portage from Picton. Discover the area on your own or take one of our tours to get the best Marlborough has to offer.
Havelock
Once a thriving gold-mining town, Havelock reveals its history in traces of Maori and colonial settlement and quaint colonial buildings now housing boutique art and craft galleries and cafes. Today, the town is renowned as the Greenshell Mussel Capital of the world, for its role as a port for the famous native greenshelled mussel farms in the Kenepuru and Pelorus Sound. Enjoy a cruise on a boat and visit a Greenshell Mussel farm and try the freshly steamed mussels with a glass of Marlbarough Sauvignon Blanc. Ask our friendly staff to book a trip for you with your booking or at your arrival. enquiries@portage.co.nz
Freecall 0800 762 442.
Blenheim
Vineyards embrace Marlborough’s central town of Blenheim, with rows of changing colours through the seasons. Between the brushed Wither Hills and the misty ridges of the Richmond Range is the heartland of Sauvignon Blanc across the stony Wairau Plains. The compact town centre is easy to explore on foot, featuring historic landmarks, attractive river banks and gardens, and bustling high street, complemented by a thriving café and fine dining scene.
Take a water taxi to Picton and enjoy a walk around scenic port town before your departure to a half day wine tour. Immerse yourself in the heart of the vineyards as you tour the famous Marlborough wine region and visit approximately 4 or 5 different venues. Flexibility is the key and we can usually accommodate your preference. Sample the best that the wineries have to offer and learn some of the secrets of wine appreciation with our Discover Portage Wine Tasting Tour.
Kaikoura
The Pacific coast road south to Kaikoura is one of the most dramatic drives in New Zealand with breathtaking mountains to one side and wild rocky beaches pounded by the Ocean from the other. From Kaikoura the views are spectacular, the town itself situated on a peninsula jutting into the ocean and a backdrop of rugged snow capped mountains. It is one of the only places in the world where sperm whales are seen almost every day of the year. The Treehouses at Hapuku Lodge are a feature of a Kaikoura stay.
More Specials
Read more 