Another great way to see the Marlborough Sounds is by kayak or bike - or both! Wilderness Guides offers a great chance to see the area from the water and on two wheels, as I found out when I went on their One Day Kayak and Bike trip.

First up, we met up at the Wilderness Guides HQ by the Picton Railway Station. We then set off by van away from Picton Harbour to nearby Ngakuta Bay (which took about 20 minutes) via the scenic Queen Charlotte Drive .

After a safety briefing with our guide, we spent a fantastic morning on the peaceful, sheltered, unspoilt waterways of Queen Charlotte Sound , where we learned about the history, culture and wildlife of the area. We also got to see some pretty funky starfish close-up, which was really cool.

Then we stopped for a break to munch on our locally-made gourmet packed lunch, before heading off on the Queen Charlotte Track for a three hour mountain bike ride from Anakiwa to Mistletoe Bay .

Views, bush, beaches, this ride had it all. It was an amazing track, and the only problem was that I had to keep stopping round every corner to get a photo of the view as it really was stunning!

We made it to Mistletoe Bay in time to catch the boat back to Picton, where I was more than ready to sup on a nice cold beer after my day of adventure. Mmm beer....

• Wilderness Guides offers guided or independent sea kayaking tours on Queen Charlotte Sound , mountain biking and hiking on the Queen Charlotte Track - or a combination of all three.

• You can easily find Wilderness Guides at the south end of Picton Railway Station (in the Subway building) at 3 Auckland Street . They also have heaps of information about mountain bike and kayak hire, as well as everything you need to know about the Queen Charlotte Track.

• There are lots of trips to choose from - how about a one day guided sea kayak or a kayak/bike/hike adventure combo?

• Prices for the combo are $120 for the one day kayak and hike and $135 for the one day kayak and bike, where you get to ride on top quality Kona 27-speed suspension bikes.

• These bikes are also available for hire from $45 per day, while kayaks start at $40 per day.

• The Queen Charlotte Track winds its way over 71km, passing through lush coastal native bush, around pristine bays and along skyline ridges with unbelievable views.

• Wilderness Guides offer guided and independent packages for this track from one day to multi days year round. Check out www.queencharlottetracknz.com for more information.

• And to get in touch with Wilderness Guides direct, call them on 03 520 3095 or Freephone 0800 266 266 or email: info@wildernessguidesnz.com or visit www.wildernessguidesnz.com

Written by Rachel Pinder.

Rachel stayed at Sequoia Lodge and Backpackers, 3a Nelson Square, Picton, which is a lovely home-from-home hostel where you can enjoy a yummy chocolate cake and ice cream every night too. Check out www.sequoialodge.co.nz for more details or call 0800 222257.