About Us

Meet Sara & Dave

Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company is owned and operated by Sara Archdale and Dave Watson, both born and raised in New Zealand’s South Island.

Helping people to stage their own adventures on the Queen Charlotte Track and around the Marlborough Sounds is our dream job come true.

We bought the company 12 years ago, after 10 years of travelling and working in the UK, Europe and Australia. Our travel experience has given us a great understanding of all the elements that contribute to an amazing time.

Supporting us every step of the way is a fantastic team of guides and base crew. While we are the original adventure tourism business in Marlborough, our team won’t let a great track record go to their heads. Each adventure gets the utmost attention, so that every hiker, biker and kayaker enjoys the safe, fun and unforgettable experience that we are famous for.

We took a great company and made it even better

The Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company was originally founded in 1987 by two Outward Bound instructors operating out of Anakiwa. Later, Bruce Maunsell and Melanie Barton purchased the company and moved the base to Picton. Under their ownership the company quickly gained a reputation for providing quality sea kayaking and walking experiences. Their diligence was rewarded in 1993 with a NZ Tourism Award for Best Activity Tourism.

Our family

We love sharing the outdoors with our two gorgeous girls, Coco and Billie. They are finally developing legs long enough to cope with walking, and we are waiting for their arms to get long enough for paddling! As a family we make the most of the spectacular outdoor playground we live in.

Awards for doing what we do best

Over the years our commitment to ‘getting it right’ has often been recognized by local and national tourism awards. Recent awards include the 2004 Marlborough Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Tourism Award and Environment Award. We are also delighted to be 2007 NZ Tourism Award Winners for Leisure Activity and Small Business. See Our Blog Post

We look forward to sharing our beautiful corner of New Zealand with you.

Sara, Dave and the team.