lochmara lodge marlborough sounds wildlife recovery centre

We went on a day trip to Lochmara.The boat trip was very nice.Lunch was ok. The staff were very good.Not something I would do again, but not sorry I tried it.

This is the perfect day to relax and unwind in a gorgeous, beautiful environment. Great boat trip out to the lodge. Once there it is remote, gorgeous, there are free kayaks and my teenagers kayaked round the whole bay. The water is gorgeous (chilly) and the rope swing is a hit with the kids. The cafe serves great food. Also I loved wandering through the walks and seeing the artwork and beehives, and recycling program. An extremely create place.Unfortunately we only had one day but I would stay over in the motels and get a massage and use the Queen Charlotte Track. This place is paradise.

We took the 12-30pm returning at 5pm option which cost $45 pp. It takes about 20 minutes to get to Lochmara from Picton on the boat. Once there there is plenty to do and explore especially if you have kids. Swimming, rope swings, free kayaks, animal feeding, very cool bird feeding, and a few walks with hammocks and art work all over the place. Lunch was reasonable but limited menu. Battered fish n chips and Pork Belly burger n chips were around the $26 mark so not overly expensive. There are plenty of loungers or tables littered around the cafe to soak up the views. A nice way to spend an afternoon.

We had three wonderful days at Lockmara Lodge during our trip to NZ and this stay was the highlight. The ride on the water taxi from Picton set the scene with the skipper helping us on and off the boat with our heavy luggage. Paula welcomed us at the jetty and looked after us from there. The restaurant was excellent and the service friendly. It is a great place to sample a quiet paddle on the water, or as we did, a great walk up to the Queen Charlotte Track. We are already planning to visit again next year.

I had heard of Loachmara and we were on a cruise that stopped in Picton. I stopped in at the info desk in Picton and asked how to get there. The person said "ah, that is a hidden gem! You will love it". We went to the pier at her suggestion and paid $45.(AUS)/person at the tours desk. That got us a speedboat "ferry" ride over to the lodge and admittance onto the grounds. Our boat driver Paul was very nice and explained the local jellyfish to me and made us feel very welcome. Once there we had unlimited access to kayaking, hiking, hammocking and petting the animals on the grounds. They had free-roaming chickens, native NZ pigs (short but strong and cute), native NZ eels and the NZ Kakariki birds. If you are at the Kakariki aviary during feeding time, you can hand feed them. It is amazing. There is also a dog on site that will be happy to play fetch with you. There is a small beach for swimming and tons of hiking trails. The trails are all dotted with artwork of various sorts from totems to scuptures. I suggest taking the hike up to hammock heaven. The view everywhere on these grounds is amazing. We did have some bread with dips at the cafe along with a piece of NZ candy cake. Both were very good. We would liked to have tried a few more items but the prices were quite high. They also have a small art gallery and a lodge on site. We did not stay at the lodge, but we plan to return at some point to try it out. The best part of all of this, is that there was only 1 other couple there from our cruise and we ran into only a handful of people all afternoon. Serenity.

An interesting & picturesque location that makes for a good day trip. Eco sensitive & animals to observe

Lochmara for us is just a skip from home but its our never fail "go to" place for visitors when they come... the staff are awesome and food and drinks are great ... it is literally relaxing in paradise...

I can understand why Lockmara is popular with families but for a couple it was a big disappointment. Our initial room was motel-style with zero privacy, smack in the middle of a public area. The lodge staff was very accommodating and we paid extra to upgrade to a "suite" -- which was a larger motel-style room but did have a great view, was private, and was clean. However, we were briefly without water (a common occurrence I understand). The restaurant was ok (pricey relative to the quality); the hostess was not very friendly. We wanted to kayak but the very few kayaks were old and poor quality, and the life jackets were smelly and in ill repair. All equipment was "self-service" without a sign-in or sign-out; as such, equipment was not properly returned making it difficult to know if something was abandoned on the beach or in use. Fortunately we booked a private kayak trip in Queen Charlotte Sound that was amazing but had nothing to do with the lodge. I was able to get a fabulous massage at a reasonable price.Overall, while it might be a fun day trip for families, I can't recommend this lodge for an overnight stay -- especially if your time is limited and you want to enjoy the many wonderful outdoor adventures NZ offers. Stay in Picton and enjoy what Malborough Sounds has to offer.

3rd time we have visited Lochmara, each time it's been amazing. So much to see and do if you want to, or you could just lie in a hammock and read a book!

Every time we visit the Marlborough Sounds we have to take the boat to Lochmara for a day trip. The restaurant is lovely with delicious food. My son loves to visit the birds and we all enjoy walking around the trail to see all the sculptures. Very entertaining watching people do the rope swing and nice just to relax on the beach. They are always helpful when you show up with your boat. They tell you what mooring to use and then come out and collect you. And when you are ready to leave take you back to your boat again. For us it wouldn't be a holiday in the sounds without coming for a visit.

We bought a day trip pass from Picton to Lochmara. It included the water taxi and access to the walks around the lodge and wildlife areas. It also included use of the kayaks etc. We really enjoyed our time here overall. The walking areas behind the lodge are fantastic with loads to see and explore. Only downside was how crowded the cafe was. Lochmara lodge is advertised as a place you can go and buy lunch at (at the cafe). But when we tried to but food it was ridiculously busy. We thought we had waited til the rush died down and got in the queue to order food at 2pm. At 2:15 we reached the front of the ordering queue to be told then that the wait for any food was 1.5 - 2 hours! I appreciate it is a busy time of the year but that seemed a bit ridiculous. And didnt appreciate queuing for 15 mins to be then told that. Maybe customers could be told about that delay when they first queue up, in case they just want to forget about trying to order food?

We stayed here for one night as part of our Queen Charlotte Track walk. We were met by their water taxi and transferred to the lodge. The skipper was on his mobile phone as we boarded the boat, there were no other passengers. We had experienced such great hospitality throughout NZ and thought it a bit strange that he chose to continue his call rather than stop to greet us or to check that he had the right people. He remained on the phone the whole journey and didn't communicate with us once other than to give us the thumbs up when we boarded. We later found out he was the lodge owner which really surprised us.The accommodation we had was really nice and we couldn't fault it. After walking about 24kms that day to get to Lochmara we were very tired. We were told that they had a bathhouse so we booked it for an hour. It is a lovely room in the bush with a view of the inlet and has two large baths which were filled with hot water and had bath salts added. There were several candles burning essential oils and towels and robes. I can't tell you how good it felt -words would not adequately describe it.Our only disappointment with Lochmara was our dinner which was just OK and the beer and wine was expensive.

Coffee, wine or a meal it's the best location in the sounds. The food is nice - not amazing, but the setting makes up for it. Friendly welcoming staff nothing a problem.

Took the water taxi over to Lochmara Lodge for a day of adventures. Plenty of activities and great café/restaurant. Staff were all so friendly and welcoming. Recommend this place as a day trip to anyone.

I only spend a few hours at Lochmara, exploring the surroundings incl. wildlife. There are many spots with comfortable hammocks inviting you to hang out and take a break. Even a spot for star gazing at its best! :) Kayaking and other activities are possible too, just go there either to stay at the Lodge or to take a break from whatever.