Experiences & Activities
on-site & nearby
A Base for Exploration
Stay in or venture out — craft the experience that best suits you
Within the Estate
Available exclusively for our guests
Whether it’s a spa day, a yoga class, or just relaxing in one of our saunas or hot tub, we are all about tailoring your experience to suit you and your wellbeing at Maruia River Retreat.
We also have many exclusive nature walks on the property, guided garden tours and a white water rafting trip that leaves straight from our doorstep.
Private Forest Bathing
Enjoy daily private access to the forest hot tub, looking out to the Maruia River as you relax beneath a canopy of beech trees. Within steps from the forest tub is our new Infrared Chroma-therapy sauna, to enhance and complement your healing forest bathing experience — detoxifying and invigorating your body naturally.
Wellness Centre
Indulge in an indoor Finnish sauna, take a yoga class in the designated shala, or enjoy a session in the massage chair. The Maruia Wellness Centre is a hub for healing and relaxation, available to you throughout your stay.
Spa & Skincare Treatments
Luxuriate in a natural and intentionally-crafted facial or body scrub. These are available to book for our in-house guests and are included in the daily activities for those who book the Personal Restoration Retreat packages.
Massage Therapy
Unwind with a luxury massage treatment of your choice with a trained massage therapist. Treatments available include Relaxation, Remedial, Deep Tissue, Musculoskeletal & Sports Massage. These are available to book for our in-house guests and are included in the daily activities for those who book the Personal Restoration Retreat packages.
Guided Nature Walks
Join a local nature guide for a walk through the native beech forest on our estate and learn about the local ecology. There are plenty of points of interest to pause and connect with along the way. Traverse through multiple creeks, trekking along the 1.5km frontage of Maruia River. Or simply explore the estate on your own.
Magnesium Pool
Take a soak or a swim in our heated Magnesium pool as you receive the benefits of the pure, healing spring waters. This therapeutic aquatic experience blends the health advantages of magnesium chloride/potassium chloride with the convenience of continuous, in-place swimming thanks to the endless jet feature.
River Rafting
We offer an exclusive white water rafting journey, departing from Maruia River Retreat via transfer and arriving back at the lodge via river raft! Accessible only to resident guests, this river journey provides private access to the Maruia River through the Maruia Gorge. A picnic stop and a gourmet lunch pack is provided. Bookings required.
Wellness Retreats
Throughout the year, we host and collaborate on different wellbeing retreats and special interest workshops such as creative writing, photography, nutrition and wellness, meditation immersions and silent retreats.
Local Attractions
Nearby & surrounding
There is much to see and do in our corner of New Zealand. Within 15 minutes is the Maruia Falls Reserve, 35 minutes to the Buller Swing Bridge, 45 minutes to the Nelson Lakes National Park and Maruia Hot Springs, and 1.5 hours to the coastal walks and towns of the West Coast.
We are happy to assist you with booking any tour and providing recommendations.
Maruia Falls
Located just a 10 min drive from the estate, take a short walk to see the mighty Maruia waterfall, which was created from the 1929 Murchison earthquake.
Murchison
Murchison is a quaint town, rich with history — only a 25 min drive from Maruia. Don’t miss a visit to Rust and Dust — a shop filled with antique treasures, and the Tutaki Bakery for one of their delicious pies.
Natural Flames Tour
A 'must-see’' natural treasure in the Top of the South. Take a guided tour through the world's only perpetually burning fire in a fairy-tale forest.
Fly Fishing
Organise a local guide to pick you up from the Lodge for a half or full day of guided trout fishing in the local rivers. Available from November to April (gear rental is available too).
Canyon Jet Boat
Take a thrilling jet boat ride on the mighty Buller River, carve your way through the pink granite rock of the canyons, pass waterfalls and surf on the earthquake rapids, right in the heart of historic gold mining country. A mind-blowing 40 minutes of pure thrill at 85km/hour.
Buller Gorge Rafting
Tackle white-water rapids from grade 2-4 on the spectacular Buller River — the perfect tour for you and your team! Check out the famous Ariki Falls and pink granite canyon along with other rapids like O’Sullivan’s rapid, Jet Boat rapid and Whale Creek.
West Coast Road Trip
The West Coast of the South Island is wild and stunning. Punakaiki, Greymouth, Hokitika, Westport and Reefton are all within a day-trip drive. You could start by visiting Westport, then Punakaiki, down to Greymouth and Hokitika, followed by a stop in Reefton on your way back.
Hokitika Gorge
Hokitika is a cool little town situated on the West Coast that has so much to see and do — it is well worth a day trip. We highly recommend visiting the stunning Hokitika Gorge with a forest walk and swing bridge overlooking pure blue waters.
Reefton Distillery Tour
It’s no secret that we are big fans of Little Biddy Gin. The Reefton Distillery host tasting tours where you can learn about their journey, how they craft their products and sample their range.
Scenic Flights
Murchison Heli Tours provide a range of scenic helicopter rides of different durations including 1000-acre plateau, the Clearest Lake in the World, Mountain Picnic and Heli Yoga. Choose your own views!
Nelson Lakes National Park
The 16 picturesque lakes that make up the Nelson Lakes National Park are undoubtedly the calling card for a visit to the village of St Arnaud, and many a visitor has been spotted capturing that iconic jetty shot at Lake Rotoiti.
Maruia Hot Springs Day Trip
Just 45-minutes away are the natural hot pools of the Maruia Hot Springs, tucked among the snow-capped Southern Alps on the picturesque Lewis Pass National Reserve. We can arrange day trips to the hot springs for our guests to enjoy a private bathing experience and more.
Mountain Biking
There are advanced mountain bike tracks in the Matakitaki Valley and Glenroy Valley that are nearby. The tracks pass through farmland, open grassland, and beech forest. Ask us for recommendations.
Great Walks
The multitude of rivers in our area makes Murchison a white water playground and an angler's paradise. DOC also has a number of short and day walks in the area.