TRAVEL
THE FIRST ZERO CARBON ITINERARY IN NEW ZEALAND
spots. After a day out exploring, pick up a hybrid car from New Zealand Rent-A-Car or Hertz, and head into Nelson City for the evening.
DAY 1
Your holiday begins with an arrival into the award-winning Nelson Airport, a striking sculptural landmark using passive design principles and built with locally sourced timbers. If you fancy a cycling adventure from day one, The Gentle Cycling Company can combine e-bikes with sage advice as you set off on Tasman’s Great Taste Trail in search of chocolate-box scenery and wonderful new flavours. Or join Wine Art and Wilderness on one of their guided tours around wineries, art galleries or the region’s best nature
Recently the Nelson Regional Development Agency (NRDA) launched the very first Zero Carbon Itinerary in New Zealand. The idea of this four day trip around the Nelson Tasman District is to leave as light an environmental footprint as possible by using the most environmentally responsible activities, accommodation providers and hospitality places in the area. The 14 businesses featured in the itinerary are all zero carbon certified or carbon positive enterprises. There is no additional cost for travellers to undertake the itinerary as the participants have already offset their carbon emissions. 30
The ideal place to toast your holiday and plot your next day’s experiences is The Free House, a converted church and the first climate positive pub in the country. Here, you’ll find a wide range of delicious craft brews on tap (including the much-loved Mussel Inn beverages), and they even let you bring along your own food! Stocking up on picnic provisions for a night in a pub-church requires a pit stop at Fresh Choice Nelson, a supermarket that specialises in local produce. Look for their ‘less than 200km’ labels to help with your decision making, and don’t forget to include some goodies from Yum Granola and the Chia Sisters. At the end of the day, sleeping with a clear conscience is easy in a private room with ensuite at the centrally located YHA Nelson by Accents, right on the doorstep of the Nelson Saturday Market.
DAY 2
In the morning, set off to Mārahau for a full day trip with Abel Tasman AquaTaxi and Mārahau Sea Kayaks, stopping off to grab a coffee from Celcius Coffee in Motueka on the way. Abeltasman.com offer boating, hiking and kayaking trips in the Abel Tasman National Park, all of which have been
Enjoying craft beer at The Free House, Nelson.
31
