All of us here at Abel Tasman Canyons are dedicated to giving you an experience of a lifetime from start to finish. Our friendly voice on the other side of the phone, our positive words of encouragement to help you push your limits, our passion for our work and the place we work in, our commitment to your safety, our bad jokes but our good looks are some of the key qualities you’ll experience when you join one of our adventures.
Toine is a man that lives and breathes canyoning. Toine is both the founder and the managing director of Abel Tasman Canyons and the New Zealand Canyoning School. Every chance he gets to leave the office, you will find him in a canyon either guiding, instructing, or doing first descents. Toine was born in the Netherlands. Prior to moving to New Zealand, Toine guided in canyons throughout Europe and South Africa. In 2010 he travelled to Japan to train with the Commission International de Canyon (CIC). In 2017 he trained with the International Canyoning Organisation for Professionals (ICOpro) team in Bali to become an ICOpro Trainer. Toine is an active member of the New Zealand canyon scene; He wrote the Code of Practice for Recreational Canyoning in New Zealand and he is a canyoning assessor for NZOIA. He teaches canyoning as part of the Adventure Tourism course at NMIT (Nelson Polytech). Toine is the coordinator of the Tasman Canyon Rescue team and a Canyon Rescue Instructor for LandSAR. He was also a member of the NZ canyoning expedition team that explored new canyons down the West Coast, Wanaka and Fiordland in March 2015 and another canyoning expedition in remote Fiordland in 2022. Now you see what we meant by him living and breathing canyoning.
Languages spoken: English and Dutch
Eva is Toine's partner, together they started Abel Tasman Canyons. Eva is the one who quietly keeps everything running like clockwork. She handles a ton of behind-the-scenes work in the office to make sure everything goes smoothly. When she needs a break from her desk, you will find her in the canyon purely for the fun of it, usually squealing her way down the slides. With a PhD in Medical Anthropology, she is endlessly curious about people’s stories, so don’t be surprised if you end up sharing your life story with her at some point. True to her Dutch roots, Eva is also a keen cyclist, whether it is cruising the roads or hitting the local mountain-bike trails.
Languages spoken: English and Dutch
This season marks Jono’s second year guiding with us, and we could not be happier to have him back. He grew up on the North Island and trained as an outdoor instructor at Hillary Outdoors, bringing a solid skillset and a great attitude to every trip. Jono has his NZOIA Canyon Leader qualification. He is not just a great canyoning guide; he is an all-round wonderful human being. Fun fact, last year Jono’s job interview with Toine was during a canyoning first descent. This resulted in Jono getting the job AND getting a canyon named after him. How good! Besides canyoning, Jono is a keen climber and kayaker. We are absolutely stoked to have him on board for season number two.
Colton joined Abel Tasman Canyons last summer, and we are stoked to have him back for round 2. He brings heaps of experience from canyon and cave guiding in British Columbia Canada, and as a climbing instructor in cool places such as Thailand. Besides his BA in outdoor recreation from Lakehead University, Colton holds Level 2 Canyon Guides International qualification. Not only is Colton skilled, but he is also seriously enthusiastic about canyoning. On his days off you will usually find him out exploring new canyons around the region or practicing some new rope techniques. Colton is also a keen caver. He was part of the team that found Canada’s biggest cave system, the ARGO system. We feel very lucky to have him back on the team.
Languages spoken: English and French (Canadian)
Sophie is originally from the States and comes to us with a solid background in Outdoor Education and Adventure Tourism. She is in New Zealand on a working holiday visa and spent the winter working at the ski field in Wanaka before joining us for the summer season. With experience both behind the scenes and out in the field as a packrafting, canoeing, and backpacking guide, Sophie knows exactly what goes into prepping for a smooth, safe and enjoyable trip. She is organised, capable, and absolutely in her element in the outdoors. She is keen to explore the Abel Tasman this summer mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, and getting out in the canyon as much as possible.
Originally from Germany, Andy is no stranger to New Zealand’s canyons, as he has already spent a summer canyon guiding in Wānaka a few years back. Andy has also been a canyoning guide in Interlaken, (Switzerland) and in Germany. Recreationally he has been exploring canyons in New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Taiwan. On top of his MA in Sport tourism from the University of Cologne, Andy is also a qualified “Tiroler Sluchtenfuhrer”, a badass name for a Austrian Canyoning Guide. Besides canyoning, Andy is mad keen on football, paragliding, and diving. He has also spent quite some time traveling through Africa. Safe to say, Andy has no shortage of great stories. We are stoked to have him bring his technical skills, experience, and fun energy to the team.
Languages spoken: English, German
Emma is our local star, born and raised in Wakefield, New Zealand. Emma is one of those people who seems to feel most at home on the water. She is a keen white-water kayaker and trained in canyoning at the Nelson Polytech NMIT under the expert guidance of Toine and Adrien. Emma has her NZOIA Canyon Leader qualification. Emma has previously guided for Canyoning Aotearoa and worked as a sea-kayak guide in the Abel Tasman National Park. She knows the park inside out, its flora, fauna, and stories, so when she starts chatting, make sure you are listening. You are guaranteed to learn something new. She is also excited to keep building her canyoning skills while working alongside the rest of the team.
Just like the nocturnal kiwi bird, when it is night-time in New Zealand Jeff comes out to work his magic. Based in the Netherlands, Jeffrey from Rydestyle looks after all our design work. He does an amazing job building our websites and designing our brochures, posters, adverts, sign writing etc. Our long-term friend rides downhill bikes like a maniac and works the computer like a braniac! No job or trail is too difficult for this guy.
Craig is a North Island Kiwi with an adventurous spirit that’s hard to match. As a caver, canyoner, arborist, and all-around outdoor enthusiast, he’s got adventure in his DNA. Qualified as a NZOIA Canyon 1 instructor. Craig hiked the Te Araroa trail—spanning the entire 3,000 kilometers of Aotearoa New Zealand!
Local lad from up the Motueka valley. Oscar is keen on anything that goes on in the outdoors, especially kayaking and canyoning. Before becoming a canyoning guide, Oscar spent a few years sea kayaking up and down the Abel Tasman coastline. Over the years Oscar has been trained in-house and gained his NZOIA Canyon 1. These days Oscar works as an Outdoor Education Instructor at a local high school but on his days off he loves making a guest appearance in the canyon. He is also an active member of the Tasman Swift Water and Canyon Rescue team. This man knows some mean as rope tricks so if you are in need of some party tricks, ask him to show you. Be ready to be left feeling mesmerised.
Juri (Latvian born Kiwi) switched over from the dark side (caving) after years of guiding in Waitomo, to canyoning in the beautifully sunny Abel Tasman. If you find yourself stuck for some commentary, Juri knows a joke or two. However, even more impressive are his tea pouring skills during the tea break in the canyon, Tom Cruise in ‘Cocktail’ has got nothing on him! Other things you might not know about Juri; he was once a civil engineer, on a daily basis he keeps himself busy as a builder and Juri is an ice hockey player and surfer. Jurij is also an active member of the Tasman Swift Water and Canyon Rescue team. Could his skills be any more diverse??
Languages spoken: English and Latvian
It's hard to decribe Caleb. Let's go with tree-climbing-unicycle riding-all-round-adventurer. Caleb is always up for a crazy adventure. And if he's not out playing he'll be contributing his energy to the local LandSAR and CanyonSAR teams. With many years of local sea kayaking experience, he knows the Abel Tasman inside out. A man of many talents and passions, and canyoning is definitely one of them!
Brother Lee was there right from the early beginnings of Abel Tasman Canyons. North Island kiwi born and raised, he travelled to Japan to teach english and got roped into a canyoning guiding job. Lee and Toine got in touch and had a crack at guiding the first guests down the canyons of the Abel Tasman, stuck around for a few years and got his NZOIA Canyon 2 qualification. He then roamed around Aotearoa whilst training to become a qualified paramedic. Eventually he realised the Top of the South is the place to be and moved back to Motueka. We're stoked to have this quality human back in the area!
Languages spoken: English and Japanese
Our main staff intake is just before the season starts in October. However, we're always on the lookout for fun-loving super star instructors and office gurus. So if you're interested in a position send us a kick-ass cover letter and CV. For guide positions add your relevant logbooks (rock, water, ropes) of your personal and professional experience so we can see what adventurer extraordinaire you are!
1) Best way to explore and experience Abel Tasman
Hike through the forest to the starting point, then swim/ slide/ abseil/ zipline/ leap downstream, in NZ’s favourite national park. Pure beauty.
2) Adrenaline achievement unlocked
Action and fun packed – the “itinerary” was very creative and you never really know what to imagine or expect at every turn. Peppered with interesting stories and facts the guides shared.
3) Professional, caring and super fun guides
Whom you can count on to feel safe, upbeat, looked after and game for any (if not almost every) challenge. Kudos to the awesome Toine, Lee and Mark for spending Day 1 of our trip with us (:
Syan203, Singapore
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