YHA Havelock, Rutherford Lodge

The YHA Havelock hostel is located at the mouth of the Pelorus Sound, in the South Island’s Marlborough Sounds. The old Havelock school has been converted into modern backpacker style accommodation and shares a name with the school’s most famous pupil, Baron Ernest Rutherford of Nelson, creator of modern atomic physics. Another famous student from the Havelock school was William Pickering, father of the NASA space program.

Backpacking guests at YHA Havelock can enjoy intimate meals of Marlborough Sounds mussels and snappers beside the glow and warmth of a wood stove in the dining room around the unique oak table seating up to 20 people. Backpacker accommodation at the Havelock hostel includes double, twin and shared rooms with cosy alcoves offset from a wide corridor area. Guests can enjoy spending the long Marlborough Sounds summer evenings in the YHA Havelock hostel’s BBQ picnic and recreational area. 

The YHA Havelock hostel has steep gables, long windows and a wood lined interior and has been beautifully renovated to give you modern comforts while still retaining the atmosphere of an age gone by.     

"The traditional, comfortable and relaxed YHA Havelock Rutherford Hostel is centrally located in the characterful old schoolhouse, which has been much rejuvenated in recent years, and has a sunny garden out back." – The Rough Guide to New Zealand.

Special features at YHA Havelock that backpackers love:

• The unique backpacker accommodation in the old Havelock schoolhouse, with all its charm and history, yet modern comforts.
• The gorgeous Pelorus Sound location in New Zealand’s beautiful Marlborough Sounds.
• Spending long evenings feasting on Marlborough Sounds mussels and snapper in YHA Havelock’s cosy dining room or in the large sunny grounds with BBQ.
• The Havelock Info Centre booking office and tourist information centre is run from the YHA Havelock hostel.

About Havelock

Havelock is the perfect base for exploring the Pelorus Sound, one of the longest of the South Island’s Marlborough Sounds. Pelorus Sound, with its many beaches, bays, bush and surrounding high mountains, is extremely scenic and offers backpackers an extensive range of activities to try, including sea kayaking along its secluded and sheltered bays, snapper fishing and boat cruises. The Pelorus Sound Mail Boat offers backpackers a unique way to explore the beauty of Pelorus Sound.

Pelorus Sound is a mecca for seafood lovers as it is famous for green-lipped mussels which must be tried while staying in Havelock. To learn more about YHA Havelock’s connection with Ernest Rutherford and William Pickering visit the local Havelock Museum.

Havelock is also at the start of the Nydia Track, a two day walk through beautiful native forest, overlooking the magic of the wide open waters of the Marlborough Sounds.

Top activities to do while backpacking in Havelock

• Water activities on beautiful Pelorus Sound –  sea kayaking, snapper fishing and boat cruising (the Havelock Mail Boat is a great option).
• Eat Havelock’s famous green-lipped mussels or fresh snapper. Yum!
• Go for a tramp along and through the stunning Marlborough Sounds. Nydia Track starts at Havelock town.

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