hiking
Queen Charlotte Track
Mind-blowing views of beautiful bays and inlets, sparkling turquoise waters, little private beaches and lush native forest. Combine this with great lodge accommodation plus plenty of transportation options and there’s no wonder that this tramp in the Marlborough Sounds is one of the best loved in the country.
Mind-blowing views of beautiful bays and inlets, sparkling turquoise waters, little private beaches and lush native forest. Combine this with great lodge accommodation plus plenty of transportation options and there’s no wonder that this tramp in the Marlborough Sounds is one of the best loved in the country.
Activity in brief
- Distance:
- 12 - 71 km
- Duration:
- 3 - 4 days
- Start - End:
- Ship Cove - Anakiwa
- Transport:
- Boat
Terrain: Moderate climbs but generally a wide and well maintained track
Accommodation: Private Lodges
Nearest Town: Picton
Activity Overview
The Queen Charlotte Track winds through 71Km of The South Island’s Marlborough Sounds: an amazing geographic feature made up of hundreds of waterways that were once river valleys, but have since been ‘drowned’ by rising sea levels. This is also an area steeped in history: the trail starts at Ship Cove where Captain Cook made his base in the South Pacific.
Between this beautiful coastline the hills and mountains climb steeply and feature a mixture of ancient rainforest, regenerating native bush and farmland with plenty of native birds for company. Keep an eye out for dolphins and seals in the water too!
One of the great attractions of this walk is how civilised it is - each night you stay in a waterside lodge, with a hot shower, a proper bed and an excellent dinner. You even get your luggage transported along the track for you!
"WELL I'M BACK AT THE GRINDSTONE AND OUR QUEEN CHARLOTTE ADVENTURE STILL MAKES ME SMILE. WE HAD A BLAST AND EVERYTHING RAN LIKE CLOCKWORK; FROM THE WATER TAXI BOOKINGS TO CHECKING INTO GUEST HOUSES, ALL WENT BRILLIANTLY. THE DISTANCES WERE GREAT, AND TERRAIN AND SCENERY AMAZING. WE FINISHED EACH DAY WITH A SMILE ON OUR FACES!" GERALDINE, NZ
Itineraries
Personalised Itineraries
Water taxis allow for great flexibility, allowing you to walk the Queen Charlotte Track in a way that suits you; starting or finishing your walk in a place of your choosing or even missing out a section if you like - this is an especially useful feature if you have younger kids with you.
It’s also possible to combine your walk with some mountain biking and kayaking too: this gives a really different perspective on this awesome part of New Zealand.
There are fully guided and catered options too if you are really looking to push the boat out!
Contact us and we can help you with some great advice and also organise all the details for you.
Include the Queen Charlotte Track in your unique Multi-Activity Trip
You can combine this walk with any other activity on this website to create your own unique itinerary.
When you develop your own tailor-made itinerary with us, it's fully customised with your choice of activities, accommodation and transport around New Zealand - Click here for more information about Multi-Activity Trips or Enquire Now to get started.
BOOK this trip online now...
Four Day Independent Walk
- All accommodation and transportation for the track included.
- Luggage transfers between lodges included.
- Includes packed lunches on Days 2, 3 & 4.
- Track Pass included.
- Return shuttle from Blenheim Airport to Picton available.
Day One: Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge (15km 4 - 5 Hours). Your first day starts in the morning with a water taxi ride out to historic Ship Cove. The trail starts off quite steeply and winds through a mixture of stunning old-growth podocarp and beech forest. Resolution Bay is a great place for lunch and then on to Endeavour Inlet and your first night on the trail at Furneaux Lodge.
Day Two: Furneaux Lodge to Punga Cove (12km 3-4 Hours). This coastal section of track is the shortest and easiest of the entire trip. It takes you around the beautiful Endeavour Inlet from Furneaux Lodge to Punga Cove Resort for your second night.
Day Three: Punga Cove to Portage Bay (25km 7-8 Hours). You'll be thankful for the easy nature of the previous day because this is a challenging section. Your hard work will be rewarded though because truly spectacular views greet you at every corner. At the end of the day you descend to Portage Bay where you discover a new part of the Marlborough Sounds too - Kenepuru Sound - and spend your final night on the track at your choice of Portage Resort or the very relaxing Hopewell Lodge, truly a world away from everything! (see accommodation section below for more details - lodge choice dependent on availability).
Day Four: Portage Bay to Anakiwa (20km 6 Hours). The final day on the trail takes you to the end of the Sound at Anakiwa. From Portage you start with a decent climb, but then you get to enjoy a lovely walk through mature native bush, with the water sparkling through the trees below you. This is certainly a fitting finale to this wonderful hike. You will be returned by boat from the Anakiwa Jetty to Picton, arriving back by late afternoon.
Pricing: Four Day Independent Walk
From NZD$990 per adult and from NZD$550 per child (15 years old or younger).
Includes all accommodation, pack lunches on days 2, 3 and 4, all water taxi transportation, daily luggage transfers and QCTLC private land access pass.
Book NowActivity Planning
When to go
This tramp can be completed year round. The climate in this part of the South Island is generally one of the sunniest in the country, although bad weather and especially strong winds can pop up at any time of year. The busiest time on the track is of course during the warmest months from November through to the end of March.
What to bring
Wet weather gear
Stout boots or walking shoes
Hat
Water bottle
Sunscreen
Insect repellant
First-aid kit
Torch
Communication device
Accommodation
Accommodation on the trail
Furneaux Lodge
This lodge is one of the most historic buildings in the Marlborough Sounds, and is a stunning place to spend time relaxing. The accommodation has been very recently renovated and is made up of snug chalets over looking the waterfront. Most have seperate ensuite bedrooms, lounges and kitchenettes. The restaurant and bar does great food and is a great place to meet some of the locals!
Punga Cove Resort
Punga Cove has the most incredible setting amongst native forest and overlooking a lovely bay. Its the perfect get-away-from-it-all location. Ensuite accommodation is found dotted among the bush and has been recently renovated. The restaurant is one of the best in the sounds and there's also a more informal wharf-side bar - great for toasting the end of your day!
Portage Resort
The Portage Hotel is beautifully located over-looking the Kenepuru Sound. There's a great bar and restaurant to relax at the end of the day, a pool and well appointed, ensuite accommodation in chalets.
Hopewell Lodge
Surrounded by native forest and turquoise waters of Kenepuru Sound, Hopewell represents the perfect retreat. Rooms are ensuite and also feature a large balcony with wonderful sea views. Breakfast and awesome dinners are available (mussel cook ups or pizza from the wood fired oven are common). Return water taxi transport from Portage Bay also included.
Accommodation in Marlborough
We can organise your accommodation in the wider Marlborough region for before and after your walk if you wish. Please let us know what sort of accommodation you are looking for when you make your booking for this activity, and we can discuss the options with you.
Transportation
Blenheim Airport Transfers
We can arrange return on demand transportation for you between Blenheim Airport and Picton - please contact us for more information.
Four Day Independent Walk - Water Taxi
After a morning briefing in Picton, you step aboard a fast and safe launch in the pretty town of Picton for a gorgeous hour long cruise along Queen Charlotte Sound up to the start of the trail at Ship Cove.
If you are staying at Hopewell Lodge on your last night you will also be transported the short boat ride from Portage Bay across Kenepuru Sound to the lodge.
At the end of the walk you will be returned to Picton by boat from the main finish point at Anakiwa.
Also if you're out on the track, and decide you've had enough, then you can be picked up by water taxi at various points, so there is always an escape route! We can sort this out for you at any time you wish.
Personalised Itineraries - Water Taxi
For a truly personalised walk you can get boat transfers to skip various sections of the track if you wish, or finish the trail early - this is especially useful of you have younger kids with you. We can advise you on your best options when you make your booking.
Route Map
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+ 64 3 390 1584
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These walks are popular for a reason: well maintained, easily accessible, lots of accommodation options and mind blowing scenery too! However, this does mean that they will get very busy in the peak summer season and accommodation gets booked up months in advance. Take the hassle out of your adventure and allow us to organise it all for you.
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These hikes offer luxury accommodation, fine dining and even the ability to transport your luggage between overnight destinations. All you have to do is the walking bit! Contact us for advice on the best luxury hiking experience for you and allow us to set it all up for you.
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If you are looking to do some multi-day walking with younger children, these hikes are great options. They are easy to access and have transportation to get you about too. Therefore, you can pick the best sections for your kids’ abilities. We know all about walking with kids here at Active Aotearoa so let us help you find and organise the most suitable hike for your family.
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These hikes have all the alluring beautiful wilderness of the better known options but with less people around to have to share them with. It is definitely worth getting off the beaten track to explore these amazing walks. We can help you find your perfect bit of solitude, and organise all the details for you too.