Queen Charlotte Track

New Zealand's best-known Sounds track. Water taxis from Picton drop you at the start; jetties along the way let you do a single day section.

Views
Native bush
Bikes allowed
On the water
Wildlife
Day trip

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The track at a glance

Distance: 73.5 km one way (DOC's headline figure; DOC's own section table sums to 71 km, and the biking line is quoted as 72 km)
Time: 3–5 days walking; 2–3 days by mountain bike; single sections in a day
Grade: DOC does not apply a standard track grade; it describes relatively easy walking with hazards — tight corners, steep drop-offs, clay that is slippery when wet
Route: One way, Meretoto / Ship Cove to Anakiwa (or the reverse)
Starts: Ship Cove has no road access — water taxi from Picton. Anakiwa is road-accessible with a car park, shelter and toilets, and bus services link it with Picton
Bikes: Yes — an official Ngā Haerenga Great Ride; also part of Te Araroa
Cost: Water taxi fares, QCTLC pass and campsite fees apply (see the operators' own sites)
Track pass: A Queen Charlotte Track Land Cooperative (QCTLC) pass is required for the private-land sections between Kenepuru Saddle and Anakiwa, separate from DOC campsite fees
Camping: Six DOC campsites with toilets and water; no DOC huts; booking required year-round. Private lodges along the track as an alternative

A boardwalk section of the Queen Charlotte Track winding through native bush above the water — The Queen Charlotte Track threading through coastal bush above Queen Charlotte Sound. Millie9001 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

About Queen Charlotte Track

The Queen Charlotte Track runs along the forested ridgelines between Queen Charlotte Sound and Kenepuru Sound, with sea views on both sides for long stretches, from Cook's anchorage at Meretoto / Ship Cove in the outer sound to Anakiwa near the head of it. It is managed jointly by DOC, Marlborough District Council and private landowners, which is why a QCTLC pass is needed for the private-land stretch.

Sections, from DOC's own table: Ship Cove to Resolution Bay 4.5 km; Resolution Bay to Endeavour Inlet 10.5 km; Endeavour Inlet to Camp Bay 11.5 km; Camp Bay to Torea Saddle 24.5 km; Torea Saddle to Mistletoe Bay 7.5 km; Mistletoe Bay to Anakiwa 12.5 km. Sea-access points (water taxi needed): Ship Cove, Resolution Bay, Endeavour Inlet, Camp Bay, Mistletoe Bay / Te Mahia Bay. Road-access points: Anakiwa, Kenepuru Saddle, Torea Saddle, Te Mahia Saddle, Mistletoe Bay.

Doing it in a day: because water taxis serve so many jetties, most Picton visitors don't walk the whole thing. DOC singles out two popular single-day rides — Ship Cove to Kenepuru Saddle (about 27 km) and Mistletoe Bay to Anakiwa (12.5 km) — and the water-taxi operators run scheduled drop-offs and pick-ups for walkers doing a section. Luggage transfers let you carry a day pack only.

Know before you go

Check a marine forecast before any water-taxi day; conditions in the Sounds change quickly (DOC).
Fire restrictions year-round; treat tap water; wasp risk in late summer and autumn (DOC).
Clay sections are slippery when wet; some steep drop-offs near the track edge.