World > Australasia > New Zealand > Queen Charlotte Track

One of the best hikes in the world is the

QUEEN CHARLOTTE TRACK

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Note: DOC updated their website in 2007 and, as a result, many OLD web links break.

A ridge tramp with fantastic views over the Queen Charlotte Sound. Conveniently located out of the ferry landing port Picton.

AT A GLANCE

PICTON, NEW ZEALAND

  • 71km (44mi) plus sidetrips
  • 4-days, 3-nights
  • easy-medium difficulty hiking
  • option to carry no pack
  • options to kayak along the way
  • a good alternative to Abel Tasman
  • no hiking permit required
  • popular with hikers & bikers
  • ridge walk, fantastic views over bays & inlets
  • this is the best Kiwi tramp not listed as one of the Great Walks

WHY WE LIKE THIS HIKE

It is charmingly New Zealand. And thank God it was not listed as one of the Great Walks. It would be far more crowded if it was.

  • tramp access by scenic boat journey
  • water taxis will haul your pack to your next destination each day. (This is particularly advantageous for cyclists!)
  • the history of the area, a favourite destination of Captain Cook
  • can buy food and drink en route
  • normally very few biting insects
  • option to kayak and hike on the same trip
  • excellent variety of accommodations
  • fishing is allowed with licence, check restrictions
  • unlike most Kiwi tramps, the QCT is open year round
  • a highlight was the birdlife. You are almost guaranteed to see wekas.
  • add on a 23km (14mi) side trip on the Captain Cook Trail
  • ... add a comment here

CONSIDERATIONS

No major worries on this tramp. It is a winner.

  • Christmas through January this area is busy with Kiwis on holiday
  • at times you must share the trail with mountain bikers
  • the climate is not nearly so dry as on the Abel Tasman Track
  • expect wind and rain any day of the year
  • most accommodation is privately owned.
  • on long ridge sections there is no water supply
  • ... and bring a water filter, just in case.
  • we recommend you hike in the winter with less company, calmer seas, and few biting insects. Some lodges close in winter, however.
  • ... add a comment here


click for larger interactive map  - QCTrack.co.nz

ROUTES

The standard route is laid out in Lonely Planet Tramping in New Zealand . That guidebook makes recommendation on where you might stay each night.

Start at Ship's Cove, finish at Anakiwa.

Short on time? It is easy to hike any segment.

Choose from resorts, basic lodges, hostel rooms and even one former DOC facility, Mistletoe Lodge . Good restaurants (we ate wild boar bacon!) and even found a spa en route.

If you are on a tight budget, tent at 7 basic campgrounds.

In Picton, the helpful i-Site Visitor Centre will give you an up-to-date listing of accommodation contact phone numbers. Then and there you can decide your exact itinerary and phone to make bookings.

Even better, we feel, is to decide as you go. (Especially if you take a tent as we do — that way you can camp or get a room on any given night depending on the weather & how you feel.)

When we hiked in September, it was easy to find a bed last minute. But Christmas through into early February, everything will be booked. If you want to hike during the Kiwi summer holidays you will need advance bookings. Or sleep in a tent.

A brilliant, though not inexpensive, add-on for serious hikers is to extend the 71km QCT with the 23km privately owned Captain Cook Trail . Combined that is 94km (58mi). Hike the Cook first from Ship Cove, then backtrack to hike the QCT.

GUIDED HIKE

Many hikers do the Queen Charlotte Track independently, but guided hikes & combo hike/kayak tours are popular as well. We have heard good things about the tours.

We hiked independently, renting kayaks for a few hours along the way.

INDEPENDENT HIKE

Hiking the Abel Tasman Track, reservations can be a hassle. The Milford Track is near impossible. Gladly, the Queen Charlotte Track requires no reservation nor hiking permit.

Put on your pack, and go.

LOGISTICS

If you sign on with a guided trip, logistics will be organized for you. This section is for independent hikers.

It could not be easier to independently organize a tramp of any number of days length. Especially by consulting Queen Charlotte Track  - the official QCT website. If every hike had an official website this good, you would not need besthike.com

  • rent gear, if needed, in Nelson or one of the larger cities.
  • the jumping off point for the QCT is Picton, New Zealand
  • many travellers pass through Picton as it is the ferry port to the North Island
  • first stop is the helpful Picton i-Site Visitor Centre which will advise you how best to organize your tramp
  • Picton Sport and Outdoors sells stove fuel
  • you must choose between several good water taxi companies to take you to Ship's Cove trailhead (45min). If you want them to shuttle your pack each day, negotiate that in advance. (Packs sit unattended for hours at a time.)
  • you may even find road transport in Anakiwa back to Picton
  • for accommodation or transport options, check Queen Charlotte Track website  - QCTrack.co.nz operators
  • ... add a comment here


click for the answer - QCTrack.co.nz

  • transport off the trail from Anakiwa or points between is easy to arrange
  • transport off Ship Cove, where no camping is allowed, is difficult
  • start at Ship Cove and hike back towards Picton

LOCAL INFORMATION

If you email i-Site Picton, you can ask them to email you an up-to-date list of accommodation & transport options. In fact, they may be able to book everything for you for NZ$25 — a great bargain.

BEST TRAMPING GUIDEBOOKS

BEST TRAVEL GUIDEBOOKS

Lonely Planet is the most complete & has the best maps.

OTHER RECOMMENDED BOOKS

BEST MAPS

No more detailed topo is needed. Confirm the route as you go with locals.

The official website, QCTrack.co.nz provides superb on-line maps:

BEST WEB PAGES

After this page, the best link by far is the official Queen Charlotte Track website  - QCTrack.co.nz

If you are looking for accommodation or transport, check this page Queen Charlotte Track website  - QCTrack.co.nz operators

Other sites of interest:

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This page last modified Tuesday, December 25, 2007.