Our pick
Cruise and hike
Boat both ways, walk alone
- Length8.5 hours
- Walking3 to 5 hours
- FitnessModerate
Your group, priced
A Queen Charlotte Sound cruise and walk in a single day
Queen Charlotte Track: Cruise & Self-Guided Hike from Picton
★ 4.8 · 421 guest ratings
The quick version
A Queen Charlotte Sound cruise and walk uses a water taxi to drop you on the track and collect you later the same day, from a short hop over a hill to a long ridge walk.
Day walk essentials
Weigh up 2 options
What a cruise and walk day costs
Type in your group and each walking day shows its opening fare.
- Cruise and hike8.5 hours · per visitor from $70
≈
View - Lochmara day5.5 hours · per visitor from $56
≈
View
GetYourGuide's starting prices, converted at the ECB reference rate; exact pricing appears when you book.
A Queen Charlotte Sound cruise and walk pairs a water taxi with a stretch of coastal track. Here are the sections you can do in a day, how far they are, when the boat collects you and what to bring.
Editorial team, queencharlottesoundcruise.click · Updated November 8, 2026 · Quick read: 8 min
Overview
- How it worksA boat drops you on the track, you walk, and a boat collects you later.
- A typical dayThe cruise and hike from Picton takes 8.5 hours in all.
- Walking timeBetween 3 and 5 hours, depending on your fitness.
- Shortest sectionShip Cove to Resolution Bay, 6.5km by the water taxi company (DOC says 4.5 km).1,2
- PriceThe cruise and self-guided hike starts from $70.
How a cruise and walk day works
The idea is simple. A water taxi carries you from Picton to a jetty on the Queen Charlotte Track, you walk a section of coast and bush at your own pace, and a boat picks you up further along and brings you home. The cruise and self-guided hike from Picton takes 8.5 hours in all, with around 1 hour on the water each way and between 3 and 5 hours of walking.
The listing starts from $70 and carries 421 reviews averaging 4.7, with transport rated 4.8. The listing recommends moderate fitness, walking clothes and proper footwear, plus a water bottle and snacks. You check in at the waterfront office 30 minutes before the boat leaves, and from there the day belongs to you and the timetable.
That timetable is the only real rule. The boat comes to a named jetty at a set time, and on a remote coast a missed pick-up is a serious problem. Pick a section you can finish with time to spare, start walking promptly, and be at the jetty early. Everything else, from where you stop for lunch to how long you linger at a lookout, is your choice.
Choose a section
Day walks from the boat, side by side
| Walk | Distance | Walking time | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ship Cove to Resolution Bay | 6.5km (DOC: 4.5 km)1,2 | 2 hours5 | Short, historic start |
| Resolution Bay to Furneaux | 10.5km12 | Half day | Gentle grade12 |
| Ship Cove to Furneaux | 17km9 | 5 hours9 | Long, for fit walkers10 |
| Furneaux to Punga Cove | 12km13 | 4 hours13 | Coastal, swing bridge15 |
| Punga Cove to Eatwells | 12km return16 | 4-5 hours16 | Moderate to challenging17 |
| Torea Bay to Punga Cove | 23.6km14 | Full day14 | The hardest section14 |
Times are the operators' suggestions; allow extra for photos, lunch and slower walkers.5
The northern sections from Ship Cove
The official track site suggests starting at Ship Cove, the historic bay where the track begins, and the boat ride there from Picton takes around 1.5 hours.8,4 The shortest option climbs over the hill from Ship Cove to Resolution Bay, a walk that the water taxi company measures at 6.5km and times at about 2 hours (DOC lists the same stage as 4.5 km, also about 2 hr), with the boat back at Resolution Bay at 3pm.1,5,6,2
For a longer day, keep going all the way to Furneaux Lodge in Endeavour Inlet. That section is 17km by the water taxi company's count, with a suggested walking time of 5 hours, and the pick-up from the lodge jetty is at 3:15pm.9,7 In winter, with short days, the water taxi company recommends it only for fit walkers who want to make the same-day boat.10
This northern stretch is the one to choose if you can do only a single walk. It combines a historic landing with forest and big views across the sound, and the water taxi company sells the walks from 8:00 AM and 9:30 AM departures at NZD 145 an adult and NZD 72.50 a child.3 Book a Queen Charlotte Sound water taxi for one of those morning boats and pack a lunch: there is nothing to buy until you reach the lodge.
Gentler day walks on the Queen Charlotte Track
Not every section climbs. Starting at Resolution Bay skips the first hill out of Ship Cove and leaves a gentle walk of 10.5km to Furneaux Lodge.12 It is a good choice for families, slower walkers and anyone who would rather spend the day looking at the water than at their boots. The path is benched into the hillside for long stretches, the gradient is kind, and there is shade from tall forest on hot afternoons, which makes it a comfortable walk even in the middle of summer.
From Furneaux Lodge to Punga Cove the track hugs Endeavour Inlet for 12km, a walk of about 4 hours with long coastal stretches.13 Streams cross the path, one of them on a swing bridge.15 The mail boat operator describes the same section as reasonably flat, with no large steep climbs, and runs it from its 9:00am departure.21
These day walks on the Queen Charlotte Track are where families do well. Children enjoy the bridges and the beaches, the distances are manageable, and at either end there is a lodge with food, a jetty and a lawn to wait on. Bring swimwear on a warm day, since the bays along Endeavour Inlet invite a dip before the boat arrives.
Pick a section
Which walk suits your day
Find your kind of day below and the section that matches it.
If I have little walking time
Ship Cove to Resolution Bay
If I want an easy, flat walk
Furneaux Lodge to Punga Cove
If I want the big views
Punga Cove to Eatwells Lookout
If I want it all arranged
The cruise and hike
From $70, boat both ways and 3 to 5 hours on foot.
If I want a guide with me
A guided day walk
Three ways to do it
A self-guided hike, a guided island day or a lodge day
With the island
Track and Motuara
Island visit plus a walk
- Length1 day
- AshoreMotuara Island
- GroupPrivate group
Southern end
Lochmara day
Cruise and explore a lodge
- Length5.5 hours
- Check-in30 minutes before
- PeakDecember to March
Ridge walks and the high point of the track
For views over two sounds at once, head for the ridge. From Punga Cove a return walk of 12km climbs to Eatwells Lookout, taking 4-5 hours plus about 1.5 hours by water taxi each way.16 The water taxi company rates it moderate to challenging and suited to people with a good level of fitness.17 The final push to the top is steep, and the reward is a wide view over Queen Charlotte Sound on one side and Kenepuru Sound on the other, a view you simply cannot get from the deck of a boat.
Further south, Torea Bay is only about 20 minutes from Picton by water taxi, which makes it a quick way onto the ridge.26 From the 8:00am departure between 1 October and 30 April you can walk 8km from Torea Bay to Mistletoe Bay.11 A return walk from Torea Bay to the Black Rock shelter takes 3 to 4 hours and is rated easy to moderate.27
Serious walkers look at the long section from Torea Bay to Punga Cove, which the mail boat operator puts at 23.6km and calls the most challenging and rewarding part of the track.14 It is a very long day, possible only with an early boat, steady legs and good weather. A shorter ridge walk gives you much of the view for far less effort.
A cruise and walk day
From the Picton wharf to the pick-up jetty
8:00 or 9:30 AM
Leave Picton
Walk departures leave the wharf in the morning.3
About 1.5 hours
Water taxi out
The boat ride to Ship Cove takes around 1.5 hours.4
Midday
On the track
Walk your section; Ship Cove to Resolution Bay takes about 2 hours.5
3pm to 3:15pm
Pick-up
Boats collect walkers at Resolution Bay or Furneaux Lodge.6,7
About 5pm
Back in Picton
The water taxi works its way home down the sound.3
The southern end: Lochmara, Davies Bay and Anakiwa
The southern sections suit travelers with a car or a short morning. From Torea Bay a half-day walk climbs to the highest part of the track and then drops to Lochmara Lodge, taking 2.5 to 3 hours for walkers of moderate fitness.26 At the lodge you can meet native kakariki, pigs and eels while you wait for the water taxi back to Picton.28
At the very end of the track, Anakiwa can be reached by road from Picton in about 30 minutes, and an easy walk of 2 hours return follows an old bridle path to Davies Bay.29 No boat is needed at all, which makes it a useful plan for a day when the wind is up or the budget is tight. The bay at the end has a picnic spot and a sheltered beach, a pleasant turning point before you stroll back through the trees to the car.
These southern walks show a different side of the sound: quieter bays, beech forest and views down the inner reaches rather than out to Cook Strait. Combine a morning walk at Anakiwa with an afternoon on the mail boat, and you see both the land and the water in a single unhurried day. If you are driving on towards Nelson, the Anakiwa walk also makes a calm break from the winding road along the sound.
Video
Walking from Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge
emzedd life on YouTube · The video waits until you tap play to load.
Those walks or rides which are entirely on Department of Conservation land do not need a Track Pass.
In the daypack
Ready for the track and the boat
Carry3
- A full water bottle and snacks
- A warm layer and a rain jacket
- Sunscreen and a hat for the open ridges
Check3
Track passes, rules and what to carry
Much of the track crosses private land. A land pass from the landowners' cooperative is required between Kenepuru Saddle, Torea Saddle, Te Mahia Saddle and Anakiwa, whether you walk or ride.22 Walks entirely on Department of Conservation land need no pass, so check where your section runs before you buy one.20
A single-day pass costs NZD 25, a multi-day pass for 5 consecutive days costs NZD 50, and school children are free.30 Passes are sold online and at the visitor centres in Picton, Blenheim and Havelock, among other outlets.31 Dogs are not allowed anywhere on the track, and fires are banned at all times.24,25 Keep the pass on your phone or in a pocket for the whole walk, and buy it before you board, since there is nowhere to buy one at a remote jetty.
Pack water, food, a fleece and a waterproof shell even when the morning is bright, with sunscreen and a small first-aid kit. Wear shoes with a good grip: after rain the clay surface can turn slippery underfoot. Leave the big luggage in Picton and walk light, since every gram you carry up the first hill out of Ship Cove is felt on the way down.
Guided or self-guided, and booking the boat
If you prefer company and context, a shared guided day costs NZD 595 per adult, meets at 7:30AM and returns at 5:30PM.18 It covers 9 km, includes lunch, visits Motuara Island and Ship Cove, and needs at least 2 people to run.19 The guide brings the birds, the plants and the history to life, which some walkers value more than the miles.
On your own, the cost is mostly the boat. Book it with your drop-off point, your pick-up point and the time you expect to finish, then check in 30 minutes before departure.23 Walk-in passengers are taken when there is space, but in summer it is wiser to book ahead.32 Give the office a phone number, and tell the skipper at drop-off if your plans change, so that nobody waits at an empty jetty at the end of the day.
Can you do the whole Queen Charlotte Track in one day? On foot, not realistically: the full track is 73.5 km long, which the track's own website spreads over 3 - 5 days.33 A single day is for one section, chosen well. If the walking bug bites, the packages page on this site explains how to link several sections with lodges and luggage transfers.
FAQ
The short answers to your questions.
How long is a cruise and walk day?
About 8.5 hours.
The listing runs 8.5 hours door to door, of which 3 to 5 hours are spent walking.
What is the easiest day walk from a boat?
Resolution Bay to Furneaux.
It skips the first hill out of Ship Cove and is a gentle 10.5km.12
Do I need a track pass for a day walk?
How far is Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge?
What time does the water taxi leave Picton?
Usually 8:00 or 9:30 AM.
Walk departures leave at 8:00am and 9:30am, and boats return to Picton about 5pm.3
Can children do a cruise and walk?
Can I bring my dog on the track?
No.
Dogs are not permitted anywhere on the Queen Charlotte Track, so leave pets in town.24
Sources
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and 2 hour walk: Ship Cove to Resolution Bay ↩
- Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and 2 hour walk: Ship Cove to Resolution Bay ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Round Trip Track Pass ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and 2 hour walk: Ship Cove to Resolution Bay ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and 2 hour walk: Ship Cove to Resolution Bay ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and Day Walk: Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · FAQ's ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and Day Walk: Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and Day Walk: Ship Cove to Furneaux Lodge ↩
- Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · One Day Walks on the Queen Charlotte Track ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and 3 hour walk: Resolution Bay to Furneaux Lodge ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and 4 hour walk: Furneaux Lodge to Punga Cove ↩
- Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · One Day Walks on the Queen Charlotte Track ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and 4 hour walk: Furneaux Lodge to Punga Cove ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and Day Walk: Punga Cove to Eatwells Lookout ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and Day Walk: Punga Cove to Eatwells Lookout ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 1 Day Shared Guided Walk ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 1 Day Shared Guided Walk ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Day Walks ↩
- Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · One Day Walks on the Queen Charlotte Track ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · QCTLC Pass ↩
- Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · Frequently Asked Questions ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Track Overview ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Camping on the Track ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Day Walks ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Day Walks ↩
- Lochmara Lodge (lochmara.co.nz) · Day trips from Picton ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Day Walks ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · QCTLC Pass ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · QCTLC Pass ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · FAQ ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Track Overview ↩