Do it yourself
Transport pass
Boats and bags only
- FromNZD 1382
- IncludesBoats and luggage
- You bookBeds and meals
Your group, priced
Queen Charlotte Track packages, from a boat pass to a guided walk
Weigh up 2 options
Start with a day on the track
Compare the starting fares of the guided and self-guided track days.
- Cruise and hike8.5 hours · per visitor from $70
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View - Ship Cove cruise3 hours · per visitor from $86
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GetYourGuide's starting prices, converted at the ECB reference rate; exact pricing appears when you book.
Queen Charlotte Track packages range from a simple water taxi and luggage pass to a fully guided walk with lodges and meals. Here is what each kind includes and what it costs.
Editorial team, queencharlottesoundcruise.click · Updated November 8, 2026 · Quick read: 7 min
Overview
- The track73.5 km one way, walked in 3 - 5 days.1
- Cheapest packageA transport and luggage pass from NZD 138 for an adult.2
- Self-guided with lodgesA 4-day independent walk from NZD 1,295, twin share.3
- Fully guidedA 4-day guided walk from NZD 2,795, twin share.4
- Most walkersMost people finish in 4 days and 3 nights.5
What a track package actually includes
From Ship Cove to Anakiwa the track covers 73.5 km, and the official track site expects walkers to take 3 - 5 days.1 What makes it unusual is the support around it: boats reach many points along the way, lodges sit beside the path, and your bags can travel by water while you walk with a daypack. It is a long walk on which you can sleep in a lodge bed each night and carry little more than lunch and a jacket.
A package bundles some or all of that. Operators can book you an independent or guided walk with the boats, the beds, packed lunches, a place to store spare luggage, rental gear and extras such as a day of sea kayaking.6 You do not have to buy a package at all: bookings are not required to walk the track, but the official site advises booking accommodation and transport in advance.7
Think of the options as a ladder. At the bottom is a transport pass that moves you and your bags; in the middle are self-guided packages that also book your rooms and lunches; at the top is a guided walk with meals, a guide and a small group. The higher you climb, the less you organise and the more you pay.
Side by side
Track packages compared
| Package | Length | Nights at | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track and Pack Pass | No time limit5 | You book them | NZD 1382 |
| Round Trip Track Pass | Your choice | You book them | NZD 15512 |
| 3-day independent | 53km18 | Furneaux · Punga Cove18 | NZD 1,04516 |
| 4-day independent | 73.5km19 | Furneaux · Punga Cove · Portage19 | NZD 1,2953 |
| 4-day lodge package | Ship Cove to Anakiwa17 | Furneaux · Punga Cove · Portage17 | NZD 1,68617 |
| 4-day guided walk | 73.5km8 | Furneaux · Punga Cove · Portage8 | NZD 2,7954 |
Adult from prices; walk packages are per person on twin share, and the land pass is extra on the transport passes.14
Transport passes: the do-it-yourself package
The cheapest package is a transport pass. The mail boat operator's Great Track and Pack Pass costs NZD 138 for adults and NZD 83 for children, drops you at Ship Cove on the 8:00am (1 Oct - 30 Apr) or 9:00am boat, and collects you from Anakiwa at 3:30pm for an arrival in Picton at about 4:30pm.2 It includes luggage transfers along the track, up to 20kg per person.10
There is no time limit, so you can take as many or as few days as you like.5 Accommodation, bike transport and the Motuara Island visit fee are not included.11 The other water taxi company sells a Round Trip Track Pass at NZD 155 an adult and NZD 77.50 a child, with departures at 8:00am, 9:30am and 1:30pm and daily bag transfers included.12,13
Neither pass covers the land access pass, which you buy separately.14 The landowners' cooperative charges NZD 50 for a multi-day pass valid over 5 consecutive days, or NZD 75 for a seasonal pass.15 Add those to the boat fare, book your own beds, and you have the cheapest way to walk the whole track with your luggage carried for you.
Self-guided packages with your rooms booked
An independent walk on the Queen Charlotte Track with everything arranged is the middle rung. One Picton outfitter sells a 4-day version from NZD 1,295 per adult on twin share, NZD 970 per child and a single supplement of NZD 775.3 It covers the full 73.5km with nights at Furneaux Lodge, Punga Cove Resort and The Portage Resort, plus a packed lunch each day.19
Only lunch is included, which keeps the price down: breakfast and dinner are paid for as you go, and you choose from the menu each evening. The same outfitter takes a non-refundable deposit of NZD 200 per person when your booking is confirmed.20 For a historical start, it sells a guided Motuara Island and Ship Cove add-on for NZD 295 per person, a 6-hour experience.21
The mail boat operator offers its own 4-day package from Ship Cove to Anakiwa from NZD 1,686, with nights at the same lodges, Furneaux, Punga Cove and Portage.17 It also sells shorter 2-day packages, with a night at Furneaux Lodge from NZD 782.22 Compare what each price includes, since meals, room grades and transfers differ.
Pick a package
Which track package fits you
Scan the wishes and pick the package beside the one that matches yours.
If My budget decides everything
A transport pass
From NZD 138, with boats and bags but no beds.2
If I want my own pace but no planning
A self-guided package
If I want a guide and most meals
A guided walk
If I only have 3 days
The 3-day independent walk
53km with nights at Furneaux Lodge and Punga Cove Resort.18
If I have just a day
The cruise and hike
From $70, return boat plus a walk of 3 to 5 hours.
Three levels of help
Boat pass, self-guided or guided
Your own pace
Self-guided walk
Rooms and lunches arranged
- FromNZD 1,2953
- NightsLodge rooms
- MealsLunch each day
All arranged
Guided walk
A guide, meals and a group
- FromNZD 2,7954
- NightsLodge rooms
- MealsMost included
Guided walks with meals, a guide and a small group
At the top of the ladder is the guided walk. A 4-day guided package costs from NZD 2,795 per adult on twin share, NZD 2,100 per child and a single supplement of NZD 1,000.4 For that you walk the full 73.5km with luggage transfers, nights at Furneaux Lodge, Punga Cove Resort and Portage Resort, and most meals from lunch on the first day to lunch on the last.8
A guide changes the experience more than you might expect. On the second day, at the head of Endeavour Inlet, you learn about the antimony mining that thrived there in the 1880s.9 On the ridge, a guide can point out the birds you would otherwise only hear. For walkers travelling alone, a guided group also brings company at dinner.
If you cannot spare 4 days, a guided taste is possible. The shared 1-day guided walk costs NZD 595 per adult, covers 9 km and includes lunch, a visit to Motuara Island and Ship Cove.25,26 It suits travelers passing through Picton who want a comfortable taste of the northern track. Booking it on the first morning of a longer stay is also a smart test: you learn your walking pace and the feel of the track before you commit to a multi-day package.
The classic itinerary
The track over 4 days, lodge to lodge
The Queen Charlotte Track lodges and the campsites
The Queen Charlotte Track lodges are what turn a hike into a holiday. The packages on this page share the same lodges: Furneaux Lodge in Endeavour Inlet, Punga Cove Resort and The Portage Resort.19 Each night ends with a hot shower, a proper bed and a meal you did not have to carry. Furneaux Lodge was due back from a closure on 01 November 2026, so confirm that it is open for your dates before you book.27
There are no huts on this track.28 Campers use self-registration campsites run by the Department of Conservation, with toilets and water but no cooking facilities, and every one of them must be booked ahead, all year round.29,30 Carry your own stove and take all rubbish home. Camping keeps the cost of a full traverse low, and walking with only a daypack while the boats carry the heavy gear takes much of the sting out of a tent and a sleeping mat.
Lochmara Lodge, in a bay off the southern track, appears in combination packages: a 2-day kayak and hike pairs a guided paddle with a freedom walk and a night at the lodge.31 Wherever you sleep, private side tracks to lodges can be steep and narrow, so get clear directions when you book and arrive before dark.
Video
Hiking the Queen Charlotte Track from Ship Cove to Anakiwa
MarkSamson-NZ on YouTube · The video waits until you tap play to load.
There is no time limit on the pass, so it allows you to walk or bike the track in however many or few days you choose.
Before you book
Check these in any package
Usually included3
Often extra3
How many days to plan for the whole track
Most people finish the track in 4 days and 3 nights, though some take up to 7 days and others manage it in 2 or 3.5 The 4-day plan spreads the 73.5km over nights at Furneaux Lodge, Punga Cove and Portage.19 That rhythm gives you a gentle opening day from Ship Cove, the long ridge in the middle when your legs are warmed up, and an easy finish into Anakiwa in time for the boat or the road back to Picton.
The Queen Charlotte Track in 3 days is possible, but read the details. The 3-day independent package covers 53km, not the full track, with nights at Furneaux Lodge and Punga Cove Resort and a daily lunch, from NZD 1,045 per adult on twin share.16,18 It suits travelers on a tight schedule who want the finest sections and an earlier finish.
A 5-day plan gives you shorter days or a rest day by the water, and it pays off if you want to swim, kayak or simply sit on a lodge lawn. The official seasons guide helps you decide when: spring brings flowering plants and a quieter track, summer brings long warm days and more people, autumn brings tranquil days, and winter brings cool days between 10 and a maximum of 24°C.32
Luggage, fitness and booking ahead
Luggage rules vary by company, so pack to the strictest. The official track site asks for a day pack plus one light to medium bag per person and recommends 15kg as the maximum for each bag sent on alone; the mail boat operator allows up to 20kg, and the other water taxi company 2 items of 23kg each.33,34,10,35 Never pack passports, tickets or money in a bag that travels without you.24
Waterproof the bags you send ahead: one operator strongly recommends a liner or plastic bags, since luggage is moved from boat to jetty in all weather.23 On fitness, one outfitter suggests that walking or exercising 2 or 3 times a week is a good base, and that you try at least one long walk of up to 8 hours with some hills before you come.36
Book early for the busiest months. The official site names November to May as the most popular season.37 The mail boat operator recommends walking north to south and booking your accommodation before you leave Picton.38 On a long day you can usually swap a section for a boat ride, at extra cost.39 Keep that option in mind if the weather turns, if a knee complains or if you simply want a slower afternoon on the water instead of the ridge.
FAQ
The short answers to your questions.
How much does a Queen Charlotte Track package cost?
How many days do most people take?
4 days and 3 nights.
Some take up to 7 days, others finish in 2 or 3; the pass has no time limit.5
Is the land pass included in packages?
Are there huts on the Queen Charlotte Track?
How heavy can my luggage be?
Can I walk the track in fewer days?
Yes, with a shorter route.
The 3-day independent package covers 53km with nights at Furneaux Lodge and Punga Cove Resort.18
Which direction should I walk?
North to south.
The mail boat operator recommends starting at Ship Cove and finishing at Anakiwa.38
Sources
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Track Overview ↩
- Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · Great Track and Pack Pass ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 4 Day Independent Walk ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 4 Day Guided Walk ↩
- Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · Great Track and Pack Pass ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · FAQ's ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Track Overview ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 4 Day Guided Walk ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 4 Day Guided Walk ↩
- Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · Great Track and Pack Pass ↩
- Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · Great Track and Pack Pass ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Round Trip Track Pass ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Round Trip Track Pass ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Round Trip Track Pass ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · QCTLC Pass ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 3 Day Independent Walk ↩
- Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · Multi-Day Walks on the Queen Charlotte Track ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 3 Day Independent Walk ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 4 Day Independent Walk ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 3 Day Independent Walk ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 3 Day Independent Walk ↩
- Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · Multi-Day Walks on the Queen Charlotte Track ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · FAQ ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Pack Transfers ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 1 Day Shared Guided Walk ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · 1 Day Shared Guided Walk ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · Cruise and Lunch to Furneaux Lodge ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · FAQ's ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Camping on the Track ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Camping on the Track ↩
- Marlborough Sounds Adventure Company (marlboroughsounds.co.nz) · Sea Kayaking ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · FAQ's ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Pack Transfers ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Pack Transfers ↩
- Cougar Line (cougarline.co.nz) · FAQ ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
- Queen Charlotte Track Inc (qctrack.co.nz) · Track Overview ↩
- Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · Great Track and Pack Pass ↩
- Wilderness Guides (wildernessguidesnz.com) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩