Map your stop

The Queen Charlotte Track, section by section

The quick version

The Queen Charlotte Track runs 73.5 km from Ship Cove to Anakiwa, takes 3-5 days on foot, starts with a boat from Picton and needs a land pass for its private middle sections.

Before you go

  • Ship Cove is reached by boat only3
  • Land pass from NZD 25 a day72
  • DOC campsites booked all year58

Find out about 30 stops

Queen Charlotte Sound, bay by bay

Start by picking a route; tap a pin or stop for its note and Google Maps.

Map of the Queen Charlotte Track from Meretoto / Ship Cove to Anakiwa, with the bays, saddles, campsites and Picton

  1. Cook's anchorage and the start of the track, reached only by boat.

    Google Maps

  2. A sheltered bay inside Resolution Bay with a campsite beside the track.

    Google Maps

  3. A long inlet with lodges, where a small antimony mining town stood in the 1880s.

    Google Maps

  4. A small bay with a campsite and a resort nearby, at the foot of the climb to the ridge.

    Google Maps

  5. The road end on the ridge where the track crosses into private land.

    Google Maps

  6. A ridge-top campsite above the bay of the same name.

    Google Maps

  7. A ridge-top campsite with wide views over both sounds.

    Google Maps

  8. A bay below Torea Saddle with a campsite, near Portage.

    Google Maps

  9. A short side trip from the track to a lookout above the inner sound.

    Google Maps

  10. A bay with cabins and campsites, reached by road or boat, and short forest walks.

    Google Maps

  11. A beech-shaded bay with a campsite, an hour from the track end.

    Google Maps

  12. The southern end of the track, with a jetty, toilets and a car park.

    Google Maps

  13. The ferry port and the base for every cruise and water taxi on the sound.

    Google Maps

© OpenStreetMap contributors, map data

A long ridge walk above two sounds, where boats carry the heavy bags. How the Queen Charlotte Track divides up, where it begins, what the land pass covers and which months suit it.

Editorial team, queencharlottesoundcruise.click · Updated November 8, 2026 · Quick read: 8 min

Overview

  • Length73.5 km one way, from Meretoto/Ship Cove to Anakiwa.1
  • On footDOC allows 3-5 days for the whole walk.2
  • StartShip Cove has no road, so the walk begins with a boat from Picton.3
  • Land passNeeded on the private land between Kenepuru Saddle and Anakiwa.4
  • Busiest seasonNovember to May, though it is open all year.5

Ship Cove to Anakiwa along the ridges

The Queen Charlotte Track runs 73.5 km from historic Meretoto/Ship Cove, the cove where James Cook anchored, to Anakiwa at the head of Grove Arm.1 It counts as a section of Te Araroa Trail and also as one of the Ngā Haerenga cycle trails, so you share it with riders as well as walkers.1,6 Conservation staff, the district council and private landowners look after it together, and the land in the middle belongs to private owners.7,4

The line grew out of old bridle paths that once tied farms together, including the school at Schoolhouse Bay that local children reached on foot or by pony.8,9 Landowners cut a walkable route between 1981 and 1983 and a rough track opened to the public early in 1983.10 Maintenance passed to DOC in 1987, a crew of 150 Air Force men later reopened overgrown stretches, and by November 1991 the pieces had been joined into one walkway.11,12,13

It is long rather than steep. The ground rolls between sea level and 400 metres, the tread is mostly 1 to 1.5 metres wide, and the larger streams have bridges.14,15 The catch is the clay, which turns greasy after rain, and DOC also warns of blind corners, drops at the outer edge and the odd fallen tree.16 The official track site rates it an easier tramping track for moderately fit people, while DOC files it as intermediate.17,2

Walk and ride

Stages, times and road access

StageWalk timeDistanceRoad
Ship Cove to Resolution Bay2 hr184.5 km18Boat only
Resolution Bay to Endeavour Inlet3 hr1910.5 km19Boat only
Endeavour Inlet to Camp Bay4 hr2011.5 km20Boat
Camp Bay to Torea Saddle8 hr2124.5 km21Saddles by road
Torea Saddle to Mistletoe Bay4 hr227.5 km22Road and boat
Mistletoe Bay to Anakiwa4 hr2412.5 km24Road and boat

DOC walking times are set for a slow walker; road and boat access as DOC and the official track site list them.37,32,31

Reaching the start by boat

Where does the Queen Charlotte Track start? At Meretoto/Ship Cove, and although you may walk or ride it in either direction, DOC recommends beginning at that northern end.25 No road reaches the cove, so an end-to-end trip opens with a boat ride out of Picton, which Destination Marlborough calls the best way to begin.3,26 Riders load their bikes for a cruise of about an hour up the sound, a good first look at the bays ahead.27

Starting in the north brings another advantage. Boat operators can move your luggage between overnight stops from that end, leaving you to walk with a day pack.28,29 Boats also land walkers at Resolution Bay, Endeavour Inlet, Camp Bay, Torea Bay, Mistletoe Bay and Anakiwa, which makes shorter itineraries easy to stitch together.30 Endeavour Inlet and Resolution Bay, like Ship Cove itself, have no road access at all.31

Coming by car, you can join at Anakiwa, Mistletoe Saddle, Torea Saddle or Kenepuru Saddle.32 Parking at those road ends is limited and unsecured, which is worth weighing before you leave a car there for days.33 At the southern end, on-demand shuttles run between Anakiwa and Picton, and Queen Charlotte Drive links the town with the Anakiwa road.34,35 Riders can also keep pedalling, as the Link Pathway is slowly joining Anakiwa to Picton and Havelock.36

Distance per stage

How the walk divides up

  • To Resolution Bay4.5
  • To Endeavour Inlet10.5
  • To Camp Bay11.5
  • To Torea Saddle24.5
  • To Mistletoe Bay7.5
  • To Anakiwa12.5

Walking stage lengths in km as DOC gives them, from Ship Cove south to Anakiwa.18,19,20,21,22,24

Every section, from cove to road end

DOC divides the walk into stages and sets its times for a slow walker, so a day hiker with a light pack will usually beat them.37 The opener is gentle: Ship Cove to Resolution Bay is 4.5 km and about 2 hr, climbing through old forest to a saddle you reach after 50 minutes, with views over the inner and outer sound.18,41 Resolution Bay to the head of Endeavour Inlet adds 10.5 km and about 3 hr, then 11.5 km and about 4 hr lead along the shore to Camp Bay.19,20

Then comes the crux. Camp Bay to Torea Saddle is 24.5 km and about 8 hr on foot, along the spine that separates Queen Charlotte Sound from Kenepuru Sound, and DOC calls it the longest and hardest stage.21,42 You can break it at the ridge-top campsites: Bay of Many Coves lies about 3 hr from Camp Bay and Black Rock about 6 hr.21 On a clear day the reward is a long panorama over both sounds, with bays opening below on each side.

The last stretches are shorter but still hilly. Torea Saddle to Mistletoe Bay is 7.5 km and about 4 hr through gorse and mānuka that is slowly giving way to young forest, and a side path leads to the Onahau Lookout before the descent to Te Mahia Saddle.22,23 Mistletoe Bay to Anakiwa is 12.5 km and about 4 hr on old bridle paths high above the water, ending in mature beech forest beside the Outward Bound school.24,43

Plan it

Which way of doing the track suits you?

Start from your time, your legs and how much you want to carry.

  • If I have a long weekend

    Walk the northern stages

    Ship Cove to Camp Bay runs along the shore and is reached by boat.18,20

  • If I want the big views

    Take on the ridge

    Camp Bay to Torea Saddle follows the ridge between two sounds.21

  • If I ride and want a challenge

    Bike it over a few days

    The official site suggests 2 to 3 days on the bike.38

  • If I hate carrying a big pack

    Book a bag transfer

    Water taxis carry packs between places to stay.29

  • If I have only one day

    Ride or walk one section

    DOC names Mistletoe Bay to Anakiwa as a good day ride.40

Pick your version

Walk it, ride it or sample it

Multi-day hike

Full walk

Cove to road end on foot

  • Distance73.5 km1
  • Time3-5 days2
  • BagsCarried by boat29
Compare options

Mountain bike

Full ride

Single track on two wheels

  • Riding timeAbout 13 hours38
  • Grades3, 4 and 52
  • Summer ruleEarly boat39
Compare options

Short visit

Day section

Boat out, walk back to a pick-up

  • Opening leg4.5 km18
  • Day ride27 km40
  • AccessBy boat30
Compare options

Days on foot and how to split them

How long is the Queen Charlotte Track for a walker? It measures 73.5 km, and both DOC and the official track site budget 3-5 days for it.2,38 The spread comes from how you divide the long ridge stage and where you sleep. DOC's guide times are written with slow walkers carrying overnight gear in mind, so people on a lodge-and-boat plan with day packs tend to arrive earlier.37 Leave room for swims, side trips and long lunches at the bays.

An unhurried plan sleeps near Resolution Bay or Endeavour Inlet, then around Camp Bay or Punga Cove, then near Portage or Torea Bay, and finishes at Anakiwa. A quicker plan merges the short opening stages into a single day and pushes on along the ridge. Lodges, cabins and campsites sit beside or close to the track, but some private places are reached by steep side paths, so ask each host for directions when you book.

Distance, not climbing, is what tires people on this route, especially on the second half. With the high point near 400 metres there are few brutal ascents, yet the stages between Camp Bay and Anakiwa are long, and that is where pacing matters.14,15 Book every night before you set off. DOC campsites need a booking all year, the official FAQ confirms there are no DOC huts, and Picton beds also fill in peak season.58,62,63

Stage by stage

From the cove to the road end on foot

  1. Opening leg

    Ship Cove to Resolution Bay

    4.5 km, about 2 hr, with a saddle lookout on the way.18

  2. Into the inlet

    Resolution Bay to Endeavour Inlet

    10.5 km, about 3 hr, ending at the old mining valley.19

  3. Shoreline

    Endeavour Inlet to Camp Bay

    11.5 km, about 4 hr, through regenerating forest.20

  4. The ridge

    Camp Bay to Torea Saddle

    24.5 km, about 8 hr, the longest stage.21

  5. Gorse country

    Torea Saddle to Mistletoe Bay

    7.5 km, about 4 hr, with the Onahau Lookout.22,23

  6. Final leg

    Mistletoe Bay to Anakiwa

    12.5 km, about 4 hr, on old bridle paths.24

Riding it on a mountain bike

Mountain biking the Queen Charlotte Track is the quicker way through. The official site puts the full ride at about 13 hours, best spread over 2 to 3 days, and calls it the country's longest stretch of unbroken single track.38,64 DOC grades the riding at grade 3, 4 and 5, and on the ridge between Camp Bay and Torea Saddle it expects most riders to push their bikes in places, so fitness and bike handling both count.2,42

DOC's riding guide gives Ship Cove to Camp Bay as about 5 hr and 26.5 km, Camp Bay to Torea Saddle about 4 hr and 24.5 km, and Torea Saddle to Anakiwa about 4 hr and 20 km.65,66,67 The official track site measures the same legs at 28.5, 24.5 and 20.5 kms.68 For a taste rather than the full trip, DOC suggests Ship Cove to Kenepuru Saddle (27 km) or Mistletoe Bay to Anakiwa (12.5 km) as day rides.40

The opening section now takes bikes all year, but in summer riders must take the early boat to Ship Cove and stay ahead of the walkers.39 If the central ridge looks like too much, Kenepuru Road offers a way around between Kenepuru Saddle and Portage.69 DOC advises carrying the tools and spares to fix your own bike.70 Leave the panniers at home: the boats move your bags, and the official FAQ says the ground is too rough to carry them easily.71

Video

Hiking the Queen Charlotte Track

Dane and Stacey on YouTube · The video waits until you tap play to load.

You can walk or ride the track in either direction, but it's best to start from Meretoto/Ship Cove.
Department of Conservation (DOC)25

Before you set off

A track checklist

Bookings and paperwork4

  • Buy the land pass for the Kenepuru Saddle to Anakiwa sections4
  • Book every DOC campsite or lodge night in advance58
  • Arrange the boat to Ship Cove and the bag transfer26
  • Riders in summer: reserve the early boat39

In your day pack5

  • Water, plus a way to treat it on the track59
  • Antihistamine for wasp stings in late summer60
  • A warm layer and a rain jacket for the ridge
  • A portable stove if camping: no open fires61
  • Shoes with grip for the clay after rain16

Land pass, campsites and track rules

Between Kenepuru Saddle and Anakiwa the path crosses private land, and walkers and riders need a pass from the Queen Charlotte Track Land Cooperative for those sections.4 The fees are NZD 25 for a single day, NZD 50 for a multi-day pass used over 5 consecutive days and NZD 75 for a season, and school children travel free.72 You can buy it online or at the Picton, Blenheim and Havelock i-SITEs, DOC Wellington and the Picton waterfront.73

DOC manages six campsites along the track, each with toilets and a water supply, and every one needs a booking whatever the month.74,58 Bring a portable stove, because open fires are banned on the track and the whole of the Sounds sits under a restricted fire season all year.61,75 DOC asks you to treat, filter or boil drinking water for 3 minutes, which matters most in dry spells when some sections run short of water.59

Dogs may only use the stretch between Anakiwa and Davies Bay, with a permit and on a lead.76 Wasps gather on the beech trees in late summer and autumn, so pack antihistamine if stings affect you.60 Near Ship Cove, the Bottle Rock Peninsula is part of a project to stop rats and possums returning without a predator fence, and some of its traps sit beside the path.50 Leave them alone, take every scrap of rubbish out with you, and keep to the track on private land.

Seasons, birds and stories along the way

The official site says the track can be walked in any month, with November to May the busiest season.5 Spring brings flowering native plants and quieter paths, summer long warm days and more company over the holidays, and autumn settled days with cool evenings.77,78,79 Winter days range from 10 to 24°C on the official site's figures, and the clay is at its slipperiest then, so good soles matter more than ever.80,16

Listen as you walk. Bellbird and tūī answer from the canopy, fantails and South Island robins follow you for the insects your boots disturb, and weka and ruru call around dusk.81 Where the path follows the shore, the estuaries of Endeavour Inlet and Big Bay feed white-faced herons, oystercatchers and kingfishers on twice-daily tides.82 DOC adds that bottlenose dolphins visit the sound regularly and can sometimes be watched from the track itself.83

The names along the way tell older stories. Māori hauled canoes across low saddles between the sounds, the saddle at Torea still links Picton with Kenepuru Sound, and the European name Portage remembers that carrying.84 In the 1880s a small mining town stood at the head of Endeavour Inlet, shipping antimony ore to England.45 Farmers once even planned a canal across Te Mahia Saddle to move wool and stock to Picton.85

FAQ

The short answers to your questions.

How many days do I need for the whole track?
Plan on 3-5 days.

DOC and the official track site both allow 3-5 days for the 73.5 km.2,38

Do I need to book before walking?
Beds and campsites, yes.

Using the track needs no booking, but DOC campsites must be booked all year and a pass is needed on the private land.86,58

How much does the land pass cost?
From NZD 25.

NZD 25 for a day, NZD 50 multi-day and NZD 75 for a season; school children go free.72

Can someone carry my luggage?
Yes, the water taxis.

Water taxis can move your pack between places to stay, leaving you with a day pack.29

Are there huts on the track?
No DOC huts.

You sleep at DOC campsites, private camping grounds, resorts or homestays.62

Can I bring my dog?
Only near Anakiwa.

Dogs need a permit and a lead, and may only use the stretch from Anakiwa to Davies Bay.76

Can I ride a bike on the track in summer?
Yes, with an early start.

The Ship Cove to Camp Bay section takes bikes all year, but summer riders must catch the early boat.39

Sources

  1. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  2. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  3. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  4. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  5. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track Overview ↩
  6. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  7. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · QCTLC Pass ↩
  8. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track History ↩
  9. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track History ↩
  10. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track History ↩
  11. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track History ↩
  12. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track History ↩
  13. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track History ↩
  14. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track Overview ↩
  15. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track Overview ↩
  16. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  17. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track Overview ↩
  18. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  19. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  20. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  21. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  22. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  23. Destination Marlborough (MarlboroughNZ, official visitor guide) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  24. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  25. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  26. Destination Marlborough (MarlboroughNZ, official visitor guide) · Queen Charlotte Track: getting there & away ↩
  27. Destination Marlborough (MarlboroughNZ, official visitor guide) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  28. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  29. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · FAQ's ↩
  30. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  31. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Journey to the Track ↩
  32. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  33. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Journey to the Track ↩
  34. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Journey to the Track ↩
  35. Destination Marlborough (MarlboroughNZ, official visitor guide) · Queen Charlotte Drive ↩
  36. Destination Marlborough (MarlboroughNZ, official visitor guide) · Queen Charlotte Track: getting there & away ↩
  37. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  38. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track Overview ↩
  39. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track Overview ↩
  40. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  41. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  42. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  43. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  44. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Meretoto/Ship Cove
  45. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  46. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Mistletoe Bay tracks
  47. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Motuara Island Scenic Reserve
  48. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Motuara Island Lookout Track
  49. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Long Island - Kokomohua Marine Reserve
  50. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  51. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Perano Whaling Station
  52. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Perano Whaling Station
  53. Destination Marlborough (MarlboroughNZ, official visitor guide) · Picton & Tōtaranui Queen Charlotte Sound
  54. Destination Marlborough (MarlboroughNZ, official visitor guide) · Waitohi/Picton Heritage
  55. Marlborough District Council · Navigation Bylaw
  56. Beachcomber Cruises (beachcombercruises.co.nz) · Cruise Queen Charlotte Sounds
  57. Tourism New Zealand (newzealand.com) · Marlborough Sounds
  58. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  59. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  60. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  61. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  62. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · FAQ's ↩
  63. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Location ↩
  64. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Bike the Track ↩
  65. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  66. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  67. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  68. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Bike the Track ↩
  69. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  70. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  71. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · FAQ's ↩
  72. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · QCTLC Pass ↩
  73. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · QCTLC Pass ↩
  74. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  75. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Sound/Tōtaranui area ↩
  76. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  77. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · FAQ's ↩
  78. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · FAQ's ↩
  79. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · FAQ's ↩
  80. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · FAQ's ↩
  81. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  82. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  83. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  84. Department of Conservation (DOC) · Queen Charlotte Track ↩
  85. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · Track History ↩
  86. Queen Charlotte Track (official site, Queen Charlotte Track Inc) · QCTLC Pass ↩

Up next

More guides to the sound

GuideQueen Charlotte Sound cruise pricesGuideQueen Charlotte Sound cruises comparedGuideThe mail boat runGuideCruise and walk by water taxi

Before you go

Hold a seat, pay later.

Save your seat on the mail run now and pay later; you can cancel at no cost up to 24 hours before departure. Dates and fares are in the booking box.

Look up availability