Queen Charlotte Track

The Queen Charlotte runs seventy-three kilometres from Ship Cove to Anakiwa along the ridges and bays of the outer Marlborough Sounds, and it works differently from most New Zealand multi-day walks. Water taxis serve almost every bay, so packs are transferred ahead each day and walkers carry a daypack; accommodation ranges from DOC campsites to lodges with beds and dinner. That makes it the least austere of the country's long tracks and the one most people can actually do. It starts at Ship Cove, where Cook anchored repeatedly on his voyages, and climbs onto ridges with water on both sides for much of its length. Parts cross private land, and the Track Pass paid to the landowners' cooperative is what keeps that access open - it is not optional. Mountain bikers share the track, with seasonal restrictions on some sections. Day walkers can take a boat to any bay and walk one leg.

What you actually see

• The ridge sections - Sounds water on both sides for kilometres.
• Ship Cove - the sheltered start, and Cook's anchorage.
• The bays - lodges, campsites and jetties along the route.
• The pack transfers - boats moving your bag while you walk.

When to go

October to April. Book accommodation and boats well ahead - the good lodges fill months out. Day sections are easy to arrange from Picton.

Honest expectations

The Track Pass for the private-land sections is required and checked. It is not wilderness - you share it with bikes and pass lodges regularly. Water taxi timetables dictate the day. Sandflies at the bays.

Nearby

Picton and the ferry terminal are at the southern end; Blenheim and the wineries are inland.