Roys Peak Track

Roys Peak climbs about 1,200 metres in around eight kilometres of zigzag farm track from the road to a 1,578-metre summit above Lake Wanaka. Partway up, a narrow spur juts out with the lake, its islands and the mountains behind - and that spur is the single most photographed viewpoint in New Zealand, to the point where in summer there is a genuine queue of people waiting their turn to stand on it, often thirty or more deep at sunrise. Knowing that in advance changes how you plan. The climb itself is unremitting: no flat sections, no shade, exposed the whole way, and hot by mid-morning. The track crosses private farmland and is closed for lambing, usually from about 1 October to 10 November, and that closure is enforced. Many people stop at the viewpoint spur and never continue the further forty minutes to the actual summit, which is quieter and higher.

What you actually see

• The spur viewpoint - the photograph, and the queue for it.
• The 1,200-metre climb - eight kilometres of zigzag, no flat.
• Lake Wanaka and its islands - laid out below with peaks behind.
• The true summit - forty minutes past the spur, and quiet.

When to go

November to April, avoiding the lambing closure from about 1 October to 10 November. Sunrise is the classic and the busiest; late afternoon is warmer light and fewer people.

Honest expectations

There is a real queue at the viewpoint in summer. The climb is relentless, fully exposed, with no water and no shade. The lambing closure is enforced. In winter the upper track ices and needs equipment.

Nearby

Wanaka town and the lakefront are close; Rob Roy Glacier is up the Matukituki Valley.