Queen Charlotte Track

A spectacular coastal walk among lush native bush.

- Barbz Lowther

If you’ve never walked the Queen Charlotte, or walked it many years ago, put it on top of your bucket list!The Queen Charlotte track is 71 kms long and usually completed in three or four days, but there are many and varied options for day walks, with boat transport between.

This makes it a perfect family or group holiday, catering for all different needs. The track has been up-graded and improved over the years, and is very easy to access from Picton.

Both ‘Beachcomber’ and ‘Cougar Lines’ run several trips a day to Ships Cove where the trail begins, and ‘on demand’ water taxis will drop you off at a variety of different bays, to do a section of the trail.

For those walking the entire track, with prior arrangement, either boat company will transport luggage each day, and deposit it at your chosen accommodation.

Accommodation options also cater for all -- from luxury apartments to hikers cabins. Each lodge has a first class restaurant, and often a spa or pool, available to all.

In most, the hikers rooms have a fully equipped kitchen, and all have very welcoming staff and amazing views.

We travelled to Ships Cove with ‘Beachcomber Cruises’. The Skipper, Julian gave a really interesting and informative commentary of the history, geography and wildlife of the area.

As we passed Tory Channel and Arapawa Island, he told us about the first whaling station here. We were so lucky to strike an enormous pod of dolphins diving and leaping all around the boat. We slowed and cruised with them for half an hour. It was magic!

We finally arrived at Ships Cove, to an impressive display of Captain Cook’s voyages of discovery to this area 17701777.

Leaving there about mid-day, we followed a lovely shady dappled path, quite steep in places, to Resolution Bay, which we reached in about one and a half hours.