Queen Charlotte Track, New Zealand: The Sound of Marlborough

I’ve always wanted to go to New Zealand and the Abel Tasman has been on my list of walks to do since Auswalk started offering it – the sunshine, the seals, the golden sand! It was a clear winner in my mind. However, I pivoted and booked the Queen Charlotte Track instead. It was apparent from the photos that Queen Charlotte Sound and track is very beautiful. The track makes its way through the Marlborough Sounds, offering stunning views of Queen Charlotte Sound. I’d never seen a sound in real life before, mountains jutting out from the ocean, nothing short of majestic. Having booked The Queen Charlotte for years for our walkers, I knew the accommodations along the way were wonderful, with restaurant dinners included after each walking day. However, the real reason I chose Queen Charlotte was that I needed something uncomplicated. I needed a break from thinking and planning, I needed to just…walk.

The Queen Charlotte is a linear track where you walk out from one accommodation and straight into the next. Other than the ferry to Ship Cove to start the walk and the ferry back to Picton at the end – the 71km of track in between is purely just you and your own two feet. There are no vehicle transfers needed which means you can start and finish each day as you please (daylight hours permitting) which for someone who runs perpetually late is a blessing.

There’s also something different about completing a linear walk compared to other multi day walks. There’s a sense of progression and accomplishment at the end of it. Your journey has a literal start and end and there’s something healing in that. One of the scenic highlights along the track is Endeavour Inlet, known for its diverse terrain, birdwatching opportunities, and historical significance.

Travelling to Picton  Driving to Picton was an experience in of itself. The road hugs the coastline running parallel to the train tracks for the Coastal Pacific Train – touted as one of the most beautiful train journeys in New Zealand. The landscape is characterised by rolling golden hills, rows of vineyards whirring by, and rocky shores with light turquoise waters marked by a stark dark blue line that shows where the water deepens into the Pacific Ocean. Picton is delightful, with tree-covered hills on all sides and glittering turquoise water. The main street is lined with bustling restaurants, friendly bars and cute little gift shops. After a little exploring and dinner, we settled into our accommodation in Picton which was clean and comfortable with lovely staff and a lovely view from our room. We had everything we needed for a good rest before starting our walk the next day.

Picton Harbour

Memorial archway framing the Marlborough Sounds in Picton

Overview

The Queen Charlotte Track is a 71km walking route located in the stunning Marlborough Sounds, at the top of New Zealand’s South Island. This track is renowned for its breathtaking views over Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru Sound, as well as its diverse landscapes, which include lush native bush and picturesque coastal sections. Starting at the historic Ship Cove and winding its way to Anakiwa, the track passes through a series of historic bays and along skyline ridges, offering a unique perspective of the region’s natural beauty. The Queen Charlotte Track is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, providing an unforgettable experience that showcases the stunning Marlborough Sounds in all their glory.

Picton to Ship Cove to Furneaux

For anyone wanting to travel on top of the ferry – layer up. It can be cold! The first views of the Sounds were exciting. Arriving at Ship Cove was such a magical experience, walking along the jetty to what felt like a secluded island. The waters were clear and blue, lapping at a pebbly beach. It was easy to imagine how awestruck Captain Cook must have felt arriving at such a uniquely beautiful and remote place.

Resolution Bay is an integral part of the scenic walking route, highlighting its connection to Captain Cook’s historical voyages and offering stunning views of the surrounding nature.

The first day of walking felt reminiscent of the Gold Coast Hinterland in Australia – a cool ferny forest with a rocky track underfoot. Although the colour scheme is different, the colour green of the forest in New Zealand is much darker. The steady inclines were enough to get my heart rate up. I was grateful my walking boots were extremely comfortable (I recommend going up a size for hiking boots, as I painfully learned on the Great Ocean Walk). At 16km, the first day is long enough to wake up your legs and get you into walking mode. Over the years, I’ve learned that walking is the best kind of therapy. Just you with your thoughts, your emotions, your problems, no distractions. For me, walking is like a washing machine for the mind. It churns, things bubble up, you see things inside out, upside down. The lack of an internet connection makes room for an inner connection. On day 1, my anxieties arise. Is my dog okay without me? What’s my five-year plan? How am I going to handle this situation? By the end of the day, solutions slowly make their way to the surface, and I quite literally walk all the junk out of my system.

Arriving at Furneaux Lodge is such a welcome sight! The grounds are gorgeous! The original colonial-style family homestead is the centrepiece functioning as the restaurant and bar area where you can select a well-earned glass of local wine (which goes down way too quickly) and enjoy a delicious a la carte dinner. There’s a hot tub, which we made full, blissful use of. And do not even start me about our suite, spacious, luxuriously decorated, water views with a cloud for a bed – if that were my home, I’d be one very happy lady.

Forest walking from Ship Cove

Furneaux to Punga

Waking up at Furneaux lodge is a real treat, the water views from the deliciously comfortable bed, surrounded by beautiful trees, flowers and birdlife – it really is paradise. The a la carte breakfast is just as satisfying as last night’s dinner. Did I mention the staff are also so lovely? Nothing is too much trouble. The hardest part of my day is packing up my luggage to have it transferred to the next accommodation by water taxi! (This is not hard even though I’ve over-packed; the bags are left in the room and will be at the next accommodation by the time we arrive). This day is probably my favourite day of all. It’s so easy to get back on the track – no incline, just a gentle walk back into the forest. By the second day of walking, worrying and problem-solving give way to creative inspiration. Passion projects and creative projects at work get shuffled around for fresh ideas. The five-year plan makes itself known – yes, a cottage on the peninsula would be ideal. My legs and joints adjust to walking longer distances, and today, the track is a lot smoother and shorter at 12km. The views are spectacular. Turquoise water sparkles through the ferns. The track itself is more exposed, so the sun comes through to warm us.

Punga is so beautiful, just as beautiful as Furneaux. I’m out on the deck, watching the water sparkle between the trees. The sun is shining, I pull my hat over my face and soak up the sunshine. It’s late March but it feels like summer and the breeze is warm. The sound of birds and waves lapping the rocky shore lull me into a state of deep peacefulness. This is holidaying at its finest.

Water views from our chalet at Punga Cove

After a quick nap, it’s time to explore Punga – there is so much to do here: hot tubs, fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming in the Sounds, swimming in the pool, or just relaxing on the deck with a glass of your new favourite wine. Cue horror comedy on the kayak (yes, this is overly dramatic). I haven’t kayaked since school camp, so forgive me; we thought it would be a lovely idea to kayak around the sounds. (Do you know people who have kayaked from Australia to New Zealand?) How hard could it be? We started kayaking, trying to go around the jetty to the beach. I cannot work out which way I need to paddle to go in the direction I want; mind you, this is a two-person kayak, each of us paddling in different directions – so we zig-zag out to sea, all the while slowly sinking. Cue giant swarm of jellyfish (completely harmless) which in my mind are terrible stingers, there’s probably sharks in the water too (definitely not). We continue to sink to our death (we are wearing life jackets 20m from shore). I probably make embarrassing squeals of fear (I 100% do). We capsize, and it’s all commotion until I realise I’m floating, and so are my Crocs. Watching my partner try to re-enter the kayak was like watching a baby seal trying to mount a surfboard – it was hilarious. I was in stitches for about 15 minutes. Defeatedly, we walked the kayak back to shore as it had become entirely waterlogged. The walk of shame is given a whole new meaning, all the while watching more skilled people effortlessly paddle around. Kayaking was a failure. Laughing and bobbing around the Sounds in the salty water was a priceless moment I will cherish forever—the cherry on top of a wonderful day. The staff here are equally as wonderful, advising us of the bioluminescent plankton, which is still present in the water – a truly magical experience.

Punga to The Portage – the Big Day

There’s something about having a big day of walking ahead of you. At 23.5km you know it’s a (half) marathon not a race. Some thoughts slowly churned one last time before being released. We relished the slow unravelling of each hour. I say we, but I can probably only talk for me. By the way, if you do not stretch after a long walk, I highly recommend that you do. While my partner announced he could not feel anything and stopped stretching, something must have worked. The next day, I felt nothing, but he felt sore. We had all kinds of weather today – which only adds to the adventure. The wind was strong but warm, and the rain was more of a light mist. The long stretches of forest felt enchanted – different to what we had experienced in previous days. The canopy above protected us from the rain, and the trees occasionally gave way to beautiful views over the Sounds, complete with rainbows! The forest floor was dotted with red toadstools and other interesting mushrooms, the whole scene felt like a fairy tale. Today was a true immersion with so many different things to see. The forest gave way to a balcony path cut into the hills’ side.

View in the evening over the Sound

Red mushroom on the forest floor

Something else profound arose: the strong connection and appreciation I felt for my hiking partner. It’s a truly wonderful thing to find someone with whom you enjoy walking 8 hours nonstop, having quirky conversations, laughing, motivating each other, and comfortable silence. How glorious it is to find someone with whom you can enjoy silence, each with space to just be, away from the demands of everyday life, cooking, cleaning, working, and the distractions of the internet and TV.

The end of today probably felt the most difficult – a steep descent to The Portage. But boy, oh boy, the Portage was a sight to see – with the sun hovering low in the sky, and the waterfront accommodation is friendly and welcoming. The common areas are lovely, and I wish we had spent more time enjoying them. If it’s cold, you can cosy up next to the fire while enjoying your drink of choice! I also highly recommend watching the sunset over the Sounds at dinner time. The back of the restaurant is glass to allow you to enjoy the spectacular display of the surrounding hills and water illuminated in every shade of orange, pink, purple and gold.

Sunset from the deck at the Portage Resort

The Portage to Anakiwa – the last day

After another delicious breakfast, we were relieved to be able to take the free shuttle back up to meet the track. This saved our tired legs from about 700m of very steep uphill walking. This last day is another big day at 20km, there’s some steep sections along the way and the track can be rocky underfoot demanding focus. We shared our lunch with a very beautiful horse – she had jumped the fence of a nearby paddock and was grazing near a picnic table. She happily trotted over and accepted our unwanted fruit.

The lovely horse that we met on the Queen Charlotte Track

Today thoughts have stopped completely. There’s no churning, no problem-solving. No creative inspiration. It’s something else entirely. There is only presence. Presence in the body and in the present moment. It sounds so cliche, but you can actually feel yourself reconnecting with nature, and you become part of the landscape. It’s not so crazy when you think about it. We are nature, we’ve just built up this wonderful technological world around us so it’s easy to forget. The very last section of the walk gently undulates downhill through vibrant jade green forest, it’s refreshing, peaceful and so beautiful. We reach the end, and it’s a shared victory with the other walkers to have arrived at the end with time to spare before our ferry back to Picton. 4 days of walking is the perfect amount of time. Long enough to really unwind but short enough to easily fit into a longer holiday. The Queen Charlotte Track is for anyone who would like a simply beautiful, moderately challenging walk to reset the mind and body, all while enjoying a little bit of luxury each night.

To go back to the title, what is the Sound of Marlborough? It’s birdsong in the forest, water lapping gently at the shore, your favourite wine pouring into a glass and silence, that beautiful, comfortable silence you share with someone you love.

For anyone who has already booked the Queen Charlotte Track, I wish you a wonderful walk. Our itineraries are available here for anyone interested in more information.

 

About the Track

The Queen Charlotte Track is a 71km walking and mountain biking route that winds its way through the breathtaking Marlborough Sounds on the South Island of New Zealand. Starting from the historic Ship Cove and stretching all the way to Anakiwa, the track offers a mesmerizing blend of coastal and forest landscapes. As you traverse the Queen Charlotte Track, you’ll be treated to panoramic views of the stunning Marlborough Sounds and the surrounding islands, each turn revealing a new vista more beautiful than the last.

The track is considered introductory to moderate in difficulty, making it accessible for walkers with some experience. Whether you’re navigating the gentle inclines or strolling through the lush native bush, the Queen Charlotte Track promises an unforgettable journey. Regular signposts and well-maintained DOC (Department of Conservation) huts and campsites ensure that you can focus on the experience without worrying about logistics. This is a track where the journey is just as rewarding as the destination.

History and Geography

The Queen Charlotte Track is steeped in history, with its roots tracing back to the early Polynesian explorer Kupe, who is believed to have been one of the first to visit the area. Centuries later, the track became a significant site for Captain James Cook, who anchored his ships in Ship Cove and used the area as a base during his three voyages. Walking the Queen Charlotte Track is like stepping back in time, following in the footsteps of these early explorers.

The track meanders through private land, and the Marlborough District Council works closely with landowners to maintain this iconic route. This collaboration ensures that the track remains accessible and well-preserved for future generations. The Queen Charlotte Track is also part of the Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails, and the Te Araroa Trail makes it a popular destination for both walkers and bikers. The blend of historical significance and natural beauty makes this track a truly unique experience.

Flora and Fauna

As you walk the Queen Charlotte Track, you’ll be immersed in a world of diverse flora and fauna. The track passes through areas of regenerating native forest, where towering Rimu, Tawa, and the iconic Punga (tree ferns) create a lush, green canopy overhead. The native bush is alive with the sounds of birdlife, from the melodic calls of the Tui to the cheeky chatter of the Fantail.

The North Island of New Zealand also holds significant ecological importance, with its unique flora and fauna, including native tree species like Kamahi. However, invasive mammals have impacted bird populations, highlighting the need for conservation efforts to maintain the island’s distinct biodiversity and evolutionary history.

The slow walking speed of the track allows you to fully appreciate the stunning views and the unique flora and fauna that call this area home. Keep an eye out for wildlife, as the track is home to a variety of species, including penguins, seals, and even dolphins, which can often be spotted on a boat trip to the track. Each step along the Queen Charlotte Track is an opportunity to connect with nature and experience the rich biodiversity of the Marlborough Sounds.

Transport

Getting to and from the Queen Charlotte Track is a breeze, with a variety of transport options to suit every traveller. Most visitors begin their journey by driving to Picton, a charming town that serves as the gateway to the track. From Picton, a scenic boat trip will take you to Ship Cove, the starting point of the track. For those coming from further afield, flying into Christchurch or Wellington and then taking a domestic flight to Blenheim or Picton is a convenient option. Private transfers from Nelson are also available, offering a comfortable and hassle-free way to reach the track. Once on the Queen Charlotte Track, you can enjoy leisurely boat trips to Portage Bay or Endeavour Inlet or take a scenic drive along the Queen Charlotte Sound, soaking in the stunning views along the way.

Weather & When to Walk

The best time to walk the Queen Charlotte Track is from October to April, when the weather is mild and dry, making for ideal walking conditions. During these months, the track is open year-round, but the summer months of December to February are particularly popular, drawing walkers from all over the world. The track can be walked in either direction, but most people prefer to start at the Queen Charlotte Sound end and walk north to Ship Cove. It’s important to be prepared for variable weather conditions, including the possibility of rain and wind, so packing accordingly is essential. As the track drops to sea level at several points, you’ll be treated to stunning views of the Marlborough Sounds, making every step of the journey worthwhile.

Accommodation Options

The Queen Charlotte Track offers a wide range of accommodation options to suit every budget and preference. From luxurious lodges like Furneaux Lodge and Punga Cove Resort to more budget-friendly DOC huts and campsites, there’s something for everyone. The Marlborough District Council also provides accommodation options, including the Anakiwa Lodge and the Portage Resort, ensuring that all visitors have a comfortable place to rest after a day of walking. It’s advisable to book your accommodations in advance, especially during peak season, to secure your preferred lodging and make the most of your walking holiday on the Queen Charlotte Track.

Conclusion

The Queen Charlotte Track is a unique and scenic walking and biking route that offers unparalleled views of the Marlborough Sounds and the surrounding islands. With its rich history, diverse flora and fauna, and moderate difficulty, it has become a beloved destination for walkers and bikers alike. Whether you’re seeking a relaxing and scenic walking holiday or an exhilarating biking adventure, the Queen Charlotte Track has something to offer everyone.

The track’s combination of stunning views, unique flora and fauna, and historical significance makes it a must-visit destination for anyone travelling to the South Island of New Zealand. So lace up your hiking boots, pack your sense of adventure, and get ready to experience the magic of the Queen Charlotte Track.